Slayings in the Snow... Hodag, or No? --Beast of the North Woods (mystery book review)

Two men, heading out separately for some ice-fishing in one of Wisconsin’s 15,000 lakes. 

Neither will enjoy a frosty commune with nature, though... not this time. 

 

In fact, only one will make it out of the forest alive... leaving the other, savagely attacked, atop a deep mound of blood-soaked snow.

 

The police are quick to blame the survivor, who insists he’s innocent... and says he even caught a glimpse of the killer. 

 

But his claim fall on deaf ears, once he describes what he saw... the small town of Rhinelander’s beloved mascot, the hodag—a mythological creature, sort of an ox-pig-lizard-dragon hybrid—scrambling away from the scene of the crime.

 

Thus begins Annelise Ryan’s latest mystery, Beast of the North Woods.

 

 

Door County, Wisconsin is well-known for many things—gorgeous lake views, outdoor recreation, and a plethora of art galleries, among them.

But to a smaller group of folks, it’s also home to the unusual... such as the Odds and Ends Bookstore, where rare books share space with an assortment of bizarre finds.

 

Bookstore owner Morgan Carter is, herself, rather an oddity, as a certified cryptozoologist (someone who hunts for cryptids—beings reported to exist, but yet to be proven real), a job title that most people don’t even believe is an actual thing.

 

So when one of her employees, Rita, begs for Morgan’s assistance regarding a cryptid, Morgan can hardly refuse... even if that means traveling north to Rhinelander and trying to dissuade the police of Rita’s nephew’s guilt. 

(Morgan thinks it sounds far more likely to end up a fool’s errand than a legitimate creature-hunting expedition, but Rita is an old family friend, so...)

 

And indeed, once Morgan, Rita, and Morgan’s faithful dog, Newt, reach the small northern town of Rhinelander, the evidence does seem to point toward the nephew having done it.

 

But honestly, even if that weren’t the case, a hodag? Everyone in town knows—and is quite cheerful about the fact—that the hodag is a made-up creature... which also happens to bring in thousands of dollars of business to the small community, every year, during a festival held in its honor.

 

Yet the more Morgan digs into the lore—and questions what the two men were really doing in the woods that day, and what motive the nephew could’ve possibly had—the less certain she is the police have the right man in custody.

 

Especially when another body turns up, viciously slain in the snow... and no one in town seems particularly concerned.

 

 

I didn’t learn, until after finishing Beast of the North Woods, that this is actually the third entry in a series! That says something about Ryan’s ability to create a fun tale that stands on its own, just fine. 

 

And this one is a lot of fun. Morgan is smart, funny, and extremely likable (plus she has an adorably-sweet support dog, in her very good boy, Newt).

 

She’s also surrounded by an engaging little group of friends—the elderly Rita; young Devon, a part-time employee at the bookstore (who provides invaluable techie assistance); and Joe, a cop from a neighboring county (who’s in a semi-long-distance relationship with Morgan).

 

Plus, any excuse for a good monster (fine, “cryptid”) outing is okay by me... and this one delivers.

 

Beast of the North Woods is a fast, enjoyable read—perfect for a cold, dreary, winter day when you just want to stay indoors.

 

And hey, if it inspires anyone to make an addition to their bucket list—“Visit Rhinelander (to See Hodags!)”—well, I’m sure the nice folks of Wisconsin won’t mind that one bit.

~GlamKitty

[My sincere thanks to Berkley/Penguin Random House for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are, as always, entirely my own.]