Alice Henderson has quickly become one of my favorite authors and her new book, A Blizzard of Polar Bears definitely kept me on the edge of my seat! Wildlife biologist Alex takes on a new assignment in the Arctic studying polar bears  in the hopes to get more government protection for the species. However, when someone keeps sabatoging her research and she finds herself stranded on the ice and on the run, can she figure out a way to not only save herself, but her beloved bears? This book was an action-packed, edge of year seat, stay up all night to finish read and I absolutely loved it! An unpredictable thriller with animals at the center? Yes please! And I really hope we see more of Casey in the next book! A Blizzard of Polar Bears comes out November 9th and if you haven't already, you definitely need to start reading this series! Thank you @netgalley and William Morrow Books for my advance copy.

There was a lot I liked about this book, the heroine and some of the supporting characters were great. The integration of the love of nature and information about the damage of climate change and greed , another big selling point. I had trouble with the extent of how much action, how bad the bad guys were, the level of violence and her being in non stop danger and finding her way out of it, felt like too much. For me, less would have been more and more effective in both the telling of the story and my involvement in it

I thoroughly enjoyed Henderson's first outing as a thriller writer, A Solitude of Wolverines, and was eagerly anticipating this second book in the series featuring wildlife biologist Alex Carter. I'm happy to report that this second novel is every bit as good! Henderson again captures the sense of place in the Arctic that she so adeptly did in rural Montana. Additionally, it is not necessary to have read her first book; this book works well as a standalone although I recommend reading them in order..

Picking up where the first book ended, Alex Carter has finished her study of wolverines and is looking for her next project. She doesn't need to wait long. She accepts an assignment doing a polar bear study in Hudson's Bay, Canada. All begins well with her small team, tracking, tranquilizing and taking samples from polar bears. Then her lab is broken into, samples and data taken, her helicopter pilot suddenly quits and crucial research tools go missing. Who and why is someone trying to sabotage her study? She stumbles across a dead body that adds a subplot to the antics going on in the Arctic. What follows is a chilling (literally and figuratively) ride featuring the Canadian Arctic, murder, corruption and a mysterious new helicopter pilot to whom Alex is drawn.

I have found that a second book by a new fiction writer is often a let down, not so with this book. Alice Henderson continues to deliver with an excellent plot, superb pacing and well-placed twists. And, like her first book, this novel is also educational in that we get a first-hand look at an endangered species and the effects of global warming on their plight.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for an advance copy of this book. The publication date is November 9, 2021.

A Blizzard of Polar Bears by Alice Henderson is a great fictional novel that has action, suspense, mystery, and a great plot that kept me hanging on the edge from beginning to end.

This is the second book in the Alex Carter series, but can be read as a stand alone.

Biologist Alex Carter finds herself in the Canadian Arctic originally hired to study an endangered population of polar bears, but of course this trip ends up including so much more.

There are disappearing items, break ins, thefts, major equipment mishaps, and also the little thing of being stranded in a remote and frozen wasteland…tough obstacles to go up against.

Alex uses her strength, smarts, and talents to survive and solve the mysteries involved.

I liked this book. It was interesting, suspenseful, thrilling (but not too thrilling aka scary), and kept me enthralled with the surprises and twists. I definitely will continue this series.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and William Morrow for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

Wildlife biologist Alex Carter is leaving Montana and the wolverine project for her next project in Manitoba to study polar bears in the Canadian Artic. Only a couple of days after her arrival there is a break-in at the lab and either Alex or the polar bear study seems to be right at the center of it. True to form Alex discovers other nefarious goings-on and with all systems on alert she is paying attention to odd and random details and people around her.

This book opens with a brutal crime that we don’t find out much about until well into the story but rest assured Alice Henderson will pull it all together while keeping us on the edge of our seats.

Like her last book about wolverines, in this one the reader will learn all kinds of facts about polar bears, forestry, environmental conservation, endangered species, and aurora borealis.
For example who knew that “A polar bear’s fur was actually transparent, not white. Pockets of air formed beneath the thick hair, trapping in heat. And beneath that fur, their skin was completely black, allowing them to absorb the sun’s warmth. A thick layer of fat just under the skin further aided in staying warm, and their short ears and tails kept heat from escaping.”?
I love learning science with a good plot twist don’t you?

