White Heat by MJ McGrath

Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin, Laurel & Hardy and Buster Keaton – not the first thing that comes to mind when reviewing a book set in the desolate regions of the Arctic but believe you me, these famous Hollywood stars of the classic silent era all have one thing in common – they perform almost on a daily basis in Autisaq in the Arctic – more often than not comforting “White Heat’s” protagonist Edie Kiglatuk in her front room.

A well established and published non-fictional author (Long Exile, Hopping), Melanie McGrath is a relative newcomer when it comes to fictional titles – indeed “White Heat” is her first foray into the world of make-believe. Although a terrific and powerful work of fiction, McGrath blends her immeasurable knowledge of the Arctic and Inuit to deliver a novel that encompasses many of the realities and problems faced by the Inuit community – crime, the harsh environment, education (or lack thereof) and political corruption.

In 1953 the Canadian Government relocated three dozen Inuit from their established homes in Hudson Bay – North East of Canada – to Ellesmere Island – a barren and underdeveloped strip of land – with the promise they could return home. McGrath writing under the name MJ McGrath briefly touches on this piece of history in “White Heat” as Edie travels the region in a quest for truth and justice.

“Nothing on the tundra rotted . . . The whole history of human settlement lay exposed there, under that big northern sky. There was nowhere here for bones to hide.

On Craig Island, a vast landscape of ice north of the Arctic Circle, three travellers are hunting duck. Among them is expert Inuit hunter and guide, Edie Kiglatuk; a woman born of this harsh, beautiful terrain. The two men are tourists, experiencing Arctic life in the raw, but when one of the men is shot dead in mysterious circumstances, the local Council of Elders in the tiny settlement of Autisaq is keen to dismiss it as an accident.

Then two adventurers arrive in Autisaq hoping to search for the remains of the legendary Victorian explorer Sir James Fairfax. The men hire Edie – whose ancestor Welatok guided Fairfax – along with Edie’s stepson Joe, and two parties set off in different directions. Four days later, Joe returns to Autisaq frostbitten, hypothermic and disoriented, to report his man missing. And when things take an even darker turn, Edie finds herself heartbroken, and facing the greatest challenge of her life . . .”

The first thing that struck me about “White Heat” was McGrath’s obvious passion and love for the Canadian Arctic and environment. The narrative, beautifully written and delivered, effortlessly envelops the reader in the harsh realities of Northern life where the inhabitants are stuck in complete darkness for four months of the year. She painstakingly explores the local wildlife and Inuit language (Inuktitut) bringing life to both within the pages of her crime thriller.

Published by Mantle “White Heat” is available from Amazon & The Book Depository

I have to admit it took me a few chapters to settle into this book, taking my time to get to grips with the Inuktitut vocabulary used within. That said, McGrath astutely provides an immediate translation to any “foreign” words used and it certainly doesn’t hinder the flow or detract from the plot – enhancing it if anything. Given the subject matter, place names and language were all new to me, I was keen to take my time and make sure I understood the geographical locations and the inclusion of a well thought out map at the beginning of the book a masterstroke and welcome addition – I referenced the map on numerous occasions throughout the book helping me gain a certain understanding of the distances involved.

“There was no arguing with the evidence. Someone had branded the word iquq, shit, in the middle of the skin where there would be no disguising it. And there was more – two iquqs, three itiqs, asshole and, towards the bottom of the pile, qitiqthlimaqtisi arit, fuck you, or more accurately, fock you, since whoever had created it couldn’t spell”

Characterisation is strong; I thought the two key characters were believable and realistic, both offering a fresh approach to detection within the crime thriller genre. Edie is a curious character, an ex-polar bear hunter and guide she can kill a caribou a kilometre away, has a forceful and determined side yet at the same time can appear fragile and insecure. A struggling alcoholic who has wasted the best of her child baring years away in a self-imposed stupor, her life hangs in a precarious balance. There’s something endearing about Edie pulling you in all the while she shares her story.

Derek Palliser, the rather sedentary police officer is a quiet and unassuming officer who appears to go through the motions of ensuring law and order – he cares more about his lemming’s research than he does about dead bodies and drunk and disorderliness in the tundra! I can’t quite believe I’m admitting to this but until I read “White Heat” I thought lemmings only existed in video games! Another likeable character he certainly adds humour as he reacts to Edie’s rather maverick persona.

With the addition of numerous twists, a discerning narrative and breath-taking scenery brought to life effortlessly throughout, McGrath lowers the chill factor with her debut “White Heat” – Edie Kiglatuk is here to stay!

Published by Mantle “White Heat” is available from Amazon & The Book Depository