Northwoods by Amy Pease @AmyPeaseWrites @ChrisHCoffey @ZacAlemanVO @SimonAudio

the setup…
Eli North is a former US Fish and Wildlife Services investigator who is now a deputy sheriff in Shaky Lakes, Wisconsin, working for his mother Marge after his return from Afghanistan. He’s suffering from PTSD and his cure is alcohol…and he’s not winning. His marriage is over, his relationship with his son Andy suffering and his mother is the only thing holding his career together. When he answers a noise disturbance call late one evening, he literally stumbles upon the body of Ben Sharpe, the teenage son of one of the wealthy annual guests to the resort town. They later discover that Caitlin Wallace, his teenage companion, is missing.

the heart of the story…
Most of the story is told from Eli’s point of view, an alcohol hazed mess but through it all you could still tell this man had strong investigative skills. If he could just stop drinking. The Sheriff’s Department is underfunded and understaffed, needing him to get it together. It’s also clear the opioid crisis has reached the Northwoods, both with resident users and a network of dealers masked by respectability. FBI Agent Alyssa Mason is assisting with the investigation and though she sees right through Eli’s problems, she also recognizes his value. The mystery was highly intriguing and intricate but it’s the extraordinary character insights that pull you in. My heart ached for Eli even while his behavior frustrated me as well.

the narration…
One narrator carries the weight of the story, voicing the points of view of several characters, and another provides the voice for Cal Wallace, Caitlyn’s father. I enjoyed both especially the primary narrator as his characterization of Eli was just perfect. They were really good storytellers.

the bottom line…
This small resort town looks idyllic on the surface but its underbelly reveals what really lies beneath isn’t pretty. I continue to be shocked at how the opioid crisis has affected so many families, lives and cities in our country, with no visible end in sight. I wanted Eli to triumph, not just in solving this case but finding his way out of the torture of his past. It felt hopeless at times but there are glimmers of light that kept me engaged. It’s remarkable that this is the author’s debut novel as it reads with a higher level of seasoning. Sign me up for whatever she has next.

Book Info

• Release Date: January 9, 2024
• Narrators: Chris Henry Coffey & Zac Aleman
• Audio Length: 9 hours, 45 minutes
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

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(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)