The Ice Coven

By: Max Seeck

Narrated by: Abby Craden

Length: 12 hrs

Publisher's summary

Investigator Jessica Niemi is in a race against time to find the link between a body with strange markings that has washed up on a frigid shore in Finland and two baffling disappearances in this terrifying new novel from the New York Times best-selling author of The Witch Hunter.

Six months have passed since Jessica’s encounter with the mysterious serial-killing coven of witches and the death of her mentor. Her nightmares about her mother and the witchcraft that undid her have only gotten worse, but she’s doing what she can to stay focused. Her homicide squad, now under new leadership, has been given a murder case and a new series of disappearances to investigate. A young woman’s corpse has washed up on an icy beach, and two famous Instagram influencers have gone missing at the same time.

The missing influencers and the murdered woman all have ties to a sinister cult. Jessica finds an eerie painting - of a lighthouse on a remote island - as she investigates, and under the picture is a gruesome poem detailing a murder. The nightmares about her mother suddenly seem all too real, making Jessica wonder if the dead woman might be trying to tell her something about the killings. And as Jessica works frantically to solve her latest case, her horrific past comes roaring back and threatens to destroy her.

©2021 Max Seeck (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A gripping page-turner. The novel’s compelling, exciting side cast of characters, and the intense, twisting revelations of the case, keep the pace of this book rushing forward to its climax. Thriller fans will finish The Ice Coven and be impatient to start the third, teased volume of the series.” (Booklist)

“Seeck throws in a murder that definitely happened, human trafficking, frog toxin, and somnophilia into the mix, masterfully ratcheting up the tension. Ragnar Jónasson fans will be mesmerized.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

“A disturbing mystery whose complex heroine’s internal struggles only enhance the storyline.” (Kirkus)

Suspend Disbelief

With Witch Hunter I found myself going 'Yeah, but ....' on a regular basis, had to do the same thing with Ice Coven. There didnt even seem to be any 'coven' involved. But it was still a fun ride. I like the characters, the translation and I assume the original book was well written, the performance was excellent but the plot and the big reveal was very much a 'youve got to be kidding' and the main character definitely needs a shrink AND an exorcist. But if there is a third book, and I'm guessing there will be, I will give it a listen

Just can’t tolerate the reader

I was excited about this title. I really enjoyed the witch hunter ( the first book in English by this author), and my first impression of the narrator was positive - she has a low velvety voice. However, despite her lovely vocal quality, she doesn’t speak through a phrase in a natural way and inserts breaks and commas in seemingly random and jarring locations. I gave this about 2 hours of listening before I couldn’t tolerate anymore. I pre-ordered this title and wish that there was a preview so I could have made an informed decision.