Arctic Fury

By: Greer Macallister

Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky

Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

A dozen women join a secret 1850s Arctic expedition - and a sensational murder trial unfolds when some of them don't come back.

Eccentric Lady Jane Franklin makes an outlandish offer to adventurer Virginia Reeve: take a dozen women, trek into the Arctic, and find her husband's lost expedition. Four parties have failed to find him, and Lady Franklin wants a radical new approach: put the women in charge. 

A year later, Virginia stands trial for murder. Survivors of the expedition willing to publicly support her sit in the front row. There are only five. What happened out there on the ice? 

Set against the unforgiving backgdrop of one of the world's most inhospitable locations, USA Today best-sellng author Greer Macallister uses the true story of Lady Jane Franklin's tireless attempts to find her husband's lost expedition as a jumping-off point to spin a tale of bravely, intrigue, perseverance and hope. 

©2020 Greer Macallister (P)2020 Recorded Books

Comments from a reader

Not good. The author wrote on topics she should not have. Felt uncomfortable reading it. There is a hole in the storyline.

wow

not what I expected. so good! the characters are complex and the descriptions of the surroundings make you feel like you are there. excellent story

Well done historical fiction

I started listening to The Arctic Fury during the midst of a cold snap and my initial thoughts were all focused on how they managed the cold. The book takes place in 1853-54, long before polartec and other modern inventions. MacAllister does a great job of putting you in the time and place.
It’s a fictional tale, but is based on the very real premise that Lady Jane Franklin sponsored several expeditions to find her husband after he went missing looking for the Northwest Passage. The idea is that one of those expeditions was made up solely of women.
The story alternates between the expedition and a trial that ensues when one of the women, a very rich young woman, fails to come back. Her parents accuse the leader of the expedition, Virginia Reeves, of kidnapping and murder. We hear primarily from Virginia, but each of the women also gets a chapter. With a team of 12, there are a lot of voices to hear from. Each woman has her own strengths and weaknesses and MacAllister makes each one come alive.
There are multiple sources of suspense - who will live, how will they be saved, why was the benefactress of the mission willing to let Virginia be charged, will Virginia be found guilty and what was the dramatic event in Virginia’s past. This is a dark tale and not for the faint of heart. While it’s not a fast paced story, I still sped through this story, finishing the 12 hours in three days.
Eva Kaminisky was a great narrator and heightened my enjoyment of the story.

Slow to get into

This book was really slow going. I only stayed invested in the story line because I found the book's description fascinating. Even though I didn't feel a connection with any of the characters, I was still interested to see if Virginia was going to get convicted or not.

It wasn't until the author's note, which I always make sure to read on a historical fiction, that I knew exactly what parts of history were being fictionalized. I had no prior knowledge of The Donnar Party or Lady Jane Franklin.

Gripping story and excellently delivered

narration really brought this story to life. A tumultuous that had me taking the long way home just to keep listening

Wow

Loved this book! The story,the women! Well done Lady Greer!! Kept me listening and wanting to finish but not wanting it to end.

Wow!

What a jarring trip that was, in all the best ways! I found the end incredibly satisfying. It was a breath of fresh air after so much suffering and hardship.

Excellent choice for Women’s History Month

Well done. I didn’t want to stop listening. I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of women. They can be their own best advocates as well as their own worst enemies. Still true today.

The Artic Fury is a compelling listen ! The author created a Novel full of twists & underlying mysteries

Which I enjoyed very much and will not soon forget. Historical fiction fans will enjoy this novel! Highly recommended!

An Improbable Tale

The history of the Franklin Expedition was interesting. The story of the all female expedition and the insertion of a Donner Party survivor made the story unbelievable. Stella's survival just added to the fantasy.