January 2018 Book of the Month
Her first novel, The Bees, (shortlisted for the Baileys Prize) was an astonishing work of speculative fiction, a stunning novel. This, her second, is a political thriller, a completely different genre but with the same quality of writing and attention and so equally stunning. At its heart is an inquest into an accident in an Arctic ice cave that occurred four years ago which left one man dead and the other to now face this examination loaded with heated emotions. Intercepted with flashbacks to the accident and earlier we are given a clear portrait of the various characters and relationships. One by one lies are stripped away until we do finally discover what happened in that cave and the cause of the accident. Alongside this drama is a hymn to the amazing wilderness that is disappearing so quickly; the frozen Arctic. Each chapter is headed with an extract from early explorers writings, fascinating. But it is so much more than this for it is a constant puzzle of trust and trail; in business, marriage, friendship. It raises pertinent questions of ecology and economics alongside personal ones; how far would you go for what you desire or what you believe. Laline Paull is clearly a writer to watch and more importantly a writer to read. ~ Sarah Broadhurst
| Primary Genre | Thriller and Suspense |
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Closing date: 15/10/2026
An electrifying story of friendship, power and betrayal by the bestselling, Baileys-prize shortlisted author of The Bees. It's the day after tomorrow and the Arctic sea ice has melted. While global business carves up the new frontier, cruise ships race each other to ever-rarer wildlife sightings. The passengers of the Vanir have come seeking a polar bear. What they find is even more astonishing: a dead body. It is Tom Harding, lost in an accident three years ago and now revealed by the melting ice of Midgard glacier. Tom had come to Midgard to help launch the new venture of his best friend of thirty years, Sean Cawson, a man whose business relies on discretion and powerful connections - and who was the last person to see him alive. Their friendship had been forged by a shared obsession with Arctic exploration. And although Tom's need to save the world often clashed with Sean's desire to conquer it, Sean has always believed that underneath it all, they shared the same goals. But as the inquest into Tom's death begins, the choices made by both men - in love and in life - are put on the stand. And when cracks appear in the foundations of Sean's glamorous world, he is forced to question what price he has really paid for a seat at the establishment's table. Just how deep do the lies go?
The Ice features in the following genres: Thriller and Suspense, Books of the Month, Books with reviews by our Reader Review Panel, Modern and Contemporary Fiction, eBooks of the Month, Fiction, Recommendations, General Fiction
The Ice is available in Paperback, Hardback
The Ice was written by Laline Paull and published by Fourth Estate Ltd an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
The Ice has 356 pages
£9.89
