Book Review | Cold Fear by Mads Peder Nordbo

Danish journalist Matthew Cave learns that his half-sister, Arnaq, has vanished, leaving behind a trail of blood. More than 20 years ago, their father participated in a covert experiment while serving as a soldier in Greenland before disappearing. To find out if these two cases are linked, Matthew gets help from Tupaarnaq, a mysterious Inuit woman he had previously met. But is everyone who they say they are?

The sea between the small town of Tasiilaq and the mountains on the far side of the fjord was filled with floating growlers of glacier ice. Some had foundered on the shore; others moved slowly with the tide. Long tongues of snow had settled down the mountainsides, several reaching as far as the sea. Soon everything would be buried in white.

Cold Fear is the sequel to The Girl Without Skin and it’s just as riveting and action-packed as the first book! This time, Matthew further learns about his father’s past, and Tuparnaaq continues her quest for revenge. We get flashbacks to Matthew’s father in 1990 when he was involved in a military experiment. The project turns out differently than he expected, and secrets are kept until Matthew stumbles into some information.

This series is reminiscent of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, where a journalist gets entangled with an outcast as they investigate a conspiracy. But Tuparnaaq is more bloodthirsty than Lisbeth, and Matthew is still mourning his family. Their relationship has the potential to veer into something more romantic, but it’s clear there’s no space for such exploration due to the baggage they both carry.

The book also explores the political aspect of Greenland-Denmark relations, religious fervours in Nuuk’s isolated communities, and the dangers of medical experiments. The villains are ruthless and deranged, and there’s a looming threat that no one is safe. The story takes on a violent, raw, and heartbreaking path, but also super satisfying when everything comes together. There are threads left hanging so I’m looking forward to the next book!

Cold Fear is a solid thriller in an engaging Nordic noir series. If you haven’t read books set in Greenland, this would be a great start!

About the author: Mads Peder Nordbo

Photo by Photo by Aningaaq Rosing Carlsen