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Greenland Missing Persons #1
The Boy with the Narwhal Tooth
When a young Greenlandic boy is reported missing almost 12 months to the day he disappeared, newly trained Police Constable Petra Jensen travels to the far north of Greenland to find him.
The Boy with the Narwhal Tooth is the first in a new series of Greenland Missing Persons novellas set in the harsh, unpredictable Arctic, rich in tradition, myth and culture.
The Boy with the Narwhal Tooth introduces many new and interesting characters, together with a few familiar faces making cameo appearances in the series.
The Greenland Missing Persons stories are set prior to The Ice Star and Seven Graves, One Winter.
The Boy with the Narwhal Tooth is the first in a new series of Greenland Missing Persons novellas set in the harsh, unpredictable Arctic, rich in tradition, myth and culture.
The Boy with the Narwhal Tooth introduces many new and interesting characters, together with a few familiar faces making cameo appearances in the series.
The Greenland Missing Persons stories are set prior to The Ice Star and Seven Graves, One Winter.
98 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2020
304 people are currently reading
366 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
February 16, 2025
Go Greenland!
The indigenous people of Greenland still have some of their own traditions and customs that they are proud of having.
Greenland is considered a Scandinavian country because it is colonized by Denmark and Danish is one of the official languages spoken in the country.
Petra Jensen is a new constable. And she is working in a new department. The missing person desk.
A seven year old boy is reported missing after being missing for twelve months.
Why wasn’t he reported missing, sooner?
Petra is on the case and she has found someone who is going to help her with the language and customs. She is not giving up easy.
Four stars. 💫💫💫💫
The indigenous people of Greenland still have some of their own traditions and customs that they are proud of having.
Greenland is considered a Scandinavian country because it is colonized by Denmark and Danish is one of the official languages spoken in the country.
Petra Jensen is a new constable. And she is working in a new department. The missing person desk.
A seven year old boy is reported missing after being missing for twelve months.
Why wasn’t he reported missing, sooner?
Petra is on the case and she has found someone who is going to help her with the language and customs. She is not giving up easy.
Four stars. 💫💫💫💫
November 24, 2025
Simply beautiful. The Greenland setting was brilliant. The characters were likeable. Even the detective was interesting. And who can’t resist a title with ‘narwhal tooth’ in it?
This is the first in the series. And what a start. I was in from the beginning. Someone rings to report a missing person so the cops are like, if we don’t have a dedicated missing persons department, we do now. So refreshing.
I enjoyed the journey. About language, belonging, identity, background struggles, new connections. A good insight into northern Greenland local life too.
The missing person aspect reveal was ok but more details would have been appreciated. Even still, it was a good case.
Will definitely move onto the next one in the series.
4.5 stars rounded up.
This is the first in the series. And what a start. I was in from the beginning. Someone rings to report a missing person so the cops are like, if we don’t have a dedicated missing persons department, we do now. So refreshing.
I enjoyed the journey. About language, belonging, identity, background struggles, new connections. A good insight into northern Greenland local life too.
The missing person aspect reveal was ok but more details would have been appreciated. Even still, it was a good case.
Will definitely move onto the next one in the series.
4.5 stars rounded up.
August 17, 2020
This is an 81-page novella set n Greenland. It is the first in the Missing series featuring young, newly trained police officer, Petra, and is available from Amazon Unlimited. I found it an enjoyable short mystery and a welcome diversion from the heat and virus outside. Petra travels through the cold Arctic night by dogsled. She is investigating the case of a seven-year-old boy who disappeared a year before with a valuable narwhale tooth. Months later his father, a fierce hunter also vanished. A fine example of how people live in remote regions far removed from its capital, Nuuk. Next, I intend to follow Petra's career in the next installment.
November 14, 2022
I loved that the newly qualified Police Constable Petra Jensen becomes responsible for missing persons by accident, displeasing her Sargeant but pleasing his boss. Petra finds herself stranded for days lining very simply in a remote village as she searches for a boy who has been missing for a year.
I'd have expected a city girl like Petra to be appalled at the living conditions in the village but she relaxes into it as if it was home and teams up with Tuukula, a seventy-oneyear-old Shaman and Luui his five-year-old daughter.
