A Gift Before Dying
A haunting and gripping crime novel set in the unforgiving Arctic Circle - 'Hypnotically good' (Lee Child)
Format:Hardback
Publisher:John Murray Press
Published:22nd Jan '26
Should be back in stock very soon
'Hypnotically good ' Lee Child
'A stunning debut' Daily Mail
'A life-affirming read' Daily Express
'A gritty debut thriller' Irish Independent
'One of the finest debuts of the year' Donald Ray Pollock
'Rich in atmosphere and relentlessly suspenseful' Michael Koryta
--
AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD, CAN JUSTICE STILL BE FOUND?
After a botched high-profile murder investigation, Sergeant Elderick Cole is exiled to the remote, rugged landscape of Nunavut, a vast territory in the Arctic Circle known for its untamed beauty, frigid temperatures, and endless winter nights.
His bleak existence takes a sinister turn when he discovers the hanging body of Pitseolala, a troubled Inuit girl whom he had sworn to protect. Her death dredges up demons he thought he'd buried along with the scars of a fractured marriage and the aching divide between himself and his estranged daughter.
As Cole's life unravels - and with it, the fragile thread of his investigation - he turns to Pitseolala's younger brother, Maliktu, a fellow outsider. It's then that Cole uncovers what binds them: a singular mission to find her killer.
Against fierce backlash, Cole's overriding desire to redeem just one aspect of his otherwise failed life becomes an obsession - and he's willing to break every rule in his unyielding pursuit of justice and the smallest shred of redemption.
--
'A haunting, immersive, moving story-told by an expert, with great authority and emotion' Richard Thomas, Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson, and Thriller Award finalist
'There's a river of warmth running under this icy, Arctic thriller, with a big bang of an ending you won't soon forget' Rene Denfeld
'[A] stunning debut . . . It's a knockout' Publishers Weekly, starred review
Stunning . . . Kempt worked in the Arctic which gives his story marvellous authenticity on top of a heart -wrenching plot * Daily Mail *
A harrowing but ultimately life-affirming read, it's hard to believe this is a debut * Daily Express *
What comes across most powerfully in this gritty debut thriller is . . . the dispiriting plight of many of the Inuit people * Irish Independent *
One of the finest debuts of the year -- Donald Ray Pollock, author of THE HEAVENLY TABLE
Rich in atmosphere and relentlessly suspenseful . . . a don't-miss-it debut -- Michael Koryta, New York Times bestselling author of THE PROPHET
A gripping thriller . . . Kempt's debut is delivered with insight and authority, pacing and style -- Ivy Pochoda, author of WONDER VALLEY
A Gift Before Dying is a haunting, immersive, moving story - told by an expert, with great authority and emotion. Keep an eye on Malcolm Kempt - one of my favourite voices in contemporary dark fiction -- Richard Thomas, a Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson, and Thriller Award finalist
There's a river of warmth running under this icy Arctic thriller, with a big bang of an ending you won't soon forget. Hold on tight, because A Gift Before Dying will grip you until the last page -- Rene Denfeld, bestselling author of THE CHILD FINDER
Stunning debut . . . Kempt's remarkably assured narrative evokes a mythic atmosphere . . . It's a knockout * Publishers Weekly *
With its gripping opening, exciting climax, powerful sense of place and eerie, nicely unforced mysticism, this is a strong debut. There's never been a police protagonist more disheveled or out of sorts than Cole, which makes his determined efforts all the more winning. Aterrific, permafrosted mystery * Kirkus *
This extraordinary, beautifully crafted debut mystery blends together an arresting setting, a background of systemic social net failures in an Indigenous community, and a spiky police procedural . . . If you only read one mystery this year, this should be it * Booklist, starred review *
Hypnotically good - instantly immersive, intense, and ultimately inspiring -- Lee Child, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series
ISBN: 9781399829748
Dimensions: 236mm x 156mm x 30mm
Weight: 460g
272 pages