White Heat

'The exotic setting of the Canadian High Arctic gave [M. J. McGrath's] debut, White Heat, a distinctive flavour. Richly realised, it’s a gripping story that hinges on the collision of two very different ways of life, and features an Inuit hunter/guide as protagonist' Val McDermid, on her favourite new crime writers

‘The best thing about female-authored thrillers is their ballsy heroines – and White Heat by debut novelist MJ McGrath is no exception . . . Dark and atmospheric, it’s an unusual twist on the usual crime novel’ Cosmopolitan

‘A chilling read . . . White Heat most resembles Peter Høeg's 1993 novel, Miss Smilla's Feeling For Snow’ Evening Standard

‘The author of this very convincing depiction of the northern wastes was born in Essex, but she has lived with Inuit families and conveys a deep understanding of their culture. White Heat plunges the reader into a world where a harsh existence is rendered with unvarnished observation. Edie's struggle with alcoholism, her difficult relationship with her ex, her need to be accepted by the domineering men of the community, make her a deeply empathetic personality. Edie's a tough cookie: she fights her way through the icefields with a tenacity that armchair explorers everywhere will relish. Let's see more of her, even chewing on beaver's paws’ Independent