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Death In The Wolf Moon: A Claude Renard Mystery
Chief Deputy Claude Renard, first introduced in Death In The Blood Moon, returns in a gripping murder mystery set in the depths of winter in Grand Marais, Minnesota.The Northern Arts Folk School is running its annual coffin-making class titled Bury Yourself In Your Work. But when one of the students is found dead in his unfinished coffin, Chief Deputy Renard is tasked with investigating the crime. The victim, while relatively new to Grand Marais, is established enough to have made some enemies. As Renard digs into Grant Silverton’s past, he learns that the victim had a history of moving around. Or was it running? Renard is in a race against time to assemble the pieces of the victim’s past and find a killer before the case goes cold. And in January in northern Minnesota, that can happen fast.
- GenresMystery Thriller
319 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 26, 2023
6 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Jenifer LeClair
8 books37 followersJenifer LeClair is the author of the award-winning Windjammer Mystery Series set on the coast of Maine and featuring homicide detective Brie Beaumont as the series protagonist and detective. "Rigged for Murder" and "Danger Sector" are the first two books in LeClair's gripping mystery series and are set aboard a historic windjammer and on the islands and coastal areas of Maine, where she has sailed since 1994. LeClair brings a remarkable authenticity to the remote and beautiful setting of her action/adventure mystery novels and has won Independent Publisher Awards for Best Regional Fiction for both "Rigged for Murder" in 2009 and "Danger Sector" in 2011. "Rigged for Murder" also won the 2009 RebeccasReads Written Art Award for Best Mystery/Thriller, and "Danger Sector" was a finalist in the 2011 Midwest Book Awards. Jenifer LeClair lives in Minnesoata, but has adopted Maine as her second home and spends time there every year researching, travelling the highways and byways, doing photography, and sailing to various destinations in the Gulf of Maine and beyond. Her adventures aboard the Maine windjammers have taken her from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia to Gloucester, Massachusetts and Mystic, Connecticut and to dozens of islands and coastal villages in between. You can visit and write to author Jenifer LeClair on the web at www.windjammermysteries.com and watch for her new book, "Cold Coast," coming in July of 2013.
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May 5, 2024Loving the Wind Jammer series, I was hesitant about LeClair's new series. But she came through with flying colors. I love books that are from my area and she captures the north shore of Minnesota perfectly. She has interesting characters and paints a believable scenery with a twisting plot. I think this will be a series I will keep my eye on.
February 1, 2024
Chief Deputy Renard has a murder on his hands. He has one witness who saw two disreputable professional troublemakers run from the scene, and way too many suspects. This is award-winning author Jenifer LeClair’s latest book, “Death in the Wolf Moon,” A Claude Renard Mystery.
Set in the bitter cold of January in Grand Marais Minnesota, Ms. LeClair makes brilliant use of her chosen location, taking readers into its stark beauty and introducing us to the tribal lands of the Anishinaabe, sometimes known as the Ojibwe people of this famous region. Fans of well-known author William Kent Krueger will immediately recognize the Anishinaabe and will feel right at home with the sprinkling of their culture, including its language, appearing throughout this thrilling mystery.
Grand Marais is a small town, mostly populated with people who grew up in the area. Serious crime is rare here. So, when there’s a murder down at the local folk school, it’s a big deal and word of the trouble travels at the speed of cell phones. You know how small towns are:
It seems information of a salacious nature is born with an extra set of legs.
The incredibly popular coffin-making woodworker’s class, naturally titled “Bury Yourself in Your Work” has been upended by a late-night murder. The victim is a newcomer to town, having only lived in Grand Marais for a couple of years.
Ms. LeClair provides a wealth of wonderful characters for her readers. The one-legged military veteran Claude Renard, our local hero, is ironically also known as Sheriff One Step. It seems horrifying, but it’s actually a nickname given to him long before he lost his leg to an IED, and he really doesn’t mind that the moniker stuck even though he now uses a prosthetic limb. Renard is intelligent, skilled, and more complex than he lets on. He has a great rapport with most of the people in the area, including those on the reservation.
As Renard investigates the crime itself as well as the victim’s past, this case becomes more and more complicated. In trying to eliminate suspects, it seems like he’s discovering more possible perpetrators. The victim, it appears, has a past worth noting and considering. The suspects themselves are a diverse group of personalities from Sandy, the last to see the victim alive and the one to find him in the morning to the Dinkovich brothers, Darrell and Duffy. The Dinky Boys, as they’re often called, are criminal opportunists. If they see a chance, they’ll take it. They are purely backwoods in speech and manner, reminding me of the infamous brothers from the old Newhart TV show. You know the ones; “Hi, I’m Larry. This is my brother Darryl and my other brother Darryl.” Just like Darryl and Darryl, I got the feeling that Darrell and Duffy shared one brain. But they give this story an extra punch that I loved.
The storyline keeps the readers involved and searching for answers. It unrolls at a good pace, giving us a taste of life in this region with some wonderfully immersive language:
He could hear the movement of water, the murmurings of Gichi-gami, as it washed over the stone beach, drawing back with a thousand whispers.
Readers will find “Death in the Wolf Moon” by Jenifer LeClair to be a classic mystery, with thrills, shocks, twists, secrets, and suspense. This can be considered a clean read, even though there are old and new affairs happening here, along with treachery, deceit, and bitterness. The final chapters will have readers as breathless as if they’ve fallen through the fabled Minnesota lake ice. This is a perfect read for mystery, suspense/thriller fans, and those who enjoy learning more about this beautiful and wild northern area.
Set in the bitter cold of January in Grand Marais Minnesota, Ms. LeClair makes brilliant use of her chosen location, taking readers into its stark beauty and introducing us to the tribal lands of the Anishinaabe, sometimes known as the Ojibwe people of this famous region. Fans of well-known author William Kent Krueger will immediately recognize the Anishinaabe and will feel right at home with the sprinkling of their culture, including its language, appearing throughout this thrilling mystery.
Grand Marais is a small town, mostly populated with people who grew up in the area. Serious crime is rare here. So, when there’s a murder down at the local folk school, it’s a big deal and word of the trouble travels at the speed of cell phones. You know how small towns are:
It seems information of a salacious nature is born with an extra set of legs.
The incredibly popular coffin-making woodworker’s class, naturally titled “Bury Yourself in Your Work” has been upended by a late-night murder. The victim is a newcomer to town, having only lived in Grand Marais for a couple of years.
Ms. LeClair provides a wealth of wonderful characters for her readers. The one-legged military veteran Claude Renard, our local hero, is ironically also known as Sheriff One Step. It seems horrifying, but it’s actually a nickname given to him long before he lost his leg to an IED, and he really doesn’t mind that the moniker stuck even though he now uses a prosthetic limb. Renard is intelligent, skilled, and more complex than he lets on. He has a great rapport with most of the people in the area, including those on the reservation.
As Renard investigates the crime itself as well as the victim’s past, this case becomes more and more complicated. In trying to eliminate suspects, it seems like he’s discovering more possible perpetrators. The victim, it appears, has a past worth noting and considering. The suspects themselves are a diverse group of personalities from Sandy, the last to see the victim alive and the one to find him in the morning to the Dinkovich brothers, Darrell and Duffy. The Dinky Boys, as they’re often called, are criminal opportunists. If they see a chance, they’ll take it. They are purely backwoods in speech and manner, reminding me of the infamous brothers from the old Newhart TV show. You know the ones; “Hi, I’m Larry. This is my brother Darryl and my other brother Darryl.” Just like Darryl and Darryl, I got the feeling that Darrell and Duffy shared one brain. But they give this story an extra punch that I loved.
The storyline keeps the readers involved and searching for answers. It unrolls at a good pace, giving us a taste of life in this region with some wonderfully immersive language:
He could hear the movement of water, the murmurings of Gichi-gami, as it washed over the stone beach, drawing back with a thousand whispers.
Readers will find “Death in the Wolf Moon” by Jenifer LeClair to be a classic mystery, with thrills, shocks, twists, secrets, and suspense. This can be considered a clean read, even though there are old and new affairs happening here, along with treachery, deceit, and bitterness. The final chapters will have readers as breathless as if they’ve fallen through the fabled Minnesota lake ice. This is a perfect read for mystery, suspense/thriller fans, and those who enjoy learning more about this beautiful and wild northern area.
