Fast read with many twists. The characters are all a bit one-dimensional but the descriptions of the glaciers are wonderful. ( )

My enthusiasm for any psychological thriller depends on multiple factors. Whether I am sufficiently attached to the characters to care what happens to them is probably most important, but unless I actually dislike them ([b:Gone Girl|19288043|Gone Girl|Gillian Flynn|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554086139l/19288043._SY75_.jpg|13306276] stands out in this regard), a clever plot or inviting location can overcome a lack of character appeal.

[b:The Split|45046750|The Split|Sharon J. Bolton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1579631298l/45046750._SY75_.jpg|69749657] definitely wins in terms of location. South Georgia Island, best known to me as the site where Shackleton landed following his 800 mile ocean crossing in a small boat after his ship The Endurance was trapped in the Antarctic ice. On that basis alone I was compelled to read this, and [a:Sharon J. Bolton|1038226|Sharon J. Bolton|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1270501061p2/1038226.jpg] definitely made the most of the location.

And the twisty plot merits 4 stars on its own. Glaciologist Felicity is doing field work on South Georgia not only because it's the opportunity of a lifetime, but to escape from terrors associated with her life in Cambridge. After the initial setup, the point of view returns to the prior year in England, where Felicity's backstory unfolds, in unreliable fits and spurts. The book's climax, back on South Georgia, is a real nail-biter.

Back to character. Although it's hard not to be drawn to Felicity initially because she is so clearly fearful that someone from her past will catch up with her and do her harm, my attachment to her waxed and waned with the Cambridge end of the story. On the other hand, while in England other characters emerge who have an equal - but at times also ambivalent - appeal.

All told, the book has an engaging premise and is for the most part very well executed. Definitely worth 4 stars!
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Took me a while to get into this book. Found the beginning rather boring, but the storyline made sense after a while. After reading about a 1/4 of the book (I almost gave up reading it), I managed to get into it and was starting to enjoy it. A lot of twists. Different storyline to other books which is good ( )

At first it's a little confusing with the different times and locations, but I think that serves the story in the sense that Joe and Felicity are in the dark themselves about a good many things. I agree with other reviewers that if we can spot what's going on, Joe should have as well. For a shrink he's slow on the uptake and the most timid man I've ever come across. Fear, to some extent, or wariness at least, is a default position for women and girls, but it isn't for men. I found it very odd that he should be so worked up about Shane's activities or the attack he suffered at the hands of a patient. I can't believe a man would take a women's assault that hard, but it's fiction so I let it go. Maybe young men are fearful these days, who knows.

The Georgia location was interesting as was the glacial information and research. Felicity didn't seem go-getter enough to warrant such a plum job though. Maybe one of her alters pops up more apparently when she's not crazed with fear and thus can navigate her cut-throat professional environment better than she does in the book. The Freddie parts were menacing, but weird. They didn't advance the story much. Overall ok, but a bit smarmy in the ending. ( )

Felicity Lloyd flees from Freddie all the way to South Georgia in Antarctica although she is not really sure why she is so scared of him. She studies glaciers, but is also suffering from some sort of mental illness, which we learn about over the course of the novel. Previously, Felicity had been based in Cambridge, England, where someone names Shane seems to be lurking about, and possibly killing the homeless. Cool locations, but the characters were not interesting, the story was disjointed, magnified by multiple POVs. Twisted story about Felicity, her trauma, her psychologist, who has problems too, and the psychologist's detective mum. One of Bolton's weaker books to be sure. ( )