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There are currently 29 member reviews
for Beast of the North Woods
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Alex Malm
A fun, quirky, cozy mystery!
Beast of the North Woods was a wonderful cozy mystery that kept me entertained throughout! This was my first novel by Annelise Ryan, but I enjoyed her writing style and the midwestern setting.
Morgan is a no-nonsense cryptozoologist (though I initially had no idea what that was!) who is up for any challenge. I enjoyed her mystery-solving alongside her cute pup Newt, and how he protected her during some sketchy situations. This book checked a lot of boxes for me: mystery, crime-solving, and a bit of quirkiness. The romance was a bit bland, though it wasn't a focus of the story. I found parts of the big reveal a bit too complicated, but overall enjoyed how everything unfolded.
Reading Beast of the North Woods inspired me to pick up the other books in the series, as I want the backstory about what happened to Morgan's parents and the deal with her ex, David. I flew through this one and look forward to reading Ryan's backlog!
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Jennie W. (Denver, CO)
Beast of the North Woods-Fun Read
This was such a fun and unique story. It is a murder mystery wrapped in a mythical creature hunt. The characters were well rounded and realistic. The story was not predictable which can be the case with so many murder mysteries. The creature, a hodag, is specific to Rhinelander, Wisconsin and the locale was almost a character itself. This was the first Annelise Ryan book I Have read, and I will definitely be picking up another.
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Sandi W
OH NO! A Hodag...
4 stars Thank you to BookBrowse and Berkley for letting me read this ARC. Publication is January 28, 2025.
A man is found dead and gutted in a field. Andy, having found the man, and it being his well known rival, is accused of the murder. He swears that he saw a Hodag and that that was the killer. But Hodags are mythical and never seen.
A Hodag is a knock off of a Big Foot in a spiny form with large claws. And this Wisconsin town billed itself as having friendly Hodags - sculptures all over town, a festival in summer and most businesses using it as a logo. So when Andy accuses the Hodag of the murder the town revolts. Just so happens that Andy's aunt works for a cryptozoologist. And Morgan flies into town to prove it was not Andy but was a Hodag.
Interesting? Yes. But that is just the start. This investigation brings more and more problems into view. One thing leads to another and Morgan has more problems to solve than she could ever have wished for.
This is actually the third book of a series, but it reads like a stand alone. I had no problem getting into the story. The description makes it sound humorous, but it is not. There is tension, mystery, suspense and a loving dog.
Probably not the kind of book that I would choose to read, however I found it relatively good and a nice change of pace. I liked it well enough to back up and add books one and two to my reading list.
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Nick S. (Plymouth, MA)
A surprising mystery
I enjoyed The Beast of the North Woods. It had some fairly significant twists that were a pleasant surprise, but I found certain subplots entered the book relatively late, and I would've appreciated more (real) hints along the way, but that's my preference. Anyone who lives in / appreciates the Midwest will appreciate the references dropped throughout the book.
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Janice A. (Colfax, WI)
Review - Beast of the North Woods
Annelise Ryan's "Beast of the North Woods" is a quick and easy read. The protagonist is a cryptozoologist - she hunts for legendary creatures (such as yeti, big foot, loc ness monster) that may or may not exist. She is hired by the brother-in-law of an employee. This hunt takes place in the Rhinelander, Wisconsin area and it is the infamous Hodag she needs to locate to show that her employee's nephew did not commit murder. Ryan describes the people and places very well as well as the process used by Morgan Carter, the cryptozoologist and narrator. There are several twists to the plot and I did not expect the ending. The conclusion was as well written and complete as the rest of the book. If you are in the mood for a light read, this book is a good candidate.
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Vivian H. (Winchester, VA)
Cozy Mystery Meets Mythical Creature
This book is a quirky cozy mystery replete with murder, the search for the mythical Hodag in the woods of Wisconsin, and investigation by a crypto zoologist, a study completely new to me. The intellectually eccentric characters bring a lovely level of charm to the story with elevated vocabulary. The narrative is a bit slow at times and the plot has a few holes. Overall, I enjoyed the opportunity to read an advance copy courtesy of BookBrowse and Netgalley.
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Linda M. (Ocala, FL)
What's a Hodag?
Beast of the North Woods by Annelise Ryan is a quick, entertaining read that has certainly elevated my interest in the state of Wisconsin and especially the small town of Rhinelander. This real town celebrates a strange spirit creature called a Hodag which was supposedly born from the ashes of abused, cremated oxen, has red eyes, fangs and a dragon's body. Is it really out there in the woods and can it kill people? The residents of the town embrace and protect the reputation of the creature even when a dead body has been found showing signs of a brutal attack. A witness claims to have seen a Hodag at the site of the murder. Can a professional cryptozoologist prove the killing was really committed by the Hodag? This book puts a small Wisconsin town on the map and is bound to increase the number of tourists who visit next summer. I might just go myself.
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