A Blizzard of Polar Bears audiobook

Alice Henderson has become my favorite author that emphasizes facets of nature in a crime thriller. A Blizzard of Polar Bears is the second book in the Alex Carter mystery series. After the opening scenes in northwestern Montana, the rest of the book takes place in and around Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Dr. Alex Carter is a wildlife biologist who is wrapping up a study on wolverines when a friend calls and asks if she would like to do a polar bear study in Manitoba. With two weeks left on her current assignment, she jumps at the opportunity. Her assigned research assistant, Neil Trevors, has lined up a helicopter pilot for them. Tracking the polar bears by air, Alex then tranquilizes, examines, and measures them. Taking samples for study in the lab in Churchill is part of the job along with updating or adding GPS trackers. However, things start to go quickly wrong. Their pilot suddenly quits and an intruder breaks into the lab, steals her samples, and deletes her files. After finding a replacement pilot, their helicopter catches fire and armed assailants come after them. One might think this would be enough to deter Alex from her study, but it isn’t, and this is only the beginning. Who wants to stop the study and why? Will Alex and Neil survive?Alex is a likeable character who is three-dimensional and had depth. She is a skilled wildlife biologist, adept at Jeet Kune Do style of martial arts, and an expert shooter. She enjoys solitude, but has a few very good friends. She’s supported by an array of secondary characters that enhanced the story, but were not as fully developed. However, the relationships seemed believable and not contrived and provided the needed support or conflict. The writing was so descriptive that I felt like I was with Alex as she carried out her research. The plot had some twists and turns and several surprises. It was engrossing, heartfelt, well-researched, and action-packed. I’ve seen comparisons to Nevada Barr’s Anna Pigeon series and I can see the similarities. The story was compelling, shocking at times, intense, and a great sophomore novel for the series. A gripping and dramatic ending was a little over-the-top, but it also tied up loose ends nicely. I enjoyed reading the Afterward that included information on the artic. The author also included a list of books and articles about polar bears as well as other reference information.Overall, this combined mystery, nature, the environment, action adventure, and survival into one fantastic crime novel. Not only was this a fascinating mystery that kept me fully engaged, but I learned a lot about the polar bears, artic ice, and atmospheric conditions that Alex encountered. If you enjoy action-packed crime thrillers with an environmental and threatened wildlife theme, then this is a series to consider reading. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. William Morrow and Custom House and Alice Henderson provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date was November 9, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.-----------------Review coming soon.

A Blizzard of Polar Bears by Alice Henderson is a 2022 William Morrow publication.Still working in Montana, Alex gets an unexpected phone call. Would she like to study polar bears in the Canadian Arctic? For Alex, it was a no-brainer. Unfortunately, upon arrival, things begin to go awry, culminating in a helicopter fire than forces Alex and her team to land in an uncivilized, unforgiving environment. Survival would be hard enough in those circumstances, but it seems they have company… Armed assailants with an agenda…. This is a very solid follow-up to “A Solitude of Wolverines”. This is a story of survival, with plenty of action, adventure, suspense, surprises, and information on the climate and polar bears. Some stunning developments will have an impact on future installments, which will very interesting!This high-octane environmental thriller should appeal to a wide audience-as it combines elements that appeal to many crime fiction readers. Just be sure to fasten your seat-belts before takeoff! 4 stars

For you action fans, another WAM, BANG, POW eco-thriller by Alice Henderson that'll keep you reading — even if you're oblivious to the ecological issues it makes note of. Hopefully, some of the ecological issues will sink in.

It's not often that a novel can combine thrilling action with fascinating characters and a setting that is depicted so precisely that we shiver while reading about venturing out onto pack ice in Northern Canada. Alice Henderson accomplishes all that and more in A BLIZZARD OF POLAR BEARS, which finds wildlife biologist Alex Carter taking a job researching polar bears for Canada's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.But as Alex arrives in Churchill on Hudson Bay in frigid weather, her study seems plagued by unfortunate events. The helicopter pilot quits to get a better paying job, equipment is missing when it's badly needed, and there’s a break-in at the lab where someone wipes Alex's computer and steals her polar bear samples, which she had meticulously collected and stored. We know that a group of people are looking for something as we witness a violent act in the prologue, and Alex is caught in the middle of this desperate search. Henderson maintains the mystery throughout most of the story as we read the third person narration from Alex's point of view. We feel her frustrations, but we admire her resiliency and ability to take care of herself.Henderson works with wildlife as a sanctuary monitor, so not only are her novels a gripping reading experience, they provide information about the animals and habitats that the scientists in her books are studying. One such climatic event is called the Ridiculously Resilient Ridge, which is the cause of droughts in California. In spite of its "ridiculous" name, it's a real thing. We also learn about how polar bears are studied by seeing how Alex monitors them after they are sedated. Researchers look at notes that were tagged previously to see how they are growing and what chemicals and pollutants are in their blood, fat, hair and nails.Through Alex's narration, we read about the fascinating and horrifying fact of biomagnification. PCBs were banned in the US almost half a century ago, but they still contaminate much of the earth and are in the soil, air and water. They harm humans and animals by interfering with their ability to produce antibodies, thus making it more difficult to fight off infection. Because PCBs and toxins such as mercury, both products of industrial waste and pollution, are everywhere, tiny organisms like plankton consume food tainted with the pollutants. Then, when a larger organism eats lots of tiny ones, they become "carriers" of the pollutants.Most of us who keep up with the news know about the disappearing pack ice that is making it more challenging for polar bears to survive. Henderson provides facts about exactly why this is so. Readers who love wildlife and express concern over climate change and the depredation of our natural resources will feel a camaraderie with Alex as she explains why she became a wildlife biologist: "Monarch butterflies are vanishing. American pikas are disappearing as the earth warms. Wolves and grizzlies are being killed in staggering numbers, gunned down by trophy hunters and governments; vast tracts of habitat are being destroyed; acidification of the ocean; the vanishing of polar sea ice..." After reading Henderson's novels, maybe more people will understand why this situation is so egregious and frightening.The author also perceptively highlights how the rich and powerful, who benefit financially from the destruction of our earth due to their investments, gaslight those who would call them out by claiming their companies only care about people and their jobs. Protecting bears and other wildlife while trying to stop climate change and save our environment will only help us in the future.Henderson's writing is not all mystery, action and climate change. Her narrative is beautiful and evocative, and she so capably describes a setting that we can practically feel, smell and hear it: "At night, the fragrance of desert wildflowers carried on the wind. The moon rose, painting the desert silver. Javelinas snuffled around in the undergrowth, their little brown-and-white-striped babies skittering and prancing playfully among the adults. Coyotes serenaded them with their eerie yips and howls. Nectar-feeding bats came on silent wings, hovering over night-blooming cacti. And up above, the curve of the Milky Way spanned the heavens like a magical trail of campfires of ghosts long past." Here we have poetry mixed in with the mystery at no extra charge.Reading Alice Henderson's books almost feels like cheating. Her mysteries are exquisitely expressed, and we admire Alex Carter’s passion for doing the right thing. We also get to visit exotic locales while never having to leave the comfort of our couch. As still another added bonus, by the time we finish A BLIZZARD OF POLAR BEARS, we feel as though we could explain the process of studying polar bears and why it's imperative that this research be done. There are so many benefits from reading a book that once begun is difficult to put down.Reviewed by Pamela Kramer

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!

Dr. Alex Carter, a wildlife biologist travels to Manitoba and the Artic to study the habits and health of polar bears.While she gathered information on the bears, suspicious persons were sabotaging her efforts, supplies were stolen and their airplane was destroyed and some polar bears were killed for their pelts.Dr. Carter and her assistances were endanger for their lives. Someone wanted something they had in their possession.If you are looking for action and a fast paced read, this is the book for you.

3.5 stars Lots of action, a hint of romance, fascinating, even enigmatic characters, lots of info on polar bears and climate change, even a treasure hunt. The story dragged a bit at times but I liked it a lot. Now to see if my library has the first book. Some plot bits in this book may have been less confusing if I'd read the first book though this one worked fine on its own. If you like mysteries and action mixed with science and wildlife, then this book is for you.

>>Nichts ist kälter als der Tod im ewigen Eis ...

This one was even more exciting that the first and kept me in its grip. A great story of suspense, thrills and once again beautiful descriptions of the Hudson Bay area, the aurora borealis, polar bears, seals, ice formations and nature in general. I so enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the next one. I love that Alice Henerson has found a way to give us an exciting thriller of a story while using the same fictional story to show us how we can conserve this beautiful world and better care for nature.

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.

Wildlife biologist Alex Carter’s study of wolverines in Montana is wrapping up when an old friend offers her a position with the International Institute for Polar Bear Research.Alex is excited to be working with other scientists again as she arrives in Churchill, Manitoba. She loves getting up in the air in the helicopter to track and gather data on the bears. But strange things start happening, besides the usual poachers.At first, it seems like someone is trying to mess with the study, but then things become deadly.Just as in the first book, you’ll be all the wiser about wildlife when you close this book. 𝐀 𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 is a chilling thriller set in a harsh, arctic climate, and Alex is fighting not only for the polar bears’ future existence but also for her own life. You may want to have a hot cup of cocoa while you read the action on the ice and snow unfold. Thank you to @williammorrowbooks for this gifted copy.