Wildwood

By Amy Pease
** Publication Date 6 January 2026**
4 stars


I loved the first novel, Northwood, so very much. Eli North is a broken but very lovable deputy sheriff in the small town of Shaky Lake, Wisconsin. In the first novel, he is forced to work with a formidable but competent FBI agent, Alyssa Mason. The two butt heads, have chemistry, and all the stuff. 


Here in the second installment, Eli and his mother, Sheriff Marge North, find themselves with what looks like a murder scene with no victim. When FBI agent Alyssa Mason appears at the scene, Eli knows this won’t be just a murder they’re investigating. Apparently last summer’s drug bust was simply the tip of the iceberg. 


Eli and Alyssa do their dance around one another in this novel as well, keeping each other at arm’s length. The tiny sheriff department of Shaky Lake, consisting of one sheriff, one deputy, and one dispatcher, really needs the assistance of the FBI on this one. Because this missing woman isn’t just any missing person. 


You don’t need to have read the first novel to enjoy this one. While it helps bring together the history of Eli and Alyssa, and the mess in the town of Shaky Lake, there are enough references and explanations to keep you abreast. However, I really fell in love with the characters and the setting with the first novel. This novel simply builds on that.


A true mystery. It is written with the narrative of the missing woman and the narrative of the current investigation cleanly woven together. It’s a page turner. While it is a crime novel, the blood and gore are minimal. It’s a suspenseful journey to figure out what is going to happen.


Great fireplace read for the winter!