Coming January 9!

This was a very powerful story that shined a spotlight on both mental health issues of veterans and the opioid epidemic in our country. It’s a slow-burn and character-driven, both of which I enjoy, and told in a unique way that added an extra level of suspense to the story.

I very much enjoyed this debut and will be reading whatever Pease writes next!

Thank you Atria for the arc via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

What an incredibly tight literally ride!

This book was exactly what I needed. I didn't get as much reading done in November as I would have liked, so Northwoods kicking off December was such a treat.

It's a heavy character driven novel, an atmospheric slow burn that excels in delivering a complex mystery without giving in to genre tropes or cliche.

We are thrust into a story filled with trauma, mental health, PTSD and substance abuse. Amy Pease does a spectacular job of evoking a visceral discomfort and empathy for the characters but it never crosses into hyperbolic territory.

The final act deliveres a payoff with an action packed climax that benefits even more from the relationships and subtle chemistry everyone has developed over the course of its few hundred pages.

I can't believe this was a debut novel, I want go deeper with Eli and Alyssa, I want to see them on screen someday and I certainly want to read everything Amy Pease ever writes.

I received a digital advance copy of Northwoods by Amy Pease via NetGalley. Northwoods is scheduled for release on January 9, 2024.

Northwoods follows Eli, a man working in a rural sheriff’s office after his return from Afghanistan. Eli has been using alcohol to deal with memories he can’t rid of, and the damage it has done to his marriage. In this novel, he is called out on a noise complaint, which leads to the discovery of the body of a teenage boy. The sheriff calls in the FBI, as their small town isn’t equipped for a murder investigation that seems to be tied to the opioid epidemic. Eli is forced to work with the young agent not only on the case, but in the battle against his own demons.

Eli is a vet who has brought things home with him. The impacts this has on both him and his relationships is hauntingly believable. I found myself begging with him to make better choices while still understanding why he didn’t. Around him are characters with varied responses to his issues. Some are supportive, others are full of judgment, few of them have any idea how to help. Overall, the cast felt like a group of people you might encounter in real life.

The story itself brings in many threads including PTSD, drug abuse, alcoholism, and self-harm. Combined, this is a heavy load for a novel, but Pease manages to keep a thread of hope woven throughout. What starts as a small-town murder grows to nation-wide and world-wide issues. There were a few spots where I did not follow Pease in the connections a character made or the explanations given for events. Some of this may have been deliberate, as this feels like a novel that is the start of a series. While I had the answers for some of the questions raised at the start of the novel (Who killed this boy?), there were questions related to the bigger picture that went unanswered.

Overall, Northwoods is a solid debut mystery/thriller. I would absolutely read more if this continues as a series, or any other works by Pease.

Amy Pease’s debut novel is a propulsive murder mystery that will keep you glued to the page. I don’t usually enjoy dark contemporary mysteries like this one, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to what she publishes next.

The story grabs you right from the start. You feel for Eli and can’t look away from the trainwreck his life has turned into. The secondary characters also grab you, each family dealing with difficulties. You discover not all is as it seems. The “bad entity” was relatively easy to figure out, but there are still twists that you don’t see coming. I also really liked the FBI agent, Alyssa. I would be interested to see if this turns into a series.

Thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and Amy Pease for the eARC.

3.5 stars, rounded up.
There was a lot I really liked about this book beginning with it being placed in Northern Wisconsin, a place I vacationed when I lived in Wisconsin. Eli North is a deputy in a small town, when he is called to check out a noise complaint, he comes across the body of a young man. We learn quickly that all is not well with Eli, a veteran who suffers from PTSD and is self medicating with alcohol and drugs.

Pease does a wonderful job of describing the panic attacks that Eli suffers from, although I found them disturbing....the point, I'm sure. She also does a great job of showing how an understaffed small town sheriff's department can be overwhelmed with a major crime even with the help of the FBI. I was also impressed with the secondary characters; Eli's mom, the Sheriff; the FBI agent; and the mothers involved.

My negative was how tidily everything was wrapped up quickly in the end, even Eli's shortcomings. Also, I had a hard time picturing this upper crust golf club in the middle of nowhere where everyone else was struggling financially.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a very good debut mystery from Amy Pease. It was well written and had strong, interesting characters. I did figure out one twist about halfway through the book but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book and its conclusion. It seems like it has the potential to be a series. I would definitely read more by Amy Pease. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

A lot is going on in this small lakeside resort town which has a woman sheriff and only two other police officers - one being her son Eli who has PTSD from his time in Afghanistan.

Eli only has the job because of his mother, and he tries to medicate himself with alcohol.

When Eli is asked to check on a cabin that has a radio blaring, he finds no one inside, but finds something worse - a dead child in a boat.

The autopsy indicates that the child was hit over the head and also injected with drugs.

Another interesting part about finding the child is that he was with another resident of the campgrounds during the day, but now she is missing.

We follow the investigation and hope Eli can help solve the murder and redeem himself and get some help with his problems.

NORTHWOODS was a bit confusing at first, but once the investigation got going, my interest picked up.

There were a few people I had in mind as the murderer and kidnapper and a few surprises, but I never suspected the real murderer.

Also addressed was PTSD and how it affects those suffering from it. Also addressed was alcohol abuse.

Enjoy if you read this well-written debut. 4/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Eli North has all your sympathy as he tries to do his job as a deputy in the sheriff's department in a small resort town in Wisconsin. The descriptions of his ongoing fight with PTSD while he tries to solve the murder of a teenager in town are vivid and heart breaking. I rooted for him all the way, as his mental health after two years in Afghanistan continues to erode.

The murder mystery, and the police procedures with Eli helping when and as he can, is well written and plotted. The woodsy setting of the resort town adds to the interest in the novel, and the character portrayal is excellent.

Well worth reading.

4 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.


The perfect summer story for the middle of winter.

Shaky Lake is a tiny town, looked over by Paul Bunyan. Up in the Wisconsin woods, it is home to a summer resort population and a tiny group of local law enforcement. Like any place in America, it is not immune to drugs and crime.

Eli is a deputy sheriff. His mother Marge is the high sheriff. Alongside them are two other deputies - Phil and Jake. Not quite enough people to care for this little place in the woods. Eli grew up here. Was once a national investigator for Fish and Wildlife. Served in the military. And has fallen hard since. Eli has PTSD and a drinking problem.

When a teen is found murdered and another missing, the small town sheriff’s department is tasked with solving a mystery. The FBI is brought in. What will be uncovered and what truths will be found in this idyllic summer paradise?

Really enjoyed this one and hope that Pease continues to write about Eli. While there are some truly difficult themes in this book, I found the inner psyche of Eli fascinating. The relationship between him and his mother. The small town vibe. What lengths a community is willing to go to protect one of their own.

It’s a good crime story that is worth a read.

Northwoods. The cover of this debut novel by Amy Pease is beautifully calm and inviting, but even in the serenity of Wisconsin’s rustic vacationland, Eli North cannot escape his demons. Eli suffers from PTSD due to his combat experiences in Afghanistan. In his attempts to mute the damage, he’s turned to alcohol, which in turn has destroyed his marriage, threatens his precious relationship with his son, and has his co-workers at the sheriff’s office questioning his mother – the sheriff – about why he is still on the payroll.

Marge North has her reasons beyond the fact that he’s her boy and she loves him. The budget for law enforcement does not allow for extra help, and when Eli comes upon the dead body of a young boy, she needs all hands-on deck to handle the investigation on top of the other needs of county law enforcement. Is Eli up to the task? When a teenage girl who’s been spending time with the victim goes missing, the FBI is called in. Alyssa Mason is an attractive, 30-something-year-old woman from Chicago. Pairing her with Eli in this small, mosquito-ridden town makes for some interesting judgments on both sides. Can they work together?

This case turns out to be beyond the scope of a local killer and has more dangerous implications. I was impressed by the complexity of the plot, and I liked the character development as well. There are some heartwarming scenes toward the end that seemed a bit too pat, but I found those easy to overlook because it’s easy to root for Eli and this band of good guys.

I received a digital version of Northwoods in exchange for my unbiased review. Thanks to NetGalley, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and the author. Opinions and thoughts are my own.

4 stars

I can hear you rolling your eyes after you read the book's description. Another alcoholic soldier drama that tears at your heart but all ends beautifully, right? No. This novel goes so much deeper than that, but in a manner that sneaks up on you.
Yes, Eli North is an alcoholic who’s employed because his mama hired him. It takes a bit to even care about him; he’s so worthless at his meal ticket job. But read on. He doesn’t want our pity, and his mama would knock you on your keester if you pitied her. She’s tough enough to do it. And she refuses to give up on her son when everyone around her thinks she’s a fool.
Eli ever so slowly responds to a radio call late one night, assuming it’s another noise complaint on the lake. He finds, in the hull of a boat floating off the dock, the body of a young man who had the entire world ahead of him. Unable to turn a drunk eye on this young man’s life, Eli digs deep into his former military police days in an effort to solve the murder. It’s not all smooth sailing; Eli is fighting a demon who has his claws sunk deep into him. You’re going to feel anger towards Eli, then probably his mother, because he seems like such a waste of skin. And that’s what makes this book so worthwhile.
The eloquent writing, the subtle glimpses of light, then dark, cause an emotional reaction to the reader. The tug and push of Eli’s internal war while fighting a new kind of war on his homeland won’t cause you to pull for the good guy. He’s still not a good guy in your eyes. But you will be feeling a whirlwind of varying emotions as you turn the pages. So worth your time to read.
Thanks so much to Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is January 9, 2024.

This debut by Amy Pease takes on a lot. Her flawed hero, Eli North, is a vet with PTSD and a drinking problem. He’s lost the job he loved, and his wife has left him – plus he works on sufferance for his mother, the sheriff, at the understaffed sheriff’s department in tiny Shaky Lake, Wisconsin. His co-workers don’t think much of him but his mother is doing her very best to pull him forward. He defeats her efforts at almost every turn as addicts tend to do.

As the book opens, Eli ignores a call from work and when he does get to it, it’s a noise complaint. He finds an empty resort cabin with the music playing full blast. He turns it off, and, checking out the nearby dock, finds a boat tied up with a dead body inside. His first panicked thought is that it’s the body of his boy, Andy, but he sees the boy in the boat is too old – he’s a teen. It also becomes clear that the girl he was with is missing.

As Eli and his mother investigate the case one way and another, the fact that the dead boy seems to have been a good kid, trying to care for his addict mother (he even knows how to administer Narcan), is something confirmed by everyone they talk to. The sheriff tried to check in on him as she was able to, and she’s devastated by his death. The missing girl, however, takes precedence.

This book is interesting as it’s told from the point of view of an addict, the ultimate unreliable narrator. Eli is struggling and the reader sees and feels his struggles, most heartbreakingly, I think the struggles he has trying to maintain a relationship with his 8-year-old son, Andy. There’s obviously a good, intelligent investigator under cover of the alcohol. I think the true triumph of this novel is in creating a character who, despite obvious flaws, is still someone the reader can relate to, root for, and even like. I wanted him to succeed.

The mystery revolves around the missing girl and the drug her pharmacist rep father is about to help launch that’s supposed to stop opioid addiction. Obviously, any company that could manufacture that kind of drug would make billions of dollars. The stakes are both high, and personal, with the various addicts Pease writes about giving the reader an emotional investment in the outcome.

That said I still felt the resolution was somewhat predictable. I rarely try and figure out an ending, preferring to be surprised, but this ending was pretty apparent even to me. I did like the writing, the setting, and the characters. The Wisconsin Northwoods felt very much like Northern Michigan where I spent my childhood summers. That layer of nostalgia along with the poignancy of the main character’s struggles made this a worthy read.

Northwoods, Amy Pease’s debut novel, should appeal to most mystery lovers although it may be a stretch for hard-core cozy mystery readers. Set in small-town Northern Wisconsin, it revolves around the opioid crisis.

As the story opens, a Sherman County Sheriff’s Department Deputy, Eli North, is investigating loud music coming from one of the resort’s cabins when he stumbles upon the body of a teenage boy at the bottom of a boat tied to the dock. An Afghan War veteran, now a habitual heavy drinker, Deputy North holds down his job only because Marge North, his mother, is local sheriff.

Marge identifies the dead boy as 16-year-old Ben Sharpe of Minneapolis, son of Rachel Sharpe, a drug addict, and stepson of Dr. Charles Sharpe, a Veteran’s Administration surgeon. The following day, vacationer Beth Wallace, reports her daughter Caitlin missing after having spent the previous day boating with Ben.

Moving between Beran’s resort, a drug rehab hospital, Green Lake Country Club, and several locations around town including the underfunded sheriff’s office staffed by only four people, most of the novel focuses on the investigation of Ben’s death and Caitlin’s disappearance. Agent Alyssa Mason, Chicago FBI, arrives to aid in the search for the missing girl. The backgrounds of each of the characters add depth to the story, and readers gradually come to realize that all is more complex than it first appears.

Pease divides the narrative into forty-two chapters and seven interspersed sections labelled “Cal,“ Cal being Calvin Wallace, wealthy Orion Pharmaceuticals sales representative and Caitlin’s father. What starts as a mystery gradually becomes a thriller deserving praise from well-known Minnesota mystery/thriller writer William Kent Krueger. Despite a few weak similes in her debut novel, Amy Pease, nurse practitioner by profession, is also a writer to watch.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advance reader copy. I look forward to her next book.

Northwoods, releasing January 9, is a debut novel by Amy Pease. Northwoods of Wisconsin is a vacation area near the small town of Shaky Lake with its sheriff’s department working within a too small budget. When a teenage boy is found dead in a boat, Eli North begins the investigation as he is a deputy there working under the supervision of his mother the sheriff.

Eli was once a strong, thriving young man with a job he loved and a wife and son. After deployment to Afghanistan, his powers of investigation are still sharp but his emotional wounds run deep and cloud his judgment. He copes by drinking, which is to say he is not coping well.

When it is determined the deceased was injected with opioids and suffered two head injuries, the entire sheriff’s department—all three deputies and the sheriff herself—has its hands full. Worse, during the investigation, they find that a teenage girl is missing.

Before the cases are solved, a pharmaceutical company trying to push its new drug that promises to save opioid addicts becomes entangled in the case. Eli determines that there is more going on than a dead boy and a missing girl. This case is his chance to redeem himself as the man he once was, but if he fails, he could lose everything.

Amy Pease, a nurse practitioner, is a nationally recognized HIV specialist. She lives in Wisconsin with her family.
My review will be posted on Goodreads starting November 21, 2023.

I would like to thank Atria Books/Emily Bestler Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

Northwoods opens with a disclaimer. This one with trigger warnings concerning the usual, helpful, suspects. Northwoods runs rampant with PTSD, teenage murder, suicide, and (hold my drink) substance abuse. The book also contains other, non-listed trigger warnings, albeit those of a more personal nature: first-time author; first-time woman author; first-time woman author with a male protagonist who comes with a menu-listing of faults.

But can I say it now? With my fortitude in place and an undying respect for Chandler and Cain and Leonard intact, I am glad I read Northwoods. Amy Pease has a terrific style and the book was entertaining as hell.

Set at a resort lake somewhere to the left of Milwaukee, Sheriff’s Deputy Eli North finds the dead body of a vacationing teen. A death that does not make sense, especially after it was confirmed as murder. Then a teen girl goes missing. Then the FBI turns up. And during it all? Eli is on a bender trying to forget his tours in Afghanistan. Unreliable narrator? You betcha.

Northwoods might be set in a tight-yet-tranquil environment but has a larger scope, mainlining hard into the opioid crisis. Pease throws in a helping of under-funded law enforcement, too. Eli’s mother, Marge - Sheriff Marge, mind you - tries to deal with it all. She is gruff enough to be in a Taylor Sheridan show yet is compassionate with Coen Brothers ideals. Murder in the Northwoods of Shaky Lake is bad enough. Her son’s suicidal tendencies are a whole other jam. Through it all, Pease has created a fun crime tale.

