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Jack Pine
JACK PINE Out April 1 on Kindle 1.99! READ PREVIEW
BOOKLIST REVIEW Compares JACK PINE to FARGO and the work of William Kent Kreuger
In northern Minnesota, a logger is found dead. At about the same time, a teenage girl claims that she was molested by a Native American, but then changes her story. Some concerned citizens wonder if the same man is responsible for both incidents, but Deputy Sheriff Reuger London isn’t inclined to jump to conclusions, as he’s convinced neither that the logger’s death was murder nor that the girl was really molested. Under pressure to close the cases, London soon finds himself stuck in the middle of a potentially violent conflict between loggers and environmentalists. Hazelgrove tells great stories (his last book was the wonderful Real Santa, 2014), and he creates believable, captivating characters. The people in Jack Pine feel like just that: people, not fictional characters. Hazelgrove gives these characters a tactile environment, the Minnesota Boundary Waters region near the Canadian border, and real voices (that distinctive upper-midwestern drawl we know from Fargo). Another fine effort from a very interesting writer. This one will appeal especially to William Kent Krueger fans.
BOOKLIST REVIEW Compares JACK PINE to FARGO and the work of William Kent Kreuger
In northern Minnesota, a logger is found dead. At about the same time, a teenage girl claims that she was molested by a Native American, but then changes her story. Some concerned citizens wonder if the same man is responsible for both incidents, but Deputy Sheriff Reuger London isn’t inclined to jump to conclusions, as he’s convinced neither that the logger’s death was murder nor that the girl was really molested. Under pressure to close the cases, London soon finds himself stuck in the middle of a potentially violent conflict between loggers and environmentalists. Hazelgrove tells great stories (his last book was the wonderful Real Santa, 2014), and he creates believable, captivating characters. The people in Jack Pine feel like just that: people, not fictional characters. Hazelgrove gives these characters a tactile environment, the Minnesota Boundary Waters region near the Canadian border, and real voices (that distinctive upper-midwestern drawl we know from Fargo). Another fine effort from a very interesting writer. This one will appeal especially to William Kent Krueger fans.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2015
8 people are currently reading
279 people want to read
About the author
William Elliott azelgrove
22 books203 followers"An absolutely riveting story as only William Hazelgrove can write."
Janet Parshall The Janet Parshall Show Moody Radio
AS FEATURED ON JANET PARSHALL SHOW ON MOODY RADIO Propelled by idealism and determination, Jay and Lauren set out to cycle around the world. Believing in the essential goodness of humanity, the couple find kindness and hospitality while slogging through desert sand in Namibia, fleeing an enraged elephant in Botswana, and enduring freezing rain in Spain. William Elliott Hazelgrove's gripping account, reminiscent of Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild, chronicles Jay and Lauren's epic journey toward an encounter with terrorists who decide that slaughtering these youthful seekers will serve ISIS's cause.” ―Doug Kari, author of The Berman Murders
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW OF EVIL ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD
Novelist and historian Hazelgrove (Hemingway's Attic) recounts the fate of American cyclists Lauren Geoghegan and Jay Austin, who were slain by terrorists in Tajikistan in 2018, in this chilling true crime tale. Drawing from the couple's blog and interviews with their friends and family, Hazelgrove portrays Jay as a charismatic idealist who convinced Lauren to give up her job to follow him on a four-year bike trip around the globe, beginning in South Africa and ending in South America. In Africa, they faced charging elephants, flies, and malaria; in Europe, they dealt with suspicious officials and a few gnarly crashes. Still, they pushed forward for two years, winding up in Central Asia's Pamir Mountains (nicknamed the "Roof of the World"). In Tajikistan, a group of young men radicalized by ISIS stalked and ambushed the couple after encountering them on a highway; four were then killed by local police, while the ringleader died in an American prison. Hazelgrove's prose is utilitarian ("Jay and Lauren ride on into Botswana, which proves to be flat, arid, wild, and hot"), letting the facts of the case carry the narrative forward. For the most part, the approach pays off, lending the account an unsettling air. Readers will be aghast.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW OF DEAD AIR THE NIGHT ORSON WELLES TERRIFIED AMERICA 8/8/24
RELEASE OCT 30 2024
In this fine-grained account, historian Hazelgrove (Writing Gatsby) chronicles the mass hysteria that accompanied Orson Welles’s infamous 1938 radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’s The War of the Worlds. Hazelgrove presents Welles as an actor of immense ambition and preternatural talent, noting that by age 22, he had put on headline-grabbing plays (the government shut down his 1937 production of The Cradle Will Rock, fearing its pro-labor themes would be incendiary) and traveled around New York City in a faux ambulance to move more quickly between his numerous radio and theatrical commitments. The author recounts the rushed scriptwriting process for War of the Worlds and offers a play-by-play of the broadcast, but he lavishes the most attention on the havoc Welles wreaked. Contemporaneous news accounts reported college students fighting to telephone their parents, diners rushing out of restaurants without paying their bills, families fleeing to nearby mountains to escape the aliens’ poisonous gas, and even one woman’s attempted suicide. Hazelgrove largely brushes aside contemporary scholarship questioning whether the hysteria’s scope matched the sensational news reports, but he persuasively shows how the incident reignited elitist fears that “Americans were essentially gullible morons” and earned Welles the national recognition he’d yearned for. It’s a rollicking portrait of a director on the cusp of greatness. (Nov.)
WGN CHICAGO INTERVIEW ON WRITING GATSBY https://wgnradio.com/after-hours-with...
WRITING GATSBY THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE WRITING OF THE GREATEST AMERICAN NOVEL
TRAILER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIewK...
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT ON 160 MINUTES THE RACE TO SAVE THE RM
Janet Parshall The Janet Parshall Show Moody Radio
AS FEATURED ON JANET PARSHALL SHOW ON MOODY RADIO Propelled by idealism and determination, Jay and Lauren set out to cycle around the world. Believing in the essential goodness of humanity, the couple find kindness and hospitality while slogging through desert sand in Namibia, fleeing an enraged elephant in Botswana, and enduring freezing rain in Spain. William Elliott Hazelgrove's gripping account, reminiscent of Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild, chronicles Jay and Lauren's epic journey toward an encounter with terrorists who decide that slaughtering these youthful seekers will serve ISIS's cause.” ―Doug Kari, author of The Berman Murders
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW OF EVIL ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD
Novelist and historian Hazelgrove (Hemingway's Attic) recounts the fate of American cyclists Lauren Geoghegan and Jay Austin, who were slain by terrorists in Tajikistan in 2018, in this chilling true crime tale. Drawing from the couple's blog and interviews with their friends and family, Hazelgrove portrays Jay as a charismatic idealist who convinced Lauren to give up her job to follow him on a four-year bike trip around the globe, beginning in South Africa and ending in South America. In Africa, they faced charging elephants, flies, and malaria; in Europe, they dealt with suspicious officials and a few gnarly crashes. Still, they pushed forward for two years, winding up in Central Asia's Pamir Mountains (nicknamed the "Roof of the World"). In Tajikistan, a group of young men radicalized by ISIS stalked and ambushed the couple after encountering them on a highway; four were then killed by local police, while the ringleader died in an American prison. Hazelgrove's prose is utilitarian ("Jay and Lauren ride on into Botswana, which proves to be flat, arid, wild, and hot"), letting the facts of the case carry the narrative forward. For the most part, the approach pays off, lending the account an unsettling air. Readers will be aghast.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW OF DEAD AIR THE NIGHT ORSON WELLES TERRIFIED AMERICA 8/8/24
RELEASE OCT 30 2024
In this fine-grained account, historian Hazelgrove (Writing Gatsby) chronicles the mass hysteria that accompanied Orson Welles’s infamous 1938 radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’s The War of the Worlds. Hazelgrove presents Welles as an actor of immense ambition and preternatural talent, noting that by age 22, he had put on headline-grabbing plays (the government shut down his 1937 production of The Cradle Will Rock, fearing its pro-labor themes would be incendiary) and traveled around New York City in a faux ambulance to move more quickly between his numerous radio and theatrical commitments. The author recounts the rushed scriptwriting process for War of the Worlds and offers a play-by-play of the broadcast, but he lavishes the most attention on the havoc Welles wreaked. Contemporaneous news accounts reported college students fighting to telephone their parents, diners rushing out of restaurants without paying their bills, families fleeing to nearby mountains to escape the aliens’ poisonous gas, and even one woman’s attempted suicide. Hazelgrove largely brushes aside contemporary scholarship questioning whether the hysteria’s scope matched the sensational news reports, but he persuasively shows how the incident reignited elitist fears that “Americans were essentially gullible morons” and earned Welles the national recognition he’d yearned for. It’s a rollicking portrait of a director on the cusp of greatness. (Nov.)
