Northwoods by Amy Pease is a mystery, character study, and police procedural all wrapped up into one story.

I was immediately drawn in to both this story and it's setting. Amy Pease shows her strength in her writing and the characterization of her main characters. The main character Eli is working for the Sheriff's department, a fall from grace due to his struggles with PTSD and alcoholism following his tour in Afghanistan. He finds a young boy dead on the lake in his town and attempts to hold his life together while helping to solve the case.

I enjoyed how this mystery had several moving parts. As each new piece was uncovered I kept the pages turning to figure out how they would all fit together. In the middle of the book I felt like the mystery was put on hold and the author turned the book into more of a character study and family drama surrounding Eli, his mother, and the wife and son he is separated from. I personally did not enjoy this change in pace but I generally enjoy plot based vs. character based books.

The action picked back up in the last couple of chapters and the story did wrap up nicely although it was a bit quick and I had to go back and reread some of the details. I almost wish we had more time figuring out the intentions of how everyone connected.

Overall I thought this was a solid debut. I think fans of Tana French and Jane Harper will enjoy this book!

I’ve had this ARC since January. I requested it because I had heard good things about it, but after reading the synopsis, I got scared and let it sit. I finally put a hold on the audiobook version and after months of waiting, it finally came up and I listened to it yesterday and today. All I can say is I’m kicking myself for not reading it back in January, because it was just as wonderful as I’d heard.
Eli North’s life is fallen apart and he knows he’s to blame. The only way he can deal with his trauma from his tour in Afghanistan is by drinking, but his drinking has led to his losing both his marriage and his job. He ends up getting a job with the Sheriff’s office (because his mother is the Sheriff) and one drunken night he stumbles upon the body of a teenage boy. Working with his mother and a young FBI agent he hopes this puts him on the path to redemption he so desperately needs.
As I was listening to this book I kept seeing this in my head as a police procedural show. I tend to shy away from suspense books, but I love police procedural shows (go figure) so I found this to be extremely entertaining. I never saw the twist at the end coming and that just added to the fun of this book.
I am shocked that this is Amy Pease’s first novel; with a debut like this, I think she has a very long career in front of her and I can’t wait to see what else she’ll give us in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for an advanced copy of this; I’m sorry it took me so long to get to it. Northwoods hit the shelves on January 9th.

This crime thriller appealed to me when I requested it but the pacing is so slow, and it is not at all like it's description. I hope it found its audience, but it was not a hit for me.

As a Wisconsinite, I always love a book that takes place there! Especially when it’s a thriller. The grit of this one is really good. I enjoyed the opioid addiction and pharmaceutical aspect of this one as it’s something very prominent in todays society.

Excited for what’s next from Amy!

"Northwoods" is an interesting mystery/crime drama set in the beautiful resort town of Shady Lakes. Our lead character Eli is a veteran with PTSD and addiction issues who is trying to get his life together while helping to solve a murder. Overall, I did enjoy this book. There are a lot of characters and I sometimes forgot who was who. The writing was good and story development kept me engaged.

Be aware of many triggers: drug/alcohol abuse, mental illness, crimes against children (teens) and war-related trauma.

Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book for my honest review.

I enjoyed this debut mystery novel. When one teen is found dead and another is missing from some lakeside cabins one summer, the small-town sheriff's department is on the case. Sheriff Marge, her deputy son Eli, and the two other deputies in the county are joined by FBI agent Alyssa, and the investigation leads to things that are much bigger in scope than anyone imagined. The story also explores Eli's post-Afghanistan PTSD and how that has affected his family and his work. The setting is written really well - I could easily imagine the northern Wisconsin lake town. The main characters were fairly well developed for this genre. I loved Marge, the sheriff. She was portrayed as both a competent professional and a loving mom and grandma, a balance that not all books get right. Eli was a very complicated character, and she wrote his mental struggles well. My one complaint is that there was a point where we spend a lot of time in the midst of Eli's PTSD, and there was a big gap in the thread of solving the crime. There were several unanswered questions, and I'm not sure if they were plot holes, an ode to ambiguous endings, or a set-up to a sequel. I'd love a sequel! Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an e-arc of this book.

What a great debut novel. This is a solid police procedural with well developed characters, nteresting setting and a complicated crime. Eli, the main character is certainly flawed , dealing with PTSD, alcohol addiction, and the breakdown of his family all while trying to solve the murder of a young boy. I'm not sure if this is the beginning of a series, but would like to see more of Eli.
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Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book

If you like crime procedurals with well-developed characters, you'll enjoy this book. The rural Midwest setting contrasts natural beauty with human deception and violence, and the characters feel realistic and relatable. I would recommend this book to fans of William Kent Krueger's Cork O'Connor mystery series and I will be on the lookout for more from this author! Of note: not to be confused with a book with a very similar name that came out around the same time, but which is set on the East Coast and an entirely different type of book.

This was pretty good! I didn’t get into it as fast as other books, but I feel like that’s a me problem. I thought it did a good job observing opioid addiction and small town culture.

Northwoods by Amy Pease. Pub Date: January 9, 2024. Rating: 4 stars. For a debut novel, this was a very compelling and unputdownable mystery thriller. At its focus, the author takes the reader into the world of opioid addiction and how one town is affected by its presence. Set in the Midwest, I felt the vibe of Midwestern culture at its core. One of the main characters is fighting demons of his own and the reader gets to explore what it means to have PTSD following a military career. There is murder, family, drugs, alcohol and everything in between in this novel. I really enjoyed the pace and character development throughout. I would highly recommend for mystery thriller readers. Thanks to #netgalley and #atriabooks for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #northwoods

I just can't get into this one so I will be putting it down at this time. I tried the audio, so next time I will try the physical copy. Thank you!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of Northwoods. I was anticipating this book to be really engaging and gritty, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The opening scene is rather gripping and started out strong, but as the story went on, it lost its way and seemed to have an identity crisis. You're following a former armed serviceman who works for an underfunded, small-town police department run by his mother. He struggles with PTSD and addiction tendencies, resulting in family upheaval and rocky relationships. I liked the premise of this book, however it didn't really stay on track and tried to include a lot that just became extraneous and distracting. I caught on to the twist pretty early on and by the time it was revealed, it just fell completely flat. I'm glad I gave this a try, but recommending this one will be sparse.

This debut novel from Amy Pease is outstanding! The book follows Eli as he is investigating a body that turns up in a boat docked on Shaky Lake in Wisconsin. Eli is battling his own demons from his time in Afghanistan. Pease does a tremendous job in highlighting his PTSD while sensitive to the condition. Interwoven in the story is the real issue with opioids in many of our communities. The story moves at a feverish pace. I found the book to be well written and the characters thoughtfully developed. Pease does her homework in understanding PTSD, police procedure and the ravages of opioids on a small community. This will delight readers of various genres. It is a short book that reads rather quickly!

Northwoods had the small town, middle America atmosphere I was looking for. My interest was piqued from the first chapter. I loved that it was a mystery, but also touched on the deep topic of PTSD in someone who served in the military. However, I found myself losing interest halfway through the book and on. This is the author's debut. I imagine that Amy Pease has the potential to grow and write amazing stuff, so even though Northwoods was just okay for me, I would definitely be interested to check out Amy's future work.

Northwoods by Amy Pease is set in the quaint but troubled resort town of Shaky Lake, Wisconsin, and the book plunges you into a dark and twisty mystery that’ll keep you entertained.

Our protagonist, Deputy Sheriff Eli North, is a man haunted by demons, both internal and external. His stint in Afghanistan left him battered and scarred, self-medicating with booze to numb the pain. It’s cost him dearly—his marriage, and his career as an investigator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Now, the only job he can hold down is with the local sheriff’s department, where his mom, Marge, wears the sheriff’s badge and can keep a watchful eye on him.

