A body of a young teenage boy is found in the lake. This puts Eli on the hunt for a killer. A killer in their small town is not normal. And this death leads Eli to find out for more than he bargained for.

Eli is so intelligent when it comes to investigative work. This is where his talent lies and his mother, the chief of police, knows it. She cuts him every bit of slack she can…until she can’t anymore.

Eli is a character that breaks your heart. But at the same time, you want to shake him and tell him to “WAKE UP!” Such is the life of an addict and their families. The author does a TREMENDOUS job with dealing with addiction.

This is an intricate mystery that I enjoyed. Being a pharmacist, reading about the medication side of this story, I couldn’t help but think of the Sackler family and OxyContin. So, there are many layers to this tale and you do not want to miss it!

Need a good mystery with great characters…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This is different from what I expected after reading the synopsis. I found it more of a family drama than a mystery/thriller.
The Wisconsin/Northwoods references were spot on. I enjoyed learning about the characters, but I was expecting more on the opioid epidemic.
Overall, good for a debut novel.

I am amazed that this is a debut novel! It definitely does not read as a debut.

The story takes place in a small resort town, Shaky Lake, in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. One of those places with vacation cabin rentals around a lake.

It’s an idyllic setting, not one in which you would expect to find a dead body. Especially not a young boy murdered in a boat.

The main character of the story is Eli. Marge is the sheriff of the small town and Eli is her son. Eli comes with his own set of demons, including alcoholism and PTSD from his time in Afghanistan.

Unfortunately the small town is also feeling the effects of the opioid epidemic, could this be tied to the murder?

At first, when I started reading, I wasn’t sure about the book. I don’t really like my fiction to tackle issues and this one covered a lot - alcoholism, PTSD, and the opioid crisis. However, the more I read, the more I got into the story and the character development, and ended up enjoying the book. As long as there are no triggers for you, it’s a solid story and I look forward to reading more from Amy Pease.

"Some people are born without a human conscious."

Sadly, it's the ones with a consciousness that suffer. We feel that human pain in the impressive heart grabbing character driven crime drama police procedural, Northwoods, by debut author Amy Pease.

Eli North is hurting...his body, his mind and mostly his heart. Coming back from a deadly deployment in Afghanistan the only job he can get is as a deputy in the small resort town of Shaky Lakes, Wisconsin; where his mother, Marge (my favorite character), is the sheriff. He literally stumbles into a major investigation involving a dead teenage boy on a deserted boat, a missing tourist teenage girl, a suspicious pharmaceutical drug trial and the opioid epidemic in the Northwoods of his hometown.

The crimes and the police investigation kept me guessing and reading but it was Eli and his relationship with his mother, his estranged wife and young son that kept me up alternating between reading and listening to this all too real family drama.

Voice actors Chris Henry Coffey and Zac Aleman touched my heart with their very real emotional performances. This writer brought tears with her honest writing. Marge, already dealing with no budget for her deputies, a murderer on the loose, a missing girl, and opioid overdoses, knows that she can't kiss her son's boo boos away anymore. Realizing Eli is looking for a way out, she tearfully says to him, "I don't know what to do; loving you isn't enough." As a mom who knows if loving them was enough they would all be saved; this story became very real for me.

There were good twists, honest emotions, and hopefully more of these very human characters in the future of the Northwoods.

I received a free copy of this audiobook/book from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book very much. A detective novel with an unreliable protagonist who has many of his own problems to solve before he can effectively do his job, I thought it was well written and introduced a lot of characters with the intention of writing future installations.

Deputy Eli North returned from Afghanistan suffering from PTSD and now employed as deputy in a resort in Wisconsin. A murder finds him working with the FBI to solve this crime. It took a bit of time to get into this book, but overall not a bad read.

Wow. What can I say. As an avid thriller reader, this hits the mark and is reminiscent of Brian Freeman’s Stride series. Short chapters keep it easy to pick up and put down as needed but I didn’t want to put it down. I can easily see how this could become a series - the characters are well written and easy to root for, you feel attached to them.

My only drawback was that I easily figured out the ending - but again, I read thrillers all the time and have learned to pick up clues, so it’s not any fault of the book itself. It didn’t stop me from enjoying it at all. Well done!

Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This novel is so well-written that it’s hard to believe it is a debut.

It is a very character-driven mystery/police procedural and will interest those who enjoy intense characters with tortuous personal struggles.

The intricate plot addresses PTSD in veterans, opioid abuse, alcohol abuse, and big pharma in the form of a drug company that has developed a miracle drug that will help opioid addicts.

When the body of a dead boy is found, it leads to a missing teenage girl from the Chicago area. This was a bonus because I spent part of my childhood around the areas discussed in the book.

#Northwoods #AmyPease #Mystery #Police #NetGalley #ARC #HonestReview #AtriaBooks #EmilyBestlerBooks #Debut #ReadersOfTheLateArc #TalkWordyToMe #LoveToRead #BookAddict #ThrillerBookLovers #BookReviewer #Thriller #LoveBooks #ThrillerBookLoverPromotions #ThrillerFriendsUnite #ThrillerObsessedBookishClub #Bookstagrammer #BookReels

A very compelling read! I will read anything revolving around the opioid epidemic & this one was fascinating. The ending felt a little too open for me, but I hear we might be getting more from these characters? Overall, a very good mystery.

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Northwoods‘ pace is medium.

POV: Northwoods is told mainly from Eli’s 3rd person POV. But, there are also 3rd person POVs from Marge, Alyssa, and Cal. There is one heartbreaking scene from Ben and Caitlin’s POV (the day of Ben’s murder).

Trigger/Content Warning: Northwoods have trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Gun Violence
Alcoholism
War
Addiction
Drug Abuse
Mental Illness
Panic attacks/Disorders
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Suicidal Thoughts
Blood
Kidnapping
Grief
Death of a parent
Murder
Alcohol
Injury/Injury Detail
Classism
Domestic Abuse (not on page but mentioned to Eli by his mother)
Death
Drug Use
Toxic Relationship
Medical Content
Medical Trauma
Suicide Attempt
Amnesia & Memory Disorders (Eli cannot remember what happened after he entered the hallway of a house he entered in Afghanistan)
Depression
Hospitalization
Car Accident
Knife Violence
Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Northwoods.

Language: There is moderate to explicit swearing in Northwoods. The language used could also be considered offensive to readers who are triggered easily.

Setting: Northwoods is set in Shaky Lake, Wisconsin.

Age Range: I recommend Northwoods to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Eli North is battling his demons. His drinking is out of control, and his marriage is over. The only job he can hold down is a deputy under his mother, the sheriff of Shaky Lake. And even then, he is skating on thin ice because of his drinking. So, he thinks it is no big deal when he responds late to a noise complaint at a local campground. Instead of finding tourists partying, Eli finds the dead body of a teenage boy. The resulting investigation leads to a missing teenager, the boy’s girlfriend. The resulting investigation takes Eli from the mansions that line Shaky Lake to the people with an addiction who buy opioids to a pharmaceutical salesperson who is going to blow the whistle on a miracle drug that is killing people. While Eli follows the clues, his life is imploding. Can he hold it together long enough to solve the case? Or will Eli succumb to his demons?

Main Characters:

Eli North is the main character in Northwoods. His well-written, well-researched character made my heart bleed for him. What I liked the most about him was that he was very self-aware of his faults. There were times when I didn’t think he would be able to finish the case and one time when I thought he was going to end his life. If I had to label him, I would say that he was more of a morally gray character and only because he was so tortured by what happened overseas.

There were a lot of secondary characters, and they each added depth to the storyline (and to what Eli was going through).

My review:

Northwoods is Amy Pease’s first book; I can’t wait to read more from her. Northwoods is well-written and well-researched. I was captivated right from the beginning (when Eli was swimming) to the end, which offered so much hope for Eli. I will be on the lookout for more books by this author.

The main storyline centers around Eli. It follows him during the investigation into Ben’s murder. But it also shows a very realistic look into what it is like living with PTSD. To say Eli wasn’t coping well was an understatement. He turned to alcohol to numb himself and to deal with the severe panic attacks that he got (which could be triggered by anything). Everyone knew something was up, but no one wanted to say anything, including his mother. But he did manage to investigate Ben’s murder (and Caitlin’s kidnapping) while battling those demons.

There were a few secondary storylines (centered on Ben’s mother, her drug use, Caitlin’s father, and his work). I was curious how the author was going to tie everything in with Ben’s murder and Caitlin’s disappearance. Well, I wasn’t surprised with how everything was connected. It made sense in a weird, roundabout way. It also paved the way for the end of the book.

The mystery and thriller angles were both well-written. I was kept in suspense over what would happen next during the investigation. I was also shocked at not only who the murderer/kidnapper was but why that person did what they did.

The end of Northwoods was a little bittersweet. I can’t get much into it, but it was good. There was a twist with who the kidnapper/murderer was, and it took me by surprise. I found it interesting that the author didn’t end some of the storylines. Instead, the people behind the killers were still out there. I wondered if there was going to be another book.

Many thanks to Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, NetGalley, and Amy Pease for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Northwoods. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Intriguing story of a war time vet who is haunted by his wartime experiences. His mother is the local sheriff and gives him the opportunity to settle back into life by making him a deputy. As he battles drugs and alcohol, he begins to suspect that there is a bad cop in their midst.

I love books set in Wisconsin, so from the very beginning of this book I was absorbed by the setting. I could feel the heat of the lake water and hear the whine of the mosquitoes. But I quickly felt entangled in the lives of these messy characters as the understaffed sheriff's office investigated the murder and disappearance entwined in the opioid crisis. I felt the betrayal along with Eli, the terror for her child along with Marge, and the relief as the book came to a conclusion. I was sad to end my time with these characters and hope that they may return in a future story.

All is not blissful in the small resort town of Shaky Lake. In Shaky Lake everyone knows everyone else’s business, but there are secrets, dark secrets connected to Americas opioid addiction. With a dwindling budget, the town sheriff, Marge, takes her son, Eli, on as a deputy. Eli is struggling with emotional wounds after his deployment in Afghanistan, drinking too much to blot out his pain, he’s lost everything he holds dear. When he finds the body of a boy in a boat on the lake, many things come back to haunt him. When it’s discovered that a teenaged girl is also missing, will he be able to hold it together long enough to solve the case? When an FBI agent shows up in town, she not only helps out on the case, she also helps Eli to search out his inner demons, demons that threaten his very existence. An exclusive country club, a state of the art rehab center and a pharmaceutical company all have ties to the small resort town and all have interests in the new miracle drug, Salvare that’s about to hit the market, but how does the death of a teenaged boy and a missing teenaged girl tie in, or does it? This was a page turning good debut and Eli is a character worth rooting for. Everything was not tied up neatly in the end leaving me hoping for a series from Pease, please? Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Northwoods
Mystery -Suspense -Crime Thriller
I really enjoyed this book and was hooked from the start! Having the opioid/addiction/ptsd themes into a small town made this book seem real and relatable! I thought the characters were great and had nice development! the storyline played out perfect leaving the door open for more!
Thanks Net Galley & Atria Books for this Arc

An excellent suspensive debut for crime lovers. This novel follows a mystery involving two teens, the opioid crisis, and mental illness. It centers on Sheriff’s Deputy Eli North whom while facing challenges of PTSD from serving in Afghanistan, family troubles and drinking to excess.. must help solve a case after finding the body of a teenage boy on Shaky Lake, and that a teen girl is missing. Amy Pease skillfully took this police procedural and developed her characters to a level I wasn’t expecting. It’s a quick read at 287p., and finished with an open-ending leading me to believe there’s a second book in the works. If so I’m here for it. 4.5 stars — Pub. 1/9/24

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the complimentary arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

This book hooked me early on and didn’t let go. The drama surrounding the murder of a teenager and the search for his missing friend branched off into unexpected waters. The characters are well written and have a lot of depth. Eli is dealing with multiple issues but you can’t help rooting for him.
I saw that this is a debut novel but that’s hard to believe. The storyline, background descriptions and character development were spot on. Looking forward to more from this author.
I received this book as a free ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.

There are so many twists and turns, and mysteries that coincided with each other. Amazing storytelling and writing. I can’t wait to read more by this author!!

3.5
I have very mixed feelings about this book and I think because it was a mixed bag of content. The pacing felt off along with a myriad of threads throughout the book. That said, it kept my attention and as I neared the end, I realized it was being set up to be a series which explained why the many threads of differing storylines. Let me explain more.

1. The main crux is opioid use and crimes circled around that. I honestly am a bit fatigued reading on this matter.
2. Our main guy, Eli, I wasn't all that endeared to him and got a bit annoyed with some of his behaviors. BUT, I think that is the point. It was clear that Eli is a great guy and has a shadowed and medaled past that we aren't privy to. I'm curious to continue reading because of Eli and the bread crumbs left.
3. The story is set up with a good solid plot, and then we start getting fed numerous strings of connections and side stories. It felt a bit haphazard. But again, this was the weaving in to create a series.
4. The original crime seemed all but forgotten by half way into the book and then wrapped up right at the end. Pacing.
5. I am definitely intrigued by the larger crime at hand that will clearly lead us into the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the advance e-book.

As soon as I saw Northwoods recommended by William Krueger Kent, I knew I needed to read it! On the surface, Northwoods is about a dead teenage boy and a missing teenage girl. Underneath this slow burn conspiracy thriller, however, is a story about addicts, PTSD trauma, mothers and sons, and fathers and sons. Amy Pease has crafted a beautifully written, compelling debut book about hope and perseverance, while highlighting the opioid epidemic and the fall-out of PTSD.

While Northwoods centers on Eli North, Marge stole my heart. When Marge hopped in that vehicle and said, "Where are we going? ...Because you're going to have to take me with you," she was every mama with a struggling son. If you love a good conspiracy story with depth, don't miss out on Northwoods!

Read this if you like:
• Conspiracy thrillers
• Character driven books
• small town stories

Loved the cast of characters - this read like the first in a series and I would totally be down for that

Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review