Wildwood

By: Amy Pease

Narrators: Chris Henry Coffey, Amanda Dolan Simon & Schuster Audio

Northwoods #2

ISBN: 9781668078723

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: 01/06/2026

Format: Hardcover

My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)

JAN 2026 MUST-READ BOOKS

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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THE STARS BENEATH

NORTHWOODS #1

WILDWOOD #2

Praise

"Dark, moody, and evocative....With powerful prose and unflinching insight, Amy Pease deftly unearths the depravity of human nature amid the tangled wilderness of the Northwoods to expose an insidious truth—even the sleepiest towns have shadowed underbellies."

-- Hannah Morrissey, USA Today bestselling author of The Unlucky Ones

“With WILDWOOD, Amy Pease proves herself a master of modern literary crime fiction. This is a layered, unputdownable exploration of place, loyalty, and the cost of truth. The prose is luminous, the suspense quietly devastating. Pease writes with heart and gravity in equal measure.”

-- Danielle Trussoni, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of The Puzzle Box

"I loved this book. Interesting characters rooted in a place I could believe in, a great plot with enough tension to keep the pages turning, and tight, assured writing. I can't wait until the next one." -

- Ann Cleeves, New York Times bestselling author of The Long Call and Vera Stanhope novels.

"Evocative, tense, and absolutely gorgeous! This heartbreakingly realistic rural noir will captivate you from page one. With intensely drawn characters, sophisticated emotional depth, and an atmospheric setting—this is part procedural, part family drama, and wholly immersive. As tough as CJ Box and as tender as Heather Gudenkauf, WILDWOOD again proves Amy Pease is a superbly powerful storyteller—and a truly lasting talent." -

- Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author

"Tough and tender in equal measure, WILDWOOD lays bare the raw ache of addiction, the pain of modern loneliness, and a father's dogged devotion. At its heart is Deputy Sheriff Eli North, not the hardened cop of tropes & conventions, but a complex man in recovery, whose resilience and his own ghosts shape his detective work. A fascinating, totally unexpected, and gripping dive into rural crime storytelling."

-- Margot Douaihy, bestselling author of SCORCHED GRACE, BLESSED WATER, and DIVINE

"Riveting…a suspenseful, well-paced peek into the dark currents running through Wisconsin’s otherwise bucolic northern woods….Will linger in readers’ minds long after the last page is turned."

-- Annelise Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of the Monster Hunter Mysteries

"WILDWOOD is a gripping story of troubled people trying to do the right thing despite the enormous odds stacked against them. Within the pages of this rural crime novel with its working-class protagonists, Amy Pease has created something warm, wise, terrifying, and indescribably human. I hope to be reading the tales of Eli North - and his mom, Sheriff Marge North - for a very long time."

-- Nick Petrie, author of THE DARK TIME

"Wildwood is a masterfully-crafted crime novel, a pitch-perfect blend of characters you want to root for, a propulsive plot with danger at every turn, and an evocatively chilling rural setting. Amy Pease’s follow up to Northwoods is sure to satisfy readers who want to catch up with Eli and Alyssa—or who are meeting them for the first time."

-- Andrew DeYoung, author of STAY AWAY FROM HIM

"Pease weaves an immersive tale full of creeping dread, deftly exposing the dark underbelly of an idyllic Wisconsin resort town—all while proving a crime scene is even more compelling when the body is missing."

-- Cayce Osborne, author ofI KNOW WHAT YOU DID

“Pease impresses with her gritty second mystery featuring mother-son law-enforcement duo Marge and Eli North…Pease elevates her plotting with rich atmosphere and well-shaded characters. William Kent Krueger fans will want to check this out.”

― Publishers Weekly

About the Author

About the Author

Amy Pease is the author of Northwoods and its sequel Wildwood, small-town thrillers rooted in the natural beauty and close-knit communities of her native Wisconsin. She writes emotionally rich, atmospheric stories across genres—from crime fiction to romance—that explore the relationships that define us. A nationally recognized HIV specialist and longtime nurse practitioner, she is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and the Madison Writer’s Studio. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and two children.

WEBSITE

#Wildwood

My Review

Author Amy Pease (favorite) triumphantly returns after her sensational debut and the captivating kickoff of her popular series, Northwoods (5 stars), with the eagerly awaited sequel, WILDWOOD.

In this gripping installment, readers are once again drawn into the mysterious world of Shaky Lake, Wisconsin, a picturesque resort town that hides a sinister secret beneath its charming facade.

Deputy Sheriff Eli North, determined and resourceful, teams up with his formidable mother, Sheriff Marge North, as they delve into a complex web of conspiracy that threatens the peaceful existence of their community. As they navigate the intertwining threads of intrigue, danger lurks in the serene landscape, making for an enthralling exploration of both the light and dark aspects of small-town life.

Pease focuses on a core group of returning and new characters whose lives are intertwined with a massive criminal conspiracy in northern Wisconsin.

The Characters...

Law Enforcement Team

~Eli North:

A Deputy Sheriff and combat veteran struggling with severe PTSD from his deployment in Afghanistan. Now one year sober, Eli uses his intuitive investigative skills to navigate a town filled with secrets while relying on his emotional support dog, Bella, to manage panic attacks.

~Marge North:

Eli’s mother and the Sheriff of Sherman County. She is a respected, intuitive "top cop" who manages an underfunded department and supports her son’s recovery while tackling a case that grows far beyond local boundaries.

~Alyssa Mason:

An FBI agent returns to Shaky Lake to help investigate the disappearance of a federal informant. She shares a complicated, burgeoning romantic tension with Eli as they work to untangle the criminal network.

~Agent Diaz:

Alyssa’s federal partner often appears to be withholding critical information from the local sheriff's department.

Other Primary Characters

~Trinity Campanella:

A 23-year-old recovering addict and artist who serves as the novel's primary "victim" and occasional narrator through dual timelines. She was working as a confidential informant (CI) for the DEA, tasked with infiltrating the social circle of the town's most powerful businessman.

~Charles Dawson:

A suave attorney and healthcare CEO who owns multiple rehab facilities and group homes. He is the primary target of the federal investigation, suspected of orchestrating a massive scheme involving healthcare fraud and the distribution of laced synthetic opioids.

~Ronnie:

Trinity’s friend, who first alerts the police to her disappearance after finding a bloody crime scene in Trinity's trailer.

About...

A dark underbelly" conspiracy is suspected when investigation reveals that the town’s idyllic resort facade hides a violent criminal network.

Following up from the last book, the plot centers on healthcare fraud and the illegal distribution of oxycodone, targeting local youth and vulnerable populations in group homes.

FBI Agent Alyssa Mason (from the previous book) returns to assist. The team discovers that "suave businessman" Charles Dawson, who owns most of the local group homes and recovery facilities, is at the center of the drug and fraud scheme.

One year sober, Eli continues to battle PTSD from his military deployment in Afghanistan. He relies on his emotional support dog, Bella, to manage panic attacks while navigating a deepening relationship with Alyssa.

The novel skillfully uses dual timelines and multiple perspectives. Chapters from Trinity's point of view detail the months leading up to her disappearance, while the present-day investigation tracks Eli and Marge’s efforts to expose the truth.

My thoughts...

I absolutely loved the first book, Northwoods, and was excited to catch up with the characters and the happenings at Shaky Lake in WILDOOD, which is equally as compelling.

While the first book, NORTHWOODS, establishes a broader geographic location, WILDWOOD suggests a more specific, untamed, and "terrifying" depth to the mystery, shifting from a general setting to a focused investigation of corporate malfeasance and human resilience.

WILDWOOD is gritty, thoughtful, timely, relevant, compelling, and powerful! Amy Please's prose is lovely; dark, moody, and evocative, drawing you into the northern Wisconsin setting that is a sharp contrast with its beauty against the dark, shadowed underbelly.

The author cleverly uses a non-linear narrative structure that alternates between two distinct time periods to gradually reveal the truth behind a complex conspiracy.

1. Present-Day Timeline: The Investigation

Follows Eli North, his mother, Sheriff Marge North, and FBI Agent Alyssa Mason.

Time: Set in the fall, one year after the events of the first book, Northwoods.

Focus: This timeline tracks the immediate search for Trinity Campanella after a bloody scene is discovered in her trailer. It follows the procedural steps of the local and federal authorities as they uncover a massive criminal network involving healthcare fraud and synthetic opioids.

2. Past Timeline: Trinity’s Backstory

Told from the POV of the "victim," Trinity Campanella.

Time: Covers the months leading up to her disappearance.

Focus: These chapters humanize Trinity, showing her struggles with recovery and her motivation to stay clean to regain custody of her son. It details her work as a confidential informant (CI) for the DEA, specifically her high-stakes assignment to infiltrate the inner circle of the suave CEO Charles Dawson.

The alternating chapters act as a "slow-burn," driving the story, building suspense by leaving questions in the present that are answered by the past.

By giving the missing woman her own voice, Pease skillfully ensures Trinity is more than just a "missing person" trope; readers experience her personal stakes and the danger she faced in real-time with rich character insights.

