The newly elected Sheriff Lew Ferris first case is a death of a young lady. The coroner believes that her death is from an accidental drowning. But the family and Lew think otherwise. There was a case years earlier that is similar to this one and has remained a cold case. Lew has to go against so many people and situations that tries to keep Lew from solving this case. An impressive mystery story with great plot and characters. I want to continue reading about Lew Ferris’ journey.

Disclaimer: Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Small town murder mystery that's cozy adjacent since I didn't feel the stakes were overly high here. If you're a murder mystery reader who's looking to relax and not have a high stress read I'd recommend this series 👌.

Easy reading cozy mystery that kept my interest. Judith is a newly retired marketing executive who decides to go back to her hometown to see if she can discover what really happened to her sister. There was always a mystery surrounding her sister’s death, but Judith thinks she was murdered. She gets a job with the Sheriff’s department so she can have easier access. But then another girl is thought to have been murdered recently, so she involves herself in and helps to solve the newer murder. I rooted her on the whole time.

A police procedural that is atmospheric and held my attention. The procedures are described in depth and keeps you connected.

This is the second in the Lew Ferris series. I enjoyed the first one, so I was excited to read this one.

There is a lot going on in the novel. Two murders, one a cold case and one recent, but they have similar injuries so they must be connected, right? There is an art/money laundering scheme that the reader has to keep straight as well. Each individual character has a lot going on as well. At times there was too much going on, and keep it all straight is hard. One portion of the book lost my attention completely, but this was due to my lack of knowledge about fly fishing. The fact that fly fishing is incorporated is a nice break from MCs that have no side hobby or a generic hobby.

I want to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC of this book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Pretty cover on this book.

I love how atmospheric and oddly calming these books are. 🤷🏻‍♀️ This was another great read in this ongoing series. Lew, Doc, and all the gang are back. This time with a new addition that looks to be sticking around. It was a well written book. The setting as always was wonderful. It's like a character unto itself. The plot was engaging and held my interest. The characters remain very likable, and Judith was a nice addition to the team. What more can you ask for. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

This author weaves such an authentic story with multiple plot lines involving cold cases and current cases for the characters to solve with such a realistic touch that you feel like you are in the thick of the case with the police rather than just entertaining yourself with a fictional story. I love the people that the author has created in her created town and the relationships that are intertwined throughout the story line. Having the characters being so dependent on outdoor activities makes them seem even more real and relatable to both women and men.

This author weaves such an authentic story with multiple plots lines involving cold cases and current cases for the characters to solve with such a realistic touch that you feel like you are in the thick of the case with the police rather than just entertaining yourself with a fictional story. Lew is a strong woman who is now the head of the area police forces overseeing both sheriff offices and town police forces. Being a woman in a top position isn't an easy feat, yet she does it with strength and grace. I love the people that the author has created in her created town and the relationships that are intertwined throughout the story line. Having the characters being so dependent on outdoor activities makes them seem even more real and relatable to both women and men. I've actually recommended that my husband start this series as he loves a good cop drama and this series will definitely fit the bill! If you like a good mystery involving quality police investigation then you'll definitely enjoy this series!

This is the second installment in the Lew Ferris Mystery series. This is a spin-off from the Loon Lake series with many of the same characters. This series is told from Lew Ferris’ perspective. I have read the first book, ‘Wolf Hollow’, and I enjoyed this book more. I think that enjoyment has more to do with continuing with the series than anything else. There is more familiarity with characters, setting, and the author’s writing style. This book is a straightforward police procedural investigation with emphasis on small town and outdoor (fly fishing) activities to add depth to the story and its characters. The story is well told and keeps you interested until the end. A solid addition to the series.

Hidden in the Pines is the second book of a tie-in series to Loon Lake by Victoria Houston. Released 10th Jan 2023 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.

The author is a competent storyteller and the book is redolent with scenes of small town life and rural living. She's clearly familiar with the outdoorsy life and it adds a great deal of verisimilitude to the story. The action is mostly straightforward; there aren't a lot of twists and turns and few red-herrings to confuse along the way.

Protagonist Lew Ferris is just starting her job as the newly-elected sheriff of McBride county in the Wisconsin northwoods, and she's already dealing with a tragic drowning death/murder? with creepy parallels to a case from 3 decades before, money laundering with dangerous potential to harm the people she loves, as well as heaping helpings of sexism and an entrenched "old boys" network. No time for trout fishing in her near future.

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 procedural(ish) mystery and the denouement and resolution were satisfying and complete. This is book 2, and there are 19 books extant in her other series, so it might be a good candidate for a binge read. 

Three and a half stars. 

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

Hidden in the Pines is a great continuation of the Lew Ferris series. She is now the new sheriff in town and she is dealing with a case that is, in her opinion, is being mishandled. The parents of the young drowning victim agree and things get complicated. Add Judith, their new hire, who has been haunted by the death of her sister fifty years ago. Judith was only eight at the time and now she wants to get some answers. Hence her desire to work for Lew. The stage is set for a very engaging police procedural and I enjoyed it. The setting the atmosphere, all of it supported a fine cast of characters and a very good mystery to untangle. If you haven't read the first entry in this series, Wolf Hollow, no worries, Hidden in the Pines works well as a stand alone.
My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

DNF

I made it through the first few chapters, and it was difficult to get caught up in the story. The writing was too choppy for me. I felt the story had a good concept, and I really enjoyed that part of it. I just could not deal with adjectives stuffed in just to add extra words without the flow and rhythm of the words which is what as a reader I want. I just could not do it.

This was an engaging story and number 2 in the series. It was predictable at times but it stilled held my attention.

I finished Hidden in the Pines by Victoria Houston a few days ago. This is the second book in the Lew Ferris series, however it was perfectly fine as a standalone. I did not read the first novel but she does a great job keeping the reader up to date with the character storylines involved.

I purposely chose this book because I live in Wisconsin and used to vacation up north. I was very familiar with the areas mentioned but Victoria is very atmospheric in her writing style so anyone could imagine the lush waterways, fishing spots and forest areas we have. The story begins very captivatingly with a mystery of a girl’s death. In the beginning paragraphs the younger sister (Judith) who overhears the the officer at the door, understands enough to know that something doesn’t feel right about how everything was handled. So 50 years later, when she’s about to retire, she comes back to do something about it.

Meanwhile, there’s a new sheriff in town and she doesn’t take crap from anybody! But underneath her exterior is a soft, loving teddy bear. Judith finds her way into Lew’s office, and the rest, as they say, is history! Current and cold cases are solved, cozy mysteries are uncovered. The author gives us a crescendo and chase through the woods, with the end satisfying enough while still letting you know that another one is coming. The storyline for the most part, just wasn’t at my speed. But I’ll be honest, life up north in Wisconsin is like this. So my 3 star rating is just for my personal taste for cozy mysteries—they are not my thing.

Hidden in the Pines by Victoria Houston is a highly recommended procedural and the second installment of the Lew Ferris series.

Lew Ferris is now the newly-elected Sheriff of McBride County, in the Wisconsin Northwoods. The official cause of death of a teenage girl is being questioned by her parents and Lew, but Alan Stern, Chief of the Deer Haven Police Department and a subordinate to Lew, has ruled it accidental. It appears that there may be some interference in the case, which has some suspicious similarities to a death from years ago.

Newly retired Judith Hanson has returned to the area and been hired to help Dani in the sheriff's office, but what Judith would really like to discover is the truth behind her sister's death fifty years ago. Adding to the stress, Doc Osborne's daughter Mallory learns that there is some suspicious activity being carried out by wealthy local Matt Brinkerhoff. Also, it seems Dani may have her eyes set on Ray, the local fishing guide.

Wolf Hollow, the first Lew Ferris novel in the series was very enjoyable and the second book, Hidden in the Pines, is a worthy follow up to it. These novels are akin to cozy mysteries, only set in Wisconsin and feature a lot of talk about fly fishing. There is enough information provided in the narrative that you can easily enjoy both books as a stand-alone read, but they do compliment each other.

This is a satisfying and pleasing series. Although the mysteries are very straightforward and not extremely complicated, they will hold your attention throughout the novel. With a quick pace and exciting action, the investigations logically follow the clues and discoveries which is a plus in any procedural.

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

Read this as much for the characters (and to be honest, the fishing) as for the mysteries. Lew Ferris is one unlucky Sheriff at the moment. She's dealing with other law enforcement officers who resent her a coroner she does not believe is competent, the drowning death of a teen and the arrival to town of the sister of another girl who died thirty years ago. Oh, and there's a money laundering case as well. There is perhaps too much compressed into this novel but that's the way life works sometimes. The Loon Lake setting is atmospheric (and provides opportunity for digressions about fishing). Don't worry if you missed the first one - this will be fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I enjoyed reading this mystery. The descriptions of the Wisconsin Northwoods made me want to visit, particularly the descriptions of the woods with their fall colors, and the streams with their abundant fish and the clouds of insects hovering over the water. The story has a rural feel to it, although it has its share of corruption and secrets.

The story is set in a county in the Wisconsin Northwoods where winter is a dangerous season and fishing is an art to be studied and practiced lifelong. Lew Ferris is the new sheriff of McBride County. She is reviewing files when she reads about the recent drowning of a teenaged girl, that was categorized as an accidental death by the coroner. It sounds off to her, and she knows that the elected coroner does not have a medical background. Lew finds a way to legally request an autopsy and the result that comes back is murder. She has now made enemies of the coroner and the Chief of Police in the town that the death occurred in. Then she finds another years old file where another girl's death was ruled a drowning.

That girl's sister was a young child when her sister died at camp so many years ago, but she has never forgotten what she overheard from her parents. Judith had applied and been accepted for a job at the new sheriff's office in the hopes of being able to find out more about her sister's death. I was pleased that Judith shares her suspicions with her coworkers.

There is also another mystery that involves art, money and murder. A millionaire who collects valuable artwork lives in a nearly mansion, where years ago another young woman was found dead. Now a young woman who runs an art gallery is visiting and may have found out too much.

I received an e-arc of this book for review from the publisher Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

The second of the Lew Ferris series, Hidden in the Pine by Victoria Houston is a rural sheriff saga. It begins with a flashback, when Judith learnt about her older sister’s murder. Still grieving and investigating, fifty years on, Judith quits her job and takes an admin-assistant role at McBride County Sherriff’s Department. Newly-elected Sheriff Lew Ferris investigates the drowning death of a teenage girl, with her belligerent boss and an incompetent coroner having ruled it an accident. Having not read the first book was no disadvantage, as there was plenty of focus on all characters to such an extent the crime seemed secondary. A pleasant crime story with an almost folksy feel that was an enjoyable three stars gentle crime read mystery. With thanks to Crooked Lane Books and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. It os not my most favourite type of crime thriller as i found it a little slow paced but i enjoyed the setting.

Lew is just starting off as sheriff and immediately has to deal with a death of a young woman that was handled completely wrong. Turns out this case has a connection to something that happened years ago, but we don't figure out exactly how until Judith turns up asking questions about her sister that was killed. Her parents spent years lying to her about what happened, and now all she wants is the truth. This was the case I was most interested in finding out more about.
I loved that this book was filled with strong female characters, it was also full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing.