A clever locked-in thriller with a final revelation that will keep you guessing.
Five former… friends? — well, it’s complicated, but let’s call them that — find themselves trapped at a remote ski resort. Not by natural means, though it is avalanche season, but at the hands of someone (cue ominous music) dead-set on discovering what really happened that day their friend? — again, it’s complicated — Saskia went missing.
Our narrator Milla (formerly a snowboarder with Olympic ambitions) is now a personal trainer. Ten years ago, she was part of a tight-knight group of snowboarders training together for the British Championships. Until beautiful and ultra-talented (and resident mean girl) Saskia Sparks disappeared on the day of the Brits — never to be seen again.
Ten years later, Milla returns to the Alps at the bequest of Curtis (Saskia’s older brother) — she’s still kind of got the hots for him. Curtis returns to the Alps at Milla’s bequest — to grill her for information. They quickly figure out neither instigated the reunion. As for the rest of the group (Brad, Heather, and Dale), they all came because someone asked, no one is forthcoming with information. Everyone has secrets. Milla, too.
Shiver is a dual timeline novel, with chapters alternating between past (ten years ago) and present. Author Allie Reynolds is herself a former freestyle snowboarder and her competitive snowboarders positively come alive on the pages of this book. You can feel your heart stop as boards fly through the halfpipe just as surely as your heartbeat is bound to tick up at the pace this thriller sets. The group faces danger not only from inside (the presence that appears to stalk the five inside the halls of the empty resort) but from the setting, too — Glacier du Diable.
“It’s that time of the year again. The time the glacier gives up bodies. […] Recent victims brush shoulders with older ones in its glassy depths.”
A strong debut and fantastic read.
Book: Shiver
Published: Headline
Pages: 432
Publication Date: January 21st, 2021
Stars: 4.5/5
Jonathan Ball Publishers kindly sent me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion, rating, or the content of my review.
meredithmara 