The latest in the Scot Harvath series (until Rising Tiger becomes available on July 5), Black Ice takes us along with Harvath to new and exciting places. I loved the setting for this one! Black Ice is set during the summer in Oslo Norway, with excursions further north into Kirkenes, Tromso, and Svalbard, which is as close as most of us will ever get to the Arctic Circle. It’s as close as I would ever want to be, but it was fun to visit it through Harvath’s perspective from the warmth of my patio.
While enjoying his best life in Oslo, with his girlfriend—the lovely and lethal Solvi—Harvath spots a man who shouldn’t be alive. Why? Because Harvath assassinated him years ago in Hong Kong. Harvath knows what he saw, and that it can’t mean anything good. In true Harvath style, he can’t let it go, but interrupts his perfect summer vacation to find out how and why this man is still alive and in Oslo. His investigation leads him further and further north as he and his team try to uncover what Chinese operatives are doing in the Arctic Circle, what it means for the U.S., and how they can stop it. As always, Thor cleverly entwines fiction with the real-life geopolitical landscape. Once you start this one, you’ll find it hard to put down.
Klinker Brick’s Old Vine Zinfandel pairs well with this installment of the Scot Harvath series. Dark crimson in color, it’s a bit jammy without being sweet, and earthy with just a touch of smoke. Enjoy and happy reading!
Shelly Wilbanks 