Set in the Himalayan region of Sikkim, the book follows a group of inexperienced trekkers making their way to the storied Goecha La in early winter. Among them is a family of four, attempting their first holiday after lockdown. A newly single yoga instructor, determined to prove she can live and travel solo. An older one-time mountaineer, hoping to reconnect with the mountains. A young man drawn to the challenge of a difficult trek. All accompanied by the trek leader, Manish, who is struggling with a troubled past of his own. As they climb the foothills of the Khangchendzonga, the barriers between the physical and spirit world begin to dissolve. Here, the ancient rules of conduct still apply. As the air thins, so does their grip on reality. Secrets come to light and the tensions between them thicken. When the weather turns for the worse, they seek refuge in a mountain hut. Then, they meet a stranger.
Written in vivid prose that sweeps readers into the mountains, this chilling folk horror story is published by Simon & Schuster India and will hit the bookshelves across India on 7 August 2026.
Praising the book, author and naturalist Stephen Alter writes: ‘Absolutely Terrifying! For anyone who thinks of the mountains as a serene and bucolic landscape, this novel will shatter those illusions. While the Himalaya are full of stories about evil spirits and ghosts, as Satyajit Sarna reveals, the most dangerous demons lie within ourselves. Supplemental oxygen is recommended while reading this book!’
Ahead of its publication, Satyajit Sarna says: ‘When the sun goes down in the mountains, everything feels like it might be possible. You step out of your tent in the wilderness at night and immediately experience an ancient sense of the vast and unknown world. These were my nightmares, now they are yours.’
Satyajit Sarna is a practicing lawyer in New Delhi. He studied law at the National Law School, Bangalore and Leiden University and completed his Basic Mountaineering Course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi. He is also the author of The Angel’s Share, The Profane and co-author of From the Trenches.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster India
ISBN: 978-93-90343-22-5 | Format: Paperback | Pages: 288 | Price: INR 399
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