This novel struck deep. 19th century whaling ships, seafaring lore, selkie wives. Trauma, guilt, revenge, haunting. Think a dark twisted Little Mermaid, the Bermuda Triangle, and I Spit on Your Grave. Three timelines all connected. It’s a heavy one and not for the faint of heart. Cooke's novels always make me go inside myself for days after to process all the feelings her books bring to the surface. The rage of the treatment of women in history as material things to own. Unfortunately this theme is becoming all too close to the surface even today. Cooke writes descriptions in her novels of places that you can just sink into and never want to leave, even though they are brutal.

A Haunting in the Arctic is a very unique tale that incorporates the folklore of the Selkie, an abandoned whaling ship in Iceland, urban adventure, and the mystery of a deserted town.

I found this book to be incredibly interesting bouncing between the current day, 1901, and the 1970s, as it set up the story. All three time periods are very important to the story, and while I personally sometimes have a hard time with many different periods, I found A Haunting in the Arctic very easy to follow along with. The current day follows Dominique as she is exploring the abandoned Ormen and comes across fellow explorers; 1901 follows Nicky who was attacked and ends up on the Ormen, and trapped at sea.

A Haunting in the Arctic is very atmospheric and the descriptions of the location are wonderfully done. I felt like I was in Iceland exploring the ship myself. The ending is fantastic too, and I certainly never saw it coming.

This is worth a read, especially if you like creepy, atmosphere books!
Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 rounded to 5 stars

A HAUNTING IN THE ARCTIC is a chilling story of trauma, betrayal, cruelty, and revenge. Through alternating timelines—1901 and 2023—drama unfolds surrounding the Ormen, a whaling ship-turned-research vessel-turned-abandoned shipwreck.

This was addicting and engulfing read. For once I was intrigued by both timelines, which made the book incredibly readable. Some may call this horror, but I'd say "gothic" is the most apt descriptor. The historical scenes are well done, and the present-day shipwreck exploration is wonderfully creepy and harrowing. There is a strong sense of mystery, and a pressing urge to know what happens next, that keeps you turning the pages.

This book is incredibly heart-wrenching, but not without resolution. It wasn't my usual type of mystery, but I'll be thinking about it for some time to come. True to its title, this is very much a haunting novel.

CW: sexual assault, violence/gore.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley, and C. J. Cooke for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed the haunting and dreadful feeling this book invoked, along with the alternating timelines and narrators.

I did predict part of the big reveal but the overall intricacies of the mystery I definitely didn’t see coming.

I thought the ending wrapped everything up nicely, and I look forward to reading more by this author in the future!

Thank you so much for this early copy!!
Wow! What a fantastic book! I loved the story and it definitely kept me on my toes. I was excited to see what would happen next and how everything would end!

⭐️⭐️.5

𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙊𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙮. 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚…

I absolutely loved The Lighthouse Witches by this author and it was a favorite back in 2022. I was so eager to get my hands on this book and couldn’t wait to read it. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed with it.

I think the concept was amazing, it sounded so creepy and eerie. I might not be the intended reader for it, but the story didn’t work for me.

Aside from the interesting premise, I’m obsessed with the stunning cover. There are dual timelines in here - 1910 and 2023. I was more interested in Nicky’s timeline, although it was so dark and traumatic (check up triggers if they bother you).

I honestly wasn’t expecting much out of this, I was just hoping I would love it as much as The Lighthouse Witches. I really wish it was a story for me… I found myself losing interest in it and got so confused with the back and forth.

The story felt so slow and dragged, and while I appreciate the folklore in this, I don’t think it was for me. Also, the ending felt so rushed.

While I absolutely loved the writing and atmosphere in this story, I was not the intended reader. I’ll still read anything this author writes, but this one was a bit underwhelming.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this book in exchange of an honest review.

"Trauma can feel like a theft of one's skin, leaving us vulnerable, uncannily othered from one' s past self" - Author's Note


I have heard great things about this author, & I knew I wanted this year to finally be the year I read her work. A Haunting In The Arctic was a brilliantly written book that takes place in Iceland in present time & in the early 1900.s aboard a whaling ship named The Ormen. Going back & forth between the two timelines was not confusing. The author made the words flow effortlessly. The setting was isolated & cold. I loved this, as it gave me an escape that was perfect for January.

I love LOVE historical fiction, especially if it has any dark gothic, or creepy elements. I loved reading from Nicky's perspective in 1900's and her horrific encounters aboard this ship. I sympathized a great deal with her in regard to what she had to endure aboard the ship and also with what happened in her life prior to being brought on The Ormen. The present timeline was also interesting, and that ending was one I did not see coming. I loved the folklore of mermaids in this story as well. While reading this, I also learned a few new things. I learned that whale oil was taken from whale livers & used for the lighting of lamps in the 1900's. I also now know what a "selkie wife" is! What an interesting folklore that is! Actually fascinating even. I enjoyed reading about the shapeshifting involved. Finishing this book has made me want to learn more on more abandoned ships and life aboard these ships in years past.

I am glad this was a 5 star read for me and, it makes me even more enthusiastic about reading Cooke's backlist even faster now! Thank you to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this book prior to its release.

From the blurb, I expected a dark story, but I was not prepared for sexual assault on nearly every page. There was never any catharsis, just relentless trauma.

I’m a sucker for a great cover but the feeling you get when you realize that it’s ok to be shallow and judgy because the books content was even better than the cover is just pure magic.

I’m that girl

Last year I read The Lighthouse Witches and I was completely hooked on CJ Cooke’s writing style . That being said, I knew right there I would stop at nothing to get my hands on a copy of A Haunting in the Artic.

The best part? This books surpassed every single high expectation I had. Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than uncovering a true gem. CJ Cooke, is just that!

Filled with creepy vibes, haunting artic and a twist you won’t see coming, this book is ready to take the internet by storm.

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

You won’t catch me in Iceland anytime soon…

Teaser:

Something has walked the floors of the Ormen for almost a century.

Something that craves revenge…

1901. Dundee, Scotland. Nicky wakes on board The Ormen, a whaling ship, attacked and dragged there, held against her will. With land still weeks away, it’s just her, the freezing ocean, and the crew – and they’re all owed something only she can give them.


Now. Skúmaskot, Iceland. The Ormen has been drifting across the oceans for decades, its crew inexplicably vanished, it’s stories still unknown.


But urban explorer Dominique has battled to reach Skúmaskot, an old shark fishing village on the northern tip of Iceland, just twenty miles from the Arctic Circle. A place where no one has lived for over forty years. And the resting place of The Ormen.


She thought it was deserted. But something is there with her. And it’s seeking revenge…

This book had me in its grasp from the moment I read the first page. Atmospheric, dark, moody, in a harshly cold environment that just won't quit. Sign me up! C.J. Cooke has a phenomenal way of presenting a story that will make you gasp aloud, feel every emotion the characters are experiencing, and places you right in the middle of the setting. It is told from three different timelines that twine effortlessly together. This book went down for me in one day. Be sure to have drinks, snacks, and warn your family you will ignore them. You are going on a trip to Skumaskot, Iceland!

Dominique is hiking into Skumaskot, the ghost town that is located right where the ghost ship, Ormen, beached itself. It is during the middle of winter, and it is in the Arctic. You are already sensing just how cold, windy, and dark this time of year is. Dom is determined to make it to the ship and show the ship in all her glory to her TikTok fans that she is trying to entice. Dom is looking forward to the time alone. A few days in, three other modern-day explorers come onto the ship. Changing Dom's plans. As the days grow longer and the ship is explored. Dom has a feeling that someone is watching her. Her dreams are turning into nightmares, and certain parts of the ship are so horrifyingly creepy that she stays away.

In 1901, Nicky is staying at her parents' home while her husband is away at war. Her father owns the whaling ship, Ormen. He warns her to stay home and out of sight. Nicky is confused and does not heed his warning. She is attacked and brought onto the ship. The Ormen is gone for nine months out of the year and when she comes to, they have already set sail. What commences is terrifying. They want her to be their Selkie wife. A wife in all the ways that a man desires. She is held against her will and the hatred and deep despair that you feel will have your eyes filling with tears.

I loved this book so much. It swept me away with the incredible plot, the attention to detail, and the characters. The Norse folklore that is sprinkled throughout really adds to the mood and tone. Thank you to C.J. Cooke and Berkley Publishing for my gifted read.

A Haunting in the Arctic was so unexpectedly good that I almost want to read it all over again. Good thing I have another book to read by the author because I'm completely obsessed with the world building in these novels. If you're in the mood for a chilling and atmospheric read then grab this one. You won't be disappointed.

A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke
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A old haunted ship that is beached on Iceland is set to be towed out to sea. A woman sets out to document it and learn the secrets it holds. But in 1901 it was a whaling vessel and a woman named Nicky found herself aboard it.
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I would like to start by saying that I did not take seriously that this book is listed as a historical mystery with horror.
There is definitely some horror to this story.

I find that I am having difficulty writing this reveiw without spoilers. Please be advised.
Nicky’s storyline was SO SAD and horrific. I was devastated for her again and again.

The present story was interesting and I was invested in seeing how it played out, although I kind of guessed early on what the mystery was.

3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 A very haunting story.

I loved Cooke’s book The Lighthouse Witches so was incredibly excited to pick this one up. We move between two main timelines: one in the present, when a team of “explorers” and content creators arrive in northern Iceland to squat at the shipwreck of an old whaling ship, the Ormen, before it’s dragged out to sea. The other timeline is set in 1901, when a young woman is taken aboard the Ormen’s voyage. The setting is captured incredibly richly; Cooke really is a good writer. There were some truly bone-chilling scenes, although I would have honestly liked more of them and less of the modern content creator’s storyline—I always tend to prefer one timeline over the other in dual timeline books, and that proved true here. This book is dark—it’s all about trauma and its permanent traces haunting us, and there are many violent acts committed throughout. There’s also some metaphor and commentary on humanity’s “rape” of the environment and the Arctic. Ultimately I thought this book was trying to accomplish a lot and while it didn’t totally stick the landing for me, I enjoyed the experience overall.

A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke
Pub date: February 27, 2024

C.J. Cooke wowed me with The Lighthouse Witches but A Haunting in the Arctic has made me a life-time fan.
This story is told in dual parts – early 1900’s and present day by two different women, Nicky and Dominique (Dom), but both women’s stories are centered around the whaling vessel, the Ormen.

Explorer Dom is pulled to the Ormen, washed up in a remote abandoned fishing village and soon to be sunk for good. Dom feels a pull to this vessel which has a nefarious history. Death and mayhem have followed it since it’s last research voyage in the 1970’s and the rumor and mystery surrounding its inhabitants are grim.
Nicky, in 1901, is the daughter of the ship’s owner, attacked and brought aboard the ship against her will. What happens during this voyage is soul-crushing and traumatic.

How the two women are tied together is part of the journey that both broke my heart and filled me with rage.

This is a hauntingly dark and atmospheric story that I read in one day; magical folklore entwined with a chilling bleak setting made this story easy to connect with and I felt the emotions of the characters and the travesty of justice for not only Nicky and Dom but the secondary characters involved.

Incredibly moving, eerie and unforgettable.

Thank you Berkley Pub for this gifted copy!

C.J. Cooke’s _A Haunting in the Arctic_ is a hauntingly dark read that transports the reader onboard a whaling ship from the early 1900s to modern-day while following Nicky and Dominique, the two main characters. In 1901 Nicky was abducted and awoke on the _Ormen_, a prisoner of the crew and the sea. Present-day Dominique is a suburban explorer documenting the shipwrecked _Ormen_ before it is set to be destroyed. The timelines are interchanging, vividly delving the reader into both settings. This read perfectly combines Norse folklore and European whaling history with tragedy and trauma of the main characters.

Loved the author's first book but this one was a little tough to get through. The story was more about the trauma of repeated sexual abuse rather than a chilling ghost story. The author did keep much of the graphic violence to a minimum, constant rape was implied.

In A Haunting in the Arctic by C. J. Cooke, a chilling tale unfolds as the wreck of the Ormen, a haunted whaling ship, resurfaces off the remote coast of Iceland. The novel navigates two timelines, one in 1901 featuring Nicky's harrowing ordeal on the Ormen and another in the present day with explorer Dominique documenting the ship's last days. Cooke's ambitious storytelling, weaving folklore, and a Gothic atmosphere into the narrative, creates a haunting experience. The novel, though challenging due to its dark and tragic themes, offers a thought-provoking exploration of trauma and survival. As the timelines converge, the shocking conclusion showcases Cooke's originality in storytelling, making A Haunting in the Arctic an unforgettable, immersive journey into a world of revenge, secrets, and the enduring impact of the past.

A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke follow Nicky, the daughter of the ship owner for the Ormen, a whaling ship that is due to set sale from Dundee, Scotland. Nicky had been attacked and woke up in the ships hold only to discover that she has been abducted. Now she is trapped and no one knows where she is or what happened to her. Now in 2023 in Skúmaskot, Iceland the Ormen has been ship wrecked since the 1970's when it was recommissioned to be a research ship. Dominique is an urban explorer that is documenting the last days of the Ormen before it is destoryed. With haunting dreams that are so vivid, Dominique must find out what is happening to her before it is too late. This is a fast paced read that will have you up all night just to finish it. The plot twist at the end is well worth the wait. C.J. Cooke paints a vivid picture of life aboard a whaling ship as well as life exploring the Arctic. A must read for fans of Hester Fox, Kate Morton, Sarah Penner, and T Kingfisher.

I was lucky enough to win an e-ARC of A HAUNTING IN THE ARCTIC by C. J. Cooke through a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and have a safe and happy holiday season!

"A Haunting in the Arctic" by C. J. Cooke is a chilling and atmospheric thriller that takes readers on an immersive journey into the remote and unforgiving landscapes of the Arctic. Cooke masterfully combines elements of psychological suspense and supernatural intrigue as a mother and daughter grapple with their own haunted pasts. The narrative unfolds with a sense of foreboding, and Cooke's evocative prose skillfully captures the eerie beauty of the Arctic wilderness. With a blend of mystery and the supernatural, "A Haunting in the Arctic" is a gripping tale that keeps readers on edge, providing a haunting and unforgettable reading experience.