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Greenland Crime #1
Um Inverno, Sete Sepulturas
Na remota comunidade ártica de Inussuk, no final de cada verão, são cavadas sete sepulturas antes que o solo congele. À medida que o inverno se aproxima, a questão que se coloca é se serão em número suficiente. Neste primeiro livro de uma série que tem a Gronelândia como cenário, aparece a figura de David Maratse, um polícia prematuramente reformado que pretende levar uma vida calma, caçando e pescando, observando as baleias e os icebergs que se deslocam lentamente pelo fiorde.
Mas quando, durante a pesca, encontra o corpo da filha desaparecida da primeira-ministra Nivi Winther, torna-se o principal suspeito e, em simultâneo, o investigador do homicídio mais célebre da Gronelândia.
Mas quando, durante a pesca, encontra o corpo da filha desaparecida da primeira-ministra Nivi Winther, torna-se o principal suspeito e, em simultâneo, o investigador do homicídio mais célebre da Gronelândia.
288 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
March 23, 2022
Dos estrellas por el entorno.
March 12, 2019
2.5 stars.
One of the great pleasures of reading is to be transported to other places through the writer’s words. I enjoyed the atmospheric sense of place conveyed by the Eastern Greenland location. Greenland has a meagre population of 56,000, mostly living along the beautiful West coast where I had visited. The eastern part was unknown to me, but the writing made it seem familiar.
The map included in the book showed only one town above the Arctic Circle in the east. Ittooqqoortmit has a population of 472. Some action occurs in and around the fictional settlement of Inussak, East Greenland. I wished the author had marked this imaginary place on his map.
The book is named after the custom of digging seven graves during the brightly lit summers before the ground freezes and the dark winters make this impossible. The book suggests there are two graves for suicides, one for a drunken brawl, one for a fishing accident, one awaiting a stillborn child. A sixth is for death by old age and one for a cancer victim. They hope that these will be sufficient when winter comes.
Constable David Maratse was retired from the Greenland police force after being tortured. He had physiotherapy during a lengthy hospital stay but still suffers from great pain in his legs causing him mobility problems. He moves to Inussak in the remote Arctic to fish and enjoy its scenic views. On his first fishing expedition, a line hooks the body of a teenaged girl. The body will be placed in one of the two graves during a sensational murder investigation. The body was that of the daughter of a prominent female political figure.
The politics of Greenland was interesting. It includes breaking ties with Denmark and increasing the use of the native language over Danish. An upcoming election with rival philosophies and goals is approaching and there is a lot of corruption, intrigue, and a desire to use any means necessary to win. Maratse becomes a lead investigator when he is privately hired by the murdered girl’s mother. He shares his theories and findings with headquarters on the West coast. He was previously employed there as a police officer before his injuries. He works closely with a former colleague and friend, Petra Jensen. Soon another person with close ties to the political scene is found murdered.
The plot is fast paced, but I wished all the discussion of political beliefs and platforms had stayed more in the background, as it detracted from the suspense and tension I should have felt. I thought Maratse and Petra were compelling characters and want to read more about them, probably without all the politics in the foreground of their investigations. The fault is mine, as I have never been a fan of political thrillers, regardless of their country of origin. I have already downloaded another book in the series.
One of the great pleasures of reading is to be transported to other places through the writer’s words. I enjoyed the atmospheric sense of place conveyed by the Eastern Greenland location. Greenland has a meagre population of 56,000, mostly living along the beautiful West coast where I had visited. The eastern part was unknown to me, but the writing made it seem familiar.
The map included in the book showed only one town above the Arctic Circle in the east. Ittooqqoortmit has a population of 472. Some action occurs in and around the fictional settlement of Inussak, East Greenland. I wished the author had marked this imaginary place on his map.
The book is named after the custom of digging seven graves during the brightly lit summers before the ground freezes and the dark winters make this impossible. The book suggests there are two graves for suicides, one for a drunken brawl, one for a fishing accident, one awaiting a stillborn child. A sixth is for death by old age and one for a cancer victim. They hope that these will be sufficient when winter comes.
Constable David Maratse was retired from the Greenland police force after being tortured. He had physiotherapy during a lengthy hospital stay but still suffers from great pain in his legs causing him mobility problems. He moves to Inussak in the remote Arctic to fish and enjoy its scenic views. On his first fishing expedition, a line hooks the body of a teenaged girl. The body will be placed in one of the two graves during a sensational murder investigation. The body was that of the daughter of a prominent female political figure.
