Definitive Account of ISIS Cycling Tragedy in New True Crime Book

In July 2018, Jay Austin and Lauren Geoghegan, two idealistic young professionals who abandoned successful careers in Washington, D.C., embarked on a global cycling journey seeking an alternative American dream. Their adventure ended tragically on a remote highway in Tajikistan, known as "the roof of the world," when they and two fellow cyclists were brutally murdered by ISIS terrorists. The shocking attack captured international attention, drawing coverage from major outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, and BBC, not only due to its brutality but also because of the couple's hopeful worldview and the chilling reminder of extremism's global reach.

Now, bestselling author William Elliott Hazelgrove delivers the definitive account of this tragedy in his forthcoming book, Evil on the Roof of the World, set for release on November 13, 2025 by Bloomsbury. Through meticulous research and narrative storytelling, Hazelgrove pieces together the events that led Jay and Lauren from Georgetown University classrooms to that fatal stretch of highway in Central Asia. Already being compared to Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild, the story promises to resonate with readers of true crime and adventure. Hazelgrove, known for blending investigative depth with novelistic storytelling in works like Madam President and The Pitcher, provides not only a harrowing true-crime account but also a meditation on risk, adventure, and the enduring clash between hope and hatred.

Evil on the Roof of the World stands as the only book to comprehensively cover this highly publicized murder, making it a landmark work for readers of true crime, international affairs, and narrative nonfiction. The book will be available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook formats, with additional information accessible through William Elliott Hazelgrove's website and social media platforms including Facebook, LinkedIn, and X/Twitter.