BOOkclub Stick with this for the chill factor

Shiver When I was in secondary school, there was a snowboarding club where kids would all flock on to a bus from Glasgow to Aviemore and take to the slopes. I couldn’t think of anything worse.

Freezing cold snow? No thank you. Feet trapped together on a piece of plastic? Nuh uh. Stuck on a bus for three plus hours with folk from school? Are you crazy?

So it’s safe to say I have little knowledge of snowboarding, skiing, or in fact any form of snow sports, so you can imagine my sense my panic when I spotted the book I’d put aside to read for this week’s column – Shiver by Allie Reynolds.

The author’s debut, Shiver follows Milla as she joins five friends for a reunion in the French Alps resort that saw the peak of her snowboarding career 10 years previously.

However, things didn’t exactly run smoothly the last time she was there, and they certainly aren’t going to go without a hitch this time round either.

The last time the five pals saw each other coincided with the disappearance of a sixth friend, the beautiful and talented Saskia.

As the reunion takes place, Saskia is now presumed dead.

Milla’s invite came from Saskia’s brother Curtis, but the rest of the gang swear their invite came from Milla. Who is telling the truth?

When the group arrives at accommodation that’s terrifyingly empty and quiet, the first thing they all decide to do is play an icebreaker game, but of course, it doesn’t turn out as they had planned. Things have grown menacing and they realise they don’t know who has really gathered them there and how far they will go to uncover the truth of what really happened.

Secrets aren’t so secret anymore, so you’d better grab your board and boots because it’s going to get icy.

When I first started reading Shiver, I have to admit I was a little bamboozled about the snowboarding terms. If you understand what back-to-back seven-twenties and backside airs are, then power to you, but I was completely lost.

Author Allie is a former freestyle snowboarder who spent five years on the slopes and competed in the British Championships so she knows what she’s talking about, but I can’t say it eased me into the story. It left me feeling a little confused.

However, it is a good story, even if it drags on a little. It’s split between the present day and 10 years ago, but at times it feels like some of the pages could be whipped out and you’d still get to the end in the same shape with more time on your hands. The last 20 per cent of the book is where you’ll feel your bones shudder. That’s when it gets gripping, so stick with it. The sense of being trapped really intensifies and you’ll find yourself grimacing as you flick towards the end. Imagine being stuck at the top of a mountain with little food, unreliable electricity and no obvious way home.

It’s a positive debut novel just perhaps not completely for me. I’ll let you decide for yourself.