There's more than one way to end up in prison

On a particular lake in northern Michigan not far from the Canadian border, the Sawbrook family has owned a huge chunk of land for generations. The current Sawbrooks are Edward and Rhoda, anti-establishment and the parents of three adult children: the eldest Lucy, a college graduate and environmentalist who is the local park ranger, son and middle child Buckner who served in Afghanistan, is currently unemployed and is an alcoholic, and the youngest Jewell who works as a bartender when she isn't playing (and usually winning) high stakes card games. Given that the family business through the generations has been using their talents on and knowledge of the local waterways to prosper as smugglers and bootleggers, Lucy stands out as an aberration to the usual family career paths. The family is undergoing tough times; Edward is dying of cancer, Rhoda has sold just about all their assets except for their land to pay their medical bills and has still come up short; and there are major fissures in the relationships between them all. Rhoda (who is actually the Sawbrook, not Edward, but she insisted that she and her children would all bear the Sawbrook surname and he went along) gave each of the three children chunks of the land for tax purposes and was stunned to see Lucy immediately move ownership of her parcel into a trust for the conservation group she heads. The two have been at odds ever since. Buckner's drinking hasn't endeared him to anyone either; alcoholism runs in the family, Rhoda losing her sister to it when she was still young. His sisters want to believe he can change, Lucy even taking the money she received as part of the land transfer to put him in a rehab center, but he has again relapsed. And unbeknownst to Rhoda, Jewell sold her parcel of land to Lucy's trust as well in order to get the stake she needed to play in a major Vegas poker tournament, thinking she would surely win the $1 million prize but (a) she lost and (b) even if she had won, once the land went into the trust it couldn't be bought back. Things really go south when Jewell (still thinking she could buy back her portion of the land if she just had the moeny) agrees to do a favor for Van, one of the residents of the wealthy nearby resort where wealthy city people come to spend the summer and (in the view of the locals) have ruined the area for the locals. He wants to burn his boat for the insurance money, and offers Jewell $10K to torch it for him (apparently torching vehicles runs in the Sawbrook family too). When it turns out that Van had a different motive for burning the boat, and now if Jewell is caught she is in danger of something far more serious than arson. If the family pulls together, can they find their way back to each other and keep one another safe?
In The Trouble Up North, the reader gets to know a whole host of quirky, flawed but still (mostly) lovable characters who find their family's longstanding way of life in danger because of encroaching hordes and a system that favors the haves over the have nots. Many a resort community finds the same fractious relationship between the local population who to some degree have profited from the money that summer people bring, but at the same time find that their quality of life has suffered and their ability to afford to live in the community where they grew up is in question. Neither side is completely good or completely evil, but they are unlikely to ever live harmoniously with one another. The struggles of the Sawbrook family are those of many families across the world, generational differences in values, causing one another pain and heartbreak, all while still struggling to keep their love for one another and the bonds they share intact. By turns funny, melancholic and heartbreaking, this is a novel that should appeal to readers of Charles Portis, NIckolas Butler and Elmore Leonard. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the Sawbrooks and while I'm not sure if I liked the ending, it was a surprise that in some ways was not surprising at all. My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me access to this intriguing story in exchange for my honest review.

I very rarely will request a book on Netgalley that I’ve never heard of before, whose author I’m completely unfamiliar with, and not recommended by any of my trusted sources. The Trouble Up North is that book and my curiosity was rewarded. I requested this book bc I am a sucker for a good Michigan setting (especially up North!) and the plot seemed very intriguing.
This book takes off from the first page and tells the story of The Sawbrook family, their land and their lore and their questionable decision making skills. We go between the perspectives of Rhoda, the matriarch and her three adult children, Lucy, Jewell and Buckner. The story begins with a boat burning and the action never stops from there.
If you are looking for a fast paced family story with a real sense of place this is the book for you. Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy of this book.

Books that are set in Northern Michigan hold a special place in my Michigander heart, so I knew going into it that I would enjoy Travis Mulhauser's new book, The Trouble Up North The novel depicts life in the area where I spent many summer vacations in such vivid detail that it took me right back to the lake.

Likable characters are important, but not necessarily critical for me to enjoy a book. Even though the Sawbrooks live mostly on the wrong side of the law, they are empathetic characters and their struggles were relatable. The sibling relationships were realistic, and the parental disappointment in each of their choices was understandable. The different POV of the characters adds a dimension that is critical to the storyline, and also allowed the reader to comprehend the reasoning behind the decisions made.

This relatively short book is a quick read with a satisfactory ending. If you like to root for characters who have lived a hard life and made difficult decisions, I recommend this book for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the digital ARC of The Trouble Up North by Travis Mulhauser. The opinions in this review are my own.

The Trouble Up North by Travis Mulhauser follows a unique northern Michigan family of bootleggers who own a large swath of river property near a resort that’s taken over miles of Lake Michigan shore, Edward is dying of cancer and has no insurance. Wife Rhoda controls their land and wants to control her children. Lucy’s a park ranger who’s put her share of the land in a conservancy trust. Buckner drinks so Lucy pays for his rehab. Jewell plays poker and bartends but can't get ahead, so she agrees to torch a boat for the insurance, but tragedy strikes, and the family is under suspicion. Place is the main character reflecting Mulhauser’s attention and care. He also shows the family members as poignant, funny, strange, and real. His portrayal of the land and the hold it has on those living on it is powerful in this page-turner.

I did not start this book expecting to cry at the end! I read the summary and it gave me Justified/backwoods family vibes and I always found them so interesting in that TV show so decided to give this a try.

The story revolves around the Sawbrook family in Northern Michigan. They have lived on their land for generations, making a living running things illegally to and from Canada. Tourism has picked up in their area and their way of life has changed, but the land always comes first and foremost, no selling out to developers. Rhoda and Edward and their children, Lucy, Buckner and Jewell, have differing opinions on what to do with their land and everything hidden and repressed comes out into the open when Jewell accepts a risky job and starts a chain reaction that will forever change their family dynamic.

This book was so much more than I thought it would be. It's one of those books that you pick up with the intention of reading the first page or two to see if it would be something you like then discover you've blown through 30 pages in no time. Nothing was even happening, Mulhauser just has a way with words that have you immediately invested in the story. The characters instantly become real and tangible, I loved Rhoda and Edward's dynamic the most. The scene near the beginning where they rock on their chairs side by side, reminiscing on their early relationship while holding hands, was so beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

THE TROUBLE UP NORTH - Absolutely, a page-turner. It's just about a family, but with a history that keeps the pages moving. The new generation does not seem to hold up the reputation of the past generations. Good characters, especially, Rhoda, my favorite. Interesting story lines. Actions with intriguing effects that kept me figuring out solutions. Ending was sad but Rhoda was awesome. Source: Netgalley. 5*

The Trouble Up North was an engaging read about family and friends striving to protect their relationships, future, and land while grappling with addiction, stubbornness, and despair. The bond between the siblings felt incredibly authentic, and I deeply related to them—their story continues to linger in my thoughts.

That said, I wish the book had been more descriptive of the northern setting. As someone who loves visiting that area, especially with friends who are locals, I felt the scenery deserved more attention to truly capture its beauty and the reasons it’s worth defending.

While the portrayal of the resorters sometimes felt exaggerated, I’ve heard similar territorial rhetoric firsthand, so I applaud the author for capturing that dynamic. I also wanted to know more about the other characters; they were intriguing but lacked the depth I was hoping for. Overall, The Trouble Up North was an enjoyable read that resonated with me, even as I wished for richer descriptions of the setting and supporting characters.

The Sawbrooks are a fascinating family. I really enjoyed the story although it was difficult to relate to their experiences which were so different from my own. I was surprised by some of their choices and feel a bit as though, after all they went through, they just settled back into a close approximation of their old life.

This is an interesting story of a rather shady family. They have a history of bootlegging and breaking the law in their family.
The family owns acres of wilderness that is coveted by developers. The father is dying of cancer and their money is running out. In a series of events each of the children try in their own ways to help.

This is a dysfunctional family who don’t respect the law and will do what they have to to help each other. I can’t say I liked any of them, even the daughther who was trying to save the property. But I did enjoy reading it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the copy!

When I saw THE TROUBLE UP NORTH was set in Northern Michigan I knew I had to give this story a try. As a Michigan native I love books that are set in the state I know and love. The story follows the Sawbrook family, a dysfunction clan of bootleggers. Faced with lucrative offers from developers wanting to turn the beloved family land into condos and golf courses, adult daughter Jewell takes things into her own hands as she tries to keep her family afloat.

I really enjoyed the setting and the premise, but I was expecting a faster-paced story. Readers who are interested in a slow-burn family drama may find more enjoyment here. I enjoyed the writing by debut author Travis Mulhauser and will give him another try!

Many thanks to Grand Central Pub and Netgalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Trouble Up North is set in Northern Michigan's tourism territory. The landscape is being overrun by second homes, condos and tourists. The Sawbrook family, however, are locals. Edward, suffering from cancer, finds himself mostly homebound. Rhonda is the matriarch of the family and is his caregiver. Daughter Lucy works for the local park service; son Buckner is a struggling alcoholic and daughter Jewell is a gambler trying to find her way in the world. Money is tight, so when Jewell is offered a large some of money to commit what seems to be a victimless crime, she takes the opportunity. However, things don't go as planned and the siblings and their mother find themselves in a race to find a way out of the situation that has been created. I loved the very realistic family dynamics and the love/hate relationship amongst the siblings. As someone who has spent much time in Northern Michigan, I felt the author portrayed a realistic setting and was true to the local/visitor dynamic. Loved the local references like listening to the Tigers on the radio and call outs to local geography. Highly recommend.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group via NetGalley.

Every region of our country has stories of the first families that held land, cherished it, and would do anything short of betraying family for that land. They were pioneers, bootleggers, poachers, smugglers, doing what they had to to survive and rise. The novels always seem to be about Appalachia, Deep South, Texas or the like. This one is set in Michigan, my home state. “Up north” in Michigan is the northern lower peninsula, not the upper peninsula as a non-Michigander would guess. Well written with believable characters. A far-fetched tale that I found believable, oft told conflicts told in a new way.

This story of a colorful and eccentric family takes place on the lake shores of Michigan. Those very same shorelines provided the livelihood for the Sawbrook family for generations.

Years have passed; developers have circled and have landed, wanting the land; and the family is running out of time and of money. Will they be able to keep their valuable heritage, or will it become more golf courses and condominiums?

This novel takes the reader on a wild ride as the youngest grown daughter, Jewell, tries to cash in on some quick money to aid her family in their quest to keep their land.

It's a story of what one will do not only for love of land, but more importantly, love of family.

This novel will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page.

Thank you, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing, for this family saga mystery.