The Himalayan Codex: An R. J. Maccready Novel

“Bill Schutt and J. R. Finch are two of the best adventure writers to hit the scene in a long time!” —Clive Cussler, #1 New York Times bestselling author

It is 1946, and the world is rebuilding itself from the war’s devastating ashes. R. J. MacCready is headed for the Himalayas to examine some recently discovered mammoth bones—a mission that may help him put the loss of his friend and colleague Bob Thorne behind him.

Arriving in Asia with the bright and fearless Yanni Thorne, his friend’s widow and now his invaluable assistant, Mac learns the bones are only a cover story. He’s actually been sent there to investigate an ancient codex allegedly written by Pliny the Elder, a fascinating text filled with revelatory secrets. The Roman naturalist claimed to have discovered a new race of humans, a divergent species that inspired the myths of the Yeti and is rumored to have the ability to accelerate the process of evolution. If Pliny’s assertions are true, this seemingly supernatural ability holds unlimited potential benefits—and unlimited potential for destruction.

Charged with uncovering more about this miracle species, Mac sets off into the remote mountain valleys of Tibet, known to the locals as the Labyrinth, using the codex as his guide. As he plunges deeper into the unknown, the more certain it appears that Mac and the associates who join his odyssey may not make it out alive.

Bill Schutt is a vertebrate zoologist and author. He is a research associate in residence at the American Museum of Natural History and a professor of biology at LIU-Post. Bill’s first book, Dark Banquet: Blood and the Curious Lives of Blood-Feeding Creatures, was critically acclaimed by E. O. Wilson and the New York Times. His next nonfiction work will explore the natural history of cannibalism. Bill lives with his wife and son in Long Island.

J. R. Finch is a painter, history buff, and cave explorer. He lives in New York City with three cats.