This was a DNF for me at 10%. The description sounded really interesting, but the reality for me personally fell short - it was slow and I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. I wasn't intrigued or interested in continuing the story. Thanks anyway for the ARC.

I honestly have to say, I loved this debut novel by Amy Pease. It doesn’t feel like a debut novel. The writing is solid and flows effortlessly.
The main character, Eli, is fighting with PTSD and his drinking issue. I loved seeing the growth in him throughout the book. His struggle is real and the author makes you feel this.
With a murder to investigate, can Eli fight his demons long enough to help?
All in all, the story was engaging, intriguing and certainly intense. I was kept engaged throughout the story and had issues putting the book down as I had to keep on reading.
Looking forward to reading more from Amy Pease. And, maybe a second book?????
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Shaky Lake is the go to summer destination - with a swanky country club and lake front cabins, tucked away in Wisconsin's Northwoods. The place couldn't be more charming, until Investigator Eli stumbles across the dead body of teenager, Ben Sharpe after following up on a noise complaint. To make matters worse, Ben's friend, Caitlin is missing and there are no leads.

Eli's mother, Sheriff Marge oversees the local law understaffed and underfunded law enforcement. Marge calls in the FBI and together the small force works to uncover a complicated web of crime, drug distribution, greed, kidnapping, and even murder.

Will Eli be able to put his own demons beside to find Caitlin before it's too late? Or will his past deployment trauma interfere and leave him in a vulnerable spot?

I enjoyed the premise of the story but found the plot lacking the level of mystery and suspense I enjoy so much. I liked Eli's character and feel like there is potential for more of his story to be told in future books.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

Set in the small vacation town of Shaky Lake - a vacationer’s paradise for the wealthy with its posh country club and vacation homes - in Wisconsin’s Northwoods, the story begins with the discovery of a teenager’s body in a boat docked in the lake behind the cabin in a resort. The dead teenager, Ben Sharpe was supposed to be meeting his friend sixteen-year-old Caitlin Wallace, who is missing. Sherman County Sheriff Marge North heads local law enforcement, an understaffed and underfunded institution in a town dealing with the fallout of the opioid epidemic, with bare minimum resources. Her son Eli, who works as a deputy, was the one who found Ben’s body. FBI Agent Alyssa Mason joins Eli and Marge in their search for Caitlin for Caitlin, though she might know more about the case than she initially reveals. Caitlin’s father, a pharmaceutical sales professional, was supposed to join his family in Shaky Lake but stayed back in Chicago and is also proving difficult to trace. What follows is a complex web of murder, kidnapping, greed, crime and much more, revealing a darker side to the lakeside resort town. Eli, Marge, and Alyssa must race to find the killer and locate the missing teenager before it is too late.

Eli was an investigator with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service before he served in Afghanistan , joining local law enforcement after he returned from his deployment. Battling severe PTSD for which he is reluctant to seek help, his dependency on alcohol contributed to his failing marriage though he deeply cares for his soon-to-be ex-wife and eleven-year-old son. His mother’s position has helped him secure and keep his present job. As the story progresses, we also follow Eli’s journey as he battles his personal demons while trying to find a killer and locate the missing teenager.

With a cast of interesting characters, a dark and suspenseful vibe and a solid mystery at its core, Northwoods by Amy Pease is a gripping thriller/ police procedural that touches upon several important issues such as PTSD, alcoholism, mental health, substance abuse and the opioid crisis. Needless to say, this is not an easy read, but I was completely immersed in the story and thought that the plot was well structured and consistently paced. I must mention that the author has succeeded in striking a perfect balance between the plot-driven, primary murder mystery/procedural aspect and the character-driven aspects detailing the characters’ personal struggles, which is quite impressive given that this is the author’s debut novel. Though we do get a resolution to the murder mystery, the ending indicates there is much more to this story and I’ll be eagerly waiting for the follow-up installment.

Many thanks to Atria Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Northwoods is an impressive debut novel by Amy Pease. It's a character-driven, rather than plot-driven, mystery—and the novel is set in Wisconsin's Northwoods, which just happens to be my favorite place in the world.

At the heart of the novel is a mother and son relationship. Marge and Eli face their own challenges but, at the end of day, have love and respect for each other. The novel has many contemporary issues as part of its plot: the opioid epidemic, white collar crime and corporate greed.

Read if you like:
Small-town America
True crime
Complex characters

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Publishing for an eARC of Northwoods by Amy Pease. Don't miss this crime thriller!

Great book. I love how Eli has redeemable qualities even though he is definitely a fuck up because he’s so messed up. I feel like there should have been more of something for Alyssa. She kind of just goes around and does what she wants.

This book was amazing. So atmospheric and taut with tension. Being from Wisconsin, she did an excellent job of describing what the Northwoods are actually like. I sure hope she writes more in the future!

CW for the book: drugs, alcoholism, PTSD, depression, suicidal thoughts, vivid descriptions of wounds

Wow. Finishing this one up had me holding my breath.

It follows Eli and Marge, a son and mother duo who are half of the police department in their city. Eli has been struggling with some personal demons, and is also separated from his wife. He finds a body one night after a disturbance was called in. The FBI is tasked with assisting due to a missing person.

The PTSD and depression was very well represented and written here. At points I felt like I was there in the room with Eli watching him struggle. The end was satisfying and I really loved how this story was told in varying viewpoints.

*spoilers!!*

I will say - I did figure out pretty quickly that Jake was in on the side of the drug dealers, especially after that night Eli blacked out and had no memory of what happened. I felt so sad for him, being betrayed by Jake after feeling so close to him. I also felt sad when Alyssa used Eli and betrayed his trust.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A tremendous debut by Amy Pease, who captures the dynamics within a summer resort town in the Northwoods of Wisconsin when a teenage boy is found dead and a teenage girl goes missing. The small-town sheriff's department is tiny, and an FBI agent from Chicago arrives to help with the investigation. Along the way, we get to know Eli North, the sheriff's deputy (and son) who has panic attacks, drinks too much, is separated from his wife and is living in a bleak apartment. The boy's mother is addicted to drugs and wealthy; the girl's father is still in Chicago and receiving mysterious faxes at work. There are country club types & former criminals & a great assortment of interesting characters. Plus, some twists & turns you won't see coming. A most-enjoyable debut!

This debut novel is an excellent mystery/crime novel. In a small, nothern town in the midst of the opioid epidemic, Eli North is dealing with his own demons as his tries to solve the mystery of a teenage boy found dead at the lake. A great mix of a moving plot and strong character development kept me invested in the story from the start.

Addiction and its effects are strong themes explored from different angles, and the author deftly weaves together the characters and their layered backgrounds. I hope that the story will continue.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #AtriaBooks for a free copy of #Northwoods by Amy Peace. All opinions are my own.

This is a debut novel, and a stand out one at that. I was really impressed by this mystery/crime thriller and engrossed in this book. I loved the setting and truly cared about the characters and the outcome for everyone involved.

Northwoods is a police procedural/family drama with a little mystery. Set in a lakeside community, Eli is a military veteran turned police officer in a police department where his mother is the sheriff and there are only two other police officers on staff.

Eli went through something traumatic during his time serving in the military. Now he suffers from panic attacks and medicates with alcohol. Eli is also going through a divorce he doesn’t want.

He is called in on a noise disturbance at the cabins on the lake and finds a dead young man in a boat. He soon learns the girl the boy was seeing is missing. What happened to them and why?

This was a decent debut novel from the author. It was very heavy on the relationships and dynamics of Eli which I did enjoy. I really liked the character of the FBI agent, Alyssa, and could see this becoming a serial with her in it. The mystery was interesting but I figured it out pretty easily. I think you will enjoy this book as long as you know this is not a thriller.

Eli used to be an excellent investigator—can he pull it together again for a murdered teenage boy and the boy’s missing friend? It may not be the small town crime that usually happens in Shaky Lake.

This book definitely felt like the first of a series, and the reader is left wondering what’s next when this case is solved. The story starts out with Eli drunk more often than not, running from his memories of war and his failure to readjust to his previous life. His mom, Marge, is the police chief who has given him a job to try and help him get back on his feet, but she spends a lot of her time and emotional energy covering for him and trying to convince them all that he’s just having a rough patch.

When Eli finds a dead boy in a docked boat while responding to a noise complaint, their little police department of four employees really does not seem like enough to handle such a serious situation. Once a missing girl is added to the mix, the FBI is called in to collaborate. Luckily the FBI agent, Alyssa, seems the perfect addition to their awkward little cast of characters. With their few leads going in opposite directions, it’s soon apparent that the crime they think they’re investigating may only be covering up for an even more devious network of trouble.

Overall, the book had a few unexpected twists and turns, but the characters were especially rich with their own back stories and experiences. The story earned 4 out of 5 stars with just a few loose ends that would be great to hear more about in follow-up. This book would come recommended to those who enjoy crime thrillers, police procedurals, and small town stories.

The author perfectly captured the people, places, and mood of the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Well paced mystery with characters you are invested in.

Northwoods by Amy Pease was a very impressive debut novel. There was a lot of hurt in this book which might pull at the reader somewhat but I found the book really came together by the end. Along with intriguing characters, I love books that take place in areas of woods and lakes. I came away from this book definitely wanting more from this author and these characters.

Northwoods should get some award nominations this year IMO.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

This may be Amy Pease's debut, but I've already added her to my auto buy list. Northwoods is a character driven book. It's listed as a mystery/ thriller and both genre are included but it's so much more. Pease has built a small town community and populated it with characters that care about their community. Even as they battle their own demons, they push themselves to stop the evil that has come to their town. It will be a real shame if we do not see another book with these characters.

If you have read the Quinn Colson series by Ace Atkins, you'll love this book.

Northwoods is set in a quiet lakeside community in northern Wisconsin. Eli is a deputy helping to investigate when a boy is killed and a girl is kidnapped with a possible connection to the local the opiod crisis.

Eli has struggled since returning home from the military and working with his mother, Marge, creates an interesting dynamic.

This will be a winner for those that like a police procedural but with more character depth. I was constantly questioning the motives of everyone and their connections to the case.

Thank you so much to @atriabooks for gifting my bookclub @thrillersbythebookclub.mke with ARCs 💞

Title: Northwoods
Author: @amypeasewrites
Pub date: January 9, 2024

If a book is set in Wisconsin, I'm going to read it! Especially a thriller. Especially by a debut author. Especially by a Wisconsinite!

This was an incredible debut and I couldn't put it down! I loved the switch of perspectives and that kept things rolling along at a rapid pace!

While this dealt with very heavy topics of substance abuse, it never felt overly heavy or hard to read. I feel like Amy handled these topics so delicately and without judgement to those who struggle.

I'm so happy for a new thriller voice in Wisconsin and cannot wait to read and enjoy what she writes next!

"Northwoods by Amy Pease delves into a small town in Wisconsin, where the Northwoods conceal dark secrets that threaten the lives of the town's people. Eli North, is troubled after his deployment to Afghanistan. He struggles with alcoholism, relationships, and a career in the police department where his mother is the sheriff.
Eli and his mother are investigating the death of a teenage boy. Leading them to a wealthy enclave with a troubled history and unexpected twists and turns.

The scenery and vivid descriptions of the Northwoods portrays a vacationer's paradise, but below the surface lurks a sinister plot. The opioid epidemic is brought to the forefront of this book showing that even the most beautiful places are not safe from drugs, violence, and evil people.

Eli is working his way through his troubles throughout the book. This book is not for people that are easily triggered. The book is a good combination of mystery, drama, family, and human resilience. Amy Pease is able to describe the beauty of the Northwoods while keeping the reader engaged in the unfolding mysteries of the murdered boy.

I would like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of "Northwoods" and I would recommend picking up a copy of this book. #NetGalley #Northwoods #AmyPease

This story is told in third person and follows multiple characters in the Northwoods of a small lake town in Wisconsin that is short on law enforcement personnel amid an opioid problem. The small community of Shaky Lake with its fancy summer vacation homes and run down lake cabins displayed a sharp contrast between the country club set and working-class locals setting the perfect scene for this moody, atmospheric mystery.

The characters were vivid and distinct from the young FBI agent with mysterious scars to the father of a missing girl caught up in a corporate conspiracy. The mystery had me quietly absorbed while these characters slowly revealed their prospective thread in the larger web of the story. I did have an issue with the plausibility of a lawnmower incident as I have been mowing my own lawn since I was ten and thought that it could have been handled in a more realistic manner given current modern safety requirements.

I found the central character of Eli to be multi-faceted from his problems with alcohol, PTSD from serving in Afghanistan and challenging relationships with the locals and his own family including his mother, the sheriff and his estranged wife and son. His mental struggles were met very realistically by the other characters in his life with compassion, love, and frustration, some at the end of their rope and others holding out hope. I came to feel very protective of him by the end and I look forward to any future installments of this series.

Recommended to quiet or slow-burn mystery/suspense lovers.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for a copy provided for an honest review.