A Gift Before Dying

by Malcolm Kempt

In a hauntingly atmospheric novel set against the unforgiving landscape of the Arctic Circle, a disgraced police investigator discovers that his path to redemption is paved with ice—and blood.

After a botched high-profile murder investigation, Corporal Elderick Cole is exiled to the remote, rugged landscape of Nunavut, a vast territory in the Arctic Circle known for its untamed beauty, frigid temperatures, and endless winter nights. With his family having severed all ties, Cole waits out the result of a civil lawsuit alone—the wrong verdict could end what’s left of his flailing career.

His bleak existence takes a sinister turn when he discovers the hanging body of Pitseolala, a troubled Inuit girl whom he had sworn to protect. Her death dredges up demons he thought he’d buried along with the scars of a fractured marriage and the aching divide between him and his estranged daughter.

As Cole’s life unravels—and with it, the fragile thread of his investigation, he turns to Pitseolala’s younger brother, Maliktu, a fellow outsider. It’s then that Cole uncovers what binds them—a singular mission to find her killer.

Against fierce backlash, Cole’s overriding desire to redeem just one aspect of his otherwise failed life becomes an obsession—and he’s willing to break every rule in his unyielding pursuit of justice and the smallest shred of redemption.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Adult, Audiobook

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 20, 2026

About the author

Malcolm Kempt spent seventeen years working as a criminal lawyer in the remote Arctic before leaving to write full-time. He won the Percy Janes Award for Best Unpublished Manuscript in 2023. He now lives on the island of Newfoundland. A Gift Before Dying is his debut novel.

Reviews

[Teresa Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Gift Before Dying
Malcolm Kempt
01/20/2025
Crown
A Gift Before Dying is a debut novel set in Cape Dorset, Nunavut, where the environment shapes every breath and decision. From the opening pages, Malcolm Kempt drops the reader into a world of extreme cold, endless snow, punishing wind, and long stretches of darkness. Elderick Cole, a disgraced law enforcement officer, has been reassigned to this remote Inuit community after a botched investigation and the collapse of his marriage. When the death of a young Inuit girl is ruled a suicide, Cole cannot let it rest. What begins as a quiet, isolated posting becomes a deeply personal investigation that forces him to confront not only the truth behind her death, but his own failures and need for redemption.

About two chapters in, I paused my reading to learn more about Cape Dorset and the Inuit community, and I am glad I did. This book is far more than a murder mystery. Kempt explores the realities faced by the community Cole is serving, including suicide, alcoholism, the erosion of native traditions, and the alarming rates of crime among young people. These issues are not presented as background noise. They are integral to the story and to Cole’s growing understanding of the place and the people he is meant to protect. Cole is deeply flawed, but his moral compass remains pointed toward justice, even when the cost is high and the answers are uncomfortable.

What makes this novel especially compelling is how seamlessly it weaves mystery, paranormal, and subtle horror elements into the narrative in a way that feels organic to Inuit culture and storytelling. The result is an engaging slow burn mystery with real emotional weight. Kempt’s writing is immersive and thoughtful, allowing the setting to function almost as a character in its own right. Readers looking for a straightforward procedural may be surprised, but those willing to lean into atmosphere, complexity, and moral tension will find a powerful and memorable read.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A straightforward procedural with propulsive writing, a tortured protagonist and a dark plot. Gives all the winter vibes you can handle.

[Cindy(groundedinreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gift Before Dying was the perfect dark and moody book to snuggle up with on a cold day. The setting in the Arctic Circle along with haunting lore of the Inuit people made for an enthralling, atmospheric dive into the minds of souls in anguish. This has the feel of a Nordic Noir police procedural mixed with some paranormal and horror elements. The main character, Corporal Elderick Cole, is one I won’t forget. He’s deeply troubled and doesn’t take care of himself but remains focused on the truth. Excellent debut! I combo read and listened to this one-great narration!

Thank you @Crownpublishing & @prhaudio for the gifted books!

[hannah ⊹ ࣪ ˖ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an enjoyable debut! I pushed this up on my TBR because it was snowy and icy outside, and I figured it would mesh well with the Arctic Circle atmosphere. Speaking of the atmosphere, Malcolm Kempt does a fantastic job of making this book feel visceral. He doesn’t just describe, he makes you really feel like you’re there, experiencing everything that is happening right alongside the characters.

A Gift Before Dying is about Elderick Cole, a man exiled to the Arctic due to a past investigation gone wrong. Completely alone, dealing with a new job, new home, a pending civil suit, and a career hanging on by a thread, Cole comes across the body of a local girl. While it appears to be suicide, Cole doesn’t believe that. Joining forces with the girl’s brother, they are bound together with a singular goal: find her killer. With nothing else to lose, and with absolutely no problem breaking the rules, Cole is steadfast in his pursuit for justice, redemption, and atonement.

If I hadn’t known prior to starting this book, I would have assumed Malcolm Kempt had released numerous books. The fact this is a debut is mind blowing. The writing is sharp and powerful, and this is such an atmospheric, chilling book. It also has the perfect sprinkle of the paranormal which makes this book even more haunting. Absolutely recommend checking this out!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for this eARC!

[Jeanette]

DNF -as it moved so slow! Pain, depression and Arctic cold. Beyond all that, the writing tries to tell, tell, tell. At times background dramas or criteria are included before you even grasp relationship in the present. Not a fan of the prose flow at all. If it gets any warmer eventually? Not for me. Also way too much preach and teach hubris and anti-religion slant bias. Also not for me.

[John Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

To sum this book up in 3 words:

Freezing

Pain

Exhaustion

[Wren Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a lot to say about the ill effects of the white man on Inuit cultures, traditions, and quality of life.

Cole is a disgraced cop, who following a botched investigation into the disappearance of a young boy, has been banished to the deep reaches of the North American Arctic community of Cape Dorset.

Since being stationed in Cape Dorset as one of two officers of the law, he has seen some shit. The Inuit community, which was once ripe with traditions and ways of life, has turned its back on it all with the arrival of plentiful alcohol, cigarettes, and the holy grail: frozen junk food. The average lifespan of their people has drifted well below what it once was.

But Cole had taken a special interest in the safety and wellbeing of a particular youth, a girl named Pitseolala. So when the day comes that he finds her body swinging from the kitchen ceiling of an empty home, it brings back with it the demons he still fights every day over the botched investigation of the past.

His partner, an Inuit woman named Victoria, believes whole heartedly that this is an open and shut suicide, but Cole is seeing more. And he’s not the only one.

Piseolala’s little brother Maliktu is being haunted by visions of his sister following her death, and she is telling him that he needs to help Cole take down the devil that hurt her.

Cole and Maliktu both are not known for really being alright in the area of mental health, but should they be following the warning, was this actually a tragic suicide, or is there something more that they should find?

When it comes to crime thrillers and mysteries, it’s not usually my bag, but this book actually taught me a fair bit about the modern lives of Inuit communities. Their history of white-led gentrification is not a great one, and while it’s sad and enraging, it’s something I am grateful to have learned from this book. Sometimes awareness is all we have to keep us moving forward.

[Emily Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an average sized book for a debut. Which is a really nice palette cleanser from the much longer books that the established authors are putting out.

I would label the genre for this book a little differently than it is labeled. I show it labeled as General Fiction / Mystery and Thriller. With the Lee Child's blurb on the front, I was assuming either a straight mystery or a mystery/action mashup. This is instead a mystery/horror mashup. There are ghosts. Lots of ghosts and unexplained phenomena. So, that's something to be aware of going in because satisfaction often depends on the difference between what is expected and what is delivered.

The arctic setting is extremely well done in this book. The arctic setting changes everything about living and investigating and dovetails nicely with what I knew about arctic living. (For example, 9 out of every 10 crimes in Alaska is either alcohol or drug related.) It's cold and bleak and enhances the horror and mystery elements nicely.

I did not guess the ending, which I like. However, I did not like the way the book ended. Opinions on that will differ, of course, and I'm not going to give the ending away by describing what I didn't care for.

This is a solid debut that will be enjoyed by fans of horror/mystery mashups.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

[Scott Nickels · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was attracted to the “Nordic Noir” aspects to this novel and, upon reading it, I was impressed by the talent of the author with this initial published work. However, I could not stomach the overriding notion that strange, cultish religious beliefs and ceremonies are elevated to spiritual truth whilst mainline Christianity is evil, hypocritical, and abhorrent. It leaves a sour taste…

[Lori Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite, though I love Arctic settings and bleak stories. I couldn't help but wonder how the indigenous people would see this book. It seemed presumptive and uncharitable at best toward a population who may not appreciate their lives and people portrayed in such an overall negative light.

[Clover · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5
Unsettling, tragic, and honest.

"Years ago, his instructors had taught him to always use a pen, but up here, the ink kept freezing."

CW // A dog is killed in Chapter 15 (page 102-108) so you might want to skip it (page 108 at the least), the important information is: Cole injures his elbow and reinjures his knee while trying to unchain the dog. His frustrations and feelings of being unable to help anyone/anything are boiling over. And it's mentioned in Chapter 16 and a few more times throughout the book. The only other time it is described is in the second paragraph of Chapter 21. (page 137)

Kempt masterfully weaves together an Arctic mystery with the nuance of Arctic living, clearly showcasing his years spent up there. He touches on Inuit traditional beliefs, effects of colonialism, the harshness of Arctic living, and the rotation of numerous Qallunaat throughout the remote towns. I loved this.

Sergeant Elderick Cole is a run-down and beaten cop. You'll find a lot of cliches within him: he's a drinker, he's divorced, he's on pain meds (but doesn't abuse them!), he's haunted from a previous case that might end his career. But these are authentic to him and the issues are only compounded in the endless dark of the Canadian Arctic winter of Cape Dorset. He's running on zero sleep and mounting stress and endless cups of terrible coffee.

"Eight days past his birthday and still nothing from either. He had kept his expectations low but felt empty all the same."

This is a short read but don't let it fool you, it has power. It's told in alternating POVs of Cole and ten-year-old Maliktu Kullu, the little brother of Pitseolala. If A Promise Is a Promise scared you as a child, then this will be nightmare fuel. Cole struggles with his newest case, the suicide of sixteen-year-old Pitseolala. Cole's partner, Veronica Aningmiuq, believes it's an open-and-shut case but things aren't adding up for Cole. Maliktu struggles with the loss of his sister and increasingly disturbing visions.

Juggling the needs of a family/community, duty, and inclement weather, Kempt unravels the story in a smooth pace with a climax that had me gripping my book way too hard and holding my breath. Kempt writes a harrowing tale that keeps smacking you down just when you think you've got your footing. I loved this ending! I had so much hope and so many feelings tied up to Cole and Miliktu. I love the inclusion of Inuit mythology as that connects it even more to the place.

"The sudden glare hit him like a flashbulb in the dark."

If you haven't read Taaqtumi 2: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories, do it. Kempt has a story in it and it (and the first anthology) contains many terrors from Inuit lore.

I am so happy to have read this! My only complaint is that he kept the colonial name instead of using the traditional name, Kinngait, that it's been officially using for 6 years now. EDIT: I have zero complaints! I made an assumption of the time of the story and it was decades before the name change! Malcolm Kempt does use and recognize the traditional name. I'm sorry and thank you for the callout/correction! Keeping the link to show that not all places have been allowed to change back to their traditional names.

Here's a little article about it and it even mentions Pond Inlet. Name Change for Two Communities

Kempt is precise in his writing, he doesn't drag out the story for hundreds of pages. He doesn't pull punches in his commentary of the struggles the Inuit face and shines light on a place people don't get to hear much about. I would recommend this to anyone who likes Icelandic Mysteries or anyone curious about the Canadian Arctic. Check your local library or bookstore and if they don't have it, request that they bring it in! I look forward to his next book.

