Angoisse glaciale

Grønland - Greenland #2

by Mads Peder Nordbo

Base militaire de Thulé, Nord du Groenland, 1990. Une expérience scientifique vise à développer une pilule qui permettrait de mieux résister au froid. Les conditions deviennent de plus en plus difficiles et les tensions montent, jusqu'au drame. Deux cobayes sont retrouvés assassinés et le coupable semble s'être suicidé. Il s'agit de Tom, le père du futur journaliste Matthew Cave. Vingt- quatre ans plus tard, alors que sa demi-soeur est portée disparue, Matthew reçoit une lettre extrêmement déconcertante : l'auteur n'est autre que feu son père.
Que s'est-il vraiment passé sur cette base militaire ? Et y a-t-il un lien avec la disparition de sa demi-soeur ?
Avec l'aide de Tupaarnaq, la jeune chasseuse de phoques, Matthew va parcourir le Groenland et tenter de découvrir la vérité avant qu'il ne soit trop tard. Mais quelqu'un a l'air bien décidé à les en empêcher...

Genres: Thriller, Crime, Nordic Noir, Scandinavian Literature, Fiction, Mystery, Ebooks

400 pages, Pocket Book

First published March 17, 2018

About the author

Mads Peder Nordbo is Danish but has lived in Nuuk for several years. Born in 1970, he hold degrees in Literature, Communications and Philosophy from The University of Southern Denmark and the University of Stockholm. Mads has lived in Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Greenland. He works in communications at the Town Hall in Nuuk, where he amongst other things, writes for the mayor of the municipality, Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq, which stretches across the Greenland ice sheet. Mads Peder Nordbo is the author of three novels. THE GIRL WITHOUT SKIN is his debut as a crime writer.

Foreign Rights so far sold to: Norway (Gyldendal), Czech Republic (Dobrovsky), Italy (Einaudi), Iceland (Bjartur), Finland (Like), Sweden (Albert Bonniers), Germany (Fischer Verlag), The Netherlands (Ambo Anthos), Lithuania (Baltos Lankos), Slovakia (Ikar), Spain (Planeta), Poland (Burda Media), France (Actes Sud) and Australia/New Zealand (Text Publishing – World English Rights).

Reviews

[Kylie D · Rating 4 out of 5]

A worthy successor to The Girl Without Skin, Cold Fear is the second in the Matthew Cave series by Mads Peder Nordbo. Set in the harsh territory of Greenland, this book sees Matthew getting a note from his father out of the blue, a man he hasn't seen or heard from in twenty four years.

Tom Cave is a man on the run, a US Marine stationed in Greenland in the early 90s, he was involved in a military experiment that went wrong, and people died. What really happened in the Thule base? Is Tom really responsible for the deaths? Then Matthew's half sister and her friends go missing on a camping trip and Matthew is drawn further into the Greenland underworld, a place where death, rape and political powerplay is the norm.

I did really enjoy this book, however, like the first, it's not for the fainthearted. Confronting scenes and tales of child abuse will not be every ones cup of tea. If you like gritty noir crime thrillers though I urge you to give this series a go. As it has ongoing storylines, it's best to read them in order. Recommended.

My thanks to NetGalley and Text Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Phrynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting - atmospheric - I could practically feel the cold seeping out from the pages. I really liked the Greenlandic setting. There was much too much blood, vomit and entrails for me though. There was even cannibalism. I skimmed nearly all the killing but there was so much that I felt I had only read half a book!

The story and the characters are good so, as long as you are not concerned by the author's inventive ways to hurt and kill people, you will enjoy this book.

[Eline Van Der Meulen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggeled with the many names and the events weren't that clear anymore to me because I read book 1 in August 2019.
https://elinevandm.wordpress.com/2022...

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Journalist Matthew Cave was introduced in the first book in this series, “The Girl Without Skin”, as a man who last saw his father Tom twenty four years ago when he was only four years old. With flashbacks to the 1990s this novel tells us what happened to Tom Cave as a young US soldier stationed in Greenland. Along with three others Tom took part in a trial to test a new drug with dangerous side effects but something went very wrong during the trial with the military claiming that Tom killed two men before killing himself. However, Matthew had previously discovered that Tom had subsequently fathered a child, his half sister fifteen year old Arnaq, and now Matthew has received a letter from his father, posted from a tiny remote village, asking to meet with him. Tom knows the military must be covering up what happened and sets out to find his father, aided by Tupaarnaq, the fearless Innuit woman he befriended earlier, who has her own agenda for revenge.

Although I’m pleased to report there are no eviscerations in this novel, there are still plenty of grisly deaths and some very nasty and dangerous characters in this complex and compelling plot. There are those who would like to see Tom and Matthew dead to completely cover up the events of the 1990s and it is hard for Tom to know who to trust. The beauty and harshness of Greenland's landscape and environment are once again important elements in the novel where survival cannot be taken for granted. It all makes for excellent, gritty Nordic Noir. 4.5★

With thanks to Netgalley and Text Publishing for a digital ARC to read.

[LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!" · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to Text Publishing, Mads Peder Norbro, and Netgalley. So, winner, winner. Chicken dinner! This is only my second book by this author, but I can honestly say that I love his books. They have everything I love. Cold weather. A country I'm absolutely fascinated by. Icebergs! ICEBERGS! Also, just some weird assed, and slightly squeamish stories. Also, I like how this book had a new mystery, but was partly a continuation of the first book. It gave me a John Connolly "Charlie Parker" kind of vibe. For me that's a good thing. I want more, please!

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author, Mads Peder Nordbo, continues his compelling story featuring Matthew Cave. The time is shortly after the shattering events which occurred in the novel, The Girl Without Skin. He combines gorgeous, atmospheric descriptions of the turbulent sea with its icebergs, seals and whales, with vivid pictures of lonely, remote Greenland settlements.

The characters come alive on-page. I enjoyed the return of Matthew Cage, reporter, and Tuparnaaq, the tough, fearless native woman, always dressed in black and carrying a rifle. Is she hunting animals or humans? She has her head shaven and body covered with tattoos. I hope we see more of Matthew Cave and his friend, Tuparnaaq in future books.

I wrote in my review of the earlier book that I felt this was Nordic Noir at its finest. Cold Fear has confirmed that feeling, but will add darkest, grimmest and most disturbing. The plot is thrilling, exciting and complex, if rather convoluted. The story is original but the title is not. There are a number of books listed with the same title, Cold Fear. I was happy to see further development of characters from the first book. This can be read as a stand-alone as there are references to previous events.

The story plays out against a menacing background. Mentioned are political factions in Greenland, both for and against separation from Denmark. The villains add a threatening presence. There are corrupt politicians, treacherous USA army officials with scandalous secrets and coverups, an evil adversary met in the first book, and a crazed family in an underground bunker.

The plot begins with Matthew learning that his father, whom he has not heard from for 24 years may be still alive. Tom Cave was an American soldier serving on the US military base in Greenland. He either disappeared or died after committing murder. After this long absence, Matthew receives a note in his father’s handwriting urging him to come to a remote settlement (population 400) in Eastern Greenland. Matthew had already learned that he has a much younger half-sister, Arnak, meaning that his father was still alive after he vanished.

While wondering if his father could be a cold-blooded killer, his half-sister, 15-year-old Arnak, has gone missing. She was camping with friends from Denmark in an abandoned village. Matthew accompanied by his friend, Tuparnaaq, search for the girl in hopes of saving her before she suffers or dies. Much blood and two murdered boys are found, but they cannot locate Arnak. Can she be saved?

Flashbacks show us what happened to Tom Cave when he disappeared from the American military base years ago. A top-secret experiment was being carried out with drugs hazardous to health, and which had unpredictable side effects. Tom was blamed for the shooting death of two fellow soldiers who were involved in the same dangerous drug trial as himself. He was declared dead by the military officers.

Matthew and Tuparnaaq journey to the isolated village where the note from Tom originated. A complicated conspiracy begins to unravel, with plenty of twists, secrets and deception. Will they find Tom before the military finds him to bring him to justice? Then back in Nuuk, the capital, there are some shocking revelations and a bloody, action-packed finale.

*4.5* Stars. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this spellbinding and atmospheric ARC in return for an honest review.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Matthew Cave received the letter from his father, it had been twenty-four years since he’d seen him. He’d been told Tom had died back when he was stationed in Greenland as a young US soldier and where the American military was conducting a secret experiment. But it all went wrong and three soldiers were buried. When Matthew was told Tom was alive and the authorities were trying to find him and convict him of murder, Matthew knew he needed to find his father first.

Matt’s half-sister, Arnaq, was kidnapped, and he was desperate to find her before Abelsen did. He knew he was behind her disappearance, and he couldn’t bear to lose the sister he’d only just found. His good friend, Tupaarnaq Siegstad arrived in Nuuk to help Matt search for Arnaq – but could they do it? There were evil forces out there, and so much more than Matt understood. Tupaarnaq was a hard woman to understand; she had an agenda of her own. But he also knew she was a good person to have on his side. Would Matt find Arnaq? And would he find Tom, only to lose him again to prison or worse?

Cold Fear is the 2nd in the Greenland series by Mads Peder Nordbo, following on from The Girl Without Skin. The vivid pictures the author paints had me feeling the bite of the cold air, seeing the pristine white of the snow, along with the more bloodthirsty and gruesome images (unfortunately) The characters are well crafted, the tale is well written, although brutal. Recommended.

With thanks to Text Publishing for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Kylie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in this series, and although to me not quite as good as the first, still a very good read. It picks up with Matthew finally receiving a message from his father. However around the same time a murder-suicide is committed in the town that Matthew's father Tom has apparently relocated to, and it is very similar to a murder that Tom was accused of committing while serving at an American military base.
Tupaarnaq is back as her formidable self but appears to be on a personal mission to seek revenge with the people who she believes are responsible for the deaths of her mother and sisters and her own considerable prison term.
The story is still as confronting and gory as The Girl Without Skin, but at times the names of all of the places and characters in the Greenlandic setting get a bit blurred and confusing. It would be great to have a listing of names and relationships in the book as a reference point.
Thank you Text Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

[Berengaria · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars DNFed at circa 50%

*warning: read book 1 first!*

If you'd like to feel as if you are wading ankle-deep through blood and entrails, this is the book for you!

You also get: blunt, atmosphere-less writing, next-to-nill character development and a whole series of gross, gross, gross torture sessions and killings...and a lot of action and near misses in an setting exotic even by Scandinavian standards: Greenland. So there is an up-side, unfortunately Nordbo doesn't do hardly anything with it and it just lays there like a dead...seal.

One huge pet peeve of mine about thrillers is the use of standard emotional triggers to create tension. The most common: kidnapping or threat to family members. Especially female ones if the MC is male and single, and children if the MC is a father. Here we have both. Threat to wife and child, and then threat to sibling. BORING. Find at least an interesting angle if you're going to do those, man! Open threats from psychos don't cut it.

This is the 2nd book in the series and you will have NO clue what's going on if you haven't read the first, like I hadn't. It's not like most series where you can puzzle it out after a few chapters. You honestly have to have read the first and that fairly recently,too, to put everything in its proper place.

In short: over-the-top gore factor, but still bog-standard thriller fodder with undwhelming writing in an underdevloped exotic setting. Could be better if you have the backstory from book 1.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5★s
Cold Fear is the second book in the Greenland series by Danish author, Mads Peder Nordbo. It follows on directly from The Girl Without Skin and readers new to the series should note that the recap does contain numerous spoilers for that book.

In 1990, US Marine Sergeant Tom Cave, together with four others, was taking part in a radical medical experiment at Thule, in remote northern Greenland. The drug was meant to enhance the body’s tolerance of cold. The side effects, however, included increased levels of aggression, leading to an incident in which Cave shot and killed two participants before then killing himself. Or did he?

Journalist Matthew Cave has not seen nor heard from his father in twenty-four years, but recently became aware that, from 1990, Tom Cave had lived in Nuuk for ten years. A visit to the mother of Matthew’s sixteen-year-old step-sister, Arnaq, yields a short, unsigned note from Tom, summoning him to a remote town for the chance to explain. But any intention to do so is derailed when Arnaq goes missing from a camping trip with friends at Faeringehavn, the site of a recent ordeal for Matthew and his new-found friend, Tupaarnaq.

The search for Arnaq leads to encounters from some strangely-behaved Faroese along with a now-fugitive former politician and a Greenlandic Government official with ties to the US military, all of whom seem very interested in locating Matthew’s father. Before long, it all gets very blood-thirsty and the body count rises, and even if the reader is suspicious about certain characters, the twists and red herrings will keep most guessing until the final, dramatic climax.

Nordbo manages to wind into his story the politics of the independence campaign for this strategic island, religious cultism and military cover-ups, with the remoteness and isolation of these locations facilitating the credibility of some of the more bizarre incidents.

The setting does present the non-Scandi-speaking reader with a pronunciation challenge, as tongue-twister place names like Ittoqqortoormiit and Qeqertarsuatsiaat appear regularly in the story. Nordbo leaves plenty of scope for further books in the series because, while there’s no cliff-hanger ending, by no means are all the loose ends neatly tied. Once again flawlessly translated from the original Danish by Charlotte Barslund, this is excellent Scandi noir.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Text Publishing

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warning - this review may contain spoilers for the previous book in the series.

Two months on from the events in The Girl Without Skin, Matthew Cave is slowly beginning to build a relationship with his half-sister Arnaq and is missing his new friend Tupaarnaq who has gone on an extended 'hunting' trip. When Arnaq's mother delivers an unsigned letter to Matthew, he immediately knows it is from his father, who supposedly died 24 years earlier in highly suspicious circumstances -- suspicious, and seemingly replicated in a recent multiple murder in a remote Greenland town. Matthew is meant to be reporting on this contemporary murder, so without examining his feelings about his father's death/disappearance too closely, he summons Tupaarnaq back so they can pay a call on the author of the letter.

This book contains many of the same elements that thrilled me about the first one - a bleakly beautiful and unfamiliar setting, a damaged protagonist and a high, gory bodycount. But some of the other 'sameness' started to wear thin for me; the rape culture in particular. Even though the crime/mystery here was quite different (pills and guns vs knives and revenge), behind it all there is still an island full of big, physical, violent men who see and use women as mere objects to satisfy their carnal needs. It may well be realistic for all I know, but that's enough for me.

The ambiguous ending sends a strong signal that there is another instalment on the way - one that may go in a very different direction. I'll probably read on in the series, but with caution.

With thanks to NetGalley and Text Publishing for an ARC to read and review.

[Calzean · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a continuation of The Girl Without Skin and it needs to be read with that book in your recent memory. It is full of gore, blood, US military skulduggery, a weird chemical experiment, unbelievable escapes, unreal coincidences and few surprises. My copy had 376 pages which was 372 pages too many (the first chapter was quite good) for me.

[Jannelies (living between hope and fear) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would love to have read The Girl Without Skin, but I wasn't chosen to receive a review copy. I was very happy to be granted a review of Cold Fear because of all the great things I read about this author. I love Scandic Noir (and not so 'noir') thrillers.
Why then only three stars for this book?
First, the story made absolutely no sense to me the first 50 pages. There are names, names and more names. People killing other people, people supposed to be dead that are not and a lot of violence and misunderstandings.
Second - and this follows from the first point - this book cannot be read as a stand alone. In fact, after reading the whole book, I am convinced the two parts could have been made into one to make one absolutely great story.
Because I was so confused after reading the first chapters, I turned to Goodreads to read the reviews for the first book again. Only then, Cold Fear began to make a little sense to me. Just enough to finish the book.
The story is everything I like in a book, namely complicated and intriguing. The writing is flawless and every now and then I had to put the book down to take a deep breath and think about what I've just read.
I gladly would have given this book 5 stars but now I was left with the feeling I only read half of one large story instead of a stand alone story with some of the characters from the first book.

Thanks to Netgalley for this digital review copy.

[Ken Fredette · Rating 5 out of 5]

What this is was, was the second part of "The Girl Without Skin", a continuation that takes you to new heights in reading. You almost think you read it until you understand that it was the second part of the previous book. It starts out with Tupaarnaq looking down a cliff to the small town of Tasiilaq and seeing two men. Fast forward to the end of the book and she's back at Tasiilaq and there are three men walking towards her. I won't give you the spoiler's but it was a really interesting play on what people did in everything that leads up to whats happening to Greenland now with the President wanting to buy it. It plays right into Mads Peder Nordbo's story. I think it was that this happened at this time. Read it and see if you come up with the same reasoning.

[Bianca Coppens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toppertje alweer.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cold Fear is the second book in the Arctic crime Greenland series by Mads Peder Nordbo and picks up from where the previous book The girl without skin leaves off. Having finished this second book I can see there will clearly be a third instalment.

Nordbo has a knack for making Greenland practically seep out of every page. I can just about feel how cold it is, how unforgiving the landscape and geography is and how utterly remote and isolated every community is within this vast icy land. The reader is transported from east to west, from Nuuk to Tasiilaq, Thule to Ittoqqortormiit, Færingehavn to Qeqertarsuatsiaat as conspiracies are uncovered, secrets are exposed and true intentions are revealed.

Nordbo also highlights something of the political landscape of Greenland as well, touching on the anti Danish vs anti independence movements. The reader is reminded of the strategic geographic position of Greenland and the foreign interest from investors and other nations. The social landscape continues to feature although not as heavily as in the first book, however the stark reality of child sex abuse is a background feature. I found the location of Færingehavn really interesting - just to understand how some towns in Greenland become abandoned depending on industry etc and are just left to decay in the rugged conditions.

Journalist Matthew Cave continues his quest for the truth regarding his father aided by the mysterious Tupaarnaq who features in both the opening and closing paragraphs of the story and leaves the reader seeking to know more of her.

A key element to the story is the classified drug experiment to determine whether it is really possible for humans to be medically enabled to withstand colder temperatures - clearly something that could be useful in such a harsh climate. That theme brings up so many interesting questions - almost like the Arctic version of the elixir of life, the philosophers stone in some ways.

All in all a good sequel to the first although not quite as captivating - possibly due to a fairly complicated plot. The ending also didn’t quite do it for me although as mentioned clearly there is another story to go. I’ll give this one 4 stars.

[Kasia (kasikowykurz) · Rating 2 out of 5]

To było... Hm... Zacznijmy od tego, że kiedy ją zaczęłam, wiedziałam tylko tyle, że nie pamiętam pierwszej części. Na szczęście najważniejsze fakty wracały w miarę słuchania i jakoś się tam to dopasowało. I im dalej w las, tym bardziej uświadamiałam sobie, że ta pierwsza część jednak podobała mi się bardziej. I nie wiem, czy ja chcę kontynuować, ale pewnie skończę, bo jest tylko jeszcze jeden tom, a ja trochę jestem ciekawa, jakie absurdy jeszcze dostanę...

Bo jest absurdalnie dużo. Tu jest materiału a trzy, może nawet cztery powieści - na kryminał, na thriller, na paranormal i na thriller polityczny. Jest dużo za dużo - za dużo wątków, za dużo postaci, za dużo dziwnych, niewytłumaczalnych rzeczy, które do siebie kompletnie nie pasują, przez co był potencjał (bo pierwsze 50% naprawdę mnie wciągnęło!), a wyszło nudno i wręcz nieciekawie. Szkoda, że nawet zabrakło tego dusznego zimnego klimatu Grenlandii, który czułam w pierwszym tomie.

[Yv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Journalist Matthew weet niet beter dan dat zijn vader 20 jaar geleden verdween en het is voor hem dan ook een afgesloten hoofdstuk. Zijn wereld staat dan ook op zijn kop als hij een brief krijgt die afkomstig lijkt te zijn van zijn vader.. Terwijl hij samen met Turpaarnaq de waarheid probeert te achterhalen, komt zijn halfzusje Arnaq in de problemen en wordt ontvoerd. Natuurlijk verdwijnt de zoektocht naar Tom wat naar de achtergrond en is Matthews eerste prioriteit om Arnaq te vinden. Maar dan lijkt het erop dat de twee zaken behoorlijk samenhangen...

Koude Angst is het tweede deel in de reeks waarin Matthew en Tupaarnaq de hoofdrol vertolken. Hoewel de boeken afzonderlijk van elkaar te lezen zijn, is het voor je eigen rust wel handiger om met Meisje zonder Huid te beginnen. Het verhaal gaat namelijk verder waar het gebleven was en er wordt niet geschroomd om terugblikken in Koude Angst te benoemen. Door eerst Meisje zonder Huid te lezen, maak je het jezelf gewoon net iets makkelijker. De ietwat lastige namen zijn makkelijker te plaatsen doordat je ze herkent. Daarbij liggen zowel het tempo als de complexiteit van Koude Angst een treetje hoger.

De auteur legt niets voor het oprapen neer en zorgt voor een aantal fijne hindernissen in zijn verhaal. Deze hindernissen zetten je zelf aan het werk en hierdoor wordt Koude Angst een pareltje voor de puzzelaars. Als je liever een verhaal hebt wat meer uitgekauwd is, is het aan te raden om naar een ander boek te zoeken. Want het verhaal is complex. Hoewel sommige elementen net wat te ver doordacht zijn, weet Nordbo het toch altijd geloofwaardig te houden. Spanning voert niet de boventoon, maar er is wel genoeg actie om te lezer aan de bladzijden gekluisterd te houden en de combinatie met de netelige verhaallijnen maakt het vanzelf spannend.

De auteur neemt je mee op wereldreis naar het karige Groenland en vertelt ons tussen de regels door over de typische gebruiken van het land. Hoewel die over het algemeen ver van ons Westerse bedje vandaan staan, weet hij ze toch over te brengen. Zeehondenjacht is een belangrijk levensbestaan voor Groenlanders, maar voor ons toch wel lastig voor te stellen. Nordo legt het op een fijne en visuele manier uit.

De karakters zijn interessant. Ze zijn duidelijk getekend en hebben in het dagelijkse leven weleens moeite met de gevolgen van wat ze in het verleden is overkomen. Vooral Tupaarnaq komt een aantal keer voor een moeilijke keuze te staan. Haar dilemma's komen tot leven en je voelt met haar mee. Je snapt haar beweegredenen, terwijl je eigenlijk tegelijkertijd wil uitschreeuwen dat ze moet nadenken. Maar ook de rest van de personages zijn niet saai en eenzijdig. Het verschil tussen goed en kwaad is maar een dun lijntje en Nordo weet meerdere keren bijzonder goede situaties te schetsen waardoor je zelf gaat twijfelen. Het speelt in om na te denken over de keuzes die je zelf zou maken.

Koude Angst is een thriller die net even anders in elkaar steekt dan het gros en daarmee weet de auteur zich te onderscheiden. Tere zieltjes zouden zich hier beter niet aan kunnen wagen, omdat de gedetailleerde omschrijvingen wellicht een onuitwisbare afdruk in het geheugen achterlaten. Toch zijn de details ook een pluspunt van het boek. Door de levenswijze van Groenlanders en omgevingen zo expliciet verwoorden, is alles net een tikkeltje intenser en voelt het soms alsof je zelf in de ijzige kou loopt.

[Trevor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having read the first book in this series, I was looking forward to reading this sequel, however I was disappointed.

The story was told in parallel narratives, and did explain some of what had previously happened, but overall it was not a satisfying read. The plot was over complicated, there was little character development, and it did feel so cold when reading it.

[Thebooktrail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Visit the locations of Cold Fear on a BookTrail!

Well, that’s a novel I’m not going to forget in a hurry.

Two time frames from the off – one from the POV of Tom, a US military man, who is the guinea pig for a new drug. He’s working in Greenland so this drug could prove to be very useful indeed. Having said that, it’s not going to be all plain sailing is it. There are side effects and very unexpected consequences….

The present day storyline picks up the trail of Tom’s son Matthew who is a reporter looking into his father’s case. He gets together with a native woman Tuparnaaq, and the two start to investigate. However, nothing goes to plan and the situation spins out of control like a car on ice. Not only does it spin out of control, but imagine people getting killed, murdered or maimed, large pools of blood splattering on the road below and consequences that will last forever. Oh and there’s child abuse in this one which made passages hard to read. I did skim over a few. It does get graphic!

What I did like about the novel was the level of politics and historical detail about how the status of Greenland has been questioned over the years. Greenland politics and history is interesting and I hope I remember this information instead of the more gory detail.

As with the Gory The Girl without Skin, the landscape is gloriously white, remote,quiet and claustrophobic. Somewhere most of us are unlikely to go (at least to the places within the novel) but which has connotations of winter wonderlands and Santa for most of us. So, when I think of Greenland and a red substance now, it’s not going to be Santa’s outfit that comes to mind, but the bloody snow!

Read this if only for the character of Tupaarnaq but be warned that the gore and abuse can be unsettling at times. What a novel though!

[Catsbooksandcoffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Så gjorde han det lige igen, ham Mads Nordbo Pedersen! Forventningerne var tårnhøje efter Pigen uden hud, men det lykkedes til fulde Mads at indfri dem alle. Igen udsættes læseren for et spændings niveau, der fanger fra første side og først på sidste side slipper læseren – der har været hele følelsesregisteret igennem.

Som det blev skildret i Pigen uden hud, skinner også denne gang Mads Nordbo Pedersens fascination af Grønland ud fra siderne. Dog er han ikke bange for at berøre de mere mørke sider af landet, og igen behandler han barske problemstillinger som incest og voldtægter. At han denne gang også har formået at indflette en historie om Grønlands selvstændighed, politiske magtkampe og religiøs indoktrinering, viser bare noget om hans store formåen. Det samfundskritiske islæt er med til at hæve bogen langt over en almindelig krimi.

Karaktererne er velbeskrevne, og fremstår meget troværdige. At Matthew stadig kæmper med sorgen over sin kone og datter er med til at skabe et billede af ham som en flerdimensionel karakter. Derudover er der Tupaarnaq, der stadig fremstår som mystisk og indelukket, men hvor der dog åbnes for mere information om hendes baggrund i en kommende bog – jeg glæder mig til at følge hende.

Bogen bærer desuden præg af en knivskarp redigering, for der er ikke et eneste overflødigt gram i – en smukt skåret thriller, der bliver siddende under huden på læserne i lang tid.