August 18, 2024
A thoroughly enjoyable read and a great follow up to Jenifer LeClair's Windjammer series. This book reintroduces a character from the 7th book in the Windjammer series -- Chief Deputy Claude Renard of Grand Marais. I enjoyed the small-town vibe of the new characters and learning more about Renard and his Anishinaabe heritage. I particularly liked how the author pulled into play the thought process and belief system around the "Seven Sacred Laws" sometimes referred to as the "Seven Grandfathers Teachings -- wisdom, respect, love, honesty, humility and bravery -- principals foundational to the Anish-inaabeg" and how she wove the philosophy behind the "teachings" through the telling of this story. I look forward to another Claude Renard book and the possibility of his reuniting with Brie Beaumont to unlock the unsolved mystery of "Sea Smoke and Mirrors."
February 12, 2024
I liked the character of Claude Renard and the setting in Grand Marais, Minnesota is well described. The other characters are not as vivid. The mystery has a few twists and turns, but nothing too surprising.
May 24, 2024
The weather in the Northland is a character in LeClair's book featuring Claude Renard in this Grand Marais Minnesota mystery. I especially appreciated the many references to Grand Portage and how the communities meld their perspective cultures.
July 8, 2024
LeClair has put together a good mystery taking place in Up North, Minnesota. She knows her locale! I enjoyed the characters and the setting. And. I guessed the wrong murderer!
Good read.
Good read.
August 15, 2025
Loved being able to read about home! knowing all the places and locations warmed my heart. Good, cozy mystery for me!
November 11, 2025
Another great, gripping mystery from Jenifer LeClair!
February 11, 2025
⭐️
Death in the Wolf Moon was ultimately a forgettable read. The murder happens off-page, leaving little room for suspense or drama, and the slow pacing made it difficult to stay engaged. The characters were unremarkable, with far too many to keep track of—none of whom felt particularly memorable. The dialogue also often came across as stilted and unrealistic.
That said, I did appreciate the Minnesota setting as a fellow Minnesotan, and the Native American cultural elements sprinkled throughout were a nice touch.
Overall, I can see how this type of mystery might appeal to some readers, but it just wasn’t for me.
Death in the Wolf Moon was ultimately a forgettable read. The murder happens off-page, leaving little room for suspense or drama, and the slow pacing made it difficult to stay engaged. The characters were unremarkable, with far too many to keep track of—none of whom felt particularly memorable. The dialogue also often came across as stilted and unrealistic.
That said, I did appreciate the Minnesota setting as a fellow Minnesotan, and the Native American cultural elements sprinkled throughout were a nice touch.
Overall, I can see how this type of mystery might appeal to some readers, but it just wasn’t for me.
March 14, 2024
Complex Characters Provide a Rich Mystery
Originally reviewed for Reader Views, the full review can be found at: https://readerviewsarchives.wordpress...
Chief Deputy Renard has a murder on his hands. He has one witness who saw two disreputable professional troublemakers run from the scene, and way too many suspects. This is award-winning author Jenifer LeClair’s latest book, “Death in the Wolf Moon,” A Claude Renard Mystery.
Set in the bitter cold of January in Grand Marais Minnesota, Ms. LeClair makes brilliant use of her chosen location, taking readers into its stark beauty and introducing us to the tribal lands of the Anishinaabe, sometimes known as the Ojibwe people of this famous region. Fans of well-known author William Kent Krueger will immediately recognize the Anishinaabe and will feel right at home with the sprinkling of their culture, including its language, appearing throughout this thrilling mystery.
Grand Marais is a small town, mostly populated with people who grew up in the area. Serious crime is rare here. So, when there’s a murder down at the local folk school, it’s a big deal and word of the trouble travels at the speed of cell phones. The incredibly popular coffin-making woodworker’s class, naturally titled “Bury Yourself in Your Work” has been upended by a late-night murder. The victim is a newcomer to town, having only lived in Grand Marais for a couple of years.
Ms. LeClair provides a wealth of wonderful characters for her readers. The one-legged military veteran Claude Renard, our local hero, is ironically also known as Sheriff One Step. It seems horrifying, but it’s actually a nickname given to him long before he lost his leg to an IED, and he really doesn’t mind that the moniker stuck even though he now uses a prosthetic limb. Renard is intelligent, skilled, and more complex than he lets on. He has a great rapport with most of the people in the area, including those on the reservation.