WGN CHICAGO INTERVIEW ON WRITING GATSBY https://wgnradio.com/after-hours-with...
WRITING GATSBY THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE WRITING OF THE GREATEST AMERICAN NOVEL
TRAILER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIewK...
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT ON 160 MINUTES THE RACE TO SAVE THE RM
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 27, 2015
I received this book free through the GoodReads First Reads program. I really enjoyed this book and give it 4 and 1/2 stars out of 5(rounded up to 5).
The title Jackpine comes from a second growth tree found in the Boundary Waters protected wilderness of northern Minnesota. Almost all of the old growth trees have been logged out. There is a small stand of old growth trees inside the protected area. Johnson Timber, run by Ben Johnson and his son Cliff, wants those old growth trees.
A logger is found dead, and Deputy Sheriff Reuger London has to determine if it is suicide or murder. There is also a possible rape of a 16 year old girl, who recants her accusation. Then a second logger turns up dead.
The sheriff demands that Reuger arrest an Indian for the rape and a local environmentalist for murder, but Reuger keeps digging. There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot that kept me guessing until the end.
I like how the author incorporates the local speech patterns:
"How she go?"=How are you?
Ya for yes and yer for you
Referring to the rest of the US as the "lower 48." Until now, I thought only Alaskans used this expression.
The book is an easy read and the local dialect is not overwhelming.
The title Jackpine comes from a second growth tree found in the Boundary Waters protected wilderness of northern Minnesota. Almost all of the old growth trees have been logged out. There is a small stand of old growth trees inside the protected area. Johnson Timber, run by Ben Johnson and his son Cliff, wants those old growth trees.
A logger is found dead, and Deputy Sheriff Reuger London has to determine if it is suicide or murder. There is also a possible rape of a 16 year old girl, who recants her accusation. Then a second logger turns up dead.
The sheriff demands that Reuger arrest an Indian for the rape and a local environmentalist for murder, but Reuger keeps digging. There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot that kept me guessing until the end.
I like how the author incorporates the local speech patterns:
"How she go?"=How are you?
Ya for yes and yer for you
Referring to the rest of the US as the "lower 48." Until now, I thought only Alaskans used this expression.
The book is an easy read and the local dialect is not overwhelming.
March 16, 2019
I would give this book an (Okay). It's a pretty good story, but at times kind of hard to follow. At times the author tries to write with a heavy Minnesota accent, or write like an Indian who speaks broken English might sound like. Like most books, this one has some slow spots and can make you wonder if you will finish it. It could have used a good editing. A lot of misspelled words and other sentences that will leave you wondering what the author is trying to say. I'm not sure I would recommend this book. There are a lot of much better books out there to wrap your reading mind around.....TJ
April 2, 2015
`Natural resources are for everyone now, not just the people who want to rape the land.'
