Return to the rugged beauty and hidden darkness of small-town Wisconsin, delivering a compelling story of crime, grief, and redemption. Deputy Sheriff Eli North, a recovering alcoholic and veteran battling PTSD, is determined to rebuild his life and repair the bond with his mother, the town sheriff. But when an undercover informant vanishes and a murder investigation unfolds, Eli and his mother are drawn into a dangerous web of corruption that stretches far beyond their quiet community.
This is a solid, well-written police procedural that balances grit and emotion beautifully. While it wasn’t a full five-star read for me, it’s thoughtful, atmospheric, and layered. The pacing works for most of the book, though the final chapters felt a little rushed, with a lot happening at once and not quite enough time spent exploring the criminals’ motivations. Still, the emotional core is what truly makes Wildwood shine. I like that Pease has made a story more about healing, confronting your past, and learning to trust again. While our main characters are nicely crafted, I felt that our side characters we’re one-dimensional and could have used a bit more focus.
If you love character-driven mysteries with a strong sense of place and quiet emotional depth, Wildwood is worth picking up. It’s perfect for fans of slow-burn suspense and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
AMAZON | GOODREADS | BOOKSHOP | ★★★★
Wildwood comes out January 6, 2026. Huge thank you to Atria Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.
