Blood and Ice - Thrilling Mystery Novel for Adults | Perfect for Book Clubs & Winter Reading

This was a gripping historical vampire-ish novel. It was very hard to put down. Details of plot, character development and pace were impeccable.....until the last few chapters. I wish I could ask Mr Massimo what happened. My first jarring perception was when 2 of the main character were keeping the dark secret of their "condition". The protagonist figured it out and was able to find a solution to their problem. However, there was no bridge of transition from hiding a dark secret and how the protagonist would help. Out of the blue the "solution" was being administered. The shift in pace was rather jolting. The book struggled forward till the somewhat unsatisfying end. If I were to guess how this happened, I'd think Mr. Masello was on a deadline and it came earlier than he anticipated. Hence the rushing of pace and struggling transitions. That said, again it was very well written with creativity and grace most of the time. The historical references were articulate and rang true. I really felt the deep humanity of the characters as they struggled through daily life on the South. Pole. I plan on reading more of this author's books. I hope his further efforts are less "choppy" and more cohesive. Again despite the relatively minor defects, it IS well worth the read.