The politics of Greenland was interesting. It includes breaking ties with Denmark and increasing the use of the native language over Danish. An upcoming election with rival philosophies and goals is approaching and there is a lot of corruption, intrigue, and a desire to use any means necessary to win. Maratse becomes a lead investigator when he is privately hired by the murdered girl’s mother. He shares his theories and findings with headquarters on the West coast. He was previously employed there as a police officer before his injuries. He works closely with a former colleague and friend, Petra Jensen. Soon another person with close ties to the political scene is found murdered.
The plot is fast paced, but I wished all the discussion of political beliefs and platforms had stayed more in the background, as it detracted from the suspense and tension I should have felt. I thought Maratse and Petra were compelling characters and want to read more about them, probably without all the politics in the foreground of their investigations. The fault is mine, as I have never been a fan of political thrillers, regardless of their country of origin. I have already downloaded another book in the series.
September 7, 2019
8,5 de 10*
Um thriller cuja acção se passe na Gronelândia é meio caminho andado para encantar uma leitora da Europa ocidental, como eu. Na minha opinião há qualquer coisa de mítico com este território, com umas temperaturas tão extremas, mas uma beleza imensa. Mas, obviamente, o local não é tudo, e Christoffer Petersen, um autor que conheci neste “Um Inverno, Sete Sepulturas”, conseguiu aliar uma história interessante a um cenário de gelar!
Comentário completo em:
https://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.co...
Um thriller cuja acção se passe na Gronelândia é meio caminho andado para encantar uma leitora da Europa ocidental, como eu. Na minha opinião há qualquer coisa de mítico com este território, com umas temperaturas tão extremas, mas uma beleza imensa. Mas, obviamente, o local não é tudo, e Christoffer Petersen, um autor que conheci neste “Um Inverno, Sete Sepulturas”, conseguiu aliar uma história interessante a um cenário de gelar!
Comentário completo em:
https://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.co...
February 16, 2020
Ένα απολαυστικό νουάρ ήταν τούτο δω,κι ας ήταν ένα από τα πιο λιτά και "στεγνά",από άποψης περιγραφών, βιβλία του είδους που έχω διαβάσει.
Κατά βάσιν ένα πολιτικό θρίλερ με σαφείς κοινωνικές προεκτάσεις,με άρωμα ρατσισμού ενάντια στις μικτές οικογένειες Δανών/Γροιλανδών,αν δεν ήταν τόσο μικρό (233 σελίδες),θα μπορούσε κάλλιστα να είναι εφάμιλλο των ιστοριών των Dahl και Indridason όσον αφορά τους βόρειους,και οπωσδήποτε του Ian Manook.
Όμως,παρότι μικρούλι,δεν του έλειψε τίποτα,δεν έκανε κοιλιά πουθενά,και με άφησε στα κρύα του λουτρού τώρα,να ψάχνω για να ξετρυπώσω και τα υπόλοιπα της σειράς με τον David Maratse:έναν τύπο σκληρό σαν τους παγετώνες της χώρας του,και γλυκούλη σαν την κουταβίτσα που υιοθέτησε με το στανιό,μιας κι εκείνη του έγινε "τσιμπούρι"!
5⭐
Κατά βάσιν ένα πολιτικό θρίλερ με σαφείς κοινωνικές προεκτάσεις,με άρωμα ρατσισμού ενάντια στις μικτές οικογένειες Δανών/Γροιλανδών,αν δεν ήταν τόσο μικρό (233 σελίδες),θα μπορούσε κάλλιστα να είναι εφάμιλλο των ιστοριών των Dahl και Indridason όσον αφορά τους βόρειους,και οπωσδήποτε του Ian Manook.
Όμως,παρότι μικρούλι,δεν του έλειψε τίποτα,δεν έκανε κοιλιά πουθενά,και με άφησε στα κρύα του λουτρού τώρα,να ψάχνω για να ξετρυπώσω και τα υπόλοιπα της σειράς με τον David Maratse:έναν τύπο σκληρό σαν τους παγετώνες της χώρας του,και γλυκούλη σαν την κουταβίτσα που υιοθέτησε με το στανιό,μιας κι εκείνη του έγινε "τσιμπούρι"!
5⭐
August 20, 2021
Quando a noite do árctico dura quatro meses, o crime não conhece sombra" C. Petersen
Intriga política e crime no território austero da Gronelândia. O livro valeu pelos conhecimentos que transmitiu sobre costumes e preocupações dos gronelandeses, nomeadamente a sua autonomia (cultural e política) em relação à Dinamarca. Enquanto livro policial, não é uma história muito elaborada e deixa alguns aspectos por explicar; por isso, não está entre os melhores que tenho lido mas é uma história que entretém.
Intriga política e crime no território austero da Gronelândia. O livro valeu pelos conhecimentos que transmitiu sobre costumes e preocupações dos gronelandeses, nomeadamente a sua autonomia (cultural e política) em relação à Dinamarca. Enquanto livro policial, não é uma história muito elaborada e deixa alguns aspectos por explicar; por isso, não está entre os melhores que tenho lido mas é uma história que entretém.
February 20, 2019
A decent enough thriller although the plot stretches credulity as the story reaches its very dramatic climax. Set in Greenland, the world's largest island, this is the first in a series featuring Greenlandic policeman David Maratse
Maratse is recently invalided off the force, and we learn that he was tortured by a man known only as "The Chinaman". Throughout this book there are several references to another crime series - with Danish policewoman Fenna Brongaar as the main character - which included appearances by Maratse. However, this book can be read on its own.
After undergoing lengthy physiotherapy in hospital, he moves to a remote Arctic island having been retired from the police force. But when one of his neighbour's long fishing lines hooks the body of a politician’s daughter, Maratse is drawn back to investigate her death.
The dead girl's mother is Greenland's First Minister so there's a lot of detail about Greenland's politics and the problem of its various languages, as the action moves along at a brisk pace. Maratse and his former police colleague Petra Jensen are interesting characters and you'll learn about this large island with its small population (about 56,000 people) and also some of Greenland's history and the work of those seeking independence from the Kingdom of Denmark.
A short easy read (the Kindle is only 244 pages long), file under Nordic Noir.
Maratse is recently invalided off the force, and we learn that he was tortured by a man known only as "The Chinaman". Throughout this book there are several references to another crime series - with Danish policewoman Fenna Brongaar as the main character - which included appearances by Maratse. However, this book can be read on its own.
After undergoing lengthy physiotherapy in hospital, he moves to a remote Arctic island having been retired from the police force. But when one of his neighbour's long fishing lines hooks the body of a politician’s daughter, Maratse is drawn back to investigate her death.
The dead girl's mother is Greenland's First Minister so there's a lot of detail about Greenland's politics and the problem of its various languages, as the action moves along at a brisk pace. Maratse and his former police colleague Petra Jensen are interesting characters and you'll learn about this large island with its small population (about 56,000 people) and also some of Greenland's history and the work of those seeking independence from the Kingdom of Denmark.
A short easy read (the Kindle is only 244 pages long), file under Nordic Noir.
February 1, 2020
Gosto sempre destes policiais passados em ambientes muito diversificados. Passado na Gronelândia, de que pouco ou nada sei (li apenas "A rapariga sem pele" e gostei mais do que deste livro), fiquei com mais alguns conhecimentos (faço sempre umas pesquisas e leituras sobre os locais). As personagens são interessantes, mas os crimes nem tanto. O título é bastante atrativo e eu esperava algum 'serial killer' retorcido e não é o que se passa. Tudo está envolto em política e questões sociológicas que pouco me dizem, à parte a questão da independência e da língua, mas de que, de facto, pouco mais fiquei a saber. Lê-se depressa, é um livro com letras grandes e de fácil leitura. Mais 3,5⭐ do que 4.
February 9, 2022
Foi interessante dado o cenário gélido da Gronelândia e a sua complexa ligação política e social com a Dinamarca.
Está escrito de forma fluida e direta.
A investigação policial não me surpreendeu porque desconfiei qual seria o desfecho desde os primeiros capítulos.
Não obstante, vou querer ler o próximo livro da série. Espero um caso mais complexo e que a vida pessoal dos protagonistas seja explorada.
Está escrito de forma fluida e direta.
A investigação policial não me surpreendeu porque desconfiei qual seria o desfecho desde os primeiros capítulos.
Não obstante, vou querer ler o próximo livro da série. Espero um caso mais complexo e que a vida pessoal dos protagonistas seja explorada.
January 30, 2022
Este livro retrata sobre um crime bastante mediático onde o pano de fundo, são as paisagens da Gronelândia. Fiquei bastante curiosa por não saber praticamente nada sobre o país, a não ser onde ficava situado geograficamente, por isso comprei este policial nórdico para conhecer um pouco do país.
Foi uma leitura bastante simples, no entanto…ao início do livro demorei-me agarrar na leitura, mas durante a meio da leitura foi-se aos poucos fluindo até à final, que confesso já estava presa no livro. Foi um bom livro, mas dos melhores policiais ? Talvez não…pelo menos nórdicos…mas parece um bom início na continuação da série. 😉
4 ⭐️
Foi uma leitura bastante simples, no entanto…ao início do livro demorei-me agarrar na leitura, mas durante a meio da leitura foi-se aos poucos fluindo até à final, que confesso já estava presa no livro. Foi um bom livro, mas dos melhores policiais ? Talvez não…pelo menos nórdicos…mas parece um bom início na continuação da série. 😉
4 ⭐️
February 21, 2018
mmm, it almost reads like a Patterson book: swiftly and very visual. A murder so foul at the start, 2 known police officers (one who officially stepped down for medical reasons and the other getting her way in the Force), a dead body of a young girl, dirty politics. But I must admit I knew who did it at 60% of the book (and why!!).
Where other of his books are sometimes complicated with all kind of details, this one has less details (ok!!) but lacks a well established plot
Where other of his books are sometimes complicated with all kind of details, this one has less details (ok!!) but lacks a well established plot
September 7, 2019
3.5 *
Acabei-o num fim de semana, o que significa que me prendeu bastante a atenção para querer saber o que iria acontecer.
Nunca tinha lido nada sobre ou passado na Gronelândia e gostei deste novo ambiente.
Só tive alguma pena por ter tanto de política e pouco de thriller e também porque a meio do livro já sabia quem era o culpado.
Já li tantos policiais que eles começam a parecer todos o mesmo, no entanto quero saber mais sobre David Maratse e a sargento Petra.
Acabei-o num fim de semana, o que significa que me prendeu bastante a atenção para querer saber o que iria acontecer.
Nunca tinha lido nada sobre ou passado na Gronelândia e gostei deste novo ambiente.
Só tive alguma pena por ter tanto de política e pouco de thriller e também porque a meio do livro já sabia quem era o culpado.
Já li tantos policiais que eles começam a parecer todos o mesmo, no entanto quero saber mais sobre David Maratse e a sargento Petra.
October 11, 2025
David Maratse, grönländischer Polizist, wird mit Ende 30 nach einer schweren Verletzung, die sich vor allem auf seinen Bewegungsapparat auswirkt, in den Ruhestand versetzt. Maratse will sich im Nordwesten, im kleinen Dorf Inussuk, zur Ruhe setzen. Doch dazu kommt es erstmal nicht, denn Grönland wird mitten im Wahlkampf von einem Todesfall erschüttert: Nahe von Inussuk zieht ausgerechnet Maratse mit einem befreundeten Fischer die Leiche der 17jährigen Tochter der Premierministerin aus dem Wasser. Es wird kolportiert, dass ausgerechnet der Oppositionsführer in ihren Tod verwickelt sein könnte. Neben den Ermittlungen der alten Kollegen wird auch Maratse von der Premierministerin gebeten, Nachforschungen anzustellen.
Eine neue Krimireihe mit dem spannenden Schauplatz, das hat mich direkt gereizt. Hauptfigur David Maratse ist zwar auf den ersten Blick einer dieser abgehalfterten, beschädigten Ex-Cops, das Klischee wird aber zum Glück nicht völlig überstrapaziert. Durchaus interessant sind die Einblicke in die grönländische Politik, in der sich viel um Sprache und Identität zu drehen scheint. Gelungen auch die Darstellung der verschiedenen Schauplätze in Grönland. Insgesamt hatte ich allerdings das Gefühl, dass der Plot zu schnell abgehandelt wurde, der Autor hätte gerne noch tiefer in die Materie und die Figuren eintauchen können, so wirkt der Showdown am Schluss überhastet. Insgesamt ein solider Serienauftakt mit Luft nach oben.
Eine neue Krimireihe mit dem spannenden Schauplatz, das hat mich direkt gereizt. Hauptfigur David Maratse ist zwar auf den ersten Blick einer dieser abgehalfterten, beschädigten Ex-Cops, das Klischee wird aber zum Glück nicht völlig überstrapaziert. Durchaus interessant sind die Einblicke in die grönländische Politik, in der sich viel um Sprache und Identität zu drehen scheint. Gelungen auch die Darstellung der verschiedenen Schauplätze in Grönland. Insgesamt hatte ich allerdings das Gefühl, dass der Plot zu schnell abgehandelt wurde, der Autor hätte gerne noch tiefer in die Materie und die Figuren eintauchen können, so wirkt der Showdown am Schluss überhastet. Insgesamt ein solider Serienauftakt mit Luft nach oben.
August 18, 2021
No cenário dos fiordes de uma Gronelândia gélida, na comunidade de Inussuk, são cavadas sete sepulturas antes do final do Verão, antes de o solo congelar. À medida que o Inverno se aproxima, coloca-se a questão se serão suficientes... David Maratse é um polícia reformado, que ambiciona uma vida pacata dedicada à pesca, à caça, à observação de baleias e de icebergs. Mas quando durante a pesca, encontra o corpo da filha desaparecida da primeira-ministra, torna-se não só o investigador do homicídio, como o principal suspeito.
Uma leitura bastante agradável, gelada até aos ossos, que nos dá aquele friozinho na espinha. Uma investigação interessante, com os fiordes da Gronelândia como pano de fundo. Venha o segundo da série 😊
Uma leitura bastante agradável, gelada até aos ossos, que nos dá aquele friozinho na espinha. Uma investigação interessante, com os fiordes da Gronelândia como pano de fundo. Venha o segundo da série 😊
February 22, 2020
Como novela de misterio es bastante floja. El caso no empieza realmente hasta pasada la primera mitad, y se centra principalmente en la identidad groenlandesa/danesa.
November 19, 2019
Mais do que o enredo, o que me fascinou foi ler sobre esta grande ilha no Ártico: Gronelândia. Acho que eu era capaz de ultrapassar o meu ódio pelo frio e visitar este país - só por alguns dias. No Verão.
O enredo também foi bom, em volta de política com 2 candidatos a Primeiro Ministro em campanha e a filha de um deles aparece morta. Não sei se é real a descrição que o autor faz sobre o sentimento dos Gronelandeses pelo poder que a Dinamarca tem sobre eles, inclusive pelo uso da língua dinamarquesa em detrimento do gronelandês, mas eu senti-me completamente cativada por todos estes pormenores.
O final foi surpreendente, mas, olhando para trás, devia ter sido óbvio. Acho que o meu fascínio pelas descrições da Gronelândia e vida lá me impediu de prestar atenção à investigação policial LOL.
Gostei do protagonista, David Maratse, um polícia a quem foi dada a reforma antecipada por ter sido gravemente ferido em serviço e estar em recuperação, com sequelas. É muito teimoso, não é das pessoas mais simpáticas e, sinceramente, dispensava bem a cena dele a tirar um pedaço de carne que ficou preso nos dentes... Mas é bom homem e muito perspicaz.
O enredo também foi bom, em volta de política com 2 candidatos a Primeiro Ministro em campanha e a filha de um deles aparece morta. Não sei se é real a descrição que o autor faz sobre o sentimento dos Gronelandeses pelo poder que a Dinamarca tem sobre eles, inclusive pelo uso da língua dinamarquesa em detrimento do gronelandês, mas eu senti-me completamente cativada por todos estes pormenores.
O final foi surpreendente, mas, olhando para trás, devia ter sido óbvio. Acho que o meu fascínio pelas descrições da Gronelândia e vida lá me impediu de prestar atenção à investigação policial LOL.
Gostei do protagonista, David Maratse, um polícia a quem foi dada a reforma antecipada por ter sido gravemente ferido em serviço e estar em recuperação, com sequelas. É muito teimoso, não é das pessoas mais simpáticas e, sinceramente, dispensava bem a cena dele a tirar um pedaço de carne que ficou preso nos dentes... Mas é bom homem e muito perspicaz.
March 4, 2018
I enjoy reading Christoffer Petersen's books because there so entertaining to me. I like the outdoors and make myself feel everything that Constable David Maratse feels. I may not be able to feel my legs with his pain but I can make-believe. I like the story line and even figured out who did what before they did in the story. And there's a little romance brought in but it turns out noir. Try putting yourself into David Maratse's shoes and see how it feels.
January 17, 2021
“A pesar del deterioro, la chica le resultó conocida, y de pronto le vino a la memoria la fotografía que había visto la noche anterior en el informativo. Soltó la cabeza del cadáver y se trasladó de nuevo al tablón central.” ~ Siete tumbas, un invierno de Christoffer Petersen.
Novela ambientada en Groenlandia. David Maratse es un policía que se recupera físicamente tras haber sido torturado por un criminal. Como en el cuerpo le han jubilado se retira a un pueblo marinero. Allí comienza una nueva vida pero curiosamente también se ve implicado en la aparición de un cadaver y queda vinculado al caso que está investigando su compañera Petra. Y hasta aquí puedo contar porque no da para mucho más.
El libro me ha gustado y no. No es nada del otro mundo. Me ha gustado la ambientación y el tono directo con el que está escrito —quizá la frialdad nórdica— pero es previsible y lleno de casualidades y la verdad es que estoy un poco harta de las casualidades.
Es el primero de una saga y sí, le daré oportunidad a este investigador que no me ha caído del todo mal a pesar de sus traumas. Quizá porque es el primero que encuentro que lucha contra sus fantasmas y no se queda recreándose en ello. Es breve y casi se lee de un tirón con lo cual si quieres tantear la ambientación y el estilo no es mala opción.
Novela ambientada en Groenlandia. David Maratse es un policía que se recupera físicamente tras haber sido torturado por un criminal. Como en el cuerpo le han jubilado se retira a un pueblo marinero. Allí comienza una nueva vida pero curiosamente también se ve implicado en la aparición de un cadaver y queda vinculado al caso que está investigando su compañera Petra. Y hasta aquí puedo contar porque no da para mucho más.
El libro me ha gustado y no. No es nada del otro mundo. Me ha gustado la ambientación y el tono directo con el que está escrito —quizá la frialdad nórdica— pero es previsible y lleno de casualidades y la verdad es que estoy un poco harta de las casualidades.
Es el primero de una saga y sí, le daré oportunidad a este investigador que no me ha caído del todo mal a pesar de sus traumas. Quizá porque es el primero que encuentro que lucha contra sus fantasmas y no se queda recreándose en ello. Es breve y casi se lee de un tirón con lo cual si quieres tantear la ambientación y el estilo no es mala opción.
February 22, 2020
El personaje de Maratse me ha parecido muy interesante. Es lo que salva al libro porque se hace evidente quién es el malo maloso de la historia hacia el primer tercio. La forma de narrar el libro es muy fría, pero imagino que es porque el autor es nórdico y está ambientado en Groenlandia.
Para pasar el rato, pero no aporta mucho más.
Para pasar el rato, pero no aporta mucho más.
September 23, 2018
Well paced
This is a quick read and yet there was still something languid about the pace of the story that I found quite appealing. Definitely adding this author to my ever growing lost of crime series to read.
This is a quick read and yet there was still something languid about the pace of the story that I found quite appealing. Definitely adding this author to my ever growing lost of crime series to read.
November 10, 2020
Bajo mi punto de vista, no merece la pena leérselo. Una pérdida de tiempo. Sin interés ni intriga.
December 16, 2021
Arctic crime…
Police Constable David Maratse has been retired following serious injuries he received in the course of his previous case. Still suffering terrible pain and with difficulty walking, he has decided to move to a small village in the very north of Greenland, where he intends to spend his time hunting and fishing once he regains his fitness. But when a neighbour takes him out on a fishing trip on the fjord, they have an unexpected and shocking catch – the body of a young woman. Meantime, in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, the First Minister is preparing for an important debate with her political opponent when she discovers that her daughter, Tinka, has gone missing…
The plot of this is firmly fixed in the political world of Greenland, and Petersen gives an excellent picture of the concerns of this harsh and sparsely populated island, way up in the Arctic. He shows the rising nationalist movement seeking independence from Denmark, and the divisions between those who are ethnically Greenlandic and the Danish people who live there. Language is a symbol of the nationalist debate, and the First Minister’s opponent is using it to stir up resentment towards those who speak Danish as their only or first language. Petersen throws in a few words in Danish and Greenlandic, but only very simple ones – yes, no, thanks – and uses these effectively to highlight the different cultures and as a kind of shortcut to remind the reader of the tensions in the political debate.
The descriptions of the landscape and way of life are great. Petersen shows the harshness but doesn’t labour it – this is the land and weather the characters are used to, so while they seem extreme to those of us in warmer climes, they are normal to the inhabitants of Greenland and they don’t think about it any more than Scots do of rain or Californians of sunshine. Petersen shows the contrast between the modernity of life in Nuuk – a small city, but the centre of power – and the more traditional style of life in Inussuk, Maratse’s village, where people still routinely fish and hunt for their own food, though even here some modernity is creeping in with the advent of technology.
It is in Inussuk that every year the inhabitants dig seven graves before winter sets in and the ground freezes, to bury those who die before spring. Petersen uses this brilliantly in the first chapter to very quickly give the reader an idea of the relative deprivation of the island, where life expectancy is much lower even than in Denmark itself. Seven graves for a population of fifty-six people, and two of the graves for infants. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. And now one of those graves will be allocated to Tinka, since Nivi, the First Minister, grew up in Inussuk and still considers it home.
The characterisation is just as good as the setting. Maratse himself is very well drawn as a man refusing to allow himself to be defined by pain, and fighting to regain his physical strength. He also has to contend with the loss of a career that he loved, but he’s not one for wallowing so he’s also looking forward to getting back to the kind of small settlement life in which he grew up. Petra is still with the police force in Nuuk, but she and Maratse are friends as well as former colleagues, and when she is put in charge of Tinka’s case they find themselves working together again, as Maratse becomes unofficially involved in the investigation. Nivi is also very well portrayed – a strong woman as her position as First Minister would indicate, but having to cope with the grief of her daughter’s death while still carrying out the important political role that drives her professionally.
The plot is intriguing for the most part, centring round political machinations and manoeuvrings, although it loses a bit of credibility as it heads into thriller territory at the end. But it kept me absorbed throughout, and didn’t cross the line too far for me to be able to happily go along.
All-in-all I found this a thoroughly enjoyable read and felt I learned a good deal about Greenland along the way, without the author ever falling into the trap of information dumping. It’s the first in a series starring Maratse of which there are now several, and I’m looking forward to reading more of them. 4½ stars for me, so rounded up.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Police Constable David Maratse has been retired following serious injuries he received in the course of his previous case. Still suffering terrible pain and with difficulty walking, he has decided to move to a small village in the very north of Greenland, where he intends to spend his time hunting and fishing once he regains his fitness. But when a neighbour takes him out on a fishing trip on the fjord, they have an unexpected and shocking catch – the body of a young woman. Meantime, in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, the First Minister is preparing for an important debate with her political opponent when she discovers that her daughter, Tinka, has gone missing…
The plot of this is firmly fixed in the political world of Greenland, and Petersen gives an excellent picture of the concerns of this harsh and sparsely populated island, way up in the Arctic. He shows the rising nationalist movement seeking independence from Denmark, and the divisions between those who are ethnically Greenlandic and the Danish people who live there. Language is a symbol of the nationalist debate, and the First Minister’s opponent is using it to stir up resentment towards those who speak Danish as their only or first language. Petersen throws in a few words in Danish and Greenlandic, but only very simple ones – yes, no, thanks – and uses these effectively to highlight the different cultures and as a kind of shortcut to remind the reader of the tensions in the political debate.
The descriptions of the landscape and way of life are great. Petersen shows the harshness but doesn’t labour it – this is the land and weather the characters are used to, so while they seem extreme to those of us in warmer climes, they are normal to the inhabitants of Greenland and they don’t think about it any more than Scots do of rain or Californians of sunshine. Petersen shows the contrast between the modernity of life in Nuuk – a small city, but the centre of power – and the more traditional style of life in Inussuk, Maratse’s village, where people still routinely fish and hunt for their own food, though even here some modernity is creeping in with the advent of technology.
It is in Inussuk that every year the inhabitants dig seven graves before winter sets in and the ground freezes, to bury those who die before spring. Petersen uses this brilliantly in the first chapter to very quickly give the reader an idea of the relative deprivation of the island, where life expectancy is much lower even than in Denmark itself. Seven graves for a population of fifty-six people, and two of the graves for infants. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. And now one of those graves will be allocated to Tinka, since Nivi, the First Minister, grew up in Inussuk and still considers it home.
The characterisation is just as good as the setting. Maratse himself is very well drawn as a man refusing to allow himself to be defined by pain, and fighting to regain his physical strength. He also has to contend with the loss of a career that he loved, but he’s not one for wallowing so he’s also looking forward to getting back to the kind of small settlement life in which he grew up. Petra is still with the police force in Nuuk, but she and Maratse are friends as well as former colleagues, and when she is put in charge of Tinka’s case they find themselves working together again, as Maratse becomes unofficially involved in the investigation. Nivi is also very well portrayed – a strong woman as her position as First Minister would indicate, but having to cope with the grief of her daughter’s death while still carrying out the important political role that drives her professionally.
The plot is intriguing for the most part, centring round political machinations and manoeuvrings, although it loses a bit of credibility as it heads into thriller territory at the end. But it kept me absorbed throughout, and didn’t cross the line too far for me to be able to happily go along.
All-in-all I found this a thoroughly enjoyable read and felt I learned a good deal about Greenland along the way, without the author ever falling into the trap of information dumping. It’s the first in a series starring Maratse of which there are now several, and I’m looking forward to reading more of them. 4½ stars for me, so rounded up.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
July 2, 2025
Um Inverno, sete sepulturas tem como palco a Gronelândia e como personagem principal David Maratse, um polícia reformado prematuramente.
Maratse resolve afastar-se da sua antiga vida, refugiando-se na remota comunidade ártica de Inussuk, onde, no final de cada verão e antes de o solo congelar, são cavadas sete sepulturas, o número expectável de mortes na comunidade até à próxima primavera.
Procurando levar uma vida tranquila, o antigo polícia acaba por encontrar o corpo da filha desaparecida da primeira-ministra do país durante uma pescaria. A partir desse momento toda a calma por que ansiava desaparece rapidamente.
É um thriller interessante, apontando constantemente para diferentes suspeitos e lançando para o ar diferentes motivações para o crime.
Como se trata do primeiro livro de uma série de livros sobre David Maratse, espero que nos próximos livros as pensonagens venham a ser mais desenvolvidas.
Não podendo dizer que se trata de um thriller brilhante, o livro é suficientemente bom para passar uns bons momentos.
Maratse resolve afastar-se da sua antiga vida, refugiando-se na remota comunidade ártica de Inussuk, onde, no final de cada verão e antes de o solo congelar, são cavadas sete sepulturas, o número expectável de mortes na comunidade até à próxima primavera.
Procurando levar uma vida tranquila, o antigo polícia acaba por encontrar o corpo da filha desaparecida da primeira-ministra do país durante uma pescaria. A partir desse momento toda a calma por que ansiava desaparece rapidamente.
É um thriller interessante, apontando constantemente para diferentes suspeitos e lançando para o ar diferentes motivações para o crime.
Como se trata do primeiro livro de uma série de livros sobre David Maratse, espero que nos próximos livros as pensonagens venham a ser mais desenvolvidas.
Não podendo dizer que se trata de um thriller brilhante, o livro é suficientemente bom para passar uns bons momentos.
November 26, 2020
As an avid reader of Scandinavian Noir I am always on the lookout for new author or a unique theme. I had never read one where the backdrop was Greenland. I found the background information on the Greenland mindset to be very interesting. The political divide between those who speak Greenlandic and those who are Danish speaking was very interesting, not unlike some of the divisions seen on Native American reservations in America.
The book is short and tightly written. The characters are believable. We get a good look at their backgrounds. My understanding is the characters were used in some of the earlier books by Petersen. I have ordered the next in this series and plan on going back to the earlier series by this author. This is on of the best mystery books that I have read all year. I highly recommend it to fans of this type of police procedural.
The book is short and tightly written. The characters are believable. We get a good look at their backgrounds. My understanding is the characters were used in some of the earlier books by Petersen. I have ordered the next in this series and plan on going back to the earlier series by this author. This is on of the best mystery books that I have read all year. I highly recommend it to fans of this type of police procedural.
February 24, 2021
Maratse is reluctantly retired
When he finds a young girls body in the water he agrees to help find out what happened. I enjoyed this book because it introduced Greenland to me and the political problems they are experiencing. I will read more from this author.
When he finds a young girls body in the water he agrees to help find out what happened. I enjoyed this book because it introduced Greenland to me and the political problems they are experiencing. I will read more from this author.
June 1, 2019
What Sara said. A lot to like here.
April 12, 2020
Como novela negra es muy floja, desde el principio se sabe, sin que nos lo diga el autor, quién es el que orquesta todo por ansias políticas. El desenlace rápido y sin ningún tipo de intriga.
December 14, 2020
Thought provoking
May 29, 2022
Víkendová jednohubka / po dlouhé době opravdu čtivá detektivka / thriller navíc z prostředí Grónska, což bylo hodně zajímavé / půjčeno od mámy na její doporučení
Otázky národní identity a jakým způsobem souvisí s jazykem
Otázky národní identity a jakým způsobem souvisí s jazykem
October 19, 2018
Really enjoyed this novel - fast paced, a decent story line, and a few twists and turns to keep you guessing. Onto the next in the series, Blood Foe!
June 11, 2019
Set in Greenland, this book is informative, ineresting, and fast moving. I enjoyed my trip to Greenland.
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