1901. On board the Ormen, a whaling ship battling through the unforgiving North Sea, Nicky Duthie awakes. Attacked and dragged there against her will, it's just her and the crew - and they're all owed something only she can give them.
1973. Decades later, when the ship is found still drifting across the ocean, it's deserted. Just one body is left on board, his face and feet mutilated, his cabin locked from the inside. Everyone else has vanished.
Now, as urban explorer Dominique travels into the near-permanent darkness of the northernmost tip of Iceland, to the final resting place of the Ormen's wreck, she's determined to uncover the ship's secrets.
But she's not alone. Something is here with her. And it's seeking revenge...
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Nicky woke to gold morning light effervescing in the eaves of her parent's house.NICKY, 1
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(HarperCollins, 12 October 2023, e-galley, 376 pages, copy from the publisher via NetGalley)
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I'm a fan of the author so knew to expect something special with A Haunting in the Arctic and that's exactly what I got. This is an incredible book, dark and uncomfortable to read at times especially the chapters that focus on Nicky's story. I found it hard to read at times as she pays a terrible price for her father's poor business choices and the unforgiveable deal he makes. As I read, I almost couldn't believe what was happening to her, what was permitted and the fact that none of the men on board lifted a finger to stop it. Dominique's story was also compelling as well, and I found myself wondering if Nicky was haunting her. The revelations in the final chapters of the heart-breaking end to Nicky's story and the true link between her and Dominque stunned me. This is an incredible, gut-wrenching read.