I found this good-condition hardcover at a local Goodwill thrift shop, and was intrigued by the storm-tossed seas on the cover. It's about a man who hears a distress call on the maritime radio channel, kicking off a search through Arctic ice for a stranded scientist.

But it turns out to be more complex than that, leading off with main character Henry's increasingly-tedious life working on tugs and icebreakers in the Arctic leading him to some questionable decisions - and some very bad luck, with more than one co-worker meeting a fatal end while Henry somehow comes through.

By the time he does hear the distress call, his whole team has been notified that the operation is being shut down - and that's when Henry decides to try and find the stranded scientist, even if he has to abscond with one of the boats to do it. And then several of his co-workers decide to join him, leading to a difficult and dangerous voyage that may or may not result in rescue - and at considerable cost...

The story's much more of a character-study of the aimless, rootless Henry and his desire for relationships, but drawn against the harsh surroundings and rising death-toll it makes his personal problems seem less significant. Or maybe I just wanted more Arctic and less angst {wry grin}.

I left this book on the book-swap shelf in the Tyngsboro post office lobby at around 3; hope the finder enjoys it!

*** Released as part of the 2016 E-less release challenge. ***