The structure allows the scale of the crime—which involves corporate malfeasance far larger than a local disappearance—to be revealed piece by piece, keeping the true nature of the conspiracy hidden until later in the book.

The atmospheric fall and winter landscapes are vivid, and the lakes are seductive and sinister. Northwoods is portrayed as a vacation paradise of rustic charm, fishing trips, campfires, and lush forests. But there is a dark sense of creeping dread and foreboding with darkness below the surface. The author does a great job of drawing you into the nostalgic small-town setting.

Pease emphasizes the contrast between Northern Wisconsin's "bucolic veneer" and its grim reality through several key environmental and societal details:

~Lakeside Beauty vs. Hidden Decay

~Pricey Retreats vs. Local Hardships.

~The "Paul Bunyan" Facade vs. the Opioid Crisis

~Weather as a Threat

~Isolation as a "Locked-Room" Trap

Dawson's operation exploits the very populations his facilities are meant to protect. Despite being on federal radar for years, Dawson has managed to remain untouchable until the events of the novel, largely due to his outward respectability and the complexity of his illegal schemes.

Pease uses the Northwoods setting to explore dark social issues, focusing on the vulnerability of individuals at the margins of society.

Themes:

~The Sinister Side of Healthcare: Drawing on her career as a nurse practitioner, Pease explores healthcare fraud and the exploitation of vulnerable populations. The plot critiques systems that appear to be "tasked with healing" but instead profit from the "lives of the lost and addicted".

~The Fragility of Sobriety and Recovery

~PTSD and Mental Health Resilience

~Socioeconomic Disparity in Resort Towns

~Corruption and Lost Trust

Despite the dark topics, the novel maintains an underlying message of resilience, hope, and kindness, focusing on troubled, flawed people trying to do the right thing against enormous odds

Sheriff Marge North is a favorite, steady, and the moral anchor of Sherman County. Her strengths as a leader stem from a combination of local expertise and deep emotional intelligence. Her greatest personal strength is her unwavering support for her son, Eli. Even she remains focused on the potential victim and the integrity of the scene.

Deputy Sheriff Eli North has evolved from the "flawed hero" of the first book into a man actively rebuilding his life while remaining deeply marked by his past. Having hit rock bottom in Northwoods, Eli is now one year sober. He is focused on safeguarding his "newfound stability," though he remains vulnerable to the stress of active investigations with the help of Bella his support dog.

Takeaway Message

The central takeaway of WILDWOOD is a message of resilience and hope amidst systemic corruption. While the novel addresses dark subjects like mental illness, corporate greed, and the opioid crisis, it emphasizes that "troubled people trying to do the right thing" can find redemption through connection and kindness.

Ultimately, the novel serves as a reminder that even in shadowed underbellies and bleak situations, the persistence of love and loyalty prevents the world from becoming entirely dark.

The Title

The title, WILDWOOD, carries multiple layers of significance that bridge the literal setting with the novel's deeper psychological and social themes:

~The Literal Setting

~The "Impassable" Moral Landscape

~A Sanctuary for the "Lost."

~Eli’s Internal "Wilderness."

In summary, I wholeheartedly recommend this captivating series (be sure to read Northwoods first!). It's not just compelling; it's a masterful exploration of its themes, filled with informative insights and relevant details that resonate deeply with readers. It's character-driven, literary suspense, mystery, crime fiction, cop procedural, and rural noir, with profound social commentary, showing how addiction and those who use it for their own greed erode families and communities.

The storytelling is vibrant and immersive, creating an emotional experience that is truly unputdownable. Each page draws you in, and the emotional impact is profound, leaving a lasting impression that lingers long after you've turned the last page.

Recs...

Readers who enjoyed the character-driven, atmospheric, and socially relevant rural noir of Amy Pease's Wildwood may also like books from the following authors and series:

~William Kent Krueger, Allen Eskens, Karin Slaughter, SA Cosby, and Joshua Moehling

~C. J. Box's (Joe Pickett series)

~When the Mountains Burn by David Joy

~Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

~Liz Moore's Long Bright River

~Chris Whitaker's We Begin at the End

Non-fiction:

~Death in Mud Lick: A Coal Country Fight against the Drug Companies That Delivered the Opioid Epidemic by Eric Eyre

~Unstitched: My Journey to Understand Opioid Addiction and How People and Communities Can Heal by Brett Ann Stanciu

Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. I can't wait to see what comes next from this talented, favorite storyteller and series.

@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks

Pub Date: Jan 06, 2026

My Rating: 5 Stars

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