Lost in the Valley of Death: A Story of Obsession and Danger in the Himalayas

• For centuries, India has magnetized Westerners seeking brief yoga retreats, meditation, or ultimate spiritual revelation. This book maps out that toxic allure by tracing the footsteps of a seasoned traveler who gave up his modern tech-startup life to live in caves, only to join a list of dozens of international tourists who mysteriously disappeared in the same valley.

• Harley Rustad is a prominent journalist and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He is also the author of the critically praised book Big Lonely Doug. His writings frequently focus on wilderness, survival, and geography, and have been featured in major global outlets like The Guardian and Outside magazine

Justin Alexander Shetler was a highly trained wilderness expert who built an online following by documenting his extreme travel adventures. In 2016, his spiritual quest led him to Himachal Pradesh's Parvati Valley, where he lived in a cave under the guidance of a nomadic sadhu (holy man). At the end of August, Justin set off on a high-altitude trek with the sadhu toward a sacred lake—and was never seen again. The book investigates his disappearance while providing a broader cultural diagnosis of the extreme paths people take to chase inner enlightenment, making it a masterpiece of investigative journalism, travelogue, and psychological profile