"Lost in the Valley of Death" is on one level a mystery about the disappearance of Justin Alexander, a travel blogger and Instagram star who disappeared in the Paravati Valley in 2016. The book was originally a longer journalist piece and I think that this showed. To be honest, I did not find the main story of this book as interesting as broader narrative the books presents about spiritual seeking in contemporary society. The book stands out for me is the larger narrative it presents about Westerners coming to India to seek spirituality and getting lost in the experience. I read this book immediately after reading [b:Better to Have Gone: Love, Death, and the Quest for Utopia in Auroville|55710556|Better to Have Gone Love, Death, and the Quest for Utopia in Auroville|Akash Kapur|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1624806484l/55710556.SY75.jpg|86883125] and while I think that "Better to Have Gone" is a better book, "Lost in the Valley of Death" is excellent, well-written, and carefully researched. Rustad carefully unpacks Justin's history and shows how little threads of his life came together in his untimely disappearance. Stick with the book - I felt like all of its threads came together in the last part and made it a satisfying read.