What I liked most about the book was the easy relationship between the Shaman and his daughter and the way in which Petra folds into it. It reminded me of sharing a house with my cousins when there were children everywhere and the little ones expected to be able to climb into the lap of anyone bigger than them and be welcomed.
I also liked that the resolution of the story was as much about healing as it was about finding, turning the book from a mystery into something more human.
I'd have expected a city girl like Petra to be appalled at the living conditions in the village but she relaxes into it as if it was home and teams up with Tuukula, a seventy-oneyear-old Shaman and Luui his five-year-old daughter.
What I liked most about the book was the easy relationship between the Shaman and his daughter and the way in which Petra folds into it. It reminded me of sharing a house with my cousins when there were children everywhere and the little ones expected to be able to climb into the lap of anyone bigger than them and be welcomed.
I also liked that the resolution of the story was as much about healing as it was about finding, turning the book from a mystery into something more human.
July 23, 2024
If, like me, you've never read a book set in Greenland, this novella is a good place to start. New police officer Petra is sent to a remote part of the country when a call comes in about a missing child. She meets some interesting people there, and is able to solve the mystery.
November 14, 2021
It's not that this is a bad novella, per se, it's just that a lot of what Constable Petra Jensen does and is praised for just seems like... very basic police work? There's a scene near the end when a character (who's suposedly a shaman) implies that Petra might have some 'magical' abilities herself, because how else was she able to crack this seemingly-impossible case that no one else could and that had had the local authorities stumped for nearly a year? That is in fact an excellent question, because I had been wondering exactly while reading this: are the local authorities really that incompetent?
Petra replies modestly that all she did was ask the right people the right questions. Which is all very well and good and I could squint and accept that as possibly magic, IF Petra had had some awesome, improbable intuition that had cracked the whole case open. Except let's take a look at what Petra actually does, shall we?
She flies to the scene and asks to speak to the missing person's (a seven-year-old boy) grandfather, who is also the person who called her there in the first place. Said grandfather starts telling her how the missing boy, Isaja, stole a rare double narwhal tooth and ran away, and how recently someone tried selling someone else a, get this, rare double narwhal tooth! Could it possibly be the same tooth narwhal tooth?!? (Given how rare they are explicitly stated to be, it really isn't that big a leap to make, but whatever, what do I know?). Turns out the grandfather doesn't know who either of the people are (I wonder how that's possible in a town that small about something that everyone is talking about, but okay), but the local police officer who was handling the case until now does. And that person is even invited at the birthday party of the granddaughter of the man whose cabin Patra is staying at! Like, how neat is that???
Anyway, Petra talks to the guy and finds out where the guy found the narwhal tooth. (Why the local police officer couldn't get the same basic info out of the guy I have no idea). Our brilliant constable has a nagging sense that she find answers to all her questions at that place. Gee, you don't say.
This is Petra's supposedly magical gift? Connecting these 0bviously-very-connected facts? She follows this logical, cause-and-effect thought process where she goes from point A to point B in a very linear fashion, but somehow she comes across as very intuitive and convincing for doing it? Add to that the fact that her direct supervisor back in her home town treats the whole thing like she's overtstepping her authority just by being there, talking to persons of interests, and investigating places of interest. By this point she's been there for all of one night. I'm sorry, but what else was she supposed to be doing, buying postcards and souvenirs?
To be fair where fair's due, I'm only very vaguely familiar with how police investigations work in Greenland, so maybe this is actually how it is, but to me it just seems like she's doing very straightforward investigative work that any untrained civilian with an ounce of logic to their name could do, and being praised for it like it's somehow very exceptional on her part, while simultaneously making it seem like this elementary work is already too much. I'm sorry but I'm just not convinced by either part, let alone both together.
Here's to hoping the second installment will be more enjoyable. Maybe the author's full-length novels are also better, but if this novella is any indication, I'm not sure I'm inclined to spend ~300 pages to find out.
Petra replies modestly that all she did was ask the right people the right questions. Which is all very well and good and I could squint and accept that as possibly magic, IF Petra had had some awesome, improbable intuition that had cracked the whole case open. Except let's take a look at what Petra actually does, shall we?
She flies to the scene and asks to speak to the missing person's (a seven-year-old boy) grandfather, who is also the person who called her there in the first place. Said grandfather starts telling her how the missing boy, Isaja, stole a rare double narwhal tooth and ran away, and how recently someone tried selling someone else a, get this, rare double narwhal tooth! Could it possibly be the same tooth narwhal tooth?!? (Given how rare they are explicitly stated to be, it really isn't that big a leap to make, but whatever, what do I know?). Turns out the grandfather doesn't know who either of the people are (I wonder how that's possible in a town that small about something that everyone is talking about, but okay), but the local police officer who was handling the case until now does. And that person is even invited at the birthday party of the granddaughter of the man whose cabin Patra is staying at! Like, how neat is that???
Anyway, Petra talks to the guy and finds out where the guy found the narwhal tooth. (Why the local police officer couldn't get the same basic info out of the guy I have no idea). Our brilliant constable has a nagging sense that she find answers to all her questions at that place. Gee, you don't say.
This is Petra's supposedly magical gift? Connecting these 0bviously-very-connected facts? She follows this logical, cause-and-effect thought process where she goes from point A to point B in a very linear fashion, but somehow she comes across as very intuitive and convincing for doing it? Add to that the fact that her direct supervisor back in her home town treats the whole thing like she's overtstepping her authority just by being there, talking to persons of interests, and investigating places of interest. By this point she's been there for all of one night. I'm sorry, but what else was she supposed to be doing, buying postcards and souvenirs?
To be fair where fair's due, I'm only very vaguely familiar with how police investigations work in Greenland, so maybe this is actually how it is, but to me it just seems like she's doing very straightforward investigative work that any untrained civilian with an ounce of logic to their name could do, and being praised for it like it's somehow very exceptional on her part, while simultaneously making it seem like this elementary work is already too much. I'm sorry but I'm just not convinced by either part, let alone both together.
Here's to hoping the second installment will be more enjoyable. Maybe the author's full-length novels are also better, but if this novella is any indication, I'm not sure I'm inclined to spend ~300 pages to find out.
November 25, 2021
A nicely written mystery novella set in Greenland. The characters were particularly interesting. I'm looking forward to reading more work by this author.
August 9, 2020
I read two of these short novellas introducing some characters for a series it looks like. Quirky, light reads, definitely not sophisticated writing. Just a couple of good old yarns with the added benefit of spending time in Greenland and getting to know it and its people a bit.
A young woman is featured in both the novellas, a new police constable who ends up as the unofficial missing persons desk. This involves finding a boy who has been missing for a year. Next up is missing girl very much alive.
Kindle Unlimited
A young woman is featured in both the novellas, a new police constable who ends up as the unofficial missing persons desk. This involves finding a boy who has been missing for a year. Next up is missing girl very much alive.
Kindle Unlimited
June 30, 2020
I liked the way that Christoffer opened this story with Petra Jensen talking about how she started with Sergeant Kiiou "George" Duneq saying "Training is over, Jensen." And then Commissioner Lars Andersen was dyslexic and took Petra into his confidence. Then she took a phone call and was made the Missing Persons officer to go to Qaanaaq from Nuuk to find a missing boy after 12 months being gone. But she did go and met a shaman, Tuukula and his daughter Luui when she reached Qaanaaq.
They took her to a hut out in the wilderness and found the body of the boy but his father was there and brought him home with the boy. I've given the basics to what was done and didn't use the descriptions that Christoffer uses as he uses more technical terms to describe things. He has a lot more characters who were described and made the story much more believable. I give Christoffer 5 stars out of 5 for his effort.
They took her to a hut out in the wilderness and found the body of the boy but his father was there and brought him home with the boy. I've given the basics to what was done and didn't use the descriptions that Christoffer uses as he uses more technical terms to describe things. He has a lot more characters who were described and made the story much more believable. I give Christoffer 5 stars out of 5 for his effort.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2021
A different setting
Most crime books are set in busy places, it was refreshing to read a book set in Greenland; a place I know very little about.
I found the characters interesting, but there was something about them that prevented me from completely buying into them, and the storyline. They felt at times, one dimensional. But, that may be due to the different environment of the book.
I enjoyed the relationship between Petra and Luui, and will read other novels by the author, as I am curious as to how Petra develops into a bigger character
Most crime books are set in busy places, it was refreshing to read a book set in Greenland; a place I know very little about.
I found the characters interesting, but there was something about them that prevented me from completely buying into them, and the storyline. They felt at times, one dimensional. But, that may be due to the different environment of the book.
I enjoyed the relationship between Petra and Luui, and will read other novels by the author, as I am curious as to how Petra develops into a bigger character
January 22, 2021
Police Constable Petra Jensen graduates from Greenland Police Academy..She is bright, keen and intelligent. She speaks three languages,and is assigned to Nuuk Police Station, under the wing of Sergeant Duneq - her supervisor, and a man who it seems always finds faults with his young trainee..The new Commissioner, Lar Andersen is also newly arrived from Denmark to Greenland. When Petra answers a call, she is told a young boy, 7 year old Isaja Qisuk has been missing for the past 12 months , and the next day she is on a plane to visit an old man in the far north of Greenland..When she arrives the old man that introduces himself to her is Tuukula...with him is his little girl Luui..He tells her he will be her guide ...and so begins Petra Jensen's first case ...a case that will shape her future. Opening her eyes to the beauty of all that is around her..The Greenlandic ways, the people ..her own inner strength ...A beautifully written story ..5 stars
December 25, 2023
Greenland and a new constable
Petra is a young woman fresh out of training. Her direct supervisor seems to be a jerk towards her. It is unknown if he is simply a jerk to everyone, to her inexperience or her gender.
Unexpectedly, she gains favor with the commissioner and it leads her to a missing persons investigation.
Way out in the farthest part of Greenland, a young boy has disappeared. Except, he disappeared over a year ago. It seems like the locals simply thought he was somewhere else.
This is a simple novella and the investigation straightforward. There is no clever lies or secrets to reveal. Petra simply asks questions that should have been asked months before.
According to the author, this and a series of other novellas feature young Petra and reoccurring characters. He has written other books with an older more experienced Petra.
Petra is a young woman fresh out of training. Her direct supervisor seems to be a jerk towards her. It is unknown if he is simply a jerk to everyone, to her inexperience or her gender.
Unexpectedly, she gains favor with the commissioner and it leads her to a missing persons investigation.
Way out in the farthest part of Greenland, a young boy has disappeared. Except, he disappeared over a year ago. It seems like the locals simply thought he was somewhere else.
This is a simple novella and the investigation straightforward. There is no clever lies or secrets to reveal. Petra simply asks questions that should have been asked months before.
According to the author, this and a series of other novellas feature young Petra and reoccurring characters. He has written other books with an older more experienced Petra.
January 8, 2021
3.5 stars. This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I’ll be reading more. This was a novella giving some background on a character that plays a main role in many of his books, from what I can tell. The setting (rural Greenland) isn’t one that many authors have ventured into. I’ve read a couple of authors that have had a single book take place there, but that’s all. It’s such a different landscape and way of life than most people are accustomed to and it’s a wonderful reminder of how varied our world is, even in the 21st century. I love the language (just individual words dropped into the text) which brings you inside the story a bit more. The characters are fun and it’s a great way to travel while we’re stuck at home during lockdowns.
December 12, 2022
After reading the short story yesterday, I had to try a Greenland Missing Persons novella. The mystery was good, the setting should have felt bleak and isolated, but the characters were so interesting and warm that it eased the tension a bit. This is not hard boiled Arctic Noir, it‘s not nearly bloody enough for that, but I definitely want to read more.
My only complaint is that the characters overlap in this series and the Greenland Crime series and even the author can‘t give an opinion on which books to start with. Constable Jensen actually appears in the earlier Greenland Crime novels, apparently, but not as a constable. If I‘ve read the blurbs correctly, it‘s actually later in her timeline.
