Northwoods: A Novel

Very good book, and actually written by a friend of a friend. Or a classmate of a friend anyway.

I thought the character development was really good, and the storyline was captivating. I was hooked into it for sure! The story takes place in Wisconsin and the Chicago suburbs. The references to both locales were refreshing and believable.

There was one point in the book that stuck out to me that I was “frustrated” with. Given the experience of everyone involved (the fictional characters), a point should have been discovered, but wasn't.

The book ended pretty well. Enough of an ending to BE an ending, but without entirely closing all the loops. May leave an opening for a sequel? I guess that would remain to be seen! I would read it if it were published.

*3.5 stars. Perfectly pleasant popcorn novel with minimal character development and plenty of suspenseful and twisty moments. Pease hints at larger ambitions with a handful of passages that mined deeper into trauma, addiction, PTSD and depression, but ultimately settles for a trope-ey suspense novel that was a fast, mostly enjoyable read.

4.25 stars, it's nice to read a thriller with a less common setup. I look forward to reading everything this author writes.