As an English major, I decided to take a detective fiction course (because obviously), and Cold was the final novel that tied everything together. So, although technically I had to read it for my grade, it didn’t feel like work at all.
The story begins with a tragic plane crash in the middle of a strange snowstorm in the frozen forests of Northern Ontario– where I’m from! And trust me, the descriptions are accurate. Two women then have to fight for survival, and suddenly, you’re in downtown Toronto months later. The story allows the reader to piece together what happened after the plane crash, leaving breadcrumbs of text.
The Indigenous detective fiction follows several compelling characters– Elmore Trent, a university professor of Indigenous mythology who has an affair with his student, Paul North, a hockey player in the IHL, coming to terms with reality as he realizes he’s not in his prime, Fabilola Halan, a world-renowned journalist who publishes a book after she survives a plane crash in Northern Ontario, and Detective Sergeant Ruby Birch, who finds herself investigating some gruesome murders in the heart of Toronto.
A main theme in Cold is hunger: physical hunger, ambitious hunger, and hunger that cannot be satisfied. Throughout the novel, I slowly realized that everyone had some type of ambitious hunger in them– one that can lead to their ultimate demise. I won’t spoil too much, but pay attention while reading the types of hunger each character experiences.
Mixing police protocol, mystery, drama, light horror, and Drew’s hilarious humor, Cold had me laughing out loud and gasping in disbelief. The jokes in this book truly give the characters relatability, and develop a light-hearted narrative even in the more serious scenes.
This is one of Drew’s signatures as a novelist, playwright, filmmaker, and columnist, as he states that “Laughter is the WD-40 for Native people.” From Curve Lake, Ontario, Drew has observed how “Laughter in medicine” for people in his community and many others dealing with generational trauma, which he stated in an online interview with my class.
Drew is an award-winning author who specializes in telling Indigenous stories for the world to hear– and the world is listening. Other titles include “Motorcycles and Sweet Grass” and “Take Us to Your Chief.” Titles I’ll be adding to my (seven feet long) to-read list.
Cold incorporates a modern re-telling of the Wendigo, a cannibalistic beast from Algonquin lore that feeds on flesh but is never satisfied, living in frigid temperatures deep in the Northern Forest. It is said that people become this creature through cannibalization induced by starvation or being possessed by the spirit. The novel does an incredible job of explaining, incorporating, and fleshing out the legend and fitting it into a modern-day tale– taking it out of its natural habitat, if you will. The Wendigo is portrayed accurately, avoiding the misconception that the monster has antlers, which I appreciated, so if you are interested in Indigenous mythology and history, I highly recommend reading it.
I’d also recommend this book to anyone who loves a fast-paced, funny, and action-filled mystery. For you romance lovers, this won’t be the book for you (Paul is the only one who gets minimal action). If you’re looking for horror, like Shirley Jackson novels, I also wouldn’t recommend it. Although it involves some chilling scenes, I find that it does not reach the level of “thriller” that some might crave. This is in part due to the novel’s focus on humor and detective aspects. Although if you love dynamic and flawed characters, live in Ontario, and appreciate all elements of a good mystery– this is the book for you.
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