THE ICE COVEN | Max Seeck
(Jessica Niemi #2)
09.28.2021 | Berkley
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
CAUTION: Potential series spoilers ahead!
Six months have passed since Jessica’s encounter with the mysterious serial-killing coven of witches and the death of her mentor Erne. Her nightmares about her mother and the witchcraft that undid her have only gotten worse, but she’s doing what she can to stay focused. Her homicide squad, now under new leadership, has been given a murder case and a new series of disappearances to investigate. A young woman’s corpse has washed up on an icy beach, and two famous Instagram influencers have gone missing at the same time. The missing influencers and the murdered woman all have ties to a sinister cult.
The Ice Coven picks up Seeck’s series focused on Detective Jessica Niemi a few months after the intense finale of the first book, The Witch Hunter. In the first story, Seeck laid solid groundwork for readers to get to know Niemi’s past and how she works as a detective in order to let the second book pick up without a hitch. Immediately we’re reunited with Niemi and her coworkers as they immerse themselves into another fascinating case. Seeck has produced another deeply fascinating case filled with the dark, gritty vibe that draws readers to Nordic Noir.
A sequel can often be hit or miss for readers, as there is a lot to live up to following the first book. Seeck managed to not only live up to my expectations, but exceed them. I never wanted to put this book down and found myself on several nights tucked into bed with my eyes barely open trying to read more. The short chapters with cliffhanger endings truly give this story a propulsive reading vibe.
The third book in this series, The Last Grudge, just released, so you already know it’ll be in my reading pile for March!
What Jess Reads 