I must say that I would never have picked this book if not for the book club. The beginning was very good, but I also felt that the end seemed to drag a little and it left a lot of unanswered question. But all in all, a nice read. Not sorry I bought it!

M.Duque, Newcastle upon Tyne, England

I have mixed feelings about this novel. At first I did not find the central character sympathetic. I agreed with Andrew Knox, the magistrate, who described Mrs Ross as a provoking woman who always made him feel uncomfortable. Later on, though I can’t say I ever warmed to her, I began to appreciate her wry sense of humour as well as her courage and determination. However, my opinion of Mrs Ross did not prevent me from being intrigued by her story. My problem was all the other characters and their stories; there were so many intricate digressions and superfluous details that I felt the focus of the novel was blurred and diminished. The ending seemed to get back on track (no pun intended) but there were still some loose ends which bothered me. Stef Penney is obviously a talented writer – her description of the snowy Canadian landscape is breathtaking. However, I was expecting more from this award winning novel, especially as it beat William Boyd’s ‘Restless’. Overall I have to say I was disappointed.

Jean Marshall, Bushey, Herts.

The book started full of the promise of a thrilling murder mystery set in a beautifully described wintry wasteland. However as more and more characters and plot lines were introduced it started to lose its impact. In fact the constant jumping between different scenes became irritating. The bone tablet seemed so important and I was interested in what it would uncover, yet it turned out to be a complete red herring. The book was particularly unsatisfying at the end as many plot lines were left unresolved - it was as if the author had got bored by then. With fewer characters and a simpler plot this could have been really good,. believe Stef Penney has the talent to produce something better, being skilled in describing a place well enough to make you feel you are there.

gill vaughan, newbury,