When Ruth Berman pays a surprise visit to her agnostic geology professor, Archie Knox, a torrid romance ensues, bringing with it a host of problems.

Archie wins an award and decides to go to Antarctica for twelve months to research the timely prediction of earthquakes. Ruth cannot adjust to the icy claustrophobia and succumbs to temptation, creating a nightmare of events in the Circle of Death.

Death in McMurdo is a gripping story involving a mismatched couple who face life-threatening challenges in a hostile environment while attempting to make the world a better place.