Because It's There

About the Book

A finalist in the 2007 Indie Excellence Awards!

1953, in a snow-swept death zone near Mount Everest, English mountaineer Allan Singleton clings to life as he strives for a first summit of Mount Chomoranga. Like George Mallory before him, he vanishes near the summit, leaving his wife to raise their three young children alone in England.

The remote Himalayan peak is not attempted again until 2002, when a brash amateur mountaineer from Seattle climbs it and claims the monetary prize. Alleging that their father summitted first, before being lost on the mountain, Singleton's adult children sue.

The trial progresses in Seattle, with surprise witnesses, burglaries, threats, and clandestine late-night evidence-gathering. Could Allan Singleton still be alive, fifty years later?

During the course of the trial, unexpected romance and family connections unfold, culminating in a trek deep into the remote mountain villages in search of Allan Singleton's missing fifty years. After many physical and emotional challenges, the joyous participants return to Seattle with their lives enriched, bearing an astonishing tale of a Shangri-La.

About the Author

Jane Ross, an avid hiker and armchair mountaineer, has explored the Himalayas. Jane is a native of Scotland, where she has hiked extensively.