Her style is straightforward and honest. She does tend to add her pose with a few too many adjectives but such color will no doubt drain if her work continues in the cold gutter of crime fiction. Pease rightfully deviates from the clipped LA noir heaviness. But even better? She thankfully ignores those shameless Chick Lit trappings. Eli North might be far from perfect but Pease makes him human, respectable, and gosh-almighty(!) likable.

Within Northwoods, Pease builds exciting suspense and properly moves that in between character development. The murder mystery keeps you guessing and delivers a satisfying ending.

Northwoods has a publication date of January 2024. Go buy a copy once it’s available.

Thank you to Atria and Emily Bestler Books for contacting me with the advance read - and convincing me with the pitch.

What a remarkable debut from author, Amy Pease!

Northwoods is the story of Eli North, a former deployed veteran, turned sheriff’s deputy in his hometown where his mom is the sheriff. One night Eli stumbles upon the death of a local teen, Ben, murdered and left in a boat. It comes to light that Ben’s friend is missing. It is up to Eli and the sheriff’s department to solve the case. With the help of his mom and an FBI agent brought in to assist, Eli begins a fight against the demons of his past as he struggles to solve the case.

Northwoods held my attention throughout as I wanted to learn the details behind the crime. This book is a great start for, hopefully, a new series! I look forward to many more books by Amy Pease!

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and thoughts expressed above are my own.

Eli is a veteran struggling with addiction and PTSD from a tour in Afghanistan. He is put on the case of a missing boy in his town where his mom is the Sheriff. Eli enters the world of opioid addiction, big pharmaceutical companies and a lot of people who doubt his abilities to work on this case.

I really enjoyed this book and the very intricate story told so well. Eli is definitely a character I was pulling for from the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the chance to read and review this book.

Eli is not okay; he’s struggling with PTSD and surviving by drinking. After he lost his job, his mom offered him a position as a police officer in the small town of Shaky Lake. Their budget is constantly dwindling and the town is struggling from the fallout of the opioid epidemic.

When the body of a teenage boy is found in the lake it sets in motion that leads Eli into a tangled web. Will he be able to solve the case and get the redemption he so desperately needs? Or will this be something else that eludes him?

This book deals with some heavy and dark topics including PTSD, addiction, and the opioid epidemic. This book was very atmospheric and drew me into the surroundings. I enjoyed how it was written and I could imagine everything along the way, I felt like I was right there next to the characters. The characters were well developed. Eli, was multi-faceted and really grew as a character throughout the book. His mom was also a fantastic supporting character, and I loved their relationship. I struggled a little with some of the attitudes towards those with mental health and addiction struggles. While very realistic, I struggled with reading it as it hit very close to home for me. This was a really enjoyable book and it was well written. I enjoyed reading it.

If you are looking for a well written and atmospheric novel, then check this one out.

Thank you to Atria books, Emily Bestler Books and Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The writing from debut author Amy Pease is beautiful in this book.

Eli North suffering from PTSD from his service in Afghanistan and trying to hide it while working as a Sheriff's deputy, and hurting from being separated from his wife and son, leaves him with alcohol for comfort. HIs boss, the Sheriff, is his mother. So things are complicated for Eli trying to hide his drinking and blackouts. But you also have a heart for his mother who is grateful he survived his service but knows he is suffering terribly.

Eli discovers a teenage boy dead just across the lake from his house, and a teen girl is missing. Quiet Shady Lake, Wisconsin has now become a place they will turn upside down. Solving these cases while peeling back the layers of Eli's life now and his past service gives the reader sympathy but also frustration over wanting him to get help.

Opiod addiction is also addressed in this book that deals with some dark issues of addiction and mental health, but ultimately is a story of healing and hope.

My thanks to Cindy Burnett with Thoughts From a Page, Net Galley, and Atria Books for an advanced copy of this book. Publishes January 9, 2024.