Northwoods - by Amy Pease (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In this "compelling and heartbreaking debut that marks a new and important voice in the mystery genre" (William Kent Krueger), a murder with ties to America's opioid epidemic reveals the dark underbelly of an idyllic Midwestern resort town.

Eli North is not okay.

His drinking is getting worse by the day, his emotional wounds after a deployment to Afghanistan are as raw as ever, his marriage and career are over, and the only job he can hold down is with the local sheriff's department. And that's only because the sheriff is his mother--and she's overwhelmed with small town Shaky Lake's dwindling budget and the fallout from the opioid epidemic.

The Northwoods of Wisconsin may be a vacationer's paradise, but amidst the fishing trips, campfires, and Paul Bunyan festivals, something sinister is taking shape. When the body of a teenage boy is found in the lake, it sets in motion an investigation that leads Eli to a wealthy enclave with a violent past, a pharmaceutical salesman, and a missing teenage girl. Soon, Eli and his mother, along with a young FBI agent, are on the hunt for more than just a killer in this thriller that is "not to be missed" (Mindy Mejia, USA TODAY bestselling author).

Review Quotes

"[An] indelible debut."-- "The New York Times Book Review"

"A riveting debut by a nurse practitioner with an insider's view of the opioid epidemic."-- "People"

"Amy Pease's NORTHWOODS is a novel so skillfully immersive that it is hard to believe it is her first. Her story weaves a gripping murder mystery with compelling character studies; her Northern Wisconsin setting teems with secrets and menace. It all makes for a powerful, poised and propulsive novel that marks the emergence of an exciting new voice on the thriller scene."--Stephen Amidon, author of LOCUST LANE and HUMAN CAPITAL

"Get lost in Amy Pease's words, get lost in the gripping personal debut of a complex new series--get lost in NORTHWOODS."--Craig Johnson, author of the Walt Longmire series

"If you're going to these Northwoods for peace and quiet, think again. Amy Pease's debut novel is a gorgeously rendered character study of a man, a mother, and a place with far too much going on under the surface. The perfect lakeside reading."--Lori Rader-Day, award-winning author of THE DEATH OF US

"In NORTHWOODS, Amy Pease powerfully shatters the myth of tranquility in the beautiful north country of Wisconsin. Murder, drugs, and PTSD are among the demons that populate rural Sherman County, where lake resorts abound and the sheriff's department is underfunded and understaffed. Pease's brilliantly told story of a beleaguered mother-son law enforcement team is a compelling and heartbreaking debut that marks a new and important voice in the mystery genre. This is a novel you absolutely don't want to miss."--William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author of THE RIVER WE REMEMBER

"Outstanding . . . Pease's sharp dialogue and well-rounded characters enrich the core mystery with an authentic representation of the everyday struggles of small-town Americans. Admirers of Eli Cranor will eagerly await more from this gifted writer."-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"

"Propulsive...Pease expertly builds tension as the book progresses, weaving together multiple perspectives to construct a complex mystery. Her gripping and atmospheric novel will keep readers invested until the last page."-- "Booklist"

"Strong characters, a great plot, fascinating relationships, and excellent pacing . . . . A thought-provoking debut."-- "Mystery and Suspense Magazine"

"Through vivid settings and unforgettable characters, Amy Pease shatters the peaceful illusion of upper Midwest resort towns. I couldn't get enough of Sheriff Marge North, a woman whose emotions are a vital asset to her job, and her son, Eli, whose buried trauma makes investigating a murder nearly impossible. NORTHWOODS is much more than a crime novel. It's a story of how the world breaks us and yet sometimes, if we're lucky, offers us a path forward. A debut not to be missed!"--Mindy Mejia, USA Today bestselling author of TO CATCH A STORM and EVERYTHING YOU WANT ME TO BE

About the Author

Amy Pease is the author of Northwoods and its sequel Wildwood, small-town thrillers rooted in the natural beauty and close-knit communities of her native Wisconsin. She writes emotionally rich, atmospheric stories across genres that explore the relationships that define us. A nationally recognized HIV specialist and longtime nurse practitioner, she is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and the Madison Writer's Studio. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and two children.