The Everest Mystery

The Everest Mystery: Sandy Irvine, George Mallory and the Truth Still Buried on
Everest

There is no mystery more compelling than the disappearance of George Mallory and Sandy Irvine, last seen ‘going strong for the top’ of Mount Everest on 8 June 1924. Mallory was a renowned and experienced climber, Irvine a daring young sportsman embarking on the greatest adventure of his life. The question of exactly what happened to them on that fateful
day has fascinated people for over a century.

For the first time in my career I have collaborated with another author. Mountaineering historian Jochen Hemmleb and I have worked together for over a year to write what we believe is a gripping and authoritative account of the 1924 expedition from Sandy’s perspective, challenging misconceptions about his role and about the skills and knowledge
of those pioneering climbers.  We have tried to bring to life the remarkable characters involved in the attempt and describe the extraordinary feats of endurance and planning needed to survive the extreme conditions on Everest. With interviews with descendants of Noel Odell, John de Vars Hazard, Geoffrey Bruce and Edward Norton, we have drawn out new facts from the original 1924 material and come up with some exciting clarity on the final climb.

We examine whether Sandy and Mallory did reach the summit – becoming the first to do so – or perished while ascending or descending. Were their bodies seen by Chinese expeditions in the 1960s and 1970s? What can we can learn from the discovery of Mallory’s remains in 1999 and Sandy’s boot and foot in September 2024? Jochen’s incredible knowledge of the history of the 1924 expedition brings a whole new angle to Sandy’s story while I have managed to weave in some new anecdotes from his short life that I found after my original biography of him was published over 25 years ago.

We believe we have pulled together an intriguing detective story. The Everest Mystery is also a moving account of men pushing themselves to their limit in an attempt to make history.

Preorder here for the UK edition https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/julie-summers/the-
everest-mystery/9781035097883

Preorder here for the US edition https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-everest-mystery-
julie-summers/1148909872