Like many communities, Shaky Lake, Wisconsin, is caught up in the opioid crisis. When a teenage boy’s body is discovered floating in a boat tethered to a dock and his last companion vanishes into thin air, Eli, Marge, and a fresh-faced FBI agent dive headfirst into the investigation, unraveling secrets that some would prefer stayed buried.

Pease crafts a tense and atmospheric tale, seamlessly blending elements of crime thriller and police procedural. The multiple perspectives add layers to the mystery, keeping you guessing until the very end.

Let’s talk about setting—Pease nails it with her portrayal of Shaky Lake. You can practically smell the pine trees and hear the lapping of the water against the dock. The dialogue crackles with authenticity, and the characters feel like folks you might bump into at the local diner.

Clocking in at a brisk 288 pages, Northwoods is a quick read that packs a punch. Plus, it’s got the stamp of approval from none other than William Kent Krueger, one of my favorite authors. But fair warning—Northwoods tackles some heavy stuff, from addiction to PTSD.

Pease’s novel left me hungry for more. Here’s hoping this is the start of a new series. 4 stars.

** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

I loved the accurate portrayals of PTSD and addiction - the author did not make either seem "easy" as authors sometimes do. A great story, with some small town police procedural mixed it. I would love to see these characters continue!

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. The book has a definite trigger warning for alcohol and drug abuse as well as PTSD. It was a decent story line and had decent characters. It held my attention til the end and I didn't see the end coming.

I thought this was a solid debut. I didn’t really feel the thriller vibes as it felt more like a police procedure/mystery until the end. There was great character development. I didn’t love Eli, but I felt for him and what he went through. I loved Marge and Alyssa and how they helped him in different ways. Eli put Marge in a tough position multiple times, but I loved her advice and where her heart was. I liked when the investigation followed Marge or Eli and Alyssa when there were together. The pace moved a little faster at those times. There were a lot of themes explored, but I think the author did a good job with them.

I would consider this a family drama instead of a thriller or suspense novel. The book focused mostly on the main character Eli, and the struggles he fought in his daily life. Though not possessing a lot of character depth (outside of Eli), there were twists that were unexpected. The action picked up in the end, and I was very entertained during the last 20% of the book. There were clues throughout that led me to know the conclusion early, but I still enjoyed the ending. This is definitely a slow burn novel.

My main issue with this book was the overly descriptive writing. It’s not a long book, but everything was described in excruciating detail. As a debut novel, overall, it was a decent read. I will definitely put this new author on my list to give her next book a try.

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

Northwoods is a debut and what a debut! Pease has written a story that is a mystery and police procedural that delves into very serious subjects such as PTSD, opioid abuse, and “big pharma.” The action takes place in northern Wisconsin, in a lake resort area popular with summer vacationers. Eli North is currently a deputy sheriff (and his mother is the sheriff!) of the local county, which has a very small sheriff’s department. A fair amount of their time is taken up with noise complaints and other low-key issues. Eli has severe PTSD from his time in Afghanistan and is currently separated from his wife. They have an 11-year-old son, Andy. Eli’s drinking is out of control and is affecting his job performance and his relationships. When Eli discovers the dead body of a teenage boy in a small boat, his first thought is thankfulness that it’s not Andy. Later they find out that a teenage girl is missing, and the investigation expands.

There were several characters who we learn about in a bit of depth, at least one of whom is dealing with addiction, a theme in this story. Alyssa, an FBI agent who comes to town to assist (or lead!) the investigation, seems to have an interesting backstory, but we only get an inkling of that.

The mystery is a good one and held some surprises. I sped through this one, bouncing between the ebook and the audiobook, which was well narrated by Chris Henry Coffey and Zach Aleman.

While the main mystery is wrapped up at the end of the book, the author left a few threads dangling, so I’m hoping there’s another book in the works.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.