Violent Crimes Detective Jessica Niemi has her hands full. The high-profile disappearances of celebrity social media influencers Lisa Yamamoto and Jason Nervander, along with a new and less than supportive superintendent, Helena “Hellu” Lappi, have her questioning everything around her. A dead body dressed in manga style washes ashore and appears tied to the disappearances, only deepening the mystery.  Meanwhile, Jessica’s own mental health issues have resurfaced as she’s envisioning her dead mother with increasing frequency. Can Jessica and her team uncover what has happened to Jason, Lisa, and the dead woman? Or is Jessica’s career about to come to a screeching halt?

THE ICE COVEN is the second book in the Jessica Niemi series and takes place approximately 6 months after the conclusion of THE WITCH HUNTER. The story itself is a standalone, although the various relationships and Jessica’s own secrets will probably be best appreciated if one has read the first book. Max Seeck does provide a lot of background information for new readers although I suspect they’ll find themselves hungering for more of this hauntingly good series!

Jessica continues to fascinate me as a main character. Her mental health issues, coupled with her drive to solve cases at any cost, make her an intriguing albeit somewhat unstable character. Not all of her choices are good ones, but her heart is generally in the right place. I am enjoying watching her character grow over the series, even as she remains a deeply flawed but caring investigator.

Max Seeck takes readers into a dark, hidden world that I didn’t even know existed. THE ICE COVEN isn’t for the faint of heart, more so for what is implied rather than unnecessary explicit details. Max Seeck drops clues along the way, and yet the conclusion still shocked me- something that doesn’t happen often and I applaud Max Seeck for crafting one heck of a thriller!

THE ICE COVEN is a chilling thriller full of twists and turns as Jessica and her team seeks answers. THE ICE COVEN is a police procedural unlike any others I’ve read, highlighted by the dark thread underlining the story and the cold and wintry setting. Readers who enjoy a suspenseful and eerie tale will relish Max Seeck’s latest installment in the Jessica Niemi series.