Start gifting
Libro.fm for Business
Start a membership, get two free audiobooks
Almost ready!
In order to save audiobooks to your Wish List you must be signed in to your account.
Log in Create account
Shop the sale
In celebration of Independent Bookstore Day, shop our limited-time sale on bestselling audiobooks from April 22nd-28th. Don’t miss out—purchases support your local bookstore!
Shop nowNorth of Boston
This audiobook uses AI narration.
We’re taking steps to make sure AI narration is transparent.
Learn moreDennis Lehane meets Smilla’s Sense of Snow: 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 her fisherman friend Ned, the boat’s owner, 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.
Elisabeth Elo teaches writing in the Boston area. She lives in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Marguerite Gavin is a seasoned theater veteran, a five-time nominee for the prestigious Audie Award, and the winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones and Publishers Weekly awards. She has been an actor, director, and audiobook narrator for her entire professional career. With over four hundred titles to her credit, her narration spans nearly every genre, from nonfiction to mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance, and children’s fiction. AudioFile magazine says, “Marguerite Gavin…has a sonorous voice, rich and full of emotion.”
Reviews
“Utterly riveting…Kasparov is one of the best protagonists I’ve read in years.”
“The author…loves a strong protagonist who drives the action. She’s created a dandy in Pirio Kasparov.”
“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.”
“An entertaining read with unusual and unique characters…A touch of an eco plot gives it something for everyone.”
“Outstanding…The brisk plot smoothly incorporates such far-flung subjects as environmental issues, the fishing industry, and the perfume business.”
“Pirio Kasparov is an alluring heroine….An impressive debut with surprising literary depth.”
“Perfume heiress turns unwilling sleuth in Elo’s suspense series launch…Elo’s lively style and the vivid characters lend credence and heft…The groundwork is well-laid for future Pirio Kasparov adventures.”
“Pirio…is voiced by Gavin’s pitch-perfect reading. Gavin’s other characters are just as distinct…Gavin keeps control as the action builds until the tension is almost painful…Anyone looking for an exciting story with memorable characters should tune in to this first-rate debut.”
“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.”
“Tough and smart, Pirio Kasparov comes alive in this fast-paced novel of unconventional plot twists and damaged relationships.”
“A modern, sophisticated, and compelling thriller. Her plot is original, her details deft, and her heroine utterly remarkable.”
“A gripping and unorthodox thriller, packed with intriguing characters and unexpected twists.”
“Marguerite Gavin projects the swagger of this feisty character…Gavin keeps this thriller on track with all its twists and turns.”
“A murder mystery, an environmental thriller, and a domestic drama.”
Expand reviews