Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – Wildwood by Amy Pease

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – Wildwood by Amy Pease

Review: Wildwood: A Novel by Amy Pease

Wildwood: A Novel by Amy Pease is the second book in the series that began with the very good Northwoods. As the book begins, it is October in North Wisconsin and Eli North is in a far better place mentally. He’s quit drinking, is in therapy for PTSD and other issues, and is coping with everything better than he has been in  some time. He’s still working for his mom, the sheriff, who ordered him to take the day off. So, he started the day chopping wood. Not only is it therapeutic for him, it is being proactive as winter is coming.

 

His day off is soon out the window when his mom calls him in. With only three members of the Sherman County Sherrif’s Department, one of whom is the dispatcher, she did not really have a choice. Sheriff Marge North might have dealt with the missing woman case on her own.

 

But, she got into the home, and judging from the blood sprayed on the bedroom walls, probably Trinity Campanella is dead. If so, they are looking for a body and a killer. There are other troubling signs in the home as well.

 

So, she needs her son and fellow officer, Eli North, and other outside resources. She had not reached out to the FBI and yet they have shown up in form of FBI Agent Alyssa Mason. They dealt with her last summer and now she is suddenly back in Shaky Lake, Wisconsin, and has arrived, unannounced, at her crime scene. She has also brought an undercover DEA agent with her. For good reasons too in an increasingly complicated case and a mighty good read.

 

While this could be read first, if one so desired, I recommend reading the series in order to see how things are evolving for the characters involved. Both books are very good and strongly recommended.

 

As I was with the first book, I am indebted to a comment on Lesa Holstine’s What Are You Reading blog posts. I had no idea this was even out until I saw the news there and requested the book via my library. The read is also available by way of Kindle Unlimited (as is the first) so I read it that way in a larger font than the hardback library book.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3TmDgyH

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Series Link: https://amzn.to/4pEdG4l

 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2026

Lesa's Book Critiques: KEVIN’S CORNER ANNEX – NORTHWOODS: A NOVEL BY AMY PEASE

 Lesa's Book Critiques: KEVIN’S CORNER ANNEX – NORTHWOODS: A NOVEL BY AMY PEASE

Review: Northwoods: A Novel by Amy Pease

 

Northwoods: A Novel by Amy Pease takes readers to a resort area on a lake in northern Wisconsin. When Eli North is not on duty, he spends most of his time drunk. If not for his mom being Sheriff, as well as the fact that the department is very short staffed and hardly has a budget, he would not have a job as Deputy.

 

If not for the job, he would not have had to go to Cabin Six to deal with a noise problem. Visitors to Beran’s Resort expect peace and quiet. The folks that spend time there will call the law quickly on others. Businesses in the local area are going under, for a variety of reasons, so tourism dollars are important. All this means that somebody from the short-staffed Sherman County Sheriff’s Department has to respond and should do so quickly. On this night, that means Deputy Eli North.

 

He was drinking and floating in the lake when reached by dispatch. It takes him some time to get dressed and get to the cabin. It also means he is alone when he finds the body of a young boy in the bottom of a boat tied to a dock outside of a cabin where the stereo had been far too loud. The Sherif is soon on the scene and knows the boy.

 

Ben Sharpe is his name. He also isn’t the only child in trouble at the lake.

 

What follows is a highly atmospheric and enjoyable read. Eli North is barely hanging on, in a variety of ways, and the case regarding the death of Ben and the search for another child, is both a lifeline and a danger to him. Much is going on in Northwoods: A Novel by Amy Pease.

 

This review barely skims the surface to avoid spoilers. It is well worth your read. My hope is that this is the first book of a series as I very much enjoyed it.

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4b7tnbI 

 

While Lesa Holstine has not read/reviewed it, I am pretty sure I first learned of the book via a comment or three about it on her weekly, What Are You Reading, blog posts. I get a lot of book recommendations that way which is one of the major reasons why I have over 80 books from the Dallas Public Library System here at the house.

 

My reading copy came from the Dallas Public Library System via the OverDrive/Libby App. A wonderful thing that I can pretty much work these days thanks to extensive tutoring by Scott.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2024