Almost a year ago, Beth Rivers came to Benedict, Alaska, to hide out. She has become part of the community and it has become home, so when Beth and her friends hear that her one-time kidnapper has escaped from prison and knows where she is, they mobilize to protect her. Beth and her boyfriend, Tex, decide to trek to a remote camping site while the rest of her friends keep an eye out for the fugitive in Benedict, but on the way, the couple encounters a woman with a dead body slung over her horse who tells them that members of their mining community are being killed. This derails their plans, as Beth and Tex decide to accompany the woman and the body back to Benedict and help the chief of police in the investigation, amid everyone’s on-going concern for Beth’s safety. The setting is as much a star of this series as the characters, with the remote wilderness and changeable weather complicating the investigation and the unique personalities of the people who call Benedict and the surrounding area home adding further interest to this solid mystery. While the book could be read as a standalone, reading the previous books first provides backstory and introduces the characters to the reader more fully.

Paige Shelton does it again with Perfect Storm, the sixth in her Alaska Wild series. The secluded far north is a wonderland with a rugged mentality where community is key as I can attest. Daily life can be quite adventurous and large animals can outnumber humans. This time, Beth and her boyfriend go on a camping trip and shadows take on a mysterious shape. Bigfoot, after all, lurks here. Blue Mine is in the vicinity and a woman they meet has recently lost her husband to murder. But he's not the only victim. The vibe of the area is a bit hostile and made creepier with a killer on the loose.

Beth is seeing a counselor for her own trauma. Just over a year earlier she had been kidnapped and held for three days. Her childhood was not a happy one. Benedict, Alaska, seems the perfect spot to hide with her trusty Alaska "family". She is getting mentally and physically stronger. But as her secret location is discovered by more than one person from her past, she can't escape her unease.

I felt the tension and isolation in the story. Nature and the elements always play a critical role in the series which I love. There is a cozy feel but it is not all light and fluffiness which is appreciated.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this captivating novel and for introducing me to this series.

The Perfect Storm
Paige Shelton
December 03, 2024

We are back in Benedict, Alaska. Beth Rivers was enjoying her life there, continuing to write her mysteries and publish a local paper. She has many friends and still lives in Benedict House under the security and friendship of Viola. Recently however she had news from Gril, the Chief of Police. The man who kidnapped her and kept her in a van for 3 days has now escaped from prison. Beth knew that he would try to find her again. Even if he knew she was in Alaska could he actually find her in the small community of Benedict?
The Perfect Storm will be published on December 03, 2024 by Macmillan. I was able to read the ARC of Shelton’s latest novel in the Alaska Wild series via NetGalley. I was excited to read this 6th book in the series as I began Beth’s journey of escape during the first novel of the story,Thin Ice, a Mystery. Paige Shelton had me then and continues to thrill me with her journey’s in the Alaska wilderness. The Perfect Storm is readable without reading others from the series. Do find this one and enjoy!

Author Beth Rivers left St. Louis and moved to the isolated town of Benedict, Alaska to hide from the man who abducted her. The man was eventually identified as Travis Walker and now he has escaped from prison and is after Beth again. Beth fears for her life, but also for the residents of Benedict who have come together to help protect her.

This book is part of an ongoing series and while the case that Beth and her boyfriend, Tex, get involved in when passing through a nearby town stands on its own, the storyline about Travis Walker runs through each of the books in the series. For that reason, I would recommend at least reading the first book in the series, Thin Ice, to get a better feel for Beth's backstory. This is a wonderful series that really gives you the feel for the remote Alaskan environment. I've enjoyed getting to know the town and the characters. 

This book starts out great and the suspense grows throughout the first part of the story. There are mysterious deaths in the nearby village of Blue Mine which could be due to rights over a gold mine, but the villagers think they're the work of Bigfoot! I love the message of new beginnings and found family. Beth is a strong, brave character who is someone to root for, but she often has a tendency to ignore good advice and make questionable decisions. It's especially frustrating in this book since everyone is working so hard to keep Beth safe and she does things to make that more difficult than it has to be. As a whole, this is an entertaining book and wonderful series. A big development at the end of the story has me curious about what will come next for Beth.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing the advance ebook copy for review consideration. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

The Perfect Storm is the 6th novel in the Alaska Wild cozy mystery series. Paige Shelton continues the story of Beth Rivers, who has been hiding in a remote part of Alaska, after a traumatic kidnapping in the Lower 48. These novels are a fast, easy read, with well-developed characters and plots that are full of twists and turns. As might be expected, the Alaska setting is nicely described and thus readers can easily appreciate the beauty and remoteness of Beth's world.

I do not want to provide spoilers, since the Perfect Storm i is a mystery, with the taunt unfolding of events. At the conclusion some mysteries are solved and some plot lines resolved, but at the same time, not everything is tied up so neatly, which suggests that Beth and friends might be returning for book 7 in this series.

Thank you to Minotaur Press and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I do recommend the Perfect Storm.

I found the Paige Shelton book at the library. My son lives in Alaska and I'm a big mystery fan so I went to find the first in the series and have hooked my daughter and my friends on this series. It did not disappoint!

Cozy-ish Mystery about a novelist living in Alaska who must deal with her kidnapper's escape even as she works with the police chief to look into several murders.

5/5 stars: This is the sixth entry in Shelton's Alaska Wild series which is a Cozy-ish Mystery that's set in rural Alaska and features a mystery writer who's left her small town to camp out with her boyfriend after her kidnapper escapes and is headed her way. En route the two encounter a small mining community that's had several suspicious deaths, which diverts their plans. They realize their going to have to escort the widow of the most recent victim's body to her town and help the police chief investigate. Only to find nothing's quite what it seems and when the woman vanishes, she's on alert for further danger. Who knows what further unwelcome disappearances – or appearances – might be lurking in the unforgiving Alaska storms. With tons of action and plenty of twists and turns, Shelton writes a gripping fast-paced tale that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the final reveal. Additionally, Shelton's writing and character work is stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Beth's backstory is heartbreaking but she's tough and I love seeing how far she's grown. Her relationship with her boyfriend, Tex, is lovely and I really like seeing how Beth's family, both found and biological, come together to help her. And Gus the Husky is as always a sweetheart. Shelton's descriptions of the landscape paint evocative pictures of the beautiful Alaskan settings that continually draw me in. Shelton touches on some serious topics; so take care and check the CWs. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to check out book one, Thin Ice. Shelton's a favorite author, highly recommend!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Beth receives news that the man who kidnapped her and held her for three days before she escaped just over a year ago had escaped from prison and information states he is coming for her again. With the help of her new found friends in her new home in a small Alaska town a plan is formed to keep Beth safe and catch the man. But after a body is found, a person dressed as a Bigfoot is seen by multiple people, and more strange things are encountered a new plan has to take place and this one may get Beth and more people killed if it doesn't succeed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

Oh this was so good!!! Beth is hiding from Travis Walker and everyone is willing to help. Until other events occur that require Gril's attention. I hope this isn't the end of the series - I'm not ready to leave Benedict yet!

Beth Rivers has made a new home for herself in Benedict, Alaska. But when news that Travis who kidnapped her and kept her hostage has escaped from prison, her friends in town surround her to offer protection.

Among those eager to protect her are her estranged parents who have also found themselves in Benedict. Beth feels she has finally established an adult-to-adult relationship with them though they don't seem to have the same relationship to each other.

She and Tex decide to get out of town and do some camping. They head for an isolated cabin that he knows about. However, when they come across Jin who is carrying a body to town to report to the police, they get involved in trying to solve a murder at Blue Mine. This isolated gold mining community is filled with secrets and the body Jin carries isn't the first to die.

Then there are the Bigfoot spottings...

Beth quickly gets tired of so much protection and decides that she is ready to face her kidnapper. She's much stronger and more capable than she was when he kidnapped her although the anxiety attacks aren't completely in the past. Now all she has to do is convince her well-armed and concerned friends.

I enjoyed this story which is the sixth in the Alaska Wild series.

I am a huge Paige Shelton fan, but only recently picked up her Alaska Wild series. I read the first 5 books in a two week span and was anxiously awaiting Perfect Storm. When I saw it drop into my NetGalley account, I was ecstatic!! I literally couldn't put it down. In this book, Beth Rivers finally goes face to face with her kidnapper, Travis Walker. In addition to meeting her kidnapper, she stumbles upon a woman walking a dead body out of a mining town, a man in a black mask, and Bigfoot. I was so anxious about how all of this would turn out and if we would lose any of the beloved Benedict townspeople. I was hooked to the last page and finished wanting more Beth Rivers. Well done, Paige!

The setting of this book is spectacular. It’s set in Benedict Alaska, and it felt like I was right there with the characters. This was a well-done mystery. There were plenty of red herrings and twists to keep me engaged and interested. This one is borderline cozy mystery because while the theme was intense, the book didn’t have anything vivid or super upsetting. I rather enjoyed that, and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything without these elements. Beth is a fantastic character, and even the side characters were well written. I loved how the author portrayed Travis because I hated him so much.

I didn’t realize when I picked this one up that it was part of a series. You know I mistakenly do this quite often, but in this case it was okay. I do think that getting more of Beth’s backstory would have added to the story, but I wasn’t entirely left in the dust picking this one up on book 6 so you might want to start with book 1.

If you’re looking for a nicely done mystery with a strong plot, and wonderful characters, then check ths one out.

I enjoyed this book. I love the details in the characters & the setting. I felt like I was really in Alaska. I do wish that some backstory was given in the beginning, as it has been a while since I read the 1st book. I also found all the running around that everyone was doing unrealistic & boring. #PerfectStorm #NetGalley

Beth is still hiding in the little town of Benedict Alaska from her former kidnapper. She has been completely accepted by the community of loners who don't ask questions even though she has upped the drama level since her arrival. They are all still wary of Beth's kidnapper who remains at large and are very protective of her none more than her boyfriend Tex. While hiding out Beth and Tex uncover strange deaths near a mining community and of course think the worst. I fell in love with these characters from the first page of the first book and am happy to report I am just as invested now. A tightly wound mystery, element of danger from wildlife, people who are hiding for a multitude of reasons, a kidnapper on the loose and the most colorful assortment of characters you will ever find make this series stand out. Fans of Alice Henderson and Peter Heller will love this series. This book can be read as a standalone. The audiobooks make a long roadtrip much more enjoyable and tend to be mostly family friendly. Thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

I didn't realize that this was the 6th book in a series. I did really enjoy it. I thought the pacing and thrill aspect were perfectly executed. I think I'll be going back to book 1 series. I'll be recommend this to customers.

Thank you, for my gifted copy.

To be honest I think this was my least favorite book of the series. It felt like nothing really got resolved except the matter with Travis. Beth spent most of the book saying how she was feeling and why she was making extremely stupid decisions. A disappointing end to what had been a very good series.

Book 6 in an incredible mystery/detective series set in Alaska. Absolutely loved the suspense and great cast of characters! I flew through this book in just a few hours.
The adventures continue and I love strong female protagonists. Enjoy everyone because you won’t be disappointed!!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Author Beth Rivers has been hiding in Benedict, Alaska for almost a year. After Travis Walker kidnapped her held her hostage for three days, she fled to Alaska where she feels at home. When reports come that Walker broke out of prison, Beth suspects he's on his way to find her. All of her friends, from her boyfriend, her landlady, and the police chief promise to protect her. Beth knows she's safe with her boyfriend, Tex, so the two of them go camping to get away. Their trip is interrupted when a woman appears with a body on her horse. She says she's heading into Benedict to talk to the police chief because someone has been killing people in the small Blue Mine village. The residents suspect someone who dresses as Bigfoot. By morning, the woman has disappeared leaving Beth and Tex to return to Benedict and tell their story. As Beth's friends disappear to track down the killer, it all becomes too much for her, and she refuses to allow Walker to terrorize her any longer.

Shelton wraps up the Travis Walker storyline and brings all the characters together in the sequel to Lost Hours, a satisfying conclusion only for those who followed the Alaska Wild series.

What I love about this series is that it doesn’t remind me of anything. There’s nothing stereotypical about it. It’s just great characters with fantastic plotting and suspense.

After 6 books, Beth finally comes face to face with her former kidnapper. I can't wait to see where Shelton takes the series from here!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

We are back in Benedict, Alaska with Beth. She's going on a backpacking trip with Tex. When they happen upon a woman with a horse carrying a dead body. They talk to the woman she tells them it's her dead husband and needs the Sheriff Gril's help finding out who killed him. They head back to Benedict. Everyone who cares for Beth is worried about Travis her kidnapper finding her and finishing the job he started.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat wondering about the dead body and how her friends were going to keep her safe in the wilds of Alaska. I really enjoyed this book and loved following the clues. The writing hooks you right away. I love all the quirky characters.