[♡Heather✩Brown♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

#ad much love for my advance copy @crownpublishing #partner
& @prhaudio #partner for the ALC

🅰 🅶🅸🅵🆃 🅱🅴🅵🅾🆁🅴 🅳🆈🅸🅽🅶
< @malcolmkempt >
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ: ᴊᴀɴᴜᴀʀʏ 𝟤𝟢, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟨

“In a hauntingly atmospheric novel set against the unforgiving landscape of the Arctic Circle, a disgraced police investigator discovers that his path to redemption is paved with ice—and blood.”

What a crime thriller this one was! Atmospheric with a solid mystery, I enjoyed this one. I think this is one of those books that you’re either going to love or not.

The writing really pulled me in, but the setting kept me hooked. You can’t beat an isolated location with frigid temperatures - one of my most fav settings. And this book delivered.

This was also a complex crime thriller with some supernatural elements. I thought the investigation was genius.

🎧: Also listened to the audio while following along and enjoyed the audio too. Stephen Mendel was the perfect person for this book. A fab listen.

Loved how the story explored grief, guilt, and redemption - I only wish it had been a little more fast-paced, but it was still a fab read.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dark (literally and figuratively), bleak and relentlessly cheerless thriller – and I couldn’t put it down. Sergeant Elderick Cole has been demoted to a Canadian Arctic island following a botched investigation in Northern Alberta, a penance he performs dutifully and somberly. The Inuit population of the island, having had their ancient way of survival mostly obliterated by early fur traders, has spiraled into poverty, substance abuse and violence. Lawlessness reigns. As one of the town’s two law officers, Cole tries to foster a shred of social civility, and is not so easily convinced that a young woman’s cause of death was suicide. There is an element of the paranormal here, too, adding to the surreal setting of endlessly dark and cold winter days. Hard to believe this is a debut novel, as Kempt’s writing is so sharp and powerful. Highly recommended.

[Nicole W. Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

*A Gift Before Dying* really surprised me — in the best way. It’s a mix of mystery, dark humor, and some unexpectedly heartfelt moments that stick with you. Kempt has a great way of writing characters who feel real — a little messy, a little flawed, but totally believable.

The story moves at a good pace, though it drags just a bit in the middle. Still, the ending ties everything together beautifully, and I found myself thinking about the moral twists long after I finished.

If you like stories that make you think but still keep you entertained, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

[Elizabeth Espinoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sergeant Elderick Cole has been assigned to a case in the Arctic Circle. With his suffering marriage and family life. What is there to lose. The case is about a girl who allegedly committed suicide, but Sergeant Cole is not fully convinced. Her brother Maliktu is involved in the investigation, but not in the typical way.
This is a great first novel, I’m excited to read more from this author.

[Andrea Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, haunting, propulsive, with a hefty dose of scary supernatural-this book is not at all my typical read but I couldn’t put it down. It’s also an unflinching look at the poverty and brokenness in tiny native Arctic communities.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It is fast paced and can keep your interest. It was a little slow in the beginning. Even though I’m not Canadian, I found the book accessible as there were plenty of times when words and terms were defined.

Full disclosure: I won a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway.

[Fireplace.Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to @prhaudio and @crown publishing for the ALC and ARC of this book!

This book was super unique and I am so torn on how to review it!

I really enjoyed the setting in the Artic with the Intuit people. The history behind the reservation was interesting and intriguing, though some passages read like the author was spewing everything he learned during his research. I also loved the mystery behind if Pits had been killed or not. It was interesting to see the struggles Cole went through with the investigation. The other parts of the plot were interesting and engaging at times. Some of it felt like too much, while other times it felt like it furthered the conflict. There were many times when Kempt's syntax and writing style had me lost on how we ended up where we were. I wish I didn't have to spend as much time as I did rereading. Maybe this was a me problem. The ending was super unique. I really enjoyed that aspect. I don't want to ruin it so I'm being vague. I do think I would read a sophomore novel from Kempt.

[Liv · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in one sitting. It’s clear, heartfelt, and one of the most captivating thrillers I’ve read in a long time. From the plot to the writing style, it’s a moving and thoughtful read that will stay with me. 10/10 I couldn’t recommend it enough!

[Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was so well written, and I really became immersed in the cold, Arctic world. It was so atmospheric and gripping. I loved the Inuit culture that was depicted throughout, and really felt for the characters.

[Goofayou · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a books I’ve read recently where I felt the author had a death-grip on the narrative from the very first page. One was Samantha Harvey’s Orbital, another was Olga Ravn’s The Wax Child, but it’s Kempt’s debut that felt seismic. His storytelling is so confident and assured, and his main protagonist is one of the more memorable detectives in literature. I saw one review that had a line like ‘there’s never been a police protagonist more disheveled and out of sorts than Cole.” I normally reject superlatives, but in this case, the reviewer was right. I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to receive an early copy of this novel, as it is one I will not soon forget.

[Julie Maleski (juliereads_alot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @prhaudio #PRHAudioPartner for the gifted copy of this audiobook, and to Crown Publishing for the early finished copy...this is my honest review.

🎧📖 A Gift Before Dying 📖🎧
Author: Malcolm Kempt
Pub Date: January 20, 2026
Audiobook Publisher: PRH Audio
Narrator: Stephen Mendel
Length: 9 hours, 14 minutes
Publisher: Crown Publishing

MY RATING: 4/5⭐

A Gift Before Dying, the latest read from Malcolm Kempt, is an atmospheric and slow-burning literary mystery set in a frigid remote town near the Arctic Circle. The isolation and desolation in this book felt almost tangible as I read, and it created the perfect backdrop for the mystery within the pages.

The main character, Cole, is a disgraced police officer struggling with feelings of failure throughout the story, feeling he's failed as a cop, a husband, and a father. Relegated to this remote town with a brutally freezing climate, Cole can't shake the feeling that the recent death of a teenage girl he swore to protect - which appeared to be a suicide at first glance - might be something much more sinister. As he battles the climate, resistant townspeople, and his own demons, Desperate to prove he's right about the girl's death being something more than suicide, Cole finds himself battling the townspeople, the girl's family, the frigid climate, and his own personal demons.

The pacing of this book started out pretty slow, but it picked up as I got further into the book and Cole began to put the pieces of the puzzle together to solve the mystery. This book was so well-written! The isolation and the desolation of both the town and the people in it really shone in Kempt's story-telling. Some of the scenes were difficult to read, but they helped paint the picture of just how desperate the characters really were.

Narrator Stephen Mendel's voice was perfect for this story. His voice brilliantly captured the hauntingly painful aspects of Cole's character, as well as the often-hopeless feelings of desolation in the people who lived in this town.

If you enjoy atmospheric literary mysteries, tortured character-driven stories, or mysteries set in isolated and remote winter settings, I think you'll really enjoy A Gift Before Dying. I definitely recommend the audiobook for this one -- and it's out now!

#AGiftBeforeDying #MalcolmKempt #PRHAudioPartner #audiobook #CrownPublishing #CrownInfluencers #earlyfinishedcopy #literarymysteries #isolatedsettings #mysteries #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #bookreviews

[Sara Planz · Rating 4 out of 5]

SYNOPSIS
After a botched high-profile murder investigation, Corporal Elderick Cole is exiled to the remote, rugged landscape of Nunavut, a vast territory in the Arctic Circle known for its untamed beauty, frigid temperatures, and endless winter nights. With his family having severed all ties, Cole waits out the result of a civil lawsuit alone—the wrong verdict could end what’s left of his flailing career. His bleak existence takes a sinister turn when he discovers the hanging body of Pitseolala, a troubled Inuit girl whom he had sworn to protect. Her death dredges up demons he thought he’d buried along with the scars of a fractured marriage and the aching divide between him and his estranged daughter. As Cole’s life unravels—and with it, the fragile thread of his investigation, he turns to Pitseolala’s younger brother, Maliktu, a fellow outsider. It’s then that Cole uncovers what binds them—a singular mission to find her killer. Against fierce backlash, Cole’s overriding desire to redeem just one aspect of his otherwise failed life becomes an obsession—and he’s willing to break every rule in his unyielding pursuit of justice and the smallest shred of redemption.

A knockout debut novel, author Malcom Kempt brings readers an atmospheric mystery/thriller with paranormal elements. Kempt spent seventeen years working as a criminal lawyer in the remote Arctic, and his experience and familiarity with a community like this are evident throughout. The story feels like an intense police procedural, and I love the scarred character Cole. The setting in the Arctic Circle, within an Inuit community, and the way Kempt mixes in their cultural traditions and stories, within the isolation of a place that remote, make this one a real page-turner.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an atmospheric pulse-pounding thriller debut set in the Arctic Circle that has an old investigator seeking redemption trying to solve a series of murders in an Inuit community. This book doesn't shy away from highlighting the challenges and hardships of life in these types of far North Indigenous communities but Corporal Elderick Cole has been exiled to Nunavit and is determined to make the best of it but as questions pile up and answers are in short supply he finds himself fighting for his life in a climatic end that will leave you gasping. This was good on audio and highly recommended for fans of books like Warning signs or A blizzard of polar bears. I loved this first novel from Canadian writer Malcolm Kempt and look forward to what he might write next.

[Cynthia Bowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

hauntingly beautiful

This is a tough read. My heart aches for the plight of the Inuit characters as if they were real. It is also difficult to suffer along with Cole, the finely developed protagonist. All in all a terrific read, a story that will likely linger longer in my mind than 99% of the books I have read in recent years.

[Bethany Mock (bethanyburiedinbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @prhaudio @crownpublishing #partner for the gifted copies of this book!

❄️A Gift Before Dying ❄️
Author: Malcolm Kempt
Pub Date: January 20, 2026

I am an absolute sucker for snowy covers in the winter and this one was calling my name. ❄️ A Gift Before Dying is a new to me author and a first Malcolm Kempt book that I've read and I’m happy to report I really enjoyed this one.

The story kicks off with a woman found dead in the Arctic Circle and it was initially ruled a suicide. However as the detective starts digging into the details little things just don’t add up. It quickly becomes clear to Cole, the detective that there’s more going on in this small town.

This book is SUCH a mood. It’s extremely atmospheric and Malcolm absolutely nailed it making me feel trapped in this brutally cold and isolated town. I felt like I was trucking right alongside Detective Cole freezing my booty off. I personally could practically feel the frostbite and exhaustion pouring off this man. Cole was a fascinating character to me. He was a little unlikeable because of his habits but also I felt deeply sympathetic towards him. I couldn't decide if I loved him or loathed him. I'm kind of a softy though... so leaned more towards love. I couldn't help but feel for him as he spiraled a bit mentally under the pressure of being a part of a small police force, all the lack of sleep he didn't get and just the general environment he was forced to work in. Woof. It was tough!

If you love stories dripping in desperation, isolation with a touch of insanity, then look no further friends...this one is for you. The entire book is oozing with a dark sense of dread that never let up for the entire book. AAAAAAND I loved every second of it.

⚠️ Quick note for animal lovers: there is one scene involving an animal that doesn’t make it — read with caution.

All in all, this was the perfect read for the gray, cold days of a Chicago winter.

❄️

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping debut novel, A Gift Before Dying follows Cole, a police officer haunted by his past, who takes a remote posting in northern Canada hoping for a fresh start. But as he investigates a death in the community, the case begins to consume him, pulling him deeper into isolation, obsession, and despair.

This novel resists easy categorization—it weaves together elements of thriller, mystery, and a poignant reflection on the erosion of Indigenous culture in Canada. Whatever label you choose, it’s a hard-to-put-down read that sticks with you long after the final page.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cold, dark mood book, perfect for winter nights. You could feel the chill with each page.

[Rich Cattarello · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to four because the story is so compelling. Congratulations Malcolm Kempt. I really enjoyed the suspense and thrills of the book. Everything was believable.

[Toni Trawitzke · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good mix of the haunting atmosphere with plot lines. I did feel it dragged a bit in spots but I enjoyed the writing.