In Northwoods by Amy Pease, readers are immersed in the haunting atmosphere of a small Wisconsin town grappling with a sinister undercurrent. Eli North, a broken detective battling PTSD and alcoholism, becomes the focal point when a teenage boy's body is discovered, unraveling a complex web of secrets involving the opioid epidemic, corporate malfeasance, and the aftermath of war. Pease skillfully crafts a richly textured world, blending picturesque scenes with dark realities. Eli's gradual character development and the well-crafted supporting cast, including his resilient mother and a young FBI agent, add depth to the narrative. Despite occasional plot twists bordering on the unbelievable, Northwoods stands out as a gripping murder mystery with a poignant exploration of societal issues, leaving readers eagerly anticipating more tales from Pease's intricately crafted small town.

This is a voluntary review for a complimentary ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and the author/publisher.

This captivating crime novel debut has strong character development led by a veteran struggling to deal with the emotion cost of war that has this prestigious investigator working for his mother in a Wisconsin sheriff’s office as his life is falling apart. The story ties into the opioid epidemic and involves a young FBI agent who must prove her worth.

There’s something you can’t help but like about Eli and how his mother deals with what he’s going through. Her character is very level headed and compassionate. Some of the drama surrounding the headaches and injuries seems a little overdone, but overall the read is a solid one with a good ending.

Amy Pease’s debut is a compulsively readable literary mystery set in a small town in Wisconsin, perfect for fans of William Kent Krueger and Long Bright River. When a teenage boy is found dead and a girl goes missing, the small sheriff’s department with the help of a young FBI agent work to uncover a larger plot, involving opioid addiction, corporate corruption, and big pharma.

Eli, the main protagonist, is the deputy sheriff and a wounded veteran dealing with PTSD. Despite his many flaws, Pease’s writing and character development make it easy to root for him. Equally endearing are Marge, his mother and the sheriff, and Alyssa, the young FBI agent assigned to the case.

While I figured out some of the plot twists, it did not take away from my enjoyment of the story. I highly recommend this one to those who enjoy literary mysteries with strong character development.

Thanks to Atria books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

First of all brava to Amy Pease for a fantastic debut novel! This book had me hooked from the beginning. I am a sucker for a good mystery any day, but one with a rich backstory and compelling characters is pure gold and this is it!

Eli North is back in his small resort hometown in in Wisconsin and barely getting by. His time in Afghanistan has left him with PTSD and an alcohol problem. Now his family has fallen apart and he is working for his mom as a deputy sheriff trying to solve the murder of a young boy.

I found myself cheering so hard for Eli to overcome his trauma and get his life back on track while solving this crime. I also loved his mom as the town sheriff. We need more great female characters like her!
So many great characters and themes here. 5 stars from me!

In her debut novel, Amy Pease looks at a small resort town and the secrets it hides. When the body of a teenager is found in a boat, it unleashes a storm upon the town that will leave many stones overturned in its wake. Northwoods looks at not only the murder of a local teenager, but at the lengths some people will go to hide secrets and also to help others when for money and power.

I really enjoyed this slower paced mystery that had me guessing the answers. I didn't quite guess all the answers by the end, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It's harder for me to find mysteries I can't completely solve by the end of the novel. I can easily see the characters in Northwoods popping up in future novels. Like many real-life people, the characters Pease developed have their own trauma and burdens to bear. I enjoyed the realistic nature of the mystery and the character involved.

I can't wait to see what Pease writes in the future. Rating: 3.5/5

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley in exchange for review consideration.

3.5 stars — this is a crime novel that covers a lot of heavy topics (PTSD, opioid epidemic) but does it through the lens of a character you can’t help but root for.

Eli was a world class investigator before a tour in Afghanistan mentally and physically changed him. Now he is heavily drinking to get through the day, separated from his wife and son, and a deputy sheriff at an understaffed office — a job he’s only managed to keep because the sheriff is his mom. The death of a young teenage boy brings in a talented FBI agent who starts to unravel a conspiracy that goes far beyond their sleepy lake town.

This was a solid debut and while I can see (and hope) it is setting the stage for future novels with this protagonist, the conclusion could have used a little more depth. I still had a lot of lingering questions about major elements of the conspiracy and I don’t love when books end that way! Parts of Eli’s struggles had me in tears, there was so much raw hurt and depth to his character that I would definitely read more of his story (and hoping for some answers and happier storylines in his future.)

Northwoods is an impressive crime fiction debut that pulled me in from the beginning with its small town setting, shocking crime, and complex characters. Their struggles were portrayed in such an honest, relatable way that I felt fully invested in our main character's personal stories just as much as the main mystery.


The mystery was well done and compelling, touching on relevant topics such as PTSD, the Opioid crisis, the darker side of the pharmaceutical industy, and the destructive power of addiction, not just for the person struggling but also those around them.


The author has a gift for creating flawed, multi-layered characters who I couldn't help but root for even as they struggled with personal demons. The central mystery was nicely paced with a crime at the center that became more and more tangled and complex as the story progressed. This is an outstanding addition to the crime drama genre, and Ms Pease is an author to watch. There feels like plenty of story left to tell in this rural, lakeside community, and I sincerely hope we see more of these characters in future books.


Thank you to Netgalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for providing me a copy to read and review.

I was so excited to get an ARC of this one as i grew up in the Northwoods. I recently relocated back here after 15 years on the east coast. I was looking for and hoping that the author would appropriately describe this special and sometimes eerie place. I thought the author did a nice job of this and the imagery of the Northwoods as I know it was present throughout. As for the content. I enjoyed the storyline but got a bit lost throughout as it seemed to drag in a few spots. Still a good mystery thriller worth picking up.

A debut!?!? I am speechless! This was so so soooo good and needs to be on your radar! I could not put this down and while some parts were slower than others, that did not deter me from wanting more and needing to know what happened. I loved Eli, the main character, and couldn’t help but root for him.

I cannot wait to see what comes next from Amy Pease after this amazing debut!

Many thanks to atria and netgalley for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a great debut! It hooked me from the beginning and drew me in. I always love a good murder mystery, but this story has more depth to it.

In the Northwoods of Wisconsin, Eli North is a vet with PTSD and a big drinking problem. He’s working in a small town sheriff’s department, with his mother for his boss. When he comes across the dead body of a teenage boy, things start to spiral out of control.

‘Shaky Lake was a small town; everyone knew everyone else’s business, and Eli’s business could kill a good mood faster than a flat tire on the way to a party.’

With a focus on the opioid epidemic intertwined with the death and a missing girl, this book keeps you turning the pages. If you enjoy a good suspense/thriller with some unusual twists and turns, I think you’ll find this is the book for you. The ending left me wanting to know more.

I felt so many varying emotions reading this book. In parts, it made me feel a little sad, addiction is such a terrible disease. It was easy to feel for the characters in their hard life situations and choices. I could relate somewhat with Marge, Eli’s mom. A mother who would do almost anything for her child.
Highly recommend!

CW | Highlights PTSD, substance abuse, not explicit.
Some instances of strong profanity.

Wow! What a great debut novel. Engaging characters, well paced storyline and a few unexpected twists. I hope this is the beginning of a series because I got very attached to the main characters. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for an advanced reader copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the copy of Northwoods by Amy Pease. I tried to read this a couple of times before it really started to grab me, but I ended up skimming the numerous long descriptions because they didn’t add much to the story. The concentration on Eli and his wife and son seemed like this is the first book in a series, and it totally overshadowed the crime, which was a shame because the crime was more compelling. I loved the reason behind the crime and how it ended up being so timely. The best parts about Eli were his past and what happened in Afghanistan, and it would have made me more sympathetic to him if I had learned about it earlier in the book instead of after I already disliked him. If this is a series, I would give a second book a chance, because this was a promising debut! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you NetGalley & Atria for this advance copy. Northwoods is a debut novel from Amy Pease about a murder investigation in a small Midwest resort town, a missing teenager, rampant opioids and a military hero suffering with PTSD after his time in Afghanistan. For me, the characters were the highlight of this novel. I was really rooting for detective Eli. His mother, the local sheriff, was an awesome strong older female character (which we don’t get enough of in literature). I would love to see this as the start of a series. My only complaints: some things were fairly predictable and the pacing was slow through the middle but rushed at the end. Amy Pease shows lots of promise in this debut novel and I’m excited to see what she does next.

A great debut thriller! I enjoyed the characters as well as the underlying themes of the book. This book highlights the big Pharma induced opioid crisis which I think is a very important topic to address. It also brings to light PTSD and the mental health sufferings of our veterans. I enjoyed the mystery and thrill as well as the twists. I hope to see more from Amy Pease in the future, maybe even more of Eli and Marge.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

All it took was a recommendation from William Kent Krueger for me to want to read Northwoods. And luckily, my choice was not misplaced. This is Amy Pease’s debut novel, but it doesn’t read like a debut.
Northwoods is set in a small lakeside resort town in Wisconsin. The sheriff’s office is consistently understaffed and underfunded. So, when the dead body of a young teenager is found and another teenager is missing, it stretches them to their limits even with the help of an FBI agent.
Pease has created a great main character. Eli North returned home from Afghanistan with a serious case of PTSD which he attempts to keep under wraps by self medicating with alcohol. But it’s not working. His wife has asked for a divorce. And the only reason he still has a job as a deputy is that his mother is the sheriff. The secondary characters, including his mom, the FBI agent and the other deputies and the parents of the two teenagers are equally well done.
The plot gets more complicated as it goes along. It strays slightly into unbelievable territory. I had a strong suspicion (rightly so) of who was behind the crimes, but it didn’t dampen my enjoyment. The story covers themes of addiction, corporate malfeasance and absent parents. Pease does an excellent job setting a scene. I could feel myself right there.
My thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book.

Title: Northwoods: A Novel
Author: Amy Pease – Debut Author
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: January 9, 2024
My Rating: 3.7 rounded up
Pages: 288

The Northwoods of Wisconsin is a great place to vacation- hiking, fishing and sitting round a campfire, however we soon discover that something sinister is taking place.
What? It has such a beautiful peaceful cover!
(I just love a great book cover!)

Investigator Eli North is barely able to take care of himself; his wife could no longer deal with his struggle with PTSD so took their young son left him.
He is detective in the sheriff's department well yes because his mother Marge is the sheriff and although Eli is a good investigator he just might be over his head.
When a young boy’s body is found in a boat docked at Shaky Lake, Eli is truly shaken. It appears he is in the middle of an investigation that involves so many secrets.

A story involving Big Pharma is nothing new but this story kept me reading as well as curious.
I was looking forward the author’s comments as I was curious about what inspiration and what motivated her to research and writing this story- however wasn’t included in this early galley. I hope she will consider adding.

I was so delighted with Amy Pease’s Acknowledgments – actually believe it is important when an author’s deals with tough topics that they also include resources.
In this case she includes help via texting 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or calling Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800 662-HELP.

Want to thank NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for this great early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 9, 2024.

While i read this book quite quickly it didn’t illicit many strong feelings from me. At times it felt predictable and that left me wanting more. I am a fan of the William Kent Krueger books and while this book shared similarities the characters just didn’t hit home the same way.

Is this setting itself up to be a series? Bc it felt like it ended with things not completely finished. I’d probably come back for a sequel. It feels like there’s potential there. I can’t put my finger on what I felt was missing. Something about the characters’ interactions or dialogue was a little awkward, like not quite how people act. But I was less bothered by it as I got more into the story.

I have a soft spot for small towns with regular characters. I’d give more of the series a shot to see how it develops.

I’m so happy and excited to have read Amy Pease’s first novel! I really liked the pacing, didn’t feel rushed or too slow. The character developments in this book so good! Amy Pease makes you really care about her characters and for me that adds so much to the story. I will be recommending this book till everyone I know has read this book. Thank you Amy Pease, NetGalley and Atria for this digital arc!

Great book. I couldn't put it down. Totally gave me Ozarks vibes. Crime, corruption, pharmaceutical companies, drug addiction, post traumatic stress, alcoholism. This book has everything. I'm excited to see what else this author will write in the future.