[SidseC · Rating 5 out of 5]

6/6 stjerner. læs min anmeldelse her: https://sidsesbogreol.dk/kold-angst-m...

[Steve Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nordbo's second novel translated into English didn't disappoint after The Girl Withour Skin. This crime, mystery, is set in Greenland and is a nice change from the usual crime fiction of the UK, the USA, and Australia. Lots of action, but not the usual high body count or damage to infrastructure.

The only problem I had, and this is purely my own ignorance, was trying to identify a name as either a christian name, a surname, or a place name. (I made it through okay).

[Yvonne (It's All About Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished reading: October 23rd 2019

"Sorry is the most useless word ever invented."

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Text Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***



I really enjoyed the first book The Girl Without Skin despite its brutalness last year, so as soon as I saw there was going to be a sequel I knew I had to add it to my wishlist. Main characters Matthew and Tupaarnaq are without doubt fascinating to follow, and I've been looking forward to discover what would happen to them next... Before I discuss my thoughts on Cold Fear, I first have to stress that this is one of those series you have to read in order, because this sequel wouldn't make much sense if you try to read it as a standalone. Trust me, you wouldn't do yourself a favor if you pick up Cold Fear before reading the first book!

That said, let's continue with my thoughts on Cold Fear. After enjoying the first book, I was totally expecting to have a good reading experience with the sequel as well... But it turns out I ended up having mixed thoughts about it. First of all I have to say that the Greenland setting really complements the plot in many ways. Instead of being just a random setting for the story to take place, the harsh, brutal and almost ominous Greenland setting is almost omnipresent and almost feels like yet another character taking part in this story. Between the many descriptions and the role of the Greenland setting in the plot, it really made the different places mentioned in Cold Fear come alive for me... And it turns this series into a fantastic example of the powers of the unforgivable Nordic setting that makes reading nordic noir so special.

One of the things that stands out in Cold Fear is the sheer brutality of the plot. Almost excessive violence, murder, canibalism, abuse, rape, child abuse, rape, drug abuse... All of this and more is included into a plot filled with graphic scenes and this story is definitely not for those with a weak stomach. I myself don't mind things getting bloody and violent, but I did start to wonder if this story went a little too extreme and took it one step too far... Some scenes just seemed excessive, especially those set in the bunker and everything related to the (child)abuse and rape. Trigger warning are definitely in place! Related to this, I also felt the plot itself was a bit too over the top, farfetched and the story itself lacked cohesion for me. Even with the knowledge of the first book, I had a hard time following the story at times and I guess the 1990s flashbacks didn't really help either. Things can get a little confusing and I personally wasn't all that satisfied by certain explanations nor how the story ended. I would have liked to see less seemingly useless violent graphic scenes and more background and plot building... As it was, the story just jumped all over the place for me, without giving a satisfying direction or justifying said violence and deaths.

As for the characters... Matthew and Tupaarnaq are without doubt fascinating characters, but I felt their development lacked more fleshing out in the sequel. Especially when it comes to Tupaarnaq, who didn't seem to present and mostly reverted to cliches when she did appear in the plot. Likewise, Tom and the other more important characters also lacked fleshing out for me. I felt that the focus point of Cold Fear was basically on the extreme violence and making this story as brutal and shocking as possible, and as a consequence I don't think the sequel reached its full potential nor lived up to expectations for me. Others did react better to Cold Fear though, so take my rambles with a grain of salt and don't hesitate to try it if you think you can stomach the graphic scenes...

P.S. Find more of my reviews here.

[Rowena Hoseason · Rating 3 out of 5]

...frequently, the second book / film / series if half as good as the first one. And that was definitely the case here.

Cold Fear has all the elements of a compelling Scandi crime thriller: an unfamiliar culture, glimpses of the Greenlandic people and their harsh life in a stark natural environment. The country itself is depicted with an intense, atmospheric sense of place, as an immense sprawling wilderness which can be oppressively claustrophobic.

There's an historical conspiracy angle, of black ops experiments being run in secret on US air force bases three decades ago. The truth about this covert programme directly affects the private lives of the key characters.

The modern story hinges on a spiky, spunky female protagonist; an outsider who despises society and seeks revenge on the men who abused her. Even without the full-body tattoos it’s hard not to compare Tupaarnaq the Inuit to Lisbeth Salander and – even if she’s far from original – she could easily carry the story on her own.
Sadly it all bogs down with her mainstream companion, Matthew, who is deeply uninspiring, a damp squib who makes Mikael Blomkvist look like a radical man of action.

The whole plot dithers and lumbers when it should slice and dice. It’s over-long, confused, and weighed down with way too much baggage from the first book in the series. We meet dozens of minor characters, all with weird names, who play no real part in this story and nor do they add any element of intrigue or atmosphere.

This book is touted as being a standalone but I suspect anyone who hasn’t read The Girl Without Skin would be baffled. Both episodes would have been better combined into one book – minus a lot of the pointless faffing.
6/10

I review loads more crime / thrillers over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net - see you there!

[Cindy Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I generally like Scanda -noir, and atmospherically it does not disappoint. The cold, the barrenness and darkness set the stage beautifully. The double layered story of Tom and Matthew, the mysterious Tuparnaq and interesting and conflicted characters.
The story is interesting, but the violence and bloodiness and cruelty were very difficult to read through. I skimmed where I could, but I always wonder about authors that can conceive of such awfulness. It was tough to get past this aspect of the book.
I suspect I could give this book a much higher rating if some of the gore was toned down, it would have been a much more satisfying read.

[Anne Mette Møller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeg er vild med både Pigen uden hud og Kold angst!
Tempoet er så godt. Du bliver nødt til at læse, men du kan stadig følge med. Sindssygt spændende og har noget på hjerte.
Personerne er meget troværdige og Mads skriver virkelig godt. Jeg er top-underholdt!

[Lisbeth Sørensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Endnu en fantastisk bog om Matthew og Tupaarnaq . Jeg glæder mig helt sikkert til at læse den næste bog.

[Chiara Rodier · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gave up after page 200. Mass family murders, torture, paedophiles, revenge, experiments and too many racists saying what they think.

[Buchdoktor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unmittelbar an die Ereignisse im ersten Band „Eisrot“ anschließend, recherchiert der dänische Journalist Matthew Cave im Fall seiner verschwundenen Halbschwester Arnaaq, von der er erst kurz zuvor erfahren hat. Matthews Vater Tom war als Biochemiker und Soldat der US-Army auf der Militärbasis Thule/Grönland an der Erprobung eines Medikaments beteiligt. Die Army forschte an einer Wunderpille, die unempfindlich gegen Kälte machen sollte. Ziel der Forschung war, auf den Klimawandel vorbereitet zu sein, den Siedlungsraum in Grönland zu vergrößern und natürlich dadurch den Einfluss der NATO zu stärken. Toms Frau und seine Kinder leben damals schon in Dänemark. Er selbst flieht, im Glauben mehrere Todesfälle verschuldet zu haben, und soll seit 24 Jahren in Grönland untergetaucht sein. Matthew, traumatisiert vom Unfalltod seiner Frau und eines Mannes, den er in Notwehr tötete, ist unerwartet damit konfrontiert, dass er eine jüngere Halbschwester hat. Arnaaqs Mutter Else gibt durch eine Randbemerkung Matthews Recherchen eine neue Richtung. Matthew muss nun infrage stellen, was er bisher über seinen Vater zu wissen glaubte. In Grönlands entlegenster Siedlung wird er dabei erneut mit einem unvorstellbaren Ausmaß an Gewalt konfrontiert. In abgeschiedener Lage hat sich eine fatale Mischung aus religiösem Fanatismus, Dämonenglaube und Missbrauch halten können. Wo kein Kläger ist, ist offenbar auch kein Richter.

Mads Peder Nordbo verknüpft die persönliche Spurensuche seines Ermittlers mit Ereignissen, die 25 Jahre zurückliegen und macht einen weiteren Sprung ins Jahr 1973. Auch wenn jedes Kapitel mit der Angabe von Ort und Jahr beginnt, konstruiert Nordbo mit sehr vielen Figuren eine überaus komplexe Handlung, die darüber hinaus eng mit der Figur der Tupaarnak (aus dem ersten Band) verknüpft ist, die erst kurz zuvor aus jahrelanger Haft entlassen worden ist. Da ich eher Krimileser als Thrillerleser bin, waren es mir zum Ende des – sehr blutigen - Thrillers ein paar Wendungen zu viel und die abschließende Verknüpfung der Einzelschicksale wirkte stark aus dem Hut gezaubert.

Auch wenn Tupaarnaks Vorgeschichte hier noch einmal erzählt wird, finde ich es doch ein völlig anderes Erlebnis, sie im ersten Band mitzuerleben. Deshalb würde ich den ersten Band unbedingt vorher lesen.