Review – Wildwood by Amy Pease
Synopsis
From the acclaimed author of the “riveting debut” (People) Northwoods, a mother-son law enforcement team confront buried secrets in their small town as they work to expose a conspiracy that goes far beyond the tight-knit community.
Deputy Sheriff Eli North has spent the last year getting his life back together. He hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol, he’s working through his PTSD from his military deployment, and he’s repairing his most important relationships. When an undercover informant disappears, and all signs point to murder, Eli must expose the dark underbelly of his idyllic Wisconsin small town while safeguarding his newfound stability.
Then, with the unexpected arrival of FBI Agent Alyssa Mason, Eli and his mother, the sheriff, are pulled deeper into a violent criminal network built on the backs of the lost and forgotten.
As the case deepens, loyalties fracture, and the line between justice and survival begins to blur. In a town where everyone has something to hide, exposing the truth may cost them everything.
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Review
Set in Shaky Lake, WI, this small town doesn’t know what is happening in its own backyard. That is, until a young woman goes missing, and a larger picture emerges.
This book is the second in the series, but can be read on its own. I think you might miss a few things that tie Eli and Alyssa together from the first book, but nothing that impacts the current case.
Multiple crimes are peppered throughout this book, more than you would expect for a small town in Wisconsin! The storyline jumps between months, which threw me off at first, but once I understood that the information was shared a bit at a time, the story flowed and made sense. I found myself engaged in wondering what would happen next, and who was at the core of the criminal activities.
There are characters to love and hate. Agent Diaz is a bit slimy, Alyssa seems like a good woman, but she has bad taste in fiancés. There is Eli and his mother, Marge, both dedicated officers in the Sheriff’s office, but they have their own issues as well. Or should I say, Eli does. He has PTSD, but doesn’t seem to address that as reality. However, his connection with Alyssa might lead to more in future books.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Bella, the emotional support dog. I always love seeing a dog in books.
Even though I didn’t read the first book, I truly enjoyed the journey to Wisconsin and this sleepy little town.
We give the book 4 paws up.
About the Author
Amy Pease is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin and the Madison Writer’s Studio, and works as a nurse practitioner, where she is a nationally recognized HIV specialist. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and two children. Northwoods is her first novel.