Chicago author William Hazelgrove has developed a significant following as the author of eight novels, Ripples, Tobacco Sticks Mica Highways Rocket Man, The Pitcher, Real Santa, and Jack Pine. While his books have received starred reviews in Publisher Weekly and Booklist, Book of the Month Selections, ALA Editors Choice Awards Junior Library Guild Selections and optioned for the movie, his major appeal is in his humanitarian approach to stories. William stays close too the heart in each of his stories, making each tale he spins one with which everyone can relate on an immediate or a remembered level.
His latest novel JACK PINE he has expanded his experience form visiting the Boundary Waters and getting to know the people and the land and the issues that are important to that part of the country and also having had the opportunity to ride around with a Deputy Sherriff and spend time at an old logging camp. It shows in his writing - even the scent of the pines becomes present in the room while you read.
The author's synopsis serves the novel well: `When the sixteen year old daughter of a prominent attorney is raped in a woodshed and a logger found shot the next morning, Deputy Sheriff Reuger London becomes embroiled in a war between environmentalists, the Ojibwa Indians fighting for their timber rights, and the ruthless son of a powerful logger. Ben Johnson is the biggest logger in the Northwoods and his son Cliff will soon take over the business. Logging is dying a slow death from environmental restrictions and all that's left are the scrub firs and jackpine. But far up in the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota are trees called the Old Pines. These three hundred year Norwegian pines are priceless and Johnson Timber wants them. A radical leader of Earth First, Tom Jorde, will do anything to stop the logging in the Boundary Waters. Then another logger is murdered and Jorde is implicated. The town pressures Reuger to stop the environmentalist and arrest an Indian, Tommy Toboken, for the rape of the girl. Tommy had saved his life once before and Reuger knows he is being setup. When he falls in love with the lawyer brought to town to defend Tom Jorde and realizes Johnson Timber is going to log out the Federally protected trees, Reuger is torn between old loyalties and what is right.'
Some how William manages to touch on sensitive issues in almost all of his novels - especially minorities (be those form South of the border or Native Americans) and contemporary concerns such as the environment. And while those issues make his novel appealing on sociology levels, the fact that he can write a story that propels along rather breathlessly to the end is what will continue his loyal following. JACK PINE is a thriller of the first class.
Chicago author William Hazelgrove has developed a significant following as the author of eight novels, Ripples, Tobacco Sticks Mica Highways Rocket Man, The Pitcher, Real Santa, and Jack Pine. While his books have received starred reviews in Publisher Weekly and Booklist, Book of the Month Selections, ALA Editors Choice Awards Junior Library Guild Selections and optioned for the movie, his major appeal is in his humanitarian approach to stories. William stays close too the heart in each of his stories, making each tale he spins one with which everyone can relate on an immediate or a remembered level.
His latest novel JACK PINE he has expanded his experience form visiting the Boundary Waters and getting to know the people and the land and the issues that are important to that part of the country and also having had the opportunity to ride around with a Deputy Sherriff and spend time at an old logging camp. It shows in his writing - even the scent of the pines becomes present in the room while you read.
The author's synopsis serves the novel well: `When the sixteen year old daughter of a prominent attorney is raped in a woodshed and a logger found shot the next morning, Deputy Sheriff Reuger London becomes embroiled in a war between environmentalists, the Ojibwa Indians fighting for their timber rights, and the ruthless son of a powerful logger. Ben Johnson is the biggest logger in the Northwoods and his son Cliff will soon take over the business. Logging is dying a slow death from environmental restrictions and all that's left are the scrub firs and jackpine. But far up in the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota are trees called the Old Pines. These three hundred year Norwegian pines are priceless and Johnson Timber wants them. A radical leader of Earth First, Tom Jorde, will do anything to stop the logging in the Boundary Waters. Then another logger is murdered and Jorde is implicated. The town pressures Reuger to stop the environmentalist and arrest an Indian, Tommy Toboken, for the rape of the girl. Tommy had saved his life once before and Reuger knows he is being setup. When he falls in love with the lawyer brought to town to defend Tom Jorde and realizes Johnson Timber is going to log out the Federally protected trees, Reuger is torn between old loyalties and what is right.'
Some how William manages to touch on sensitive issues in almost all of his novels - especially minorities (be those form South of the border or Native Americans) and contemporary concerns such as the environment. And while those issues make his novel appealing on sociology levels, the fact that he can write a story that propels along rather breathlessly to the end is what will continue his loyal following. JACK PINE is a thriller of the first class.
January 9, 2015
I particularly enjoyed the vivid writing in this book. The author writes with eloquent fluency and paints amazing pictures in my mind. With a highly relevant environmental theme, eco-political plot, some romantic interest, the added perspective of the rights of indigenous peoples in the USA, and a murder mystery to keep things interesting, I had no difficulty finishing the book in two sittings. The only reason I didn't give the book five stars is that I found the descriptions of the thoughts and motivation of the female characters rather limiting. The male characters, on the other hand, were depicted believably.
With strong characters, a spectacular setting and a story that resonates politically, I believe that this book is very good material for a movie or TV miniseries, and I hope that some studio or producer will take on the project.
My review is based in a free pre-publication copy which I obtained from Netgalley. It was a pleasure to review this book.
With strong characters, a spectacular setting and a story that resonates politically, I believe that this book is very good material for a movie or TV miniseries, and I hope that some studio or producer will take on the project.
My review is based in a free pre-publication copy which I obtained from Netgalley. It was a pleasure to review this book.
March 29, 2015
I won this ARC from Goodreads First reads. All I can say is that I was very impressed with it. This is not a book I would typically read but I am so glad I did. It sucked me in on a roller coaster of a ride.The characters were well thought out and the plot very interesting. Right from the start this book swept you up with multiple agendas and many suspects in this who done it thriller. I loved the language, it was quirky and funny at times. Reuger London was the Deputy sheriff that followed every lead and all of the evidence through lies deceit and corruption. He did not back down from threats from all sides and finally got to the truth. There were a few surprises along the way with the story and ending. I am grateful that I was chosen to read this book and highly recommend it to all thriller enthusiasts
September 6, 2018
Very interesting book, especially for those that are interested in the Boundary Waters wildlife area. Not only a good story but an education about the land, the people who live near that area, what exactly is "jack pine" and all of the history surrounded the Boundary Waters. This isn't a true story but the author did his research and it shows.
The story is about a man who is the Sheriff in a small remote town. There is friction between the environmentalists and the lumber men. The politicians and law in the area have a history of logging that goes way back. Naturally there are problems but then, woodsmen are turning up dead. Before long its apparent that a serial killer is in the area, and the law in charge is pointing to a local Indian who has a known history.
Really good story and I loved learning the history of logging and the stories of the local people.
The story is about a man who is the Sheriff in a small remote town. There is friction between the environmentalists and the lumber men. The politicians and law in the area have a history of logging that goes way back. Naturally there are problems but then, woodsmen are turning up dead. Before long its apparent that a serial killer is in the area, and the law in charge is pointing to a local Indian who has a known history.
Really good story and I loved learning the history of logging and the stories of the local people.
December 13, 2017
This book has serious problems. Didn't quite get the Minnesota dialogue right which is even more annoying than the jarring temporal transitions.