Proving the first was no fluke, the second Alex Carter mystery thriller is every bit as fascinating, exciting and full of science and endangered species lore as the first. Her grant (from the first book) to study wolverines running out, Alex is thrilled when a good friend asks her to take over an opening for a polar bear study that has opened up at Churchill, Hudson Bay, Canada. Once there, she will have a graduate assistant and a helicopter pilot to assist her in tagging, measuring and testing polar bears in the region for general health and the presence of toxic substances. Everything starts out just fine, and the work is hard and complex, but rewarding, but somehow she and members of her team are sucked into some other undertakings they know nothing about and all hell breaks loose both in Churchill and out on the ice. Lots and lots of excitement and daring do. A really intriguing look at the practical world of hands-on science. And for those who read the first book, you will finally learn the identity of the postcard writer. I'm very glad this aspect of the story was not dragged out over more books; that would have gotten very old very fast. All in all an excellent read. Highly recommended.

Alice Henderson's sophomore effort outdoes her debut. A Blizzard Of Polar Bears takes her heroine, Dr. Alex Carter, from remote Montana as she finishes her wolverine study to the Canadian Arctic for Polar bear research.
Get set for incredible scenery mixed with Neverending danger.
Research turns deadly when Alex, her assistant and helicopter pilot are stranded on the frozen tundra. A trio of killers wants something from Dr. Carter and wont take, "What are you talking about?" as an answer.
Henderson also sheds new light on Alex's mysterious rescuer from A Solitude Of Wolverines.
A Blizzard Of Polar Bears is replete with chilling battles, helicopter rides, near death survival and an icy scuba dive to the death. Henderson pulls no punches with a heroine who would make Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon blush.
Latch on to this terrific series with landscapes that take your breath away combined with a tough as nails lady who lives for animal rights.

Another fast-paced engaging story in the series!

Rex Tildesen, a marine archaeologist, was positive that the Vikings had made it to the Hudson Bay in Manitoba. Spotting a shape of a wreck, Rex decided to dive despite his partner not being on board the boat. It'll be the last his partner, Sasha, hears from him.

As Dr. Alex Carter wraps up her wolverine study, she gets a call from her friend, Sonia Bergstrom, inquiring if Alex could take a study on polar bears in her place. It was perfect timing. She'll be heading to Churchhill, Manitoba.

Alex is still receiving anonymous postcards and gets one before she heads out to the polar bear study. It's still a mystery of who this person is and why they are stalking her.

Arriving in Churchhill, Manitoba, she gets settled. It isn't long before the weather allows Alex, research assistant Neil, and the pilot to go scouting. Alex manages to collect samples from the polar bears and gather test results.

The study doesn't go very smoothly, Alex finds their supplies missing, catches a thief in the lab taking her samples and her research work, and their pilot quits. While waiting to find another pilot, Alex decides to do some touring and encounters a poacher only to be told after reporting him, that they were aware of him. Continuing on as a tourist, Alex witnesses a starving polar bear running off with a human leg. Once again placing a phone call to report a crime.

A new pilot, Casey MacCrae, allows renewed hope for the study to continue but not for long. The helicopter goes down and the climate of the weather prevents a rescue. Alex, Neil, & Casey have much more to fear than surviving the cold night to be rescued.

This story kept me on my toes with trying to figure out how Alex fit into everything going on around her, and the surprise reveal of her stalker. I learned quite a few interesting tidbits about polar bears, such as the fact that polar bears evolved from grizzly bears. Along with a good thrilling read, I enjoy the underlying message of protecting species that are in danger of going extinct.

I requested and received an ARC from NetGalley via William Morrow and Custom House and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

These books – two so far – are a mix of adventure, climate change despair, and appreciation and love of the natural world and the creatures that share the planet with us. In the first book, Henderson’s protagonist, Dr. Alex Carter, left Boston to study wolverines in Montana. As that study winds down in book two, she’s delighted to get a call from a colleague, asking her to fill in for her on a polar bear study in Churchill, Manitoba.

Delighted, Alex jumps at the chance and hops on a plane. She’s used to solitude and her main points of contact are a buddy who is an actor, and her father. While Churchill would be no one’s idea of the big city, to Alex, it almost is, as she’ll be working at a large center with other scientists. She’s happy enough to be able to stay in a motel on her own instead of the center’s quarters.

Much of her work is done out in the wild, however, and where Henderson truly excels are bravura scenes where Alex is out doing her job. The job involves taking a helicopter out to the ice with a grad student assistant, and with the help of the pilot, spotting polar bears, which the scientists then sedate and then proceed to collect hair, blood and other samples to help them determine how the bears are faring.

Not well, it turns out, and the heartbreak of this book is reading about the diminishing arctic ice that restricts the bears hunting of seals. When they can’t get out on the ice, they can’t capture and kill the seals that keep them alive and healthy. Many of the bears are malnourished though some Alex and her team find have cubs and seem OK.

