The atmosphere of this book is incredible. It combines the beauty of the setting with the uncertainty of the unknown and the sheer danger of the environment to create such unsettling vibes that match the story perfectly.
The deadly cold of winter is a threat to be battled, and this fits the deaths/disappearances that have occurred in the little town, 40 years apart and masked by the snowy, freezing temperatures. The characters having to contend with the threat of the environment, combined with the threat of a potential killer creates such a masterfully immersive book that makes it difficult not to be affected by the fear and paranoia the characters themselves feel as a reader.
Agnes is a very interesting character to read from the point of view of for a number of reasons, and as a result I enjoyed her perspective. For starters, though indirectly due to her much later birth in comparison to events, she is tied to the murders that took place 40 years previously through family. It was her grandmother and aunt – who she never knew of course – who were murdered, and her grandfather who she very much did know and love who was accused of their murders and forced to live with the stigma of that guilt despite not being convicted. Agnes seeks to prove his innocence by returning to Bifrost 40 years after the tragedy when a true crime podcast goes there to tell the story of the events that took place. She also gets enmeshed in the disappearance of another local woman when she arrives, and the potential connection it might have to the past.
Agnes’ ties to the previous crime, and therefore personal stakes in the matter makes her such a compelling character to read from the perspective of, as she is perhaps the only person who believes in her grandfather’s innocence and is desperate to prove it to preserve his memory. She is also a very conflicted character as she has her own personal demons to deal with and is not the most put together individual herself as a result.
The setting of this book combined with trying to solve two mysteries separated by 40 years really made this an incredible read. Uncovering the town and its secrets had me entirely immersed in the book and I was so pleasantly surprised by just how much I loved it. I highly recommend this one to thriller lovers as it was fantastic.
