Northwoods is the debut novel by Amy Pease. I found it hard to believe that this was her first book because the writing just seemed to flow which made it an easy and enjoyable read. The story centers around a small town in Wisconsin where a deputy named Eli North works under the supervision of his mother Marge who is the sheriff. Eli is a troubled man, he’s suffering from a form of PTSD from his time spent in Afghanistan. Because of this and his excessive drinking, he is separated from his wife and son. There is a murder of a young boy that Eli stumbles on one night while answering a noise disturbance call and the story goes from there. The investigation also includes a missing girl and it’s believed that it’s all drug related. I thought this was a very interesting story, it was all really lifelike and it kept me turning the pages. I’d like to thank Zakiya Jamal, Marketing Manager at Atria Books for the widget and invite to read and NetGalley for the arc. It was a great story, especially being the authors debut novel. It’s a book I’d recommend and I look forward to reading more by Amy Pease in the future. I’m giving this a 5 star rating!

Set in Wisconsin’s Northwoods, a familiar lake vacation and fishing trip destination for Midwesterners, this setting brings back memories of summer trips with Paul Bunyan breakfasts and lumberjack shows.

Northwoods focuses on a darker side of Shady Lake, as a teenage boy’s body is found in a boat and the depths of the opioid epidemic and corruption surrounding the business of opioids start to reveal themselves during the investigation.

The man who finds the body is the main character, Eli. A veteran who served in Afghanistan and recently divorced father, Eli is working as a sheriff’s deputy and struggling with alcohol abuse and suicidal thoughts. The depth of Eli’s regret and pain regarding the ending of his marriage and the way his alcoholism and trauma have affected his relationship with his son is evident. The FBI sends a female agent, Alyssa, to work on the case, a character I really enjoyed, and she and Eli work together. Eli and Alyssa were giving off some Cormoran Strike and Robin vibes, and I see a future there if there is a sequel. The fact that Eli’s mother is his boss is another interesting piece of the story.

I really enjoyed reading Northwoods and highly recommend it for those interested in crime fiction and the small lake town Wisconsin setting. Ell is a flawed character the reader will become attached to, so I can see this becoming a series. I was invested in the whole story, and the ending felt a bit rushed. I could have used more elaboration as the pieces all fell into place.

Northwoods tells us the story of the opioid crisis at Shaky Lake, a resort lake in the Wisconsin Northwoods. It begins with a noise nuisance call that leads to the discovery of a teenage boy, Ben Sharpe, whose mother had a serious addiction to cocaine and opioids. He was found by local deputy Eli Lake, the son of the the Sheriff Marge, who was fond of Ben. They soon learn that Ben had been out on the lake with Caitlin Wallace, who is reported missing by her mother.

The investigation is manage by a force of four people, Marge and deputies Eli, Jake, and Phil. It is obvious to all of them that Eli has a drinking problem and his work suffers for it. This leads to some serious infighting within the department. Also part of the investigation is the FBI agent Alyssa who clearly knows more than she is telling.

There is another narrative that shows up periodically throughout the story. It’s the storyline of Caitlin’s father Cal. This, of course, telegraphs that the story has more to do with him than some other avenues they might be considering. He has a pretty wild adventure of his own trying to get to Shaky Lake to fill the sheriff in on what might be behind his daughter’s disappearance.

Meanwhile, they continue to investigate and discover all sorts of questionable people involved in Shaky Lake. Shaky Lake was the refuge of a Chicago Prohibition gangster and might be the refuge of today’s opioid gangsters who operate with prescriptions and factories instead of stills and tommy guns. The story ends with an exciting climax and heartbreaking betrayal and some unfinished business that makes me think there will be another story, perhaps even a series.



Northwoods may start out with a murder, but the pace at the beginning is a little slow and confusing. It sometimes feels as though there were too many characters with too much story who took us on unnecessary detours, however it tightened up after the middle of the book and raced to an exciting conclusion. Looking back, I think the seeds of other books in a series were planted. That’s a heavy burden for a first book, but it sure does make a person want to read the next one.

One of the best things about the book was its strong sense of place. I grew up on a resort lake in the Minnesota Northwoods and there were many things that reminded me of my home. There were differences, no big country club or plans for a drug rehab facility. But she managed to make me a little homesick.

My biggest criticism of the book was how she telegraphed the great betrayal. Eli may have been confused one morning, though admittedly he was hungover most mornings, but we readers can intuit what happened easily and know there’s something rotten in Shaky Lake.

There’s threads hanging all over at the end, loose ends that I expect to follow in future books. If there isn’t another in this series, I will be quite put out.

I received an e-galley of Northwoods from the publisher through NetGalley.

Northwoods at Atria | Simon & Schuster
Amy Pease author site

Northwoods is a dark crime fiction novel that highlights mental health, alcohol abuse, small town police departments, and the opioid epidemic. It is Amy Pease’s debut novel and it was well written with great character development and an engaging plot.

I highly recommend reading this book especially if you enjoy dark crime fiction based in rural areas. I look forward to reading more novels by Amy in the future.

Thank you @atriabooks and @atriathrillers for allowing me to read @amypeasewrites’ debut novel in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

Extremely well written and intriguing. The pacing was perfect, characters well-developed and a very good story. I felt like I was there. I really enjoyed this book!

I thought this was a solid debut novel! I found the opioid addiction and big pharma information really interesting. I thought the storyline was slow moving though and I just couldn’t connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. I look forward to more books coming from this author as I’m sure her writing skills will only improve.

Read if you enjoy:

🔎 Mysteries
✍️ William Kent Krueger books
✨ Small town dark and cozy reads

Eli is a veteran suffering from PTSD and self-medicating with alcohol. He’s working for his mom, the sheriff of a county in northern Wisconsin. Eli responds to a noise complaint and finds a dead body.
Throughout the novel, Eli struggles with his past and we see his relationships unravel. This book also tackles the opioid epidemic.
I found aspects to be over the top and I can’t say it’s my favorite thriller as I was able to guess the ending fairly early on. That said, I still found the writing compelling and really enjoyed the setting

I really enjoyed this debut novel by Amy Pease. The main character is so relatable and deals with real life struggles as he works in a demanding job. The setting, pace of the story and details were expertly woven throughout the book. I was highly engaged reading through the novel and wanted to see how the mystery would be solved. I look forward to reading Amy's next book and I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoy a true crime/detective story. Highly recommend!

This was a DNF for me at 10%. The description sounded really interesting, but the reality for me personally fell short - it was slow and I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. I wasn't intrigued or interested in continuing the story. Thanks anyway for the ARC.

I honestly have to say, I loved this debut novel by Amy Pease. It doesn’t feel like a debut novel. The writing is solid and flows effortlessly.
The main character, Eli, is fighting with PTSD and his drinking issue. I loved seeing the growth in him throughout the book. His struggle is real and the author makes you feel this.
With a murder to investigate, can Eli fight his demons long enough to help?
All in all, the story was engaging, intriguing and certainly intense. I was kept engaged throughout the story and had issues putting the book down as I had to keep on reading.
Looking forward to reading more from Amy Pease. And, maybe a second book?????
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Shaky Lake is the go to summer destination - with a swanky country club and lake front cabins, tucked away in Wisconsin's Northwoods. The place couldn't be more charming, until Investigator Eli stumbles across the dead body of teenager, Ben Sharpe after following up on a noise complaint. To make matters worse, Ben's friend, Caitlin is missing and there are no leads.

Eli's mother, Sheriff Marge oversees the local law understaffed and underfunded law enforcement. Marge calls in the FBI and together the small force works to uncover a complicated web of crime, drug distribution, greed, kidnapping, and even murder.

Will Eli be able to put his own demons beside to find Caitlin before it's too late? Or will his past deployment trauma interfere and leave him in a vulnerable spot?

I enjoyed the premise of the story but found the plot lacking the level of mystery and suspense I enjoy so much. I liked Eli's character and feel like there is potential for more of his story to be told in future books.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

Set in the small vacation town of Shaky Lake - a vacationer’s paradise for the wealthy with its posh country club and vacation homes - in Wisconsin’s Northwoods, the story begins with the discovery of a teenager’s body in a boat docked in the lake behind the cabin in a resort. The dead teenager, Ben Sharpe was supposed to be meeting his friend sixteen-year-old Caitlin Wallace, who is missing. Sherman County Sheriff Marge North heads local law enforcement, an understaffed and underfunded institution in a town dealing with the fallout of the opioid epidemic, with bare minimum resources. Her son Eli, who works as a deputy, was the one who found Ben’s body. FBI Agent Alyssa Mason joins Eli and Marge in their search for Caitlin for Caitlin, though she might know more about the case than she initially reveals. Caitlin’s father, a pharmaceutical sales professional, was supposed to join his family in Shaky Lake but stayed back in Chicago and is also proving difficult to trace. What follows is a complex web of murder, kidnapping, greed, crime and much more, revealing a darker side to the lakeside resort town. Eli, Marge, and Alyssa must race to find the killer and locate the missing teenager before it is too late.

Eli was an investigator with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service before he served in Afghanistan , joining local law enforcement after he returned from his deployment. Battling severe PTSD for which he is reluctant to seek help, his dependency on alcohol contributed to his failing marriage though he deeply cares for his soon-to-be ex-wife and eleven-year-old son. His mother’s position has helped him secure and keep his present job. As the story progresses, we also follow Eli’s journey as he battles his personal demons while trying to find a killer and locate the missing teenager.

With a cast of interesting characters, a dark and suspenseful vibe and a solid mystery at its core, Northwoods by Amy Pease is a gripping thriller/ police procedural that touches upon several important issues such as PTSD, alcoholism, mental health, substance abuse and the opioid crisis. Needless to say, this is not an easy read, but I was completely immersed in the story and thought that the plot was well structured and consistently paced. I must mention that the author has succeeded in striking a perfect balance between the plot-driven, primary murder mystery/procedural aspect and the character-driven aspects detailing the characters’ personal struggles, which is quite impressive given that this is the author’s debut novel. Though we do get a resolution to the murder mystery, the ending indicates there is much more to this story and I’ll be eagerly waiting for the follow-up installment.

Many thanks to Atria Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Northwoods is an impressive debut novel by Amy Pease. It's a character-driven, rather than plot-driven, mystery—and the novel is set in Wisconsin's Northwoods, which just happens to be my favorite place in the world.

At the heart of the novel is a mother and son relationship. Marge and Eli face their own challenges but, at the end of day, have love and respect for each other. The novel has many contemporary issues as part of its plot: the opioid epidemic, white collar crime and corporate greed.

Read if you like:
Small-town America
True crime
Complex characters

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Publishing for an eARC of Northwoods by Amy Pease. Don't miss this crime thriller!

Great book. I love how Eli has redeemable qualities even though he is definitely a fuck up because he’s so messed up. I feel like there should have been more of something for Alyssa. She kind of just goes around and does what she wants.

This book was amazing. So atmospheric and taut with tension. Being from Wisconsin, she did an excellent job of describing what the Northwoods are actually like. I sure hope she writes more in the future!

CW for the book: drugs, alcoholism, PTSD, depression, suicidal thoughts, vivid descriptions of wounds

Wow. Finishing this one up had me holding my breath.

It follows Eli and Marge, a son and mother duo who are half of the police department in their city. Eli has been struggling with some personal demons, and is also separated from his wife. He finds a body one night after a disturbance was called in. The FBI is tasked with assisting due to a missing person.

The PTSD and depression was very well represented and written here. At points I felt like I was there in the room with Eli watching him struggle. The end was satisfying and I really loved how this story was told in varying viewpoints.

*spoilers!!*

I will say - I did figure out pretty quickly that Jake was in on the side of the drug dealers, especially after that night Eli blacked out and had no memory of what happened. I felt so sad for him, being betrayed by Jake after feeling so close to him. I also felt sad when Alyssa used Eli and betrayed his trust.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A tremendous debut by Amy Pease, who captures the dynamics within a summer resort town in the Northwoods of Wisconsin when a teenage boy is found dead and a teenage girl goes missing. The small-town sheriff's department is tiny, and an FBI agent from Chicago arrives to help with the investigation. Along the way, we get to know Eli North, the sheriff's deputy (and son) who has panic attacks, drinks too much, is separated from his wife and is living in a bleak apartment. The boy's mother is addicted to drugs and wealthy; the girl's father is still in Chicago and receiving mysterious faxes at work. There are country club types & former criminals & a great assortment of interesting characters. Plus, some twists & turns you won't see coming. A most-enjoyable debut!

This debut novel is an excellent mystery/crime novel. In a small, nothern town in the midst of the opioid epidemic, Eli North is dealing with his own demons as his tries to solve the mystery of a teenage boy found dead at the lake. A great mix of a moving plot and strong character development kept me invested in the story from the start.

Addiction and its effects are strong themes explored from different angles, and the author deftly weaves together the characters and their layered backgrounds. I hope that the story will continue.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #AtriaBooks for a free copy of #Northwoods by Amy Peace. All opinions are my own.

This is a debut novel, and a stand out one at that. I was really impressed by this mystery/crime thriller and engrossed in this book. I loved the setting and truly cared about the characters and the outcome for everyone involved.

Northwoods is a police procedural/family drama with a little mystery. Set in a lakeside community, Eli is a military veteran turned police officer in a police department where his mother is the sheriff and there are only two other police officers on staff.

Eli went through something traumatic during his time serving in the military. Now he suffers from panic attacks and medicates with alcohol. Eli is also going through a divorce he doesn’t want.

He is called in on a noise disturbance at the cabins on the lake and finds a dead young man in a boat. He soon learns the girl the boy was seeing is missing. What happened to them and why?

This was a decent debut novel from the author. It was very heavy on the relationships and dynamics of Eli which I did enjoy. I really liked the character of the FBI agent, Alyssa, and could see this becoming a serial with her in it. The mystery was interesting but I figured it out pretty easily. I think you will enjoy this book as long as you know this is not a thriller.