Into this mix, Henderson of course must introduce some conflict, and of course there is someone out there who isn’t appreciating the results of her study. At first the sabotage is small, and then is becomes massive. There’s a bravura set piece where the helicopter crashes and the three – Alex, the grad student, and the pilot – are fighting for their lives out on the ice.

To me, the action scenes paled in comparison to the recounting of simple survival on the arctic ice, the beauty of the north – there’s a lovely scene featuring the aurora borealis – and the encounters with bears, whether out on the ice or back in Churchill itself.

The action sequences that wrap up the story were, to me, less successful, though they were perfectly adequate. I think when Henderson, a new mystery writer but an actual scientist, marries her storytelling skills to her powerful nature writing, she’ll be tough to beat. As it is, Alex Carter is an excellent protagonist, one who holds my interest and makes me eager for the next book.

I really loved the author’s debut book and was eager to start this one. I know very little about Polar Bears and was excited to know more as she’s masterful at weaving in wildlife and conservation information in her books. I come away with so much more than just the entertainment of the thriller. But make no mistake the book is a thriller and this is a doozy.

Alex Carter has finished her study in Montana and has moved on from the Wolverines to Polar Bears in Canada. It seems long before she arrived, the mishaps involving this study has made it seem doomed. Will Alex be able to turn things around and make a recommendation on the longevity of the Polar Bears?

I really like Alex, she is strong, independent and knowledgeable. Her determination and willingness to help the animals really tugs at my heart. There is an interesting cast of characters and while I never truly believed Alex was in mortal danger since this is a series, I kept guessing on if there were multiple culprits and what their true motives were.

This is a fast paced thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I love the interesting location and the wildlife data in addition to the danger. I think all thriller lovers should jump in and read this series.

This is a good story with some nice twists along the way, I stayed engaged (which is not always the case), and enjoyed learning about the MC, and learning some things about the animal kingdom along the way! I think a lot of mystery fans will enjoy this one.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

action-adventure, sabotage, Canada, archaeologist, wildlife-biologist, hostile-environment, greed, secrets, thriller, theft, suspense, endangered-species*****

A murder of crows, a gaggle of geese, a blizzard of polar bears. And the Kensington Runestone of Viking exploration.
Reading this book eased my angst at the death of Clive Cussler. Here is a story with lots of great characters, action/adventure, close calls, and impeccable research to provide all the learning of new things I could want! The main character is a wildlife biologist studying the plight of polar bears in the arctic and is based out of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Someone is sabotaging her work and things become very dangerous there in the frozen north. There is also an archaeologist with an agenda who winds up dead and as a meal for a starving polar bear. That's it for the almost spoilers. Terrific read that I can't praise enough!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook from William Morrow and Custom House, William Morrow via NetGalley. Thank you!

A wealth of information about the plight of polar bears in these days of climate change is wrapped up in a great mystery with lots of action and twists. A Blizzard of Polar Bears by Alice Henderson is a welcome addition to the Alex Carter series.

This second book from the author is even better than the first. She continues the character development of the main character from the earlier book. The story is exciting and moves along at a good pace. The setting in the arctic is described so well I felt that I was there.

Loved this title! Henderson does it again! She has a way of combining accurate scientific information into a well-paced story. I enjoyed the adventure and can't wait to see what species she features next!

336 pages

5 stars

What an exciting story!

Wildlife biologist Alex Carter has just finished her wolverine study in Montana. As she looks forward to her next posting, in the Canadian Arctic. She is to study polar bears. They are an endangered animal.

While she is excited to go, she is also sad to leave her friends in Montana.

Her job entails seeking the bears by helicopter and tagging and collecting data on the various bear populations.

All is going well until things begin to go awry. First her helicopter pilot quits. Fortunately, she finds another one quickly. Then her lab gets broken into and her samples are stolen. This only makes Alex more determined than ever to continue her study.

Suddenly, a fire on the helicopter forces a landing on the ice. Alex and her pilot make their escape across the ice. The conditions are very bad, and there is someone following them - attempting to do them harm - or worse.

The tension in the book suddenly heats up. Trying to avoid a man with a gun in near blizzard conditions, the pilot Casey is forced into the water. With injuries and hypothermia, Alex manages to drag him to safety.

The rest of the book is a mad dash to safety for the good guys and a slow road to hell for the baddies. But it is very exciting. Ms. Henderson certainly knows how to ratchet up the tension in her writing style. It was wonderfully done.. The writing is clear and concise, without filler. The plotting is very good and I really liked Alex and Casey. I liked the way she seemed to make the right friends easily.

I want to thank NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House/William Morrow for forwarding to me a copy of this absolutely wonderful book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.