North of Boston
Elisaabeth Elo, 2014
Pamela Dorman Books
400 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780670015658
Summary
A big discovery in the world of female suspense, about an edgy young woman with the rare ability to withstand extreme conditions.
Elisabeth Elo’s debut novel introduces Pirio Kasparov, a Boston-bred tough-talking girl with an acerbic wit and a moral compass that points due north.
When the fishing boat Pirio is on is rammed by a freighter, she finds herself abandoned in the North Atlantic. Somehow, she survives nearly four hours in the water before being rescued by the Coast Guard. But the boat’s owner and her professional fisherman friend, Ned, is not so lucky.
Compelled to look after Noah, the son of the late Ned and her alcoholic prep school friend, Thomasina, Pirio can’t shake the lurking suspicion that the boat’s sinking—and Ned’s death—was no accident. It’s a suspicion seconded by her deeply cynical, autocratic Russian father, who tells her that nothing is ever what it seems. Then the navy reaches out to her to participate in research on human survival in dangerously cold temperatures.
With the help of a curious journalist named Russell Parnell, Pirio begins unraveling a lethal plot involving the glacial whaling grounds off Baffin Island. In a narrow inlet in the arctic tundra, Pirio confronts her ultimate challenge: to trust herself.
A gripping literary thriller, North of Boston combines the atmospheric chills of Jussi Adler-Olsen with the gritty mystery of Laura Lippman. And Pirio Kasparov is a gutsy, compellingly damaged heroine with many adventures ahead. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
• Birth—N/A
• Where—Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• Education—B.A., Brown University; Ph.D. Brandeis University
• Currently—lives in Brookline, Massachusetts
Elisabeth Elo grew up in Boston and went to Brown University. She worked as an editor, an advertising copywriter, a high-tech project manager, and a halfway house counselor before getting a PhD in American Literature at Brandeis University. Since then, she’s taught writing in the Boston area. She lived next to the ocean for many years and now resides in Brookline, Massachusetts. (From the author's website.)
Book Reviews
The novel’s subplots ripple out from the opening collision, circling a story rich with wicked smart allusions to Russian literature and clever nods to Western culture's most famous fishing story—Moby-Dick. Pirio is a fascinating character and Elo a noteworthy new voice in the genre.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The author chose the thriller genre for her debut novel because she loves a strong protagonist who drives the action. She’s created a dandy in Pirio Kasparov.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
(Starred review.) Elo’s outstanding debut stars an intelligent, confident woman of Russian descent, Pirio Kasparov, who survives for nearly four hours in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic.... Pirio begins to believe that the collision at sea was deliberate.... The brisk plot smoothly incorporates such far-flung subjects as environmental issues, the fishing industry, and the perfume business.
Publishers Weekly
Gritty downtown Boston and the awe-inspiring but unforgiving North Atlantic coast come to life in Elisabeth Elo’s debut suspense novel...readers will...be rooting for the doggedly determined Pirio right to the end.
BookPage
(Starred review.) Pirio Kasparov is an alluring heroine. She’s sharp-witted, hell-bent on finding the truth, and her narrative voice is laced with surly sexiness. Pirio’s baldly honest, slightly melancholic reflections and Elo’s use of extreme natural settings will have strong appeal for Scandinavian crime fans. An impressive debut with surprising literary depth.
Booklist
North of Boston grapples with and melds seemingly disparate subject matter (commercial fishing, perfume, alcoholism, issues of class, environmental consciousness, self-determination) in an original and entertaining way.... Judging from North of Boston, Pirio’s next puzzle promises to be nothing short of unpredictable and exciting.
Kirkus Reviews
Discussion Questions
1.What do you think of Pirio as a protagonist? What do you find, say...most endearing about her? What do you see as her flaws?
2. There is a tension in the novel between Boston society and the wildness of the open sea. Talk about Pirio's journey toward knowledge (and self-knowledge) as the trappings of civilized Boston society fall away. The author has said in a publisher interview, "the outward journey is always an inner one."
3. Why did you think Elo choose to make Pirio the daughter of perfumers? What significance might it have for the story?
4. The story is framed with Thomasina’s substance abuse struggles. Do you find her a sympathetic character? Is her struggle with alcohol realistic? Does it have any resonance in your life or someone close to you?
5. Class and political divisions are a subtle thread throughout North of Boston. In what ways do they define Pirio, Thomasina, and others?
6. Talk about the world onboard the Galaxy. How did you experience reading those scenes?
7. The author has more books planned for Pirio Kasparov in the future? Does this first book make you want to follow her new adventures?
(Questions based on an author interview by her publisher.)