Out of the Ice by Ann Turner

Book blurb…
When environmental scientist Laura Alvarado is sent to a remote Antarctic island to report on an abandoned whaling station, she begins to uncover more than she could ever imagine.

Despite new life thriving in the icy wilderness, the whaling station is brimming with awful reminders of its bloody, violent past, and Laura is disturbed by evidence of recent human interference. Rules have been broken, and the protected wildlife is behaving strangely.

On a diving expedition, Laura is separated from her colleague. She emerges into an ice cave where, through the blue shadows, she is shocked to see an anguished figure, crying for help.

But in this freezing, lonely landscape there are ghosts everywhere, and Laura begins to sense that her own eyes cannot be trusted. Is her mind playing tricks? Has she been in the ice too long?

Back at base, Laura’s questions about the whaling station go unanswered, blocked by unhelpful scientists, unused to questions from an outsider. And Laura just can’t shake what happened in the ice cave.

Piecing together a past and present of cruelty and vulnerability that can be traced all around the globe, from Norway, to Nantucket, Europe and Antarctica, Laura will stop at nothing to unearth the truth. As she sees the dark side of endeavor and human nature, she also discovers a legacy of love, hope and the meaning of family. If only Laura can find her way…

My thoughts…

I enjoyed this story for the incredible journey through the ice that taught me about the animals that managed to survive there, despite the cruel Whalers who plundered their habitats.

Ann Turner has managed to weave a suspenseful tale of intrigue with fact.

I felt for Laura — her past loses and a family history that plagued her throughout life, managing to surface while on the job at the old whaling station.

A well-crafted and painstakingly plotted story that puts the reader in the setting, like few stories do, to experience the marvels of the Antarctic region.

This review has been placed on Goodreads and Australian Women Writers Challenge