I’m a sucker for Nordic icy thrillers that leave me in hauntingly somber thoughts for at least a few days and that is exactly what Cold Fear is about. It is everything I expect to read in sophisticated, gritty, and smart storytelling.
On a cold Sunday morning, a young woman’s body is discovered underneath a frozen pond in the relatively crime-free Iceland. Detective Krista Kristjánsdóttir has a killer instinct for foul play involved, especially when the body suddenly disappears. At the same time, deadly Navy Seal, Finn, is out in Iceland to get some answers from his former teammates who hold a key to his past that he can’t remember. Hunted by a deranged contract killer and embroiled in a dark murder investigation, Finn must step lightly on thin ice, lest he make a fatal mistake.
Brandon Webb and John David Mann make a killer dynamic duo when it comes to writing as one unified form. The elegance with which the chapters flow is commendable to say the least. Rarely have I read a narrative that juggles this many different POVs so interestingly. There are no fillers in this thriller. From the investigative angle of Krista to the personal vendetta spotlight on Finn, the story progresses swiftly and smartly. Pay attention to the dialogues; a lot of key details are conveyed that help you crack the case as you marvel at Finn’s ingenuity to connect the dots through a haze of information, a trait remarkably similar to Jack Reacher’s high functioning reasoning mind with a new flavor.
I wasn’t sure about whether to expect action, but I needn’t have worried. Finn faces off against a vicious SEAL-turned-contract killer in brutal and aggressive action sequences. Shootouts, creative weaponry, and straight up no-holds barred hand to hand combat explode in a volcanic fury of emotions.
I quite enjoyed Iceland as described in Cold Fear. Reading through the descriptions invoke each and every scene vividly in your mind so much so that you can feel the chilly breezes on your face. It’s evident the authors paid a great deal of attention to making the chilly Iceland a living breathing character as opposed to a simple backdrop for the story. The historical tidbits conveyed enthusiastically through energetic dialogues stay with you and compel you to add Iceland to your vacation list, minus the whole murder part.
Cold Fear is a remarkable blend of action and police procedural that highlights its characters and their distinctive personalities as they go about their own ways to crack the case, both with brain and brawn.
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