Northwoods is a well crafted novel. Eli North, the main character works for the small local sheriff’s department. He is unstable after time in Afghanistan, a divorce, and self medication. One can’t help root for him as he stumbles, tries to help others and also get back on his feet. This book moved along quickly and kept me fully engaged throughout. Highly recommend.

Thank you kindly to NetGalley and Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the gifted eARC to read and review!

This was a really solid debut from Amy Pease! 👏 I love a good small-town procedural, bonus points when the author doesn’t shy away from tough topics like addiction and PTSD. The character development here was so strong and I’m over here hoping it might actually be book 1 of a series—I’d love to see more of Eli North and Mama Marge! 𝑵𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒘𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒔 is out January 9th!

Why not all the stars? 🤷🏼‍♀️
This was a little too atmospheric and overly descriptive for my taste. I also think I counted 14 uses of the word flicker and word repetition makes me cranky, so…😜

Book Summary:

Things aren't going too well for Eli North – to put it mildly. Everything seems to be falling apart, with the exception of his career (and really, he has his mother and the nature of small towns to thank for that).

It's that very job that will throw Eli into the deep end. When a body is found, Eli and the rest of the police department will crack open a dark secret, violent pasts, and more. It could destroy the town. It can also offer Eli a chance at redemption. Which will it be?

My Review:

Northwoods is a murder mystery based in a remote setting. That part probably feels familiar to most mystery readers. Where Northwoods gets interesting is with the main character – Eli. Eli is the heart and soul of this story, and there's no point denying it.

That takes this darker murder tale into something else, as Eli strives to solve the mystery and redeem himself in one go. This made it easy to root for him. There are other noteworthy characters, but I don't want to spoil them all!

As far as debut novels go, Northwoods is incredibly strong. Amy Pease has great potential, and I can't wait to see where she goes. I'll be watching her future works, that's for sure!

Highlights:
Mystery/Thriller
Mental Health
Family Drama

Thanks to Atria/Emily Bestler Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A topical page turner set in the resort country of Wisconsin. Eli has blown up his life by self medicating his PTSD with alcohol and only has his job as a Deputy because his very smart mother is the Sheriff. Now, he's deep in the middle of a distressing case involving two teens- Ben has been murdered with opiates and left in a boat and his girlfriend Caitlin is missing. Something is seriously wrong but Eli can't put his finger on it. Alyssa, the FBI SA sent to help with the search for Caitlin seems sympathetic to Eli but is she? This moves between Eli and Caitlin's father Cal, a sales executives for a pharmaceutical company but focus on Eli. There are lot of twists here so no spoilers from me but I was very much caught up. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Terrific characters, great atmospherics (right down to Eli's panic attacks), and a topical (albeit, to be honest, at root familiar) plot made this an excellent read. Great debut- looking forward to more from Pease.

I thought this was a good whodunnit. I was intrigued from page one. The characters all have scars, flaws which made them more interesting. Lots of action with a few twists. Definitely recommend!

Set in a small lakeside resort town in Wisconsin. The body of a teenage boy is found dead at the lake, it sets in motion an investigation that leads to a country club with a violent past, a pharma salesman and a missing girl. Eli, his mom and an FBI agent are on the hunt for more than just a killer.

Debut Novel that deals with PTSD, addiction and substance abuse. Set against the backdrop of Americas opioid crisis, Eli is dealing with his own demons after serving in Afghanistan. This gripping murder mystery had me reeled in from page 1.

Publication Date: January 9, 2024

Thank You NetGalley and Atria Books for the free e-galley.

I wanted to like/love this book. There are so many triggering topics in this book, and that was not even main issue I had with it. I had a lot of empathy for Eli and his issues, but I do not think "police procedural thriller/suspense." books are for me. It feels like I am reading the same thing.

Not for me, so I cannot recommend it. I do not mind if other readers enjoyed it more than me.

Thanks to Amy Pease, NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 1/9/2024

Eli has returned home from war to work for his mother who is the county sheriff in this debut novel. He brings his skills from the military to help unravel a mystery while battling demons of his own. The setting and character development are rich and you really feel the vibe of the north woods of Wisconsin. This has triggers for addiction and abuse that are prevalent throughout the story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read.

Came across this one through some fellow GR members I follow who really liked this one. So glad I did because it is a good one (thx Liz, Pam & Kara). The book summary introduces the storylines with the primary one being the death of a teenaged boy, Ben, and a missing teenaged girl, Caitlin, who was last seen with Ben. There is a secondary storyline of the MC, Eli, who is a returning veteran suffering from a severe case of PTSD that is wreaking havoc on pretty much his whole life (job, marriage, fatherhood, etc…). There is also another storyline of the vacation resort owners, Mike and Kim, who are in the process of partnering up with a drug company to turn their resort into a drug rehab facility.

Most of the story revolves around the investigations of Ben and Caitlin. Eli and the Shaky Lake PD are also joined by an FBI agent, Alyssa, to assist in the investigation. The team soon discovers connections between Caitlin’s dad, Cal, who is a drug rep, and Ben who died of an overdose. There is also the connection of Ben dying at Mike and Kim’s vacation resort where Caitlin is a guest at the resort with her mother Beth. Most of the story flips back and forth between Eli and Cal

It's well into the second half that the storylines begin to merge and the Shaky Lake team begin to narrow in on what happened and concludes in a scary and intense scene with a twist out of left field that I never saw coming. However, there was kind of cliffhanger – sort of. Makes me wonder if this is maybe the first installment of a new series. Hmmm….. I want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #AtriaBooks #Northwoods

Northwoods by Amy Pease is a very highly recommended mystery/procedural. This excellent debut novel set in a small Wisconsin town features a compelling mystery, substance abuse, a character seeking redemption, and portrays the strength of the bond between parents and children.

Eli North is struggling. His marriage is over, he drinks too much, and he suffers from PTSD and panic attacks. After he returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan, his job as a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigator was terminated. He did find a job as a detective with the small local sheriff's office in the town of Shaky Lake because his mother, Marge, is the sheriff in Sherman County, Wisconsin. When Eli is called to investigate a noise complaint at a lakeside cabin, he discovers in a boat tied to the dock the body of a teenage boy, Ben Sharpe. It is soon discovered that a teenage girl, Caitlin, is also missing and FBI agent Alyssa Mason arrives to help. The investigation appears to be tied to the opioid crisis but may have roots that extend much further out.

The writing is outstanding in this impressive debut novel. Pease does an exceptional job following the investigation and providing clues along the way while developing both the plot and the characters. With the ties to illegal drugs and the additional suspicions the investigation uncovers, the complexity of the case increases along with the tension and interest in finding out the truth. As the investigation into Ben's murder and the search for Caitlin is underway, it becomes clear that the bond between parents and their children is a central theme. The setting also comes to life and plays a role in the plot.

While the mystery and investigation are complex and compelling, where Northwoods really excels is in the depth and empathy found in the depiction of her characters, especially Eli. All of the characters are fully realized as unique individuals with strengths and weaknesses. The dialogue is well-done and the interpersonal interaction between characters is realistic. These characters feel like real individuals and they will garner your sympathy and compassion as they do the best they can.

Disclosure: My complimentary review copy was courtesy of Atria/Emily Bestler Books via NetGalley.
The review will be published on BookBrowse, Edelweiss, X, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

This debut from Amy Pease will be loved by readers into William Kent Kruger’s books. This police procedural focuses on Eli, a well-meaning alcoholic police officer in a small Northern Wisconsin town. When the body of a local teenage boy is found in the vactioner’s paradise, Eli’s investigation takes him to a tony country club, a missing teenage girl and a pharmaceutical salesman who has something to hide. My thoughts: I can’t do police procedurals so I am no longer going to read them. It’s me, not the book.

Can’t believe this is a debut novel!!

A small resort town faced with a huge opioid problem is now also having to deal with a murder & kidnapping!! The main character is dealing with PTSD from a deployment and his marriage is over! I felt compassion for Eli and the book grabbed me from the first page! I couldn’t put it down! Can’t wait to see more from this author!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Eli has PTSD from his time in the military, which he dulls with alcohol, he’s separated from his wife, and the only thing currently securing his position with the sheriff’s department is his mother, the sheriff. When a noise disturbance call leads him to find a local boy dead, the investigation balloons into a case involving opioids, big Pharma, and the FBI.

There is a lot going on in this sleepy lakeside town and its residents! This book is a very, very slow burn, and there are clues along the way that give away the conclusion, but it is a solid effort for a debut novel, and I hope to see the struggling but endearing Eli North again as part of an on-going series.

Atria/Emily Bestler Books via NetGalley kindly provided me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Suspenseful is the perfect descriptive word for this book. The story centers around Eli, a soldier previously, who uses alcohol to help him forget. A habit that has alienated him from his wife and son. He has come back home to Shaky Lake and is working in law enforcement where his mother is the Sheriff. This very small, sleepy town becomes much less sleepy when Eli finds a dead body and finds that a girl is missing.

This story is the search for answers. It also delves into mental illness, the effects of alcohol, and the opioid epidemic. This one had lots of great characters and the story unravels slowly, but very gratifyingly. This book takes the reader to places they had no idea they were going to. There was a big twist at one point that I did not see coming at all.

I found this to be a smart thriller with great characters that kept you guessing up until the end. Definitely recommend! Thank you to Atria books and NetGalley for the arc to read and review.

I love the sheriff and the setting is great. It is naturally creepy.
I can't relate to adjusting after a deployment, so I struggled with Eli, but I love the way his mother keeps him going.
I like the conspiracy behind the deaths and disappearances.
This was a good read. Not my thing but pretty good!

It's hard to believe that this was the debut by this author, the book was very well written and enjoyable. Eli North is a policeman in a small Wisconsin town, known mostly for the nearby Shaky Lake and the tourists is draws during the summer. Eli is an Afghanistan veteran. his time in Afghanistan did not go well and he ended up coming home with a bad case of PTSD which he self medicates with alcohol. This eventually causes his wife to ask him to move out and the loss of his job, but thanks to his mom, who's the Sheriff, he gets a job as a policeman, though even that is hanging by a thread. Eli gets called out to the lake for a noise complaint, someone is blasting loud music and he is sent to investigate, while investigating he finds the body of a young man laying in a boat, Ben had died of an overdose and the girl who was with him is missing. Eli is tasked with helping with the investigation, because of the missing girl, the FBI send an agent to help. Eli's drinking gets really out of control around this time, though he does continue the investigation and uncovers clues that help move the case along. A very good story that I would recommend. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the ARC.

Eli North is drowning in PTSD. Or better, he is trying to drown his PTSD in alcohol. Lucky for him, the sheriff of his small town is also his mother and she keeps him on the payroll. Lucky for her, he is on the payroll when a boy is found murdered and a girl is missing. He is able to use his previous experiences to help investigate the crimes. The writing is excellent and mirrors the dark and gloomy circumstances the town finds itself in. The characters are raw and imperfect. A couple times I was able to glimpse a bit farther down the plot, not enough to ruin the book because maybe, just maybe, I was wrong. And it wasn't enough to think the characters were being stupid. I expect this is a standalone book, but I will miss the characters.

This is a smart, well paced and atmospheric literary mystery. The setting in the Northwoods of Wisconsin is absolutely perfect, and the characters are all so well imagined and empthetic. For anyone who enjoys mystery, police procedurals or literary mystery, this would be a perfect novel. The author let me know that she is working on the second book in the series, which is exciting! Looking forward to selling this one.

Families vacation to the Northwoods of Wisconsin every year-and why wouldn’t they? Set on the beautiful Shaky Lake, it’s the perfect summer escape, right?

When the body of a teenage boy is discovered in the lake, it’s clear that something dark is lurking beneath the towns idyllic facade. Then, a local teenage girl goes missing too. Detective Eli North takes on the case, determined to find answers, all the while dealing with his own addictions, and a past that never fails to haunt him. Will he be able to solve the case-or will his own demons get the best of him?

Shedding a light on sensitive topics such as opioid and alcohol addiction, as well as suicide, there are a lot of elements to this book that extend past your typical crime novel. With such triggering themes, this may not be the book for everyone.

I enjoyed it thoroughly, particularly the characterization and family dynamics. I was rooting for Eli the WHOLE time.

I will say that the book was a bit of a slow build, and much of the novel is focused on the sensitive topics mentioned above, which could be hard to read at times.

Nonetheless, once the plot picked up, it was a page-turning experience. Everything (setting, characters, etc.) was very detailed and well written. It’s hard to believe that this is Amy’s first novel!

Thank you to the NetGalley team for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Amy Pease hits the ground running with her standout, impressive, compelling, character-driven debut, NORTHWOODS — a gripping murder mystery crime thriller with vivid settings that explores the challenges of a small Midwestern resort town when the past and present collide and dark secrets emerge.

Set against the backdrop of America's opioid epidemic, both heartbreaking and deeply emotional, the author explores struggles and real consequences both with individuals and the community—from addiction, substance abuse, PTSD, and mental health with great insights into current issues of today with compassion and sensitivity.

It's a fantastic start to a new series, leaving readers eager to return to Shaky Lake and this electrifying cast of characters for the next installment.

Set in the Northwoods of Wisconsin in a small idyllic resort town of Shaky Lake (Beran's Resort), we meet a mother and son law enforcement team as they unravel a conspiracy when the past collides with the present in this sleepy small town—owned by Kim and Mike Beran. They have been approached to turn the resort into a healthcare facility.

The resort is rustic, nostalgic, and picturesque. From cabins, campfires, porches, firepits, screened porches, Adirondack chairs, canoes, a beach, and a long L-shaped pier across Shaky Lake. However, is it peaceful? While dark secrets lie underneath the surface?

Meet Sheriff Marge North and her son, Deputy Eli North (ex-wife, Michelle, and his son, 11-year-old Andy) of Sherman County Sherriff's Department. Eli is barely holding down the job his mother gave him as a functional alcoholic to cope with the memories from his deployment in Afghanistan.

Northwoods is a vacation paradise resort town where people go to fish, campfires, and festivals. However, is there something dark and menacing lurking beneath beyond the peace and beauty?

No one trusts Eli, but Marge cannot give up on her son. She is trying to protect their town and her beloved son from his destructive tendencies. Eli loves silence with no voices, noise, radios, motorboats, or helicopters.

Marge is pushing 60 and has migraines. She needed Eli's help. Eli's father had been in law enforcement and had been killed in the line of duty when Eli was three.

When Eli discovers the body of a sixteen-year-old boy, Ben, floating dead in a boat in Shaky Lake, this may be his shot at redeeming himself, and he is charged with finding the missing girl.

What he does not anticipate leading him to a wealthy enclave with a violent past, a pharmaceutical salesman, a dead teen boy, and a missing teen girl, Caitlin. What do drugs have to do with this? Who can be trusted?

The county will give them some outside help. This leads Marge, Eli, and a young FBI agent on the hunt for more than they bargained for.

NORTHWOODS is an unputdownable page-turner! From a small town police department stretched beyond its means, from pharmaceuticals, illegal opioids, and power. You will fall in love with complex and well-developed characters—Eli who is savvy and uses his investigative skills. I enjoyed the mother-son relationship. I loved Marge and Eli! I cannot wait for the next book!

Beautifully written, a powerful debut, and a fully immersive suspense mystery with solid character development that will keep you on the edge of your seat from page one to the ending, anxiously awaiting the next installment.

For fans of Joshua Moehling's Ben Packard series and authors Tim Johnson Distant Sons: A Novel, William Kent Krueger, Allen Eskens, and Karen Katchur's The Greedy Three.

Stay tuned for my #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A (pub day Jan 9th, 2024) with Amy, where we go behind the book's scenes and this newfound voice in fiction!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Jan 9, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars +
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