My only complaint is that the characters overlap in this series and the Greenland Crime series and even the author can‘t give an opinion on which books to start with. Constable Jensen actually appears in the earlier Greenland Crime novels, apparently, but not as a constable. If I‘ve read the blurbs correctly, it‘s actually later in her timeline.
August 6, 2021
Nice start to a series
I don’t often think about Greenland. Only when I mix it up with Iceland on account of those wily Vikings. I very much enjoyed the setting and description and cultural hints. Petra is a new police commissioner who answers a ringing phone at the station one day and becomes the de facto missing persons department. Her first assignment takes her to northern Greenland and introduces her to a charming family with a missing boy and the missing boy’s father. All wrapped up in this is a double Narwhale tooth and the eternal daylight of the top of the world far. A lovely story with a satisfying ending. On to the next!
I don’t often think about Greenland. Only when I mix it up with Iceland on account of those wily Vikings. I very much enjoyed the setting and description and cultural hints. Petra is a new police commissioner who answers a ringing phone at the station one day and becomes the de facto missing persons department. Her first assignment takes her to northern Greenland and introduces her to a charming family with a missing boy and the missing boy’s father. All wrapped up in this is a double Narwhale tooth and the eternal daylight of the top of the world far. A lovely story with a satisfying ending. On to the next!
July 5, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this book. It made me think about the simple things in life and strong beliefs in something above this earth and all the consumerism that permeates society. Although the story is centered on a crime the reasons and the solution for the crime are magical. The main characters have such innocence that we rarely see in big cities or the so called "developed world". This is one of those stories to be treasured and read every now and then.
As a member of the author´s ARC team I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.
As a member of the author´s ARC team I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.
May 12, 2021
Infused with a place rarely written about
Scandinavian, Icelandic noir...yes. But Greenland. Surely Greenland, that vast barren island of snow, ice, rock and cold, can not conjure up stories to hold and enthrall?
Wrong. Christoffer Petersen's short story is excellent in conveying the atmosphere of Greenland, its people and customs, landscape and climate. The story itself is a gentle, but thought provoking missing persons case which takes place in the far north of Greenland.
Intriguing and I hope to read more in this series.
Scandinavian, Icelandic noir...yes. But Greenland. Surely Greenland, that vast barren island of snow, ice, rock and cold, can not conjure up stories to hold and enthrall?
Wrong. Christoffer Petersen's short story is excellent in conveying the atmosphere of Greenland, its people and customs, landscape and climate. The story itself is a gentle, but thought provoking missing persons case which takes place in the far north of Greenland.
Intriguing and I hope to read more in this series.
January 3, 2021
This novella has introduced the reader to Constable Petra Jensen who has just begun work in the capital city of Greenland. An orphan who speaks no Greenlandish but only Danish, English , and German she finds herself searching for a boy in the far north of Greenland where everyone speaks the native tongue. The book is well-written and brings the reader into contact with the artic culture with well contrived characters and a plot that is well paced.
April 16, 2023
An intriguing and enjoyable work which makes for an absorbing read, whilst the Greenland setting provided a fascinating backdrop to the mystery. I found the character of Petra an authentic and compelling lead with her conflicted identity adding to the story. The cultural and traditional aspects of Greenlandic society were portrayed with respect, charm and knowledge and I loved the linguistic elements throughout. A promising start to an appealing series.
April 26, 2024
So fascinating and enjoyable!
Petersen gives readers a glimpse into, for most, an unknown world where traditions and cultures are cherished. And so are the children. One missing boy and a Narwhal tooth for sale are the only clues to an old case but the characters come alive as a rookie cop tries to unravel clues. I highly recommend this book for teens and adults and will continue to read more from Peterson's pen as he shares his world with mystery buffs.
Petersen gives readers a glimpse into, for most, an unknown world where traditions and cultures are cherished. And so are the children. One missing boy and a Narwhal tooth for sale are the only clues to an old case but the characters come alive as a rookie cop tries to unravel clues. I highly recommend this book for teens and adults and will continue to read more from Peterson's pen as he shares his world with mystery buffs.
August 11, 2025
This was… fine. A narwhal tooth is a pretty good hook, but the execution felt a bit underwhelming. The pacing was uneven, and I never fully connected with the characters the way I wanted to, possible because it was such a short read sir felt quite rushed. There were moments of atmosphere and flashes of something deeper, but they never quite built into the kind of story that sticks with you.
