The Last Titanic Story by Chris Angus

Laura Engalls has made what she believes to be an incredible discovery. An anthropologist working in Greenland, she's uncovered evidence linking an unknown part of Titanic history to a local tribe of Inuit people. She enlists the help of a journalist and author of a book about the Titanic, Matt Mosher. Intrigued what Laura is proposing, he agrees to join her on her quest. A terrible storm hampers their entry into Greenland and what began as a journey to find the truth quickly turns into a quest for survival. Further complicating their actions are the mysterious persons who are following them - and attempting to kill them. Just what sort of information has Laura Engalls uncovered? And is it information worth dying for?

Sometimes when I'm talking about books, I feel a bit like Stefon from Saturday Night Live. This is one of those books that would lend itself to a Stefon-esque update. It has Nazis and Titanic survivors, stolen treasure and gunfire, action, adventure and even a touch of romance. The story jumps between different time periods: one starting in 1912, one during the time of World War II, and one in the present day. I was quite curious about how all of these strands would come together, but ultimately they did fit into a single coherent story. There were several masterful cuts between chapters/time periods that were almost cinematic in feel. There were a few things that puzzled me (having unprotected sex, even if it's "I'm glad we're alive and I'm attracted to you" sex, doesn't seem like the smartest move if you're trapped in the wilderness with no idea if rescue is possible) but since I've never been in a life-or-death exploration setting, I have no idea if this behaviour is as strange as I found it. And, of course, this is relatively minor compared to the forward momentum that the action and adventure of the novel provide. If you read only one book this year that combines the Titanic, World War II, modern day neo-Nazis, and a high stakes treasure hunt across Greenland - let it be this one.

Find out more about author Chris Angus.

I received a review copy from NetGalley courtesy of Iguana Books. 

Read it with:
The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel
Titanic: Shipwrecks and Sunken Treasure by John Malam
Iceberg Right Ahead! by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson
Shattered Hopes: Canada's Boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games by Sheila Hurtig Robertson