The Thing in the Snow : A Novel

From the critically acclaimed author ofA�The Heap, a thought-provoking and wryly funny novel�_"equal parts satire and psychological thriller�_"that holds a funhouse mirror to the isolated workplace and an age of endless distraction.A�At the far reaches of the world, the Northern Institute sits in a vast expanse of ice and snow. Once a thriving research facility, its operations were abruptly shut down after an unspecified incident, and its research teams promptly evacuated. Now it�_Ts home to a team of three caretakers�_"Gibbs, Cline, and their supervisor, Hart�_"and a single remaining researcher named Gilroy, who is feverishly studying the sensation of coldness. Their objective is simple: occupy the space, complete their weekly tasks, and keep the building in working order in case research ever resumes. (Also: never touch the thermostat. Also: never, ever go outside.) The work isn�_Tt thrilling�_"test every door for excessive creaking, sit on every chair to ensure its structural integrity�_"but for Hart, it�_Ts the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to hone his leadership skills and become the beacon of efficiency he always knew he could be. There�_Ts just one obstacle standing in his way: a mysterious object that has appeared out in the snow. Gibbs and Cline are mesmerized. They can�_Tt discern its exact shape and color, nor if it�_Ts moving or fixed in place. But itA�isA�there. Isn�_Tt it?Whatever it might be, Hart thinks the thing in the snow is an unwelcome distraction, and probably a huge waste of time. Though, come to think of it, time itself has been a bit wonky lately. Weekends pass in a blur, and he can hardly tell day from night. Gravity seems less-than-reliable. The lights have been flickering weirdly, and he feels an odd thrumming sensation in his beard. Gibbs might be plotting to unseat him as supervisor, and Gilroy�_"well, what is heA�reallyA�doing anyway?Perplexed and isolated�_"but most certainly not alone�_"Hart wrestles for control of his own psyche as the thing in the snow beguiles his team, upends their work, and challenges their every notion of what is normal.