Murder in a Cold Climate by Scott Young

This is a well written and devised plot. I loved the remote northern setting on Inuit, Dene and First Nations lands.  While the book was written by a southerner, I felt it gave a fair depiction of life and relationaships in the north.  It felt both like a Canadian community as well as like a first Nations and Inuit community. 

I loved the character of Matteesie.  Inspector Matthew "Matteesie" Kitologitak is the first Inuk inspector with the RMCP when he is asked to search for a missing plane and it passengers.  He is smart and thorough, yet down to earth.  He knows the people he is dealing with and uses and approach that will work with them.  Of course, the search is not as simple as it seems at the onset when outside interests and motivations come into play.

This was a refreshing read that took me away from the hustle and bustle of the big city and gave me the space to  ponder the story and  it's characters.

The story of Matteesie continues in The Shaman's Knife. Scott Young passed way in 2005 after a long career in journalism.  He wrote more than forty-five books, both fiction and non-fiction.

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Cover image courtesy Indigo Books and Music