Something about footsteps in snow/"literary" fiction

It had a long title, walking in the snow something, watching footsteps in the snow something, watching my participle dangle, etc. etc. It was about this lady who (I think?) was trying to find her birth parents or her birth father in a remote part of Norway. Sweden? She left disappointed, as did I apparently, since I wasn't impressed enough to remember the book's title. Must've come out at least 10 years ago. Any ideas?

Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson ???

No I wish. I can see the cover, there is definitely something about walking or steps or feet or something. Oh when will the alien overlords fully occupy our brains so we can live in the world of internet images!?

Long shot, because the plot is different, but it's not Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow, is it, which also was published as Smilla's Sense of Snow?

"Smilla discovers that there is a conspiracy centred on Gela Alta, an isolated glaciated island off Greenland. Previous expeditions have found something there ... and now plans are afoot to return for it. Isaiah’s death is linked to this conspiracy in some way. After a long journey of discovery in Copenhagen, during which she learns that the mechanic is not who he says he is, Smilla braves intimidation and threats and eventually gets on board the ship chartered for the mysterious expedition to Gela Alta, ostensibly as a stewardess."

Also, I now am going to say "watching my participle dangle" as often as possible. "Quit watching my participles dangle, you creeper!"

Noo not it either. When I googled walking in snow+books+norway that was the first thing that came up. Supposed to be wonderful, I've plans to add it to my hoard.

This thread has become obscene and needs corrective underpants. SO MUCH DANGLING.

There's something that's running through my mind that I can't quite place... Won a minor San Fran literary prize in the late '90's/early '00's... Chase scene at the end through high drifts. Can't remember anything else about it but that it had a roughly purplish cover...

San Francisco Book Festival's award ???

As I recall, Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name is about a woman seeking her birth parents in Lappland, Finland. I don't remember a car chase, though.

And no, I was thinking of A Girl From Zanzibar, which has lots of snow, but snow in Vermont.

>5 night_owl13: I didn't want to leave your participles dangling, so I ran a new worldcat search. Some new long shot titles:

As Simple as Snow--YA
Light on Snow--wrong locale
Story of General Dann--sci fi

I shall refrain from further searching until we see if spareme's suggestion is right. My play money's on it. The cover description matches your memory. Maybe that's where you got the 'snow' in the title?

Oh, and I also hit up Google, and the only books that came up with several keyword combos were those ubiquitous Nordic thrillers that have been coming out by the dozens for the last few years. World domination through spamming the mystery market?

YES Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name! I was waaaay off. Thanks so much, spare! I think there were footsteps in snow in the cover art I must've mixed it up. Herp derp. Thanks again!

Yay! So glad it was the right book. I actually remember liking this novel, although I'm fuzzy on all the details these years later.