The Secret Chamber

Woodhead (The Forbidden Temple) takes readers on a harrowing journey from the snowy Himalayas to dangerous African jungles to the upper echelons of the Chinese military. The paths of tortured world-class mountaineer Luca Matthews, mining supervisor and expert pilot Beatrice “Bear” Makuru, and eccentric and devious General Jian of the People’s Liberation Army converge on a mysterious and valuable mineral in Congo’s northern wilderness. Matthews’s purpose is to find Joshua Milton, a boyhood friend last seen in the area on a mission for Doctors Without Borders. But before he can find Milton, Matthews must overcome lingering guilt over a friend’s death in a recent climbing accident. His internal struggle, coupled with Bear’s deep-rooted issues with her alcoholic smuggler of a father and unflinching descriptions of Congo’s civil strife, makes for a spellbinding tale of adventure, struggle, and, ultimately, justice. Agent: Tim Glister, Janklow & Nesbit Associates. (June)