kbranfield's review
4.0
Cold Fear by Mads Peder Nordbo is a dark and gritty mystery set in Greenland. This newest release is the second book in the Matthew Cave Thriller series. While it can be read as a standalone, I strongly recommend reading book one in the series for important background information.
Newspaper reporter Matthew Cave is still reeling from the discovery of his half-sister, Arnaq. When he goes to visit her, he is further stunned when he receives a letter from his father, Tom, who has been missing for over two decades. While he plans to go see Tom, Matthew first goes to visit Arnaq whom he learns is with her friends in a deserted town. Not long after he and his friend, Tupaarnaq, visit them, Aranaq and her friends go missing. As they try to find the missing teens, Matthew and Tupaarnaq are soon caught up in a situation in which long ago events involving Tom put everyone in danger.
In 1990, Tom, who is a sergeant in the US Marines, is stationed at Thule Air Force Base. Tom and three other marines are participating in an experimental military program. They are closely monitored as they are given a drug that could radically alter military operations in extreme cold condition. However, as the drug's dosage is increased, Tom and the others begin experiencing dangerous side effects. The situation culminates with Tom going on the run and completely disappearing for decades.
In the present, Matthew and Tupaaranaq find themselves in perilous circumstances. They have no idea what they are walking into and soon after their arrival, someone dear to Matthew is murdered. After Arnaq vanishes, they return to the desolate town in hopes of locating her and her friends. Unbeknownst to them, they have stumbled into a conspiracy that could have far reaching political implications for Greenland. Will they untangle the twisted web of deceit and secrets before it is too late?
Cold Fear is an intricately plotted mystery that is quite atmospheric. The characters are interesting and multi-layered. The plot is well-developed and rife with shocking twists and unexpected turns. This second installment in Mads Peder Nordbo's Matthew Cave Thriller series is a riveting mystery that fans of Nordic fiction are sure to enjoy.
Newspaper reporter Matthew Cave is still reeling from the discovery of his half-sister, Arnaq. When he goes to visit her, he is further stunned when he receives a letter from his father, Tom, who has been missing for over two decades. While he plans to go see Tom, Matthew first goes to visit Arnaq whom he learns is with her friends in a deserted town. Not long after he and his friend, Tupaarnaq, visit them, Aranaq and her friends go missing. As they try to find the missing teens, Matthew and Tupaarnaq are soon caught up in a situation in which long ago events involving Tom put everyone in danger.
In 1990, Tom, who is a sergeant in the US Marines, is stationed at Thule Air Force Base. Tom and three other marines are participating in an experimental military program. They are closely monitored as they are given a drug that could radically alter military operations in extreme cold condition. However, as the drug's dosage is increased, Tom and the others begin experiencing dangerous side effects. The situation culminates with Tom going on the run and completely disappearing for decades.
In the present, Matthew and Tupaaranaq find themselves in perilous circumstances. They have no idea what they are walking into and soon after their arrival, someone dear to Matthew is murdered. After Arnaq vanishes, they return to the desolate town in hopes of locating her and her friends. Unbeknownst to them, they have stumbled into a conspiracy that could have far reaching political implications for Greenland. Will they untangle the twisted web of deceit and secrets before it is too late?
Cold Fear is an intricately plotted mystery that is quite atmospheric. The characters are interesting and multi-layered. The plot is well-developed and rife with shocking twists and unexpected turns. This second installment in Mads Peder Nordbo's Matthew Cave Thriller series is a riveting mystery that fans of Nordic fiction are sure to enjoy.
laurareadsdaily's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
yvo_about_books's review
3.0
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! ***
Spoiler
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.
thebooktrail88's review
3.0
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!
markhoh's review
4.0
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.
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.
happy_hiker's review
3.0
I didn't like this as much as the first book in the series. It's not a stand alone, I would have been frustrated by this book if I didn't have the background from the first.
inesdef's review
4.0
Entertaining thriller set in Greenland, sometimes a bit over the top, but I did get a couple of nightmares! This is the second volume of a three books series (which is not clear on the French edition), I haven’t read the first one so I missed a bit on the background stories, so I think I will read both the first and the next one when its out!
missmesmerized's review
5.0
After his first investigation in Greenland, Matthew Cave has remained on the Danish island. There are still a lot of questions around his family he would like to have answered. Now, the story goes back to the year 1990 when Matt’s father Tom was stationed at an American military base on Greenland to carry out revolutionary medical tests. They managed to develop a pill which could make the body support cold temperatures much longer – a definite advantage in the cold north. Yet, this did not come without side effects and then something went totally wrong. Matt thought his father had died in that spring but he has already figured out that he must have survived somehow since Matt unexpectedly has found out that he has a younger sister. When he starts to investigate what happened on that military base almost 25 years before, he suddenly hits a hornet’s nest and puts himself and his sister in danger.
I already liked the first book in the series about the Danish journalist where the basis for this second novel was laid. Where I found “The Girl Without Skin” a bit creepier and more spine-chilling, “Cold Fear” is much more a spy novel which convinced me with a complex plot and repeated moments of highest suspense. Additionally, again, Nordbo provides insight in the Greenland culture and traditions of which I hardly know anything and which I found as disturbing as interesting.
It is not easy to sum up or briefly retell what “Cold Fear” is all about, there simply is too much and this really demands all your attention while reading. The plot certainly is strongest when political and societal aspects are touched – not just since we have seen the USA repeat their claims of the island this year. As Greenland is located so far away, we are highly ignorant about the different people who settled there and especially their mutual regard or rather disregard which becomes a lot clearer while reading.
However, what enchanted me most were the characters. From a psychological point of view, it is easy to comprehend why they act the way they do and how they developed into the person we meet in the novel. Most powerful are the female characters for me since all of them grow-up under the harshest circumstances and what they have to go through does not remain without trace.
Among the masses of Scandinavian crime novel, undoubtedly one that stands out.
I already liked the first book in the series about the Danish journalist where the basis for this second novel was laid. Where I found “The Girl Without Skin” a bit creepier and more spine-chilling, “Cold Fear” is much more a spy novel which convinced me with a complex plot and repeated moments of highest suspense. Additionally, again, Nordbo provides insight in the Greenland culture and traditions of which I hardly know anything and which I found as disturbing as interesting.
It is not easy to sum up or briefly retell what “Cold Fear” is all about, there simply is too much and this really demands all your attention while reading. The plot certainly is strongest when political and societal aspects are touched – not just since we have seen the USA repeat their claims of the island this year. As Greenland is located so far away, we are highly ignorant about the different people who settled there and especially their mutual regard or rather disregard which becomes a lot clearer while reading.
However, what enchanted me most were the characters. From a psychological point of view, it is easy to comprehend why they act the way they do and how they developed into the person we meet in the novel. Most powerful are the female characters for me since all of them grow-up under the harshest circumstances and what they have to go through does not remain without trace.
Among the masses of Scandinavian crime novel, undoubtedly one that stands out.
sidse's review against another edition
5.0
6/6 stjerner. læs min anmeldelse her: https://sidsesbogreol.dk/kold-angst-mads-peder-nordbo/