As Renard investigates the crime itself as well as the victim’s past, this case becomes more and more complicated. In trying to eliminate suspects, it seems like he’s discovering more possible perpetrators. The victim, it appears, has a past worth noting and considering. The suspects themselves are a diverse group of personalities from Sandy, the last to see the victim alive and the one to find him in the morning to the Dinkovich brothers, Darrell and Duffy. The Dinky boys, as they’re often called, are criminal opportunists. If they see a chance, they’ll take it. They are purely backwoods in speech and manner, reminding me of the infamous brothers from the old Newhart TV show. You know the ones; “Hi, I’m Larry. This is my brother Darryl and my other brother Darryl.” Just like Darryl and Darryl, I got the feeling that Darrell and Duffy shared one brain. But they give this story an extra punch that I loved.
Readers will find “Death in the Wolf Moon” by Jenifer LeClair to be a classic mystery, with thrills, shocks, twists, secrets, and suspense. This can be considered a clean read, even though there are old and new affairs happening here, along with treachery, deceit, and bitterness. The final chapters will have readers as breathless as if they’ve fallen through the fabled Minnesota lake ice. This is a perfect read for mystery, suspense/thriller fans, and those who enjoy learning more about this beautiful and wild northern area.
Originally reviewed for Reader Views, the full review can be found at: https://readerviewsarchives.wordpress...
Chief Deputy Renard has a murder on his hands. He has one witness who saw two disreputable professional troublemakers run from the scene, and way too many suspects. This is award-winning author Jenifer LeClair’s latest book, “Death in the Wolf Moon,” A Claude Renard Mystery.
Set in the bitter cold of January in Grand Marais Minnesota, Ms. LeClair makes brilliant use of her chosen location, taking readers into its stark beauty and introducing us to the tribal lands of the Anishinaabe, sometimes known as the Ojibwe people of this famous region. Fans of well-known author William Kent Krueger will immediately recognize the Anishinaabe and will feel right at home with the sprinkling of their culture, including its language, appearing throughout this thrilling mystery.
Grand Marais is a small town, mostly populated with people who grew up in the area. Serious crime is rare here. So, when there’s a murder down at the local folk school, it’s a big deal and word of the trouble travels at the speed of cell phones. The incredibly popular coffin-making woodworker’s class, naturally titled “Bury Yourself in Your Work” has been upended by a late-night murder. The victim is a newcomer to town, having only lived in Grand Marais for a couple of years.
Ms. LeClair provides a wealth of wonderful characters for her readers. The one-legged military veteran Claude Renard, our local hero, is ironically also known as Sheriff One Step. It seems horrifying, but it’s actually a nickname given to him long before he lost his leg to an IED, and he really doesn’t mind that the moniker stuck even though he now uses a prosthetic limb. Renard is intelligent, skilled, and more complex than he lets on. He has a great rapport with most of the people in the area, including those on the reservation.
As Renard investigates the crime itself as well as the victim’s past, this case becomes more and more complicated. In trying to eliminate suspects, it seems like he’s discovering more possible perpetrators. The victim, it appears, has a past worth noting and considering. The suspects themselves are a diverse group of personalities from Sandy, the last to see the victim alive and the one to find him in the morning to the Dinkovich brothers, Darrell and Duffy. The Dinky boys, as they’re often called, are criminal opportunists. If they see a chance, they’ll take it. They are purely backwoods in speech and manner, reminding me of the infamous brothers from the old Newhart TV show. You know the ones; “Hi, I’m Larry. This is my brother Darryl and my other brother Darryl.” Just like Darryl and Darryl, I got the feeling that Darrell and Duffy shared one brain. But they give this story an extra punch that I loved.
Readers will find “Death in the Wolf Moon” by Jenifer LeClair to be a classic mystery, with thrills, shocks, twists, secrets, and suspense. This can be considered a clean read, even though there are old and new affairs happening here, along with treachery, deceit, and bitterness. The final chapters will have readers as breathless as if they’ve fallen through the fabled Minnesota lake ice. This is a perfect read for mystery, suspense/thriller fans, and those who enjoy learning more about this beautiful and wild northern area.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews