Bloomsbury Publishing has announced the November release of Evil on the Roof of the World: A Cycling Trip That Ended in Terror, a true crime book by acclaimed author William Elliott Hazelgrove that has already garnered a strong review from Publishers Weekly. The book details the harrowing story of American cyclists Lauren Geoghegan and Jay Austin, whose two-year journey across continents ended in a brutal ambush by ISIS in Central Asia's Pamir Mountains.
In its review, Publishers Weekly notes, 'Readers will be aghast,' calling the book a 'chilling true crime tale.' Hazelgrove, known for works such as Dead Air The Night Orson Welles Terrified America, meticulously reconstructs the couple's journey, which began in South Africa and took them through Europe before the tragic conclusion in Tajikistan. Drawing from the couple's personal blogs and interviews with family and friends, Hazelgrove vividly portrays their adventures, from facing charging elephants and malaria in Africa to dealing with suspicious officials in Europe.
The story culminates in Tajikistan, where their journey ended in terror. Hazelgrove's direct and utilitarian prose, the review notes, 'pays off, lending the account an unsettling air.' The book promises to be a deeply researched account of a tragedy that shocked the world.
William Hazelgrove is a National Bestselling author of ten novels and twelve nonfiction titles. His books have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist, and have been Book of the Month Selections, ALA Editors Choice Awards, Junior Library Guild Selections, Literary Guild Selections, History Book Club Selections, and History Book Club Bestsellers. He was the Ernest Hemingway Writer in Residence and has written articles for USA Today, The Smithsonian Magazine, and other publications. His work has been featured on NPR All Things Considered, The New York Times, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, CSPAN, USA Today, and World News Tonight. His book Madam President The Secret Presidency of Edith is in development for film. More information can be found at www.williamhazelgrove.com.
The upcoming release of Evil on the Roof of the World adds to Hazelgrove's growing list of nonfiction works that explore historical and true crime narratives. With its chilling account of a cycling trip that turned into a nightmare, the book is poised to captivate readers interested in true crime and adventure stories gone wrong.
