Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

This is the first book I've read by this author, but I enjoyed it thoroughly, and will read more by her in future. It was entertaining and gripping until the end. Recommended.

Wolf Hollow is the first book of a tie-in series to Loon Lake by Victoria Houston. Released 11th Jan 2022 by Crooked Lane Books, it's 288 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out in Dec 2022. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a competently written straightforward procedural mystery with a strong female protagonist who's the chief-of-police in a very small town in Wisconsin. Despite being a fishing and nature paradise, the arrival of skullduggery, greed, and murder can ruin even the most pristine spot. That's where Lew Ferris brings her official and unofficial investigative skills to bear.

I felt the plotting was very linear. Readers who enjoy less back-and-forth in their investigations, and fewer twists, and red herrings will like this one. There is enough action to keep the plot rolling and the secondary characters (her partner "Doc" Olsen and her colleagues) add some depth but there's not a lot of time/effort spent on side distractions.

The language is PG, with some light cursing but nothing egregious. There are mentions of underage/statutory sex crimes and abuse which might be triggering to some readers, though there is nothing graphic on-page.

This is a standalone series and it doesn't seem necessary to be familiar with the author's other series to follow along here. It's a light cozy(ish) mystery and the denouement and resolution were satisfying and complete. Book 2 is due out in Jan 2023, and there are 19 books extant in her other series, so it might be a good candidate for a binge read.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 6 hours and 26 minutes and is capably narrated by Whitney Dykhouse. For this read she has a nondescript lightly midwestern American accent with light nasal quality which was distracting for a few minutes but which became unapparent after a while. The narrator covers a range of ages and both male and female characters without problems. When she read emotionally difficult reactions from some of the characters, I found her overly emotional responses distracting (she nearly screams in a couple places and cries quite distressingly/convincingly). I'm not sure how else it could've been handled, given the subject matter (sudden death), but I did find it a bit much. Sound and production quality were high throughout.

Three and a half stars. I'm intrigued enough to pick up and review book two in the series.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Unfortunately, this didn't grab me from the start but I did manage to plod through the story. Some twists and turns but none that left me feeling overly enthralled. Some elements of the story seemed a little irrelevant and I was left feeling underwhelmed overall.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a fantastic start to a new series by this author. I loved the small lake town setting. It was well written and well paced. The plot was engaging and pretty straightforward. There weren't a lot of twists and turns or red herrings, but I think that worked well in this story. I found Lew to be a strong female lead. That said, I found it a little odd how detached she seemed to her brother's death. Which made her come across as wooden and cold when talking about it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ There is also a lovely cast of secondary characters that rounded out the story, and I can't wait to see what Lew and Doc and the gang get up to in the next book!

**ARC Via NetGalley**

It's been awhile since I last read one of Victoria Houston's mysteries and this debut mystery for a new series showed me she hasn't lost her touch. It was excellent. Set in Loon Lake, Wisconsin, it focuses on the future of a local lake. There are some who want to change the name of the lake to make it more appealing to tourists and the like. The main resistance to changing Toad Lake to anything else is Grace, a woman who owns most of the land around it. Will the future of the lake be development or conservation? As the mystery unfolds three people are murdered. What connects Grace, Noah and Lew's brother to the lake and why did it lead to murder?
This is a small town and Lew is running for sheriff. It's a challenge to work the case of who murdered Grace and Noah while, at the same time, worrying about catching the person who murdered her brother. Who in their small town has turned into a killer?
I like the character of Lew. If I lived there she'd get my vote in the upcoming election to make her sheriff. She is thoughtful and cares deeply for her town. The setting is perfect and the mystery had me engaged from the very start. I'm putting this new cozy series on my 'must be read' shelf.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This introduction to a new series by Victoria Houston is fabulous! Set in the tiny northwoods Wisconsin town of Loon Lake, I really liked forty-odd police chief Lewellyn (Lew) Ferris who I found to be likeable and logical; she has a group of trusted friends and colleagues to help solve the murder of Pete Ferris, Lew's environmentalist brother. It’s always great to start a new series of cosy-type mysteries and this one was no exception to that. I did not guess the outcome until ⅗ of the way through and the characters were colourful. I'm eagerly anticipating book two as well as reading Victoria Houston's other series, also set in Loon Lake, starting with Dead Angler. 🙂 🐟

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I enjoyed this read, but overall the story really just fell flat for me. This is likely just a personal issue as I tend to stay more on the thriller/suspense end of the spectrum rather than straight mystery, but overall I'm left feeling very "meh." Was not at all a bad book, but I couldn't bring myself to care much about the constant themes of fly fishing, birds and bougie land purchasing. Was definitely cool to hear the constant references to towns in my home state of Wisconsin and I really loved that aspect of it!

If you like domestic, legal mysteries set in a small Wisconsin lake town, I think you should give this one a try! Thank you again NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my ARC!

My first Lew Ferris story and I understand why the series is so popular with interesting characters, a believable plot, plus several lessons on fly fishing. Not forgetting the murders that keep coming connected to an environmental disaster in the making if certain people In cahoots with a mining group have their way.
Overall a satisfying read looking forward to the next episode that Chief Lew will no doubt have in the future.
An independent review thanks to NetGalley / Simon & Schuster

Enjoyable cozy mystery which was a brilliantly easy read. Learnt a lot about fishing which I wasn't expecting. This is part of a series but it didnt really matter as I read it as a standalone, but will be looking for more.

All in all a good read.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

"Murder stalks the Wisconsin northwoods in a gripping novel from the author of the acclaimed Loon Lake mysteries.

It's mid-May in the tiny northwoods Wisconsin town of Loon Lake, and the fish are biting. Walleye's not the only thing on the hook. There are rumors that a precious vein of nickel and copper is buried on the property of wealthy Grace McDonough, and the drilling is about to begin. But not if environmentalist Pete Ferris can help it.

When Grace's 24-year-old son, Noah, is caught in a sordid sex crime, police chief Lew Ferris makes the arrest. But a day later, Lew is stricken when her brother Pete turns up dead, a bloody pry bar found in the woods nearby. Then, Grace's body is discovered in a car at the bottom of a river - and Noah has vanished. Lew puts out a statewide APB, but before long, Noah is also found murdered on the McDonough property.

It's beginning to look like mother and son were killed by the same person. And when Lew learns that her brother had planned to file a lawsuit to prevent drilling for the sulfide mine, a key piece of the puzzle suddenly falls into place.

Lew is beginning to close in on the truth. But has the killer set his bait again, angling for his biggest catch yet?"

Murder in my home state? Tell me more!

Wolf Hollow by Victoria Houston is a highly recommended mystery set in Wisconsin.

Police Chief Lewellyn (Lew) Ferris fights crime, teaches fly fishing classes, and enjoys the company of Doc Osborne in the northwoods town of Loon Lake, Wisconsin. When a group of 12 year-old preteens set a trap and try to instigate a citizen's arrest on a sexual predator, the man involved turns out to be Noah McDonough, the 24-year-old son of wealthy Grace McDonough, a local landowner. Lew makes the arrest and discovers this wasn't the first time Noah did this. She also uncovers the information that Grace is in the process of negotiating with a company for mining rights on her land. This would devastate the environment and the fishing in the area.

When Lew's brother Pete is discovered dead out by a nest of loons he has been observing, suspicions begin to rise since Pete, an environmentalist, was also involved with an organization planning to file a lawsuit to prevent the drilling on McDonough's land. The mystery deepens when Grace and Noah don't show up in court for his arraignment and can't be found. Then another body is found and it becomes clear that more investigation is needed to uncover the conspiracy that seems to be underway.

Wolf Hollow is an excellent choice for those who would enjoy a cozy-like mystery set in small town Wisconsin and love fly fishing. It is also perfectly easy to enjoy the novel even if you aren't a huge fan of fishing. All the characters you are supposed to trust are likable, and Lew has a group of trusted friends and colleagues to help solve the murder mysteries. The antagonists are very obvious. It is clear who you can trust so the enjoyment is found in the discovery of clues and information while putting all the pieces together to solve the crimes. There are not a lot of gory scenes and details, which is what makes the novel take on the feeling of a cozy mystery (with the exception of some language) but is also a procedural.

This is the first Lew Ferris novel in the continuing Loon Lake mystery series set in Wisconsin. There are many descriptions of fly fishing, as well as other fishing, which didn't bother me but may be a negative for some readers. It is easy to skim over the fishing scenes. They do add a natural element to the plot since the northwoods are an important part of the book and establishing the setting and culture of the area. The novel is well written. Although the mystery itself is not extremely complicated, it logically follows the clues and discoveries which is a plus in any procedural.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Crooked Lane Books.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

First off, Thank You to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read an advanced digital copy of this book for an honest review. This is my honest opinion of the book

I really enjoyed Wolf Hollow. The story takes place in Loon Lake, with a woman police chief Lew Ferris. I really enjoyed how she handled everything that was thrown at her...dead bodies showed up at different times in the story but were all strategically connected. The characters were new to me but to some readers the characters were from the authors previous series Loon Lake mysteries. Lew Ferris series is going to be a good one...she is over 40 and dating an older man...it's someone I could relate to as I married a man almost 18 years older than me.

The story is a murder mystery but it also included wildlife conservation and fishing. The protagonist loves to fish and she also teaches how to fish correctly.

The book kept my interest and I enjoyed reading it. Although the story was predictable and I kind of figured out who the killer was it was still a good read. I will look for future Lew Ferris books and will look for Victoria Houston's other series at my library.

Something's very wrong in the Wisconsin town of Loon Lake. Chief Lew Ferris, already dealing with allegations of assault by Noah, son of the wealthy and prominent Grace, now must cope with the death of her brother Pete. Which turns out, of corse to have been a murder. And then Grace is killed. How are these things connected? No spoilers from me but Grace was planning to sell land along the river where Pete was watching birds, among other things. This is arguably between a procedural and a cozy (some of the plot elements fit) but it skews more serious than the latter. This isn't an area I'm familiar with but I enjoyed the atmospherics. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read which kept me guessing.

I love books set in Wisconsin as I lived there and I'm always happy to read books about places where I lived.
This is a well plotted, twisty and gripping crime thriller that kept on the edge and guessing.
Good character development, solid mystery, an intriguing setting.
I want to read other books in this series
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Victoria Houston is back! And she includes Lake Loon’s leading characters in Wolf Hollow, the introduction of her new series, Lew Ferris Mysteries.

Lake Loon Police Chief Lewellyn Ferris decides to run for County Sheriff but gets sidetracked by murder. Three murders, to be exact. First, wealthy Grace McDonough plans to sell her land to a controversial mining operation. Chief Ferris detains Grace’s son Noah on sex crime charges. When both fail to show up in court to answer Noah’s charges, searchers discover their bodies in different locations a few days apart.

Complicating matters for Chief Ferris is the discovery of her brother Peter’s dead body in the woods. At this point, Chief Ferris calls Doc Osborne, forensic dental expert and, often, acting coroner, and Ray Pradt, fishing guide and tracking expert, to help with the investigation in all three murders.

A consummate storyteller, Ms. Houston’s experience concocting intriguing mystery plots is extensive, with her 19 volume Lake Loon Mystery series on bookshelves worldwide. Wolf Hollow is an impressive example of the complex plot, finely drawn characters, and suspense-driven pace readers expect from this author. Yes, Ms. Houston is back, and fans are excited.

Lew Ferris is a police chief in the small town of Loon Lake. One day, she is called out to arrest the son of a local wealthy landowner when he attempts to kidnap a minor, and things spiral from there. A few days later Lew's brother dies in mysterious circumstances, but he is not the only person to lose their life in Loon Lake in the days to follow. Lew has to find out if Pete's death has anything to do with the murders and investigate what is behind them.

Wolf Hollow was a fine book. It didn't particularly impress me, but I didn't hate it, either. My two main issues were that I didn't really connect with the characters, and I didn't like the writing style; I found it dry and flat. An example of both is when Lew talks about her just deceased brother as "the individual back in that room", which feels really cold and unnatural. The mystery was more of the "cozy" sort, there weren't many twists and turns, but it did keep me interested enough to keep reading until the end. It's a very quick read, but sadly pretty forgettable.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this arc.

First in the Lew Ferris Mystery series, this novel is set in the small town of Loon Lake in Wisconsin. We follow the police chief Lew Ferris’ hard work to solve a serious of murders that happened in her quiet town and she faces the prospect that the killer is someone she knows - since in her town everybody knows each other.

This book is a page-turner. I put other books I was reading aside only to finish this one. It grabbed me by the throat and I needed to know what was coming next. I liked the writing style, the descriptions of the city and nature. Full of twists, Wolf Hollow is a great book and I surely want to read more books of this series.

A Beguiling Backdrop…
Is a killer stalking the Wisconsin northwoods? A compelling and enjoyable mystery featuring police chief Lew Ferris and set Loon Lake, Wisconsin. Can Lew close in on a killer when the bodies begin to pile up and solve the puzzle before it’s too late? With a credible cast and a beguiling backdrop this is an engaging read from start to finish.

I received a copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The author has branched out from her Lake Loon mystery series to focus more on Lew Ferris, the police chief in northern Wisconsin town of Loon Lake.

I enjoyed this book as it gave the view point from Lew. Don't worry, Doc and gang are still in this book but the stgory is told from Lew's point of view.

When Lew's brother is killed, Lew is on a mission to find who did this. Is his murder related to a suspicious death of a wealthy land-owner and her son?

I look forward to reading more books from this series.