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Baptism of Ice: A Scandi Noir Crime Psychological Thriller
BRAND NEW EDITION - REVISED AND UPDATEDThe first in an exciting new series of Scandi Noir thrillers featuring Detective Frida Skardet from the author of the Cold Secrets series, Tom Quiller. Pre-book the first in the NORSE KRIMOLOGI strand now.
THE MURDER OF INFANTS SEEMS TO BE CHILDSPLAY FOR THIS KILLER
When a child dies during its baptism, it is the first move in a deadly game of cat and mouse for Detective Frida Skardet, newly arrived in Trondheim with a limp from an encounter with Russian agents in a previous life, her teenage son, and a lot of mental baggage.
For lovers of Jo Nesbo, Stieg Larson, Jorn Lier Horst, Morgan Greene, Lilja Sigurdardóttir, J M Dalgliesh, Alex Smith and Satu Rämö.
What people are saying about TOM QUILLER and the FRIDA SKARDET novels:
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Absolutely fabulous storyline, can't wait for the next book and hope there'll be many more in this series."
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What a wonderful book. Clever, insightful but sympathetic with a fantastic new protagonist. Can't wait for the next one."
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A brilliant Nordic crime novel. "
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Seriously amazing... So many twists and turns; so many gloriously dark situations and characters. Frida Skardet is a great creation."
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Quiller brings the characters to life brilliantly and the dialogue sings!"
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Really enjoyed the pace and story telling - Tom can obviously write and I’m looking forward to the next ones.."
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Really good, fast paced story line with great characters and plenty to keep me turning the pages."
THE MURDER OF INFANTS SEEMS TO BE CHILDSPLAY FOR THIS KILLER
When a child dies during its baptism, it is the first move in a deadly game of cat and mouse for Detective Frida Skardet, newly arrived in Trondheim with a limp from an encounter with Russian agents in a previous life, her teenage son, and a lot of mental baggage.
For lovers of Jo Nesbo, Stieg Larson, Jorn Lier Horst, Morgan Greene, Lilja Sigurdardóttir, J M Dalgliesh, Alex Smith and Satu Rämö.
What people are saying about TOM QUILLER and the FRIDA SKARDET novels:
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Absolutely fabulous storyline, can't wait for the next book and hope there'll be many more in this series."
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What a wonderful book. Clever, insightful but sympathetic with a fantastic new protagonist. Can't wait for the next one."
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A brilliant Nordic crime novel. "
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Seriously amazing... So many twists and turns; so many gloriously dark situations and characters. Frida Skardet is a great creation."
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Quiller brings the characters to life brilliantly and the dialogue sings!"
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Really enjoyed the pace and story telling - Tom can obviously write and I’m looking forward to the next ones.."
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Really good, fast paced story line with great characters and plenty to keep me turning the pages."
- GenresThriller
318 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 28, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 26, 2026
A good story and the ending was wrapped up nicely but I struggled throughout with the writing style. Far too many descriptive repetitions.
January 6, 2026
January 6th, interim thoughts: I chose to read this book because it is set in Trondheim, the second city I lived not far from for 6.5 years and am fairly familiar with. I'm not exactly sure what part of winter the story is grounded in but where's the copious snow that usually blankets the region from mid/end November to May each following year?
I'm getting irritated by the amount of descriptive narrative that fills the pages with superfluous details. I'd grasped that Frida's car is a 'police issue Volvo' after first mention, so I didn't need two more reiterations. Then there's the copious descriptions of the insides of buildings, especially the homes of the characters. Decor, furnishings, aspect. No need for all the waffle. I assume this was written for Norwegian and other Scandinavian readers before translation, who will be familiar with modern homes, so I wonder why the narrative dwells on detail as if one is reading an interior design magazine.
Anyway, I shall persevere as the storyline is intriguing...
January 21st: I read to the end despite the irritations. Too much repetition of descriptive words but maybe that's not the fault of the author. Maybe the translator could have picked alternative adjectives to make the text less lacking. Never mind. The story held my interest and unfolded at just the right pace. It dealt deftly with sensitive matters which were shocking and left nobody unaffected by the actions one very damaged person. It did, however, end on a bright note and positive promise of lives moving forward into the future.
I'll probably read more by this author.
I'm getting irritated by the amount of descriptive narrative that fills the pages with superfluous details. I'd grasped that Frida's car is a 'police issue Volvo' after first mention, so I didn't need two more reiterations. Then there's the copious descriptions of the insides of buildings, especially the homes of the characters. Decor, furnishings, aspect. No need for all the waffle. I assume this was written for Norwegian and other Scandinavian readers before translation, who will be familiar with modern homes, so I wonder why the narrative dwells on detail as if one is reading an interior design magazine.
