Publisher's Synopsis
THROUGH THE DARK TIMES, THEY WILL HELP YOU FIND THE LIGHT . . .
***
'Dazzling, chilling, moving and original . . . I loved it' CHRIS WHITAKER
'A captivating novel of love and loss and the lengths we will go to start again' SOPHIE WARD
'A beautifully crafted mystery that asks if we ever truly get a second chance' CATRIONA SILVEY
'Unique and utterly unforgettable' LOUISE BEECH
'Full of mystery and tension, with clever twists and reveals, all building to a surprising yet satisfying ending' PHILIPPA EAST
Welcome to Atlas. What would you do for a second chance?
Summer 1982. Deep in the Adirondack Mountains, over three hundred people live off-grid in a secret community. Atlas is a refuge for broken souls who long for a different life. Founded by the enigmatic Sol, the group now prepares for their final ceremony: the opening of the Golden Door. They believe they will cross to another world, to a new life where their past decisions never ended in tragedy.
James Morrow is a rookie New York City reporter intent on making his name with an exposé of the crazy cult in the woods. He secures an invitation to the camp on the condition he tell the world of its wonders, but James is a sceptic. He's sure there must be more to the mysterious leader and his endgame than his followers have signed up for.
James soon finds there is a darker side to the cult beyond the prayers and yellow robes. A group of children are treated like gods, there are iron strips embedded in the earth, and nobody talks about what's behind the gates of Sol's private sanctuary. As James learns the stories of the members and how they came to be there, he begins to understand the desperate nature of their beliefs - a desperation he knows all too well.
As the final ceremony draws near, James must ask himself: what will it cost them to reach this other life? And is that a price he's willing to pay?
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:
'I would give this book ten stars if I could . . . Incredibly clever . . . Heartbreakingly perfect'
'This was an incredible read . . . I loved it'
'Beth Lewis never fails to grab my attention and hold it for every single bit of every single page of her books. This one was no different'
'A really interesting, gripping read'