April 13, 2015
William Hazelgrove has rapidly become my favorite novelist. I have read most of his works, and I have marveled at his writing skills and story telling. He is a master at literary fiction. For me, this latest work is his greatest achievement. This is a story I literally did not want to put down. I was mesmerized by the writing and the story.This is in some ways an old story,and yet it is a contemporary story of a place that us northeasterners can hardly imagine still exists. It's an old story in that it's reminiscent of the old westerns . The wealthy rancher controls the fate of the inhabitants of the town because the people owe their living to the boss; or the company town is dependent upon the largess of the company boss man. In both cases no one is willing to risk standing up for justice or the law for fear of the loss of their job. But like Sheriff Will Kane in High Noon, the great Gary Cooper character, Hazelgrove finds his rugged individualist in Deputy Sheriff Reuger London. He is that special man that can deal with the harshness and loneliness of the wilderness Northwoods and stand up to a compromised Sheriff and the town's virtual sole provider, Ben Johnson of
Johnson Timber. But even Rueger has his demons and ghosts which motivate his actions. This is a contemporary story because it deals with a dying logger town in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota adjacent to Canada. The sole source of employment, other than a small lodge, is Johnson Timber a logging company. There is no competition save for a few independent loggers. The way of life is almost extinct because the forests of the Northwoods are almost bereft of trees worthy of commercial logging. Environmentalists have further impinged upon the loggers by statute, judicial fiat, and acts of extreme activism. In short the town is near bankruptcy. The Native Americans whose ancestors sold the Northwoods for virtually nothing, live in resentment and poverty amidst the loggers and Johnson timber. Suddenly the first homicide in twenty years occurs and Reuger must investigate whether it's suicide, murder, and who may have the motive to do it. Then things get complicated. I won't provide more of the story except to say if you think you have it figured out, think again. There are twists and turns without any signage. You will come to adore Gus, Reuger's father figure and de facto deputy or dislike the eccentric town's radio/muckraker John McFee, and hope for Tommy Tobin. Oh, and did I mention that there is a romantic twist as well which will leave you in tears? (I cry a lot when I read Hazelgrove's books-he has that ability).. I highly recommend that you jump aboard this boat and tour the wilderness lands of The Northwoods and their inhabitants. Don't let the odd language or the unfamiliar terms of the geology deter you. Once you get into the book, there is no stopping.
Johnson Timber. But even Rueger has his demons and ghosts which motivate his actions. This is a contemporary story because it deals with a dying logger town in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota adjacent to Canada. The sole source of employment, other than a small lodge, is Johnson Timber a logging company. There is no competition save for a few independent loggers. The way of life is almost extinct because the forests of the Northwoods are almost bereft of trees worthy of commercial logging. Environmentalists have further impinged upon the loggers by statute, judicial fiat, and acts of extreme activism. In short the town is near bankruptcy. The Native Americans whose ancestors sold the Northwoods for virtually nothing, live in resentment and poverty amidst the loggers and Johnson timber. Suddenly the first homicide in twenty years occurs and Reuger must investigate whether it's suicide, murder, and who may have the motive to do it. Then things get complicated. I won't provide more of the story except to say if you think you have it figured out, think again. There are twists and turns without any signage. You will come to adore Gus, Reuger's father figure and de facto deputy or dislike the eccentric town's radio/muckraker John McFee, and hope for Tommy Tobin. Oh, and did I mention that there is a romantic twist as well which will leave you in tears? (I cry a lot when I read Hazelgrove's books-he has that ability).. I highly recommend that you jump aboard this boat and tour the wilderness lands of The Northwoods and their inhabitants. Don't let the odd language or the unfamiliar terms of the geology deter you. Once you get into the book, there is no stopping.
June 24, 2015
Deputy Sherriff Reuger London (Lake County) was investigating the death of Foster Jones (logger).
Sherriff Hector (forensics) was doing his CSI stuff.
Later on Dana Reynolds had been viscously raped. Perpetrator unknown.
Upon investigation several names came up in both cases: Tommy Tom Tobin (Indian former criminal prisoner, lumberjack) & Tom Jorde (Earth 1st.).
Tommy was on the lamb.
Will these 2 crimes be solved?
How will the tree logging business turn out?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, cool map, great font & writing style. Wow, a very well written crime mystery book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great wilderness crime mystery movie, or mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; ARC; Koehlerbooks; paperback book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Sherriff Hector (forensics) was doing his CSI stuff.
Later on Dana Reynolds had been viscously raped. Perpetrator unknown.
Upon investigation several names came up in both cases: Tommy Tom Tobin (Indian former criminal prisoner, lumberjack) & Tom Jorde (Earth 1st.).
Tommy was on the lamb.
Will these 2 crimes be solved?
How will the tree logging business turn out?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, cool map, great font & writing style. Wow, a very well written crime mystery book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great wilderness crime mystery movie, or mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; ARC; Koehlerbooks; paperback book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
April 1, 2016
It's rare that I don't finish a book, regardless of whether or not I like it, but I just couldn't slog through the bad stereotyping and "ya, you betcha" on almost every page. I felt like I was being bludgeoned over and over by "Fargo". Yes, I am familiar with the Ely and BWCA area, but not everyone who lives there acts and sounds like the rubes caricatured in this novel. It would be comparable to any story about Chicago's population talking with "dese", "dem" and "dose".
I tried to overlook the bad dialogue, but when I got to page fourteen, the first sentence reads "The seventeen-foot motor boat winged smoothly up Moose Lake toward Newfound......". On page fifteen, I encountered ".......for the most part he (Reuger) lived his life like the mountain men or the pioneers trudging westward". Umm, yeah, right-in a seventeen-foot motorboat.
The third paragraph on page fifteen: "A man waved in a blue hat and a green coat behind a low center console." Since then, I have been plagued by the memory of the old German "I threw the horse over the fence some hay". Thanks.
That's when I realized that life is too short to continue reading this book. I had looked forward to enjoying it as I do William Kent Krueger or John Sandford mysteries; unfortunately, this one didn't come close.
I tried to overlook the bad dialogue, but when I got to page fourteen, the first sentence reads "The seventeen-foot motor boat winged smoothly up Moose Lake toward Newfound......". On page fifteen, I encountered ".......for the most part he (Reuger) lived his life like the mountain men or the pioneers trudging westward". Umm, yeah, right-in a seventeen-foot motorboat.
The third paragraph on page fifteen: "A man waved in a blue hat and a green coat behind a low center console." Since then, I have been plagued by the memory of the old German "I threw the horse over the fence some hay". Thanks.
That's when I realized that life is too short to continue reading this book. I had looked forward to enjoying it as I do William Kent Krueger or John Sandford mysteries; unfortunately, this one didn't come close.
April 13, 2015
My thanks for Koehler Books for sending me this book via GoodReads.
I do not have much time to read fiction, but the synopsis of author William Hazelgrove's book enticed me. I must admit this book is very well written, lots of research was done, and I love the topic. Ojibwa Indians demanding their lumber/tree cutting rights vs. environmentalists vs. loggers. Difficult subject indeed.
I plan on checking out Mr. Hazelgrove's other books. I hope they are as entertaining and enjoyable as this one.
I do not have much time to read fiction, but the synopsis of author William Hazelgrove's book enticed me. I must admit this book is very well written, lots of research was done, and I love the topic. Ojibwa Indians demanding their lumber/tree cutting rights vs. environmentalists vs. loggers. Difficult subject indeed.
I plan on checking out Mr. Hazelgrove's other books. I hope they are as entertaining and enjoyable as this one.
May 26, 2015
I enjoyed this book very much .I received this from Good reads and enjoyed every chaper and page!
it gives great insight into the loggers environment,while sharing a good mystery with the reader!
i hope we see more books from this author and continues on with some of the characters in this book.
I do wish the author gave more detail into the lives of some main characters such as Sheriff Reuter ,it seemed as if the author has more to tell us about this character and the details of his past .
i enjoyed the book very much and hope these character will be in future books by the author!
it gives great insight into the loggers environment,while sharing a good mystery with the reader!
i hope we see more books from this author and continues on with some of the characters in this book.
I do wish the author gave more detail into the lives of some main characters such as Sheriff Reuter ,it seemed as if the author has more to tell us about this character and the details of his past .
i enjoyed the book very much and hope these character will be in future books by the author!
April 19, 2015
There is quite a bit going on here. Reuger is trying to figure out who is murdering loggers. He's also trying to find out who raped a girl. Then there is the dynamic between the loggers and environmentalists. The mystery will keep you guessing while the between the characters will keep you reading. A bit slow at times, but overall a good read.
April 18, 2015
I received this book from Goodreads give away.
I had read Mr. William Elliott Hazelgrove's book Real Santa and enjoyed it. So I was looking forward to this one.
Sorry to say I found this to be a hard read and to keep myself interested in the story. I finally gave up trying. I would of given the book only a 2 and 1/2 star if I could.
Others my find it interesting but I could not.
I had read Mr. William Elliott Hazelgrove's book Real Santa and enjoyed it. So I was looking forward to this one.
Sorry to say I found this to be a hard read and to keep myself interested in the story. I finally gave up trying. I would of given the book only a 2 and 1/2 star if I could.
Others my find it interesting but I could not.
Read
April 13, 2015Thanks to Goodreads, I read this novel. It's a multiple murder mystery that takes place in a small town logging community. It pits the logging people against the enviromentalist, and stirring the pot is the media. I found it a good read. I hope that this is just one of a series with these characters.
June 6, 2015
I received a free copy of this book through goodreads.com. I just couldn't get into this book. It was very well written but I could not get into the locale or subject matter. I also found the dialect distracting. I struggled to finish reading it but I think for the right audience, it would have great appeal.
January 4, 2015
In spite of great descriptions of the Boundary Waters area of Minnesota, I was not able to identify or sympathize with any of the characters in the book. At times the writing seemed disjointed and it was hard to follow the story. I felt that the characters were not well-developed.
April 8, 2015
I won this arc in a goodreads first reads giveaway.
I found this to be very hard to read. I had a difficult time following the story and couldn't connect with the characters. It became a chore instead of an enjoyment to finish.
I found this to be very hard to read. I had a difficult time following the story and couldn't connect with the characters. It became a chore instead of an enjoyment to finish.
August 21, 2015
Did not know what to expect in this book turned out to be a great read. A story about greed and deceit. Learned a lot about logging ways an diffrent types of trees. i won this book on a goodreads free giveaway
May 30, 2015
Northwoods
The book kept me interested. This story was different then the books I usually read. The northwoods was a character in the book as much as anyone else. I escaped the usual and enjoyed my trip.
The book kept me interested. This story was different then the books I usually read. The northwoods was a character in the book as much as anyone else. I escaped the usual and enjoyed my trip.
March 3, 2015
Suspenseful and intriguing. Wonderful descriptions of the Boundary Waters region of Minnesota, and well-developed, believable characters. A must-read for mystery fans and lovers of the North Woods.
April 6, 2015
It was slow to start but it finally got interesting.
I did enjoy the book and would like more from this character.
I totally would recommend this to anyone but for me it was slow at first.
I did enjoy the book and would like more from this character.
I totally would recommend this to anyone but for me it was slow at first.
July 30, 2015
Hazelgrove is at his best when he delves into suburban angst, but he tells a good story and develops strong characters. Another strong effort.
did-not-finish
June 10, 2016Disclaimer: I received this book for free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
DNF at 10% because I could see how much I was not going to enjoy this unfortunately. Not my cuppa.
DNF at 10% because I could see how much I was not going to enjoy this unfortunately. Not my cuppa.
May 1, 2017
I was surprised how interesting I found a book set in a logging town. Something about it feels very much like the movie Fargo (and not just because of the location). The mysteries are interesting and just complicated enough to keep your attention. Yeah, the dialogue got a bit repetitive, but it's something that was easy for me to overlook. For me, the fact that the story has such a solid and concrete setting really paid off. The small town is practically a character unto itself and that is something I so rarely see.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
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