The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister

The Arctic Fury

by Greer Macallister

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 backdrop of one of the world's most inhospitable locations, USA Today bestselling 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 bravery, intrigue, perseverance and hope.

Reviewed by Terri M. LeBlanc on

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I spent most of one day reading The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister. All I can say after finishing it is, "Wow, wow, wow."

Part historical fiction, part crime thriller, Macallister masterfully tells the story of a failed women-led Arctic expedition through multiple points of view jumping between the expedition timeline and the trial timeline. The unique tension created by hearing the accused's story paired with the unique voices of the other women on the expedition created a palpable tension that cause me to set the book down not wanting to know what happened only to pick it up again immediately so I could find out what happened. The Arctic Fury was a delight to read.

Issues of classism, sexism and racism are touched on throughout the book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Reading updates

  • 21 June, 2020: Started reading
  • 22 June, 2020: Finished reading
  • 22 June, 2020: Reviewed