Beginner's pluck

CS Whyte is the pseudonym for Jim Ryan, who has written guide books on mountaineering. He was once bridge correspondent for The Irish Examiner, and in 2004 published a guidebook to the Andes.

“I initially started writing a factual account of an expedition, but my creative thoughts kept entering. The descriptions of Mendoza and the campsites and climbing the mountain are all factual. I’ve climbed it several times.”

Who is Jim Ryan (CS Whyte)?

Date/place of birth: October 26, 1946 / Mullingar.

Education: Mullingar, University of Central London.

Home: Castlewhite, Waterfall, Cork.

Family: Wife Sue, and grown children Emmet, Dylan and Helen.

The Day Job: Structural engineer.

Hobbies: Hill walking, running and cycling.

Favourite Writers: John Coetzee, Ian McEwan, James Joyce and William Trevor.

Second Novel: “It’s set in Jersey, and is completely different from the debut.”

Top Writing Tip: “Get someone who is not close to you to read your work for an unbiased opinion.”

Web/Twitter: The book can be viewed on www.pegasuspublishers.com

THE DEBUT

A Patina of Frost. Vanguard Press –Pegasus Publishers. €9.99. (Not available on Kindle.)

David and Pete meet in Mendoza, joining an expedition to climb the highest mountain in the Andes. Opposites; David is a young Irishman trying to recover from a bad car accident; Pete a middle-aged Australian, making his second attempt to scale the mountain. Both see the expedition as a means of escape.

At first antagonistic, the two gradually become friends and share their life secrets. The whole, colourful, group of climbers are drawn closer together, through challenges, and ultimately, disaster. But will the traumatised David recover his equanimity?

Slow at the start, as the climb progresses the book gathers pace and momentum. As the climbers reach the peak, the suspense is palpable.

The Verdict: A thoughtful book as much about the exploration of grief and friendship, as of mountaineering.