Enjoyable enough in the moment, but I won’t be rushing to recommend it.
Enjoyable enough in the moment, but I won’t be rushing to recommend it.
May 20, 2020
I really enjoyed this story. It’s the start of a missing persons case & department for Petra.
Out of training and off to conquer.
We’re taken on a journey while she looking for her 1st missing person. We meet some great characters & the scenery setting is fab.
I loved this & got lost in the story.
Out of training and off to conquer.
We’re taken on a journey while she looking for her 1st missing person. We meet some great characters & the scenery setting is fab.
I loved this & got lost in the story.
July 4, 2020
A Good Starting Point
In this novella, Petra is finishing training as an Greenland policeman and just by a flux of luck gets assigned to manage the newly created missing person desk. Her first assignment is to find a young boy missing for a year from his home in the car north. It's a delightful story that I'm sure you'll like. I did.
In this novella, Petra is finishing training as an Greenland policeman and just by a flux of luck gets assigned to manage the newly created missing person desk. Her first assignment is to find a young boy missing for a year from his home in the car north. It's a delightful story that I'm sure you'll like. I did.
January 5, 2021
A nice short one to start the year.
I have been reading Chris Petersen on and off for a while, now. I haven't read on for a few months. This was a good one to get back into his stories. Not too full on. Not too deep. Just a pleasant story that has the usual dash of Greenlandic folklore mixed into the plot. Enjoy
I have been reading Chris Petersen on and off for a while, now. I haven't read on for a few months. This was a good one to get back into his stories. Not too full on. Not too deep. Just a pleasant story that has the usual dash of Greenlandic folklore mixed into the plot. Enjoy
March 7, 2021
I liked this mystery which introduced me to the Greenland setting. We start with the first case of a police woman who will continue in more mysteries. This is only 93 pages long, so it would be a wonderful way to meet one's reading goal for the year. At the same time, you will meet interesting characters and get to visit Greenland vicariously.
Read
July 5, 2021Great short story
This novel picks you up and carries you along a missing/presumed dead story of a young boy but with enough interesting characters and background descriptions of the area involved to keep you interested and thinking about what might have happened right to the end.
This novel picks you up and carries you along a missing/presumed dead story of a young boy but with enough interesting characters and background descriptions of the area involved to keep you interested and thinking about what might have happened right to the end.
August 22, 2021
Lovely story
This novella had a warmth and homeliness that quickly drew me to the lead character. She is quite self possessed, confident and capable as well as quite adaptable to changing circumstances. Told in the first person, you can sense that she will grow and go far in this series.
This novella had a warmth and homeliness that quickly drew me to the lead character. She is quite self possessed, confident and capable as well as quite adaptable to changing circumstances. Told in the first person, you can sense that she will grow and go far in this series.
December 1, 2021
thin plot
The plot was the detective received a phone call, flew into a rural area, asked questions of 2 people, traveled overnight to a remote cabin and found her missing person. No twists. No interesting case to solve. Nice characters. Good descriptions on the scenes. But overall, boring.
The plot was the detective received a phone call, flew into a rural area, asked questions of 2 people, traveled overnight to a remote cabin and found her missing person. No twists. No interesting case to solve. Nice characters. Good descriptions on the scenes. But overall, boring.
September 25, 2020
A tapestry of enchantment
With a carefully threaded needle this author weaves a story of delightful characters with a dark stone in the middle of their truths and lives. It's very brevity compliments the story and enhances our want for more. Bravo, Mr. Petersen
With a carefully threaded needle this author weaves a story of delightful characters with a dark stone in the middle of their truths and lives. It's very brevity compliments the story and enhances our want for more. Bravo, Mr. Petersen
January 29, 2021
Very atmospheric
Greenland is a wonderful setting for any story, I would think. This is a well written story, with a good plot and compelling characters. I will definitely like to read more in this series.
Greenland is a wonderful setting for any story, I would think. This is a well written story, with a good plot and compelling characters. I will definitely like to read more in this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews