Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
Read for Free
OR
Kindle Price: $3.99

Save $10.96 (73%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Audiobook Price: $26.24

Save: $18.75 (71%)

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

William A. Liggett
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Watermelon Snow: A Novel of Survival in the Washington Wilderness Kindle Edition

by William A. Liggett (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,090 ratings
See all formats and editions

"Chill-worthy excitement balanced with cold reality."—US Review of Books

An ambitious climate scientist uncovers a long-held secret, releasing an ancient virus that threatens her career, her team—and the lives of millions around the world.

Deep within the melting Blue Glacier in the Washington wilderness, climate scientist Dr. Kate Landry makes a remarkable discovery. Determined to conceal it from colleagues eager to steal her work, she must distract the behavioral scientist NASA sends to study her team.

From the moment he sets foot on the ice, Dr. Grant Poole finds himself in a strange world of unexpected beauty but fraught with extreme dangers he has tried his whole life to avoid. Greeted with suspicion, he soon realizes Kate is hiding something.

When a mysterious illness strikes her crew and an intense storm engulfs their tiny research station, Kate can no longer shield the truth from Grant. Thrown together in a struggle to survive, they are trapped between keeping Kate’s secret and protecting millions of people.

Time is running out. Can they find a way to save everyone and still preserve Kate’s discovery? Or will she unleash a pandemic far worse than the world has ever seen?

Fans of Michael Crichton and Robin Cook will enjoy this fast-paced adventure novel full of suspense and surprises.

Now expanded with bonus content! Don’t miss the author’s note and book club questions.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    252 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    May 29, 2017
  5. File size
    580 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
Next page
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Liggett does a first-rate job of building suspense as his story unwinds . . . If you like chill-worthy excitement balanced with cold reality, chances are you'll like this icy adventure."--US Review of Books
"A fast-paced adventure that is hard to put down . . . an excellent blend of intrigue and science especially recommended for fans of 'cli-fi' (climate change science fiction) and newcomers to the genre alike."--Midwest Book Review
"This novel blends climate science, adventure, and a love story into a true page-turner. The depiction of the female scientist is quite realistic and could potentially inspire younger women to pursue science careers."--Jadwiga Richter, scientist, National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
"I love this book and use it regularly to teach about both literary analysis and climate change. Students get hooked from the start with complex characters, dramatic twists, and tense conflicts. Watermelon Snow with its cli-fi theme has been a great addition to our high school curriculum."--Lili Adeli, headmaster, Boulder Prep High School
"Watermelon Snow is an excellent read from start to finish. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys adventure, a good dose of science, and a great story. I look forward to reading this author's next book."--Joe Tanner, retired NASA astronaut
"Watermelon Snow is a compelling story of ambition, courage, science and human conflict against the backdrop of a melting glacier and its mysterious, frozen secret. It was quite literally hard to put down. Looking forward to the next one!"--B.J. Smith, author of Blood Solutions and North of Grand

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B071W5RCWJ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sandra Jonas Publishing (May 29, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 29, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 580 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 252 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,090 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
William A. Liggett

William A. Liggett

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Bill Liggett writes fiction that blends behavioral and earth sciences in the new cli-fi (climate fiction) literary genre. His goal is to paint a hopeful future, based on solutions to global warming. He holds a BS in geology and an MA in education, both from Stanford University, and a PhD in applied social psychology from New York University. Among the many positions he has held over the years, he taught in high school and college, conducted behavioral science studies for IBM, and consulted with health care and educational organizations. Wherever he lives, he loves being outdoors. Home for him has included the West Coast, East Coast, Alaska, and now Colorado, the state of his childhood. He and his wife, Nancy, live in Boulder.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
1,090 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Brytech
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2019
Verified Purchase
My oh My! Can I rate this higher than a 5? From the very beginning this book draws you into the story, almost as if you are observing all that is happening. Dr. Kate Landry is a climate scientist working in a glacier in Glacier National Park. The season before, on the last day of the study, she noticed a shadow in the ice. As this season approached, she was excited and eager to explore the shadow and find out if it was what she thought. Then she finds out that a NASA behavior scientist was going to join her team to observe how they formed a strong team that works together in a remote research facility.

Kate and one of her graduate students, Frank, eagerly visited the tunnel to see what the shadow in the glacial ice was what she hoped. The next day Frank and the other two students went in to collect data

That night one of her student became very ill and a few hours later another student became ill. Kate contacts the pilot so he can pick up the sick students and get them to a hospital. That's when the excitement begins.

This book is fast paced, has well rounded and interesting characters, and contains a man against nature theme, is very well written and almost impossible to put down.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Petra
4.0 out of 5 stars A Cli-Fi Novel Worth Reading
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2019
Verified Purchase
This was one of the best Cli-Fi novels I've read in the recent past and I had trouble putting it down. The only inconsistency I saw was with the time it took for one character to get down from the glacier and back up, on foot, under the circumstances described each way (towards the end of the novel), considering what it took for the whole team to get to the research station to begin with and the difficulties they faced within its vicinity. However, I rarely give 5-star reviews, anyway, so 4 stars from me means: "Well done!"
I liked the storyline, its relevance to current climate developments, its pacing, and the characters. I've seen some people complain about the female main character's disposition but while I thought she could have been fleshed out a bit more, I felt she was still believable in her role as a scientist in a team lead position and in her relationship with other characters.
The conclusion to the illness the characters end up battling also seems to make sense and made me want to do a little epidemiology research of my own. All in all, this book was worth my time. :)
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Tracy S. Freeman
5.0 out of 5 stars Coincidence or Prediction?
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2020
Verified Purchase
I started this book in February 2020. In March we experienced the COVID-19 pandemic which still continues in April. This exciting, uniquely gripping tale combines archaeology, climate change, brutal ambition and a dangerous influenza epidemic. Yes, you read it correctly. I had no idea when I started the book that this was part of the story. Not perfect writing - dialog is a bit stiff at times - but overall one of the best books I’ve gotten from Amazon Kindle! I wish watermelon snow really worked. Read the book to know what I mean.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Mistina
3.0 out of 5 stars ok story
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
I love all things icy and I love diseases so this was something I jumped on. But I had a hard time with the book I really didn’t like Kate much she seemed self centered and unpleasant. And way to focused on her work and fame at the expense of anything else. Anyone else. I really don’t see what the saintly hero saw in her. Still it has some cool moments. Worth a look.
Helpful
 Report
Cheryl Stout
4.0 out of 5 stars A glacier and the effects of global warming
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2019
Verified Purchase
Professor Kate Landry has been coming to the Blue Glacier in Washington state for almost ten years studying pollen and spores in the ice and the effects of global warming. Last year, just as the study season was ending, she and her assistant see a dark mass inside the ice tunnel where they've been studying. Conditions are too unstable and they must leave before investigating further.

Wanting to keep the possible discovery quiet, Kate is not happy when she finds that a NASA researcher is okayed to come along the following year as an observer of the dynamics of research teams in remote areas.

Almost from the beginning sickness and catastrophic weather hits the group and they must work at staying alive plus bringing their discovery to light.

I enjoyed this story. It demonstrated the dangers of working on a glacier and the possible consequences of moving ahead with research without knowing all the answers.

This book was not only a warning about global warming but an exciting thriller.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Spin Spinney
5.0 out of 5 stars Science, action, suspence in a neat package
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
Dr. Liggett reminded me what "action-packed" means. Twists and turns fill the book. His portrayal of the scientific research community, especially the drives to publish and to appear in the list of author's rang true. Dr. Liggett applies a subtle, remarkable, intricate genetic law (theory?) to solve a mystery that absorbs much of the second half of the novel. I saw bits of auto-biography: the weather research location and the use of the easel, marker, and paper to lead a group of people to a consensus about goals. The book is a pleasant read and it will gently direct your attention to the effects of climate change.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
bbc1953
5.0 out of 5 stars At the end, I looked for more books by this author
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2019
Verified Purchase
I found this to be a well-written book with interesting characters & a well-researched, interesting plot. When I finished it, I checked to see if there were more books by the same author. I'd like to read more! I've, also, thought of this book several times since I finished reading it. These are signs, to me, of a worthwhile book! The genre is Cli-Fi, short for Climate fiction--literature dealing with climate change and global warming. I agree with the author's premise that people may be led to consider the problem more easily through fiction. I appreciated all of the information on glaciers & enjoyed learning about watermelon snow! I recommend this book & hope the author will write more!
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
A. Hostetter
4.0 out of 5 stars The novel was interesting and entertaining.
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2020
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed the book. I did think the theme could have been developed more. The story centered around the discovery of a Monmouth, but I thought more time could have been devoted to the animal itself. Also, Frank reappearing after near death and being left alone for more than a week was a little too weird. I did find the novel worthy of my time. It was an enjoyable, easy read.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Eva
5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read
Reviewed in Canada on October 24, 2017
Verified Purchase
"Watermelon Snow" is a novel filled with adventure and suspense. Two climate research scientists make an unusual discovery on the glacier in Washington's Olympic National Park.

When they return the following season, another scientist joins them; however, he is not to be trusted. In addition, various other factors throw challenges at Dr. Kate Landry’s way.

The novel moves at a good pace and provides the reader with a good read.
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Could not put it down, love it
Reviewed in Australia on June 20, 2018
Verified Purchase
I could not put it down once I start reading.
Page after page the reader, me, want to know what is next, learn more about the characters.
It is a well balance book of scientific knowledge, description of a harsh environement, actions and events...
Worthe to make a movie out of it.
I love reading it and almost fell sad not being able to read about the main charaters lives to the next chapters of their lives...
Report
Jiignesh Kothari
2.0 out of 5 stars Boring
Reviewed in India on May 8, 2019
Verified Purchase
The book was slow and boring to read. In these times when there is time to read few books, they should be well paced and interesting.
Report
Christine Szmurlo
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in Australia on June 5, 2019
Verified Purchase
A well crafted, well researched, well written book.
Engrossing and entertaining.
Definitely different.
Will look for more books from this author.
Thank you.
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great title
Reviewed in Australia on April 28, 2018
Verified Purchase
Loved Watermelon Snow. Good, strong characters throughout.
Never want it to end. Nothing more I can add, a great read.
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report