A deserted shipwreck off the Icelandic coast draws a group of explorers to her decks. Three of the four know each other and are travelling as a group, but the solo explorer Dominique arrives first and is put out by their presence but also reassured by them since she’s pretty sure she saw a ghost woman roaming the shores. The shipwreck is that of the Ormen, which originally was a whaling ship in the 1900s then in the 1970s became a research vessel. Dominique and the others are there to document the ship before the coast guard finally pulls it free from the shore and sinks it forever.
The story bounces between life in 1901 on board the Ormen, in which Nicky Duthie is being held against her will by the crew due to her father’s poor business choices and life in present-day 2023 where the urban explorers are doing parkour, TikToks, and other influencer activities to document their discoveries and build up an audience.
The story is really about trauma and revenge, and a little about forgiveness. The brutal Icelandic weather and the icy seas give the novel a gothic feel, while technology and the lifestyle of the explorers anchor the story in the present. Although nothing is really anchored here. Nicky Duthie was never found. And it turns out the research crew in the 1970s mysteriously disappeared as well.
The Haunting in the Arctic lays bare a ton of secrets, misgivings, and betrayals from 1901 to present day.