Canada 1 Canada 2 Canada 3 U.S. U.K.
Dutch German 1 German 2 Japan
Paul Wood is a modern vagabond, a man who chooses to leave the comforts of San Francisco to spend months backpacking through some of the world's most challenging terrain. While hiking in the Himalayas, Paul gets more of a rush than he bargained for when he finds the body of a murdered hiker - mutilated in a way he has witnessed once before, in Africa, years ago and thousands of miles away.

The police in Nepal, anxious to quell a scandal, close the case and declare the victim a suicide. Only Paul is left to search for answers. He reaches out to his farflung tribe		 of fellow backpackers for help, and his discoveries lead him to a terrible conclusion: a killer is stalking the international backpacker trail, preying on victims in wild places far beyond the reach of any authorities. A killer whom Paul may already know.

Finding the murderer becomes an obsession that leads Paul from Himalayan peaks, through the jungles of Indonesia, across the bleak Sahara desert -- and into some of the darkest places imaginable...
Dark Places won the 2005 Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel.

"You're hooked ... the characters are delightfully delineated ... beautifully controlled ... Evans contrives to slip the necessary specialist net-head detail into the plot without being boring or patronising. He can also pin down a character with a few details deftly brushed in ... A pacy thriller for the 21st century." - The Times

"Anyone would enjoy Evans' clever, relentlessly absorbing debut thriller that becomes a lot more than just another serial-killer mystery." - The Ottawa Citizen

"Easily the year's creepiest crime novel." - The Calgary Herald

"It's very, very good. If you are au fait with the lore and background of international backpacking, it's probably even better ... Will there be more? I certainly hope so." - The Globe & Mail

"In this haunting suspense debut, Evans takes the reader on a page-turning adventure across five continents ... (a) spooky, inventive tale." - Publishers Weekly

"A dark and engrossing thriller ... twists and turns keep the reader guessing ... Evans is a veteran traveller himself and captures the insular world of trekkers perfectly." - South China Morning Post

"A well-paced thriller with plenty of twists and some creepy moments that keep the pages turning." - Time Out London

"A compelling thriller about the mysterious deaths of travellers in Third World countries, committed, the lead character suspects, by other Westerners." - TNT Magazine

"Vivid landscapes, unusual culture, marvelous concept ... who could ask for more?" - Poisoned Pen

"A riveting read ... one can only hope that this, the first novel by Jon Evans, is not the last." - Bolton Evening News

"A taut thriller ... Evans keeps you guessing and leaves you with the uncomfortable realization of just how plausible this all could be. A real page-turner." - Ms. London

"A stunning debut novel from a thriller writer to watch ... a breathtaking thriller." - Western Daily Press

Chosen by Toronto's Metro Today as one of their 'Top Summer Reads'.

"A sharp debut that never lets up on the tension, with a denouement that is both shocking and utterly right ... Jon Evans ... isn't about to develop into something special - he's already there." - January Magazine

"Jon Evans's compelling thriller will indeed take you to dark places ... an adrenalin-laced winner." - Amazon.ca Editorial Review

"I was completely gripped - I never wanted to put the book down." - Emily Barr

"Young, techno-savvy, and unfailingly hip, Evans captures perfectly the world of trekkers and keeps the plot rocking." - Kyle Mills

"Jon Evans guides the reader masterfully into worlds he obviously knows well. Dark Places is engaging, disturbing, and relentless -- an impressive debut novel." - CJ Box
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