Beast of the North Woods by Annelise Ryan
#3 Monster Hunter Mystery
Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 1.28.25
Pages: 320
Rating: Goodreads4.5 stars
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Sellers: Amazon
ADD TO: GoodReads
GoodReads Blurb:
When a local fisherman is mauled to
death, it seems like the only possible cause is a mythical creature in the
latest puzzling entry in this USA Today bestselling series.
An ice fisherman is savagely mauled to death in
Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and an eyewitness claims the man was attacked by a
hodag. There's just one problem with it's well known that the creature is not
real and was created by a local hoaxer. So how could an imaginary creature be
chomping on local sportsmen?
The suggestion that a hodag killed someone isn’t well
received by the townsfolk because of its beloved ties to the town and the money
it generates from tourist dollars. Due to this, people begin to suspect the
witness is the real killer, especially when it’s discovered he has a tangled
past with the victim.
The witness to the attack happens to be the nephew of
Morgan Carter’s bookstore employee, Rita Bosworth, who convinces the
professional cryptozoologist to travel to Wisconsin to prove that a hodag not
only exists but killed the victim.
Clues may be hard to come by, but one thing's for
something killed that man, and that something now has its eyes focused on
Morgan.
Sophia Rose's Review:
A new mystery for cryptozoologist and
bookstore owner, Morgan Carter, strikes a little close to home when her
employee’s nephew is up on murder charges and he swears he saw a mythical Hodag
in the woods. Annelise Ryan’s cozy
mystery series that explores local monster legends while presenting clever,
twisting murder mysteries has me hooked and I couldn’t wait to dive into the
latest.
Beast of the North Woods is the third
standalone Monster Hunter Mystery. There
is a background story for Morgan and the recurring cast of characters building
throughout the series that makes it best to read it in order.
Morgan is reluctant to take on this
case because the Hodag has always been a hoax and not something that interested
her, but also because of two personal reasons.
For one, she doesn’t want the pressure of investigating a murder Rita’s
nephew is in jail for because the case is stacked against him and Rita would
never forgive her if Morgan ended up siding with the police. But, also, an unsigned message she knows is
from her murdering ex-fiancé has her rattled that he’s nearby and watching her
closely.
But, Morgan can’t say no to Rita so
north to Rhinelander, home of the Hodag, she goes. The locals make quite a tourism bundle on
souvenirs, festivals and more all around the “cute, lovable hodag” and they
don’t want Morgan investigating the possibility that one is real and also
killing people out in the woods. Morgan
knows she’s being watched from the shadows and followed, but is it related to
the case or her ex. Meanwhile, the
evidence starts leading in dangerous and intriguing directions. Will her need to finish the case and make
gutsy moves prove too much for the man who is coming to care for her? Or will her detecting rile a killer enough to
add her death to their to-do list?
I enjoyed once again getting off the
beaten path and exploring the mystery of a legend as well as a murder. There were some good suspenseful moments and
an intriguing trail of witnesses and evidence for Morgan to follow. Like before, she digs up more than one
mystery and it seems everyone has secrets.
Also, like before, Morgan isn’t always smart when she leaps into action
without telling others or taking decent back-up. There was the uptick in tension with that
extra stalker ex factor and what he wants with Morgan still.
In the end, I was left with an
exciting climax, a satisfying ending, and a need for more Monster Hunter
Mystery stories. These are cozies that
edge near paranormal and darker murder mysteries and I recommend them as good
genre crossovers for readers who want to expand their interests either way.
Author’s Bio:
Annelise Ryan is a pseudonym for the Wisconsin-based author of the new
Monster Hunter Mystery series, the first of which, A DEATH IN DOOR COUNTY, was
released in September 2022. The second book in the series, DEATH IN THE DARK
WOODS, came out in December of 2023 and book #3, BEAST OF THE NORTH WOODS is
set for release on January 28, 2025.
Annelise also penned the rib-tickling12- book Mattie Winston Mystery series
featuring the adventures of a wryly cynical nurse-turned-coroner in a small
Wisconsin town and the spin-off Helping Hands Mysteries.
As Allyson K. Abbott, she authored a 6-book series known as the Mack’s Bar
Mysteries (a bit of cheeky fun there with the initials on that nom de
plume!)
And as Beth Amos, she has written more than 200 published articles, worked
as a book reviewer for Barnes & Noble, and written five thrillers, three of
which were published by HarperCollins in the late ’90s. She is an active member
of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller
Writers. She is a registered nurse whose past work experience has included
everything from birth (obstetrics) to death (hospice). She recently retired
after spending her last 20 years working in the ER.
Website: https://anneliseryan.com/
Sophia’s Bio:
Sophia
is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing,
piano-playing, and gardening. Road trips and campouts, museums and monuments,
restaurants and theaters are her jam. Encouraged and supported by an incredible
man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes
Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and
Chocolate.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that
Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing. Sophia is a
prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many
wonderful books, authors, and narrators. Few genres are outside her reading
tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and
romance. Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophia.rose.7587
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiarose1816
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13418187.Sophia_Rose