Anyway, I shall persevere as the storyline is intriguing...
January 21st: I read to the end despite the irritations. Too much repetition of descriptive words but maybe that's not the fault of the author. Maybe the translator could have picked alternative adjectives to make the text less lacking. Never mind. The story held my interest and unfolded at just the right pace. It dealt deftly with sensitive matters which were shocking and left nobody unaffected by the actions one very damaged person. It did, however, end on a bright note and positive promise of lives moving forward into the future.
I'll probably read more by this author.
May 31, 2026
I enjoyed this story with the following exception.
Completely over written. The endless and repetitive descriptions were maddening.
How many times do you have to describe the same thing in the same chapter-2-3 times for this author. I think it is a word count thing-I don't get it.
The word warm was used over 5 times in the first chapter-ugh. Maybe it's the translation and not the author.
So interesting story line, characters with backstories that work their way in and a few little twists.
Frida is another shoot first ask questions later detective so that makes for interesting situations.
Completely over written. The endless and repetitive descriptions were maddening.
How many times do you have to describe the same thing in the same chapter-2-3 times for this author. I think it is a word count thing-I don't get it.
The word warm was used over 5 times in the first chapter-ugh. Maybe it's the translation and not the author.
So interesting story line, characters with backstories that work their way in and a few little twists.
Frida is another shoot first ask questions later detective so that makes for interesting situations.
June 10, 2025
Clever story with strong central characters, but the book could have done with a proofread to cut out confusing mistakes (eg the wrong character's name!) and to edit out the estate agent style descriptions of places (I suspected the use of AI a few times).
Otherwise, it's a good read, and I'd like to try the next in the series.
Otherwise, it's a good read, and I'd like to try the next in the series.
January 28, 2026
I have found a new detective to follow!
I enjoyed discovering these characters very much. Very interesting plot and story.
I would have rated this book as 5 stars, but there were several times that descriptive elements were repeated unnecessarily, and glaring editorial errors. I am hoping that those will decrease in future books by the author.
I enjoyed discovering these characters very much. Very interesting plot and story.
I would have rated this book as 5 stars, but there were several times that descriptive elements were repeated unnecessarily, and glaring editorial errors. I am hoping that those will decrease in future books by the author.
October 11, 2025
A murder puzzle
Babies are being killed and no one could figure out how or why. Frida was given the case and she tasted it down like a dog after a. Bone. This was a very interesting murder mystery and I recommend it to all murder mystery readers.
Babies are being killed and no one could figure out how or why. Frida was given the case and she tasted it down like a dog after a. Bone. This was a very interesting murder mystery and I recommend it to all murder mystery readers.
November 19, 2025
I enjoyed the book and I want to read the next one.
My only complaint is that at the start Frida had spiky dark hair which somehow morphed into long blonde hair at the finish. But maybe I read that incorrectly.
My only complaint is that at the start Frida had spiky dark hair which somehow morphed into long blonde hair at the finish. But maybe I read that incorrectly.
April 12, 2026
Norse Krimology really?
Good Yarn but … as others have said lots of errors.I thought that there was some evidence of product placement within the book
I don’t think I can read the series although the main character is good .
Good Yarn but … as others have said lots of errors.I thought that there was some evidence of product placement within the book
I don’t think I can read the series although the main character is good .
April 30, 2026
One sitting
I started it at noon . Just kept going. Fascinating, evil in many forms. And someone dogged enough to solve it all. Frida never stops worth the read. Starting the next one today.
No more to say
I started it at noon . Just kept going. Fascinating, evil in many forms. And someone dogged enough to solve it all. Frida never stops worth the read. Starting the next one today.
No more to say
April 9, 2025
Stunning
What a wonderful book. Clever, insightful but sympathetic and well researched with a fantastic new protagonist. Can't wait for the next one. A brilliant nordic crime novel
What a wonderful book. Clever, insightful but sympathetic and well researched with a fantastic new protagonist. Can't wait for the next one. A brilliant nordic crime novel
September 18, 2025
It was a clever plotline, good characters..if it had better editing and a little bit less tourist descriptive passages i might have stretched to a 5 star
January 12, 2026
Kindle Unlimited-Detective Skardet, mysterious infant deaths, Norway
May 12, 2026
Good plot but needs editing badly. Repeats descriptions frequently, gets characters’ names wrong, grammatical errors all get in the way of smooth reading.
June 6, 2026
Trondheim-set thriller with satisfying psychological twists. But... do we need to know the details of what everyone is wearing? Is it really possible to see so much behind everyone's eyes?
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews