May 2010 'new gen' Book of the Month title.

Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2010.

Shortlisted for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize 2009.

A tense, psychological drama set in the snowy wilderness of the Arctic Circle, where a boy confronts a stranger who has come to take revenge on his dead father. Gripping from the start it brings into sharp-focus decisions that 15 year-old Sig must make; decisions that could mean life or death, both for him and his remaining family.

A message from the publisher:
A true coming of age story set in the snowy wastes of the Arctic with an intriguing question and a stark choice at its very heart. Read it, and think about for a long time afterwards…

Synopsis

1910. A cabin north of the Arctic Circle. Fifteen-year-old Sig Andersson is alone. Alone, except for the corpse of his father, who died earlier that day after falling through a weak spot on the ice-covered lake. His sister, Anna, and step-mother, Nadya, have gone to the local town for help. Then comes a knock at the door. It's a man, the flash of a revolver's butt at his hip, and a mean glare in his eyes. Sig has never seen him before but Wolff claims to have unfinished business with his father. As Sig gradually learns the awful truth about Wolff's connection to his father, his thoughts are drawn to a certain box hidden on a shelf in the storeroom, in which lies his father's prized possession - a revolver. When Anna returns alone, and Wolff begins to close in, Sig's choice is pulled into sharp focus. Should he use the gun, or not?

Reviews

'An outstanding psychological thriller about the Arctic gold rush' -- Fiona Noble THE BOOKSELLER

About the Author

Marcus Sedgwick has worked in children's publishing for ten years and before that he was a bookseller. He is also a stone carver and wood engraver and illustrates all his novels.   Marcus lives in Sussex and has a young daughter, Alice.   More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation