Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have only managed to make it halfway through so I'd rather stop here and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher, and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

The Girl Without Skin is set in the barren, frigid landscape of Greenland. The story follows Matthew Cave, a Dutch journalist who moved to the isolated town of Nuuk, Greenland after his pregnant wife and daughter were killed in a car wreck. Matthew was the only survivor. Matthew works as an investigative reporter for a local paper. Matthew is sent out to a remote section of ice where a group of travelers has unearthed the mummified corpse of what is initially believed to be a Nordic Viking. Complete bodies of Vikings are incredibly rare in the area, and if this is a Nordic Viking, it could be the story of the century. Testing; however, reveals that the body is actually only about 40 years old.

The body was left under armed guard on the ice and Matthew and the police vow to return to inspect and remove the body the following day. Everything is turned upside down when Matthew and the police return to the ice the following day to find the mummy missing and in his place, the cop in charge of guarding the mummy is found dead, and gutted like a seal, with all his internal organs stripped out and missing. The mummy and the missing organs are soon found by a fisherman. However, the fisherman who finds the remains is also found gutted like a seal before he can be officially interviewed. As the body count rises quickly, the police and Matthew must move quickly to find the perpetrator of such brutal crimes. Greenland has seen this type of crime before, 4 men were found gutted and brutally murdered in the early 1970’s. Matthew believes that he may be able to learn who is responsible for the current string of murders by studying the murders from the ‘70’s. Matthew is assisted in his quest when a member of the police force gives him a private notebook that belonged to Jacob, the investigator who originally interviewed the 4 men who were murdered. The story alternates between present day, and 1973, and is told through the eyes of Matthew and Jacob. The story is multi layered and complex. It is an engaging tale. We as the reader are pushed headlong into this story, and I really wanted to find out who is responsible, and the fates of the characters that have been reported as missing. Matthew is assisted in his journey by a tough as nails young woman named Tupaarnaq. Tupaarnaq is a complex figure who has a difficult past after she spent twelve years in prison for the murders of her father, two younger sisters and her mother. Together Matthew and Tupaarnaq vow to dig into the people behind these mysterious deaths. What they find leads to a years long saga of corruption and abuse. It was a fun, engaging read. The descriptives are thorough and convey a realistic world of what it may be like to live in the rugged isolation of Greenland. There are so many moving parts in the story and the names are somewhat complicated, so there were times i did get a little bit lost on which character was which, but overall it was a lot of fun.

Mysterious, tense plot. Good read. The main character hides lot of secrets the reader can't wait to reveal. I would recommend it to my friends.

This is a very well written mystery. There are two stories in this book which are linked through characters and events from today and from the 70s. It is not for the faint of heart as some of the details are gruesome. The description of the nature brought back beautiful images of the lands, having lived in Canada’s north for a year,

There are a lot of characters, but it is easy to figure out where you are in the story as there is always a date at the beginning of a chapter when the story changes from the past to the present and vice versa. It is a well paced story, distilling facts and events here and there especially through a notebook. There is a lot to figure out and every question is answered.

I wish that I had had the paper copy to be able to go back and forth and reread some passages. It is harder to do with an ebook.

I recommend this book if you are into crime and you love puzzles. A great read !

A mysterious corpse is found. It is thought to be a mummified Viking. Matthew Cave is a journalist sent to investigate this story.

This book has many twists and turns with action occurring in the past and present. This was easy enough to follow but I struggled with the sexual abuse of young girls. As a mom and grandmother this took the enjoyment out of reading the book.

You need a strong constitution to read this book.

This was an excellent start to a series I will definitely continue!
Right from the beginning of this book I was hooked and could not put it down and to be fair I was consistently gripped throughout the whole of this book.
This book was terrifying, intense and brutal. This book is not for the faint of heart. However to those of you who love a thriller, a twisty mystery and one of the most atmospheric reads you might ever pick up - I would definitely direct you to The Girl Without Skin by Mads Peder Nordbo.
I loved the setting, I have never read a setting like that and no offence intended but London can get a bit boring.
This book was utterly gruesome, but not unnecessarily so. It was more deep and intricate than you can imagine and in the end this story had just broken my heart over and over.
All of this combined has left me wanting more from this author, setting and characters and I simply cannot wait for the next instalment.
I highly recommend this book for the lover of an intense thriller.

I really enjoyed this book by Mads Nordbo! I was a little putoff by the title - and I think others will be too. But some might be drawn to it. Matthew Cave is the journalist assigned to cover the discovery of a Viking mummy uncovered in a crevasse in the ice. It is not until the evidence of discovery, and the body, disappears and his photographer friends' apartment is ransacked and photos are also stolen or destroyed. As it turns out, there is a lot more to the story, dating back several years and related to several gruesome murders. Overall, the story kept me interested and couldn't wait to see the resolution.

I want to thank Text Publishing, the author, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book. All for the measly price of a review.
I'll be honest right from the start and tell 'ya that by the time I went to Netgalley to review this story that it was already absent. Gone. Normally I'd just say to heck with it and move on. This dang story though...it stuck with me. Two weeks after reading it I finally realized why I was so bummed out. It wasn't the ending, and it had nothing to do with how the story played out. Truth is that I loved this book. I loved the characters. The location. The freaking creepy tale of abuse, neglect and revenge. Thing is that I wanted this, all of this, to go on. No not this story, but another. With the same Cop from the past, and the same reporter and tattooed woman from now. I adored these people. Damn, they were threatened, damn near killed, and yet they cared so much! This author made me feel. The feels! I've always wanted to visit Greenland. It's just a thing with me. I love cold, snow, glaciers....blah de blah! Then when I was reading this I saw that there are no roads leading out from towns in Greenland. You actually have to take a boat "no problem" or take a freaking tiny, itsy, bitsy plane from one town to another. That may have been the most terrifying thing in this story. O.K., maybe that's an exaggeration, because flaying is awful too. But, a deathmobile? Oh no. Man, I really loved the story and characters. But, because it's a tale that's told in two different timelines, I see that I won't be reading from one characters P.O.V., and I will miss him. Yet, I do hope that this author sticks with Greenland in his books. Honestly, it's really a character unto itself. I've heard they have ferocious mosquitoes there. Heck, skeeters themselves are a skeery bunch! Oh, dear me. Lame, Lisa. So lame. Yes, obviously I would recommend this book and author. Also, I've already looked for other books from Mr. Norbo, and none were yet translated, but he is now on my radar, and I'm ready for more.

When Matthew Cave was sent to cover the discovery of a mummified Viking man, he never expected to get tangled up in a 40-year-old murder mystery. What started as simply reporting on an exciting discovery quickly turns tragic when the body is stolen and the man guarding him is murdered and flayed just like the victims of a series of murders that occurred decades ago. Matthew finds himself drawn into the original case only to discover that very powerful people are involved, and those people are willing to kill to keep him quiet.

Nordbo tells such a sad and frightening story through duel perspectives, one set in the present and one set in the early 1970s. We follow Matthew Cave in the present as he reports on a story that quickly turns into a murder mystery, which is when he dives into our second narrator’s notebook from the 70s, Jakob. Matt has a sad backstory that drives him until he becomes obsessed with the murder mystery that is much more horrific than it appears on the surface. However, once start to read chapters from Jakob’s perspective, it becomes even more glaringly obvious that Matt is a flat character. As the story continued, I found myself wishing that the book was told entirely from Jakob’s perspective or from Jakob and Tupaarnaq’s perspective with Matt as a supporting character.

Aside from my issues with Matt as a character, it is a heart wrenching novel that gives a glimpse into Greenland’s history as well as its culture. On the sad and horrific side, it shines a glaring light on how people with a lot of power can shutdown those who investigate them if they do wrong. The deeper that Matt digs into the case, the more danger he is in because there are people who hold the power to either frame him or shut him up for good. The case is a combination of a social and political crimes, which make it difficult for him and Jakob in the past to investigate because they’re playing with fire if they get too close to the truth.

There was some confusion with the transitions between the past and present. It was almost always unexpected when we jump 40 years into the past. However, Jakob is an interesting and complex character and I do wish that he was the primary narrator of the story. We also follow another character, Tupaarnaq, who is a great character that could’ve been a solid narrator for the present portion of the novel. I wish that we saw more of her and got to know her as a character past the surface through Matt’s perspective.

Despite my issues with the transitions and Matt, it is a heart wrenching novel that is difficult to read at times because of the nature of the crimes Matt and Jakob investigate. It’s a bit slow at times as well, but the ball really gets rolling toward the end and the story ends on a lighter note for the characters. I think that Nordbo is onto something here and I’m not sure if the issues I have are things that just got lost in translation, but I will check out the second novel in the series.

I was surprised by this story! It was the first time I've read anything by Mads Peder Nordbo but I really enjoyed it!
I felt like I was in the setting, immersed in the culture and I got lost in the story! Do I recommend? Absolutely!

It made a welcome change to read a story that was set in Greenland. I did hesitate in choosing this book to read, due to it being translated. So glad that i did read 'The Girl Without Skin' as it was a gripping story and the translation was excellent. I rarely write what a story is about, as i do prefer one to read the book for themselves, but i do recommend. I shall be looking for more books by this author!

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review.

Wow! Where do I begin? Once I started reading this book, I had a hard time putting it down. A warning first; The Girl Without Skin is graphic, raw and gritty. This book is very detailed about murder and there are discussions about children being molested. With that said, the book absolutely was an amazing read. If you can stomach some gore, it is a good read for anyone who likes crime thrillers.

The Girl Without Skin takes place in Greenland and I have to say the translation of this book was flawless. I didn't find any discrepancies and the wording flowed very well.

Matthew is a journalist who moves to Nuuk to cover the story of a Viking mummy uncovered in a crevasse. Soon after the discovery, an officer (in charge of keeping an eye on the archaeological site) is found murdered in a very brutal way. Matthew puts the Viking story on hold as he is pulled in to investigate the similarities of the murder of 4 men in the 1970s. Soon, a very twisted web of deceit begins to unravel and people are not what they seem. Matthew has to uncover the truth before it's too late, his life is in danger.

Great but heavy read! There are a couple of twists (one of which I didn't see coming). This one may give nightmares though!

Thank you to Netgalley and Text Publishing Company for this ARC.

The Girl Without Skin was so incredibly intense. Part of the intensity came from the setting- Greenland seems like a dark, cold, unforgiving country. But the rest of my anxiety was totally due to the characters and the crimes. Thank goodness Jakob and Matthew were great guys! Nordbo wrote amazing descriptions of both the land and the murders. I may not be able to eat fish for a long time. The other crimes descriptions were equally horrible. I only hope that Greenland has changed their attitudes towards women and children.

3,5 stars

I've recently become a big fan of Nordic Noir, a genre of crime fiction set in Scandinavian Countries . When I see a possibility to read a new unknown author in the genre, I just can't say NO. A murder mystery set in Greenland has not yet crossed my way, and I was EXTREMELY excited when I discovered The Girl Without Skin.

The fact that the author knows the subject he writes about or at least that he is familiar with the settings of Greenland because he has lived in Nuuk for several years, makes this book even more interesting for me.

The Girl Without Skin is not perfect. The language is not smooth, the structure of the plot is rather bumpy than flowing, there are probably more violence and savagery than necessary, the characters are not to die for.

I asked myself, if the issues considering the writing style are just the result of a mediocre translation? It is difficult to recognize it for a not Danish reader.

Nevertheless, this book has something magical in it that I couldn't put it down. Another big plus for me is the possibility to get to know the way of living of Greenlanders.

As outsiders we think about Greenland as a wonderful endless winter landscape, quiet and peaceful in its snow-covered ascetic beauty.


The reality is:

- Greenland has the highest suicide rate in the world.

- "Did you know that in Greenland one girl in three is raped? In some villages it can be as many as all of them, and they have to live with the trauma for the rest of their lives."


Armed with this knowledge - you can google about Nuuk and Block P that became a troubling symbol of the capital city of Greenland-you'll have another view on the whole story.

You have to be warned, this novel is not for everyone. But if you enjoy dark gripping and complex thriller you shouldn't miss this one. For more information, just read the blurb.

!!! Violence (very graphical), child abuse and rape, savage murders (very graphical), corrupted cops and politicians!!!

I found the overall story line good and loved the Greenland setting as well as the historic tidbits about the Inuit and Vikings. The subject matter was also a bit difficult to read about at times but I understand that making the reader uncomfortable was part of the story.

I did however have a problem with the character dialogue. Perhaps its an issue with translation but the dialogue felt stilted and unnatural.

I didn't find either Matthew or Jakob well characterized, maybe because the time was split between their narrations in 2014 and 1973. But I feel like Matthew needed more attention on the page, other than his history of tragedy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This is a novel that falls into the "Arctic Noir" category. Like Nordic or Scandinavian Noir, it's dark and violent. It seems to use place in an even more affective way than the other genre, though--but if you like Nordic Noir, you will like this. If you don't like your fiction dark, then you might want to pass on this.

However, if you stick with it, you might really like it. Before reading this, I didn't realize how little I knew about Greenland (I say this with shame). I'm not going to suggest I now know Greenland after reading one fiction book, but it did trip my interest and I found myself doing research while reading and looking up pictures of the landscape.

I also think the characters--while sometimes feeling a little flat--have lots of room to grow and I think this could develop into a good series. I also think some of the "flatness" I speak to (as well as some of the confusion with characters I experienced) could come down to translation issues.

This is an exciting start from a new-to-America writer. I look forward to more translations from this author.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Text Publishing Company and the author, Meds Peder Nordbo, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Girl Without Skin in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I thought the premise of the story sounded so promising. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Not a book for me.

Very tough Scandi noir ..a bit reminiscent on its characterizations.. of stieg larsson.. but that's ok... there is the damaged Tupaarnaq, nearly sociopathic and covered in tatoos, imprisoned for 12 years, and a damaged journalist in a new town uncovering the roots of an ugly (almost incomprehensible) crime and scandal .. the new man / journalist bumps into the big honchos in the town uncovering gruesome murders and rapes in the past. Innuit beliefs are engaged in, and ancient heroic norsemen evoked. Very dark... the writing is a bit weak at times, but effective when required!

It's weird to refer to this grim Danish crime thriller as beautiful, but this is exactly that. Kudos to the translator Charlotte Barslund for doing an admirable job conveying the poetic intensity of the author's style. The book takes on Danish colonialism, Inuit exploitation, patriarchy, and corrupt men in power, all wrapped in descriptive passages of Nuuk and Greenlandic ice fields. There is a "girl with tattoo" trope here (I've never read those books), but handled sensitively and with thought.

This is apparently a series and I look forward to the other books but there is a sense that a Danish man is writing about "good" Danish men with regards to how they treat Inuit people and women, and while this is certainly welcome, I only hope it doesn't regress to a white male saviour trope as it progresses.

TW: There are grisly murder scenes, but you never get the sense of a voyeuristic eye describing it just to entertain the reader. (As you will with say, *cough*, Jo Nesbø.)

This was a really interesting read as the book is set in Greenland. It is gruesome and confusing in places but overall it is a good read. The plot is well thought out and I was gripped the whole way through. I would like to read more books by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.