Out of the Ice

Thrillers set in remote or challenging places where humans are at the mercy of the elements always have extra appeal for me over the routine street- and city-scapes of many crime stories and, in this case, Antarctica is about as challenging and remote as you can get.
 
Dr Laura Alvarado is transferred from her usual area of study with whales and ordered by her superior, law enforcement officer Georgia, to conduct an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) into an abandoned Norwegian whaling station near to one of the British bases. But as soon as Laura arrives at the base, she is met with suspicion and animosity from the men in charge who seem reluctant to help or provide the essential equipment and assistance she needs to complete her EIA.
 
Together with Kate, her associate and penguin expert, Laura begins to discover evidence of human disturbances in the old buildings of the strictly off-limits whaling station. And the local wildlife is behaving uncharacteristically belligerent. When she goes diving and sees what she is sure is a living boy trapped in a cave under the ice, Laura begins to wonder if she’s turning “toasty” and suffering from the hallucinations often experienced by scientists who’ve been living too long in isolation. But then she discovers physical evidence, including a boy’s T-shirt manufactured decades after the station closed, and Laura consults with Georgia who eventually believes what she has to say. Before long, Laura is continuing her investigation around the world, in Massachusetts and in Venice. But it seems there are many men in powerful positions who will stop at nothing, not even murder, in keeping their secrets.
 
The descriptions of Antarctica are cinematic and the feeling of menace hiding beneath the ice is really spine-tingling. For the most part, the narrative neatly sidesteps the inevitable contrivances or plot holes and keeps the reader on their toes, but Laura’s loathing of the whaling industry and her moral outrages tend to get a little repetitive. Also, she’s in turns pushy and dithery when it comes to some decision-making which doesn’t reflect her obvious high intellect. Ditto her attitude towards men whom she can’t decide whether to fall for, or be repulsed by, but that also seems to stem from a prior tragedy, also poor relationships with her parents and two broken marriages - and naturally the reader has to forgive her.
 
A highly memorable read from Ann Turner that is bound to keep you reading well into the small hours!
 
With many thanks to Simon & Schuster (Australia) and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Booktopia.com.au

Amazon.com

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