12/19/2019

Eisgrab by Mads Peder Nordbo

After I had read the first book of this series, I wanted to know more about the main figure and the story itself. Good, I had my problems with the first third of Cold Fear (Kold Angst) which seemed a bit dry and I couldn´t get quite into it, but then – firework. Mads Peder Nordbo lit up a perfect mix of emotions, brutality, and smart guessing brought to the reader´s eye with an incredible fascinating Matthew Cave in the spotlight. 

Eisgrab*

by Mads Peder Nordbo
Grønland-Greenland #2
Translation Marieke Heimburger
Original Title Kold Angst
English Title Cold Fear**
Publisher Fischer TB on November 27, 2019
Genre Thriller
Pages 453
Format Paperback
Source Publisher
Goodreads
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A weekend trip with fatal consequences: When Matthew Cave starts looking for his half-sister Arnaq, he has no idea of the danger to his life and that of his mysterious companion Tupaarnaq. Because they find many traces of blood in this remote place, which point to a massive crime. And they discover a mysterious underground bunker that was part of an American base years ago. At that time, secret medical experiments were carried out, in which Matthew´s father was also involved. When Matthew follows the trail, not only the American military but also the Greenlandic police are interested in his investigations. (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary)

Story

Matthew is searching for some answers. He wants to find his father but on the other hand, he is afraid of the moment. Yes, he needs some answers but not at any price. He has his half-sister Arnaq and getting to know her bit by bit is sometimes enough for him. And the story he is on is helping him to deal with everything and still live his life the best he can. But when he missed the chance to get his half-sister home and she is nowhere to find he blames himself and starts to do what he does best: asking questions.

Style

I had some problems with the first third of the book. During those pages the author jumps back and forth with his thriller, giving the reader an insight into the present day of Matthew Cave searching for his half-sister and the past where Matthew´s father Tom was part of an experiment. I don´t mind if an author is doing that, because it gives me an insight into two stories. My problem was that, at first, the story itself couldn´t grip me. I read the chapters with Matthew in the present of the thriller and that part was very entertaining. The chapters with the things his father experienced around twenty years back, was what gave me a confusing start into this thriller. It was not easy to follow that story or to understand everything at first sight. But then it made the famous click and the plot literally exploded with action, a psychological finesse and a fantastic main figure.

Characters

Matthew is totally different from the figure I´ve seen in the first book. Once tortured with grief, pain, and the loss of his loved ones, he is now healing and even more determined to find answers and to protect those he got left in his life. He still mourns the death of his wife and daughter, but it seems that his nightmares are over now. The writing is his way to find answers and to heal his private life and him personally. The life and story of his father and, for that matter, his own story is something he wants to come to terms with. But on his terms. His job is no longer a lifeline who keeps him alive. It is something he likes doing and something that gives him the freedom to do his private search for answers at the same time. I liked it very much that Matthew has now the strength to say if he can write an article or not because he shows clearly that he has to understand the things he is writing about. And when the entire material he has to deal with is too complex in its entirety, he is honest with himself and others. That is the integrity you don´t find everywhere in journalism or the news world.

Conclusion

This thriller is in its very own way brutal, cruel, bloody, and shows a psychological finesse I watched with growing tension. There are many surprising twists and unexpected turns and it became soon very clear that this book was very different from the first one – concerning Matthew and the story itself. In a very good way, I might add. I am beyond excited and can´t wait to read the next Matthew Cave thriller.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer TB in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

**The book was published in the English language Cold Fear by Text Publishing on November 9, 2019.

Mads Peder Nordbo

Mads Peder Nordbo is Danish but has lived in Greenland for several years. Born in 1970, he holds degrees in Literature, Communications, and Philosophy from the University of Southern Denmark and the University of Stockholm. Mads has lived in Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and Greenland. He works in communications at the Town Hall of Nuuk, where he amongst other things, writes for the mayor of the municipality, Kommunequarfik Semersooq, which stretches across the Greenland ice sheet. The Girl Without Skin is his crime debut.

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