Dead Angler

A Loon Lake Mystery #1

by Victoria Houston

In Wisconsin's Northwoods, fishing is a way of life -- and when the muskies are biting, life couldn't be better. But when Doc Osborne catches more than he bargained for, he winds up in the middle of a murder mystery -- and only Chief of Police Lew Ferris can get him out of it.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Cozy Mystery, Romance, Crime, Mystery Thriller

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2000

About the author

She is the author of the Loon Lake Mystery Series -- DEAD ANGLER, DEAD CREEK, DEAD WATER, DEAD FRENZY, DEAD HOT MAMA, DEAD JITTERBUG, DEAD BOOGIE, DEAD MADONNA, DEAD HOT SHOT, DEAD RENEGADE. DEAD DECEIVER, DEAD TEASE, DEAD INSIDER, DEAD HUSTLER, DEAD RAPUNZEL, DEAD LOUDMOUTH, DEAD SPIDER, DEAD FIREFLY, DEAD BIG DAWG and WOLF HOLLOW in hardcover, trade paperback and as an eBook from Simon & Schuster. The mysteries are set in the Northwoods of Wisconsin against a background of fishing – fly fishing as well as fishing for muskie, bass, bluegill and walleyes.
Houston’s mystery series was featured in a story on the front page of The Wall Street Journal (January 20, 2004) and on NPR’s “Talk of the Nation with Neal Conan” (February 2, 2006). Both can be seen/heard on the website: www.victoriahouston.com.

She has also written or co-authored over seven non-fiction books. An award-winning author specializing in family issues, Houston’s non-fiction books include the highly recommended ALONE AFTER SCHOOL: A Self-Care Guide for Latchkey Children and Their Parents (Prentice Hall, 1985); the national bestseller, LOVING A YOUNGER MAN: How Women Are Finding and Enjoying a Better Relationship (Contemporary Books (1987); Pocket Books (1988); MAKING IT WORK: Finding the Time and Energy For Your Career, Marriage, Children and Self (Contemporary Books, 1990) -- which was published by Simon & Schuster's Fireside imprint in August 1991 as a trade paperback titled MAKING IT WORK: Creative Solutions For Balancing Your Career, Marriage, Children And Personal Life. Houston co-authored RESTORE YOURSELF: A Woman’s Guide to Reviving Her Libido and Passion for Life (The Berkley Publishing Group/2001) with Dr. James Simon, a Past President of the North American Menopause Society.

Reviews

[Bobby Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a warm and friendly cozy-leaning mystery which takes place in Loon Lake, Wisconsin. Those who love to fish, either "dancing the fly" or musky fishing, will certainly have fun reading this very good mystery with lots of Wisconsin atmosphere. While it is not necessary to be much of a fisherman to like this series, enthusiasts will probably enjoy it more than others.

Loon Lake is the kind of town where the local MacDonald's isn't just a place to meet in the morning for coffee, but a clearing house for the latest Loon Lake gossip. On any given morning, it's where you can usually find retired dentist Paul Osborne, known simply as "Doc." Loon Lake has a Cabot Cove kind of feel to it, as almost everyone in town is right where they want to be.

We’re introduced to Doc’s “out there” good friend Ray Pradt, the best fly fisherman around. Their friendship is given some attention in the narrative, and will add depth to the mystery. Doc's feelings for the town's female sheriff, Lewellyn Ferris, is explored as well. Doc is a musky man, but takes Lew up on her offer to reacquaint him with the joys of fly fishing. When they discover the body of a woman named Meredith, Lew deputizes Doc for his forensic skills.

Doc's old friends soon become suspects, revealing some unexpectedly tangled up relationships. While this definitely is a cozy, there is a dash of unexpected violence that, while not graphic, adds a serious dimension to the mystery portion. For example, someone you were expecting to be a recurring character in the series will not be, making for a sad but exciting ending to the mystery portion of Dead Angler.

As with any cozy, the fun is n getting to the end, getting to know the setting and the characters. Much is revealed about Doc’s past marriage in the first entry, and the lingering effects to his oldest daughter. His buddy Ray meanwhile, wants his fifteen minutes of fame on ESPN. Wisconsin and Loon Lake seem like an additional character in the narrative. The epilog, as the survivors enjoy some burgers smothered under big slabs of Wisconsin cheddar cheese, make this first entry in the series fun for those who like cozies with a lot of atmosphere, and just a little bite.

[Abibliofob · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have this thing about small town mysteries and this book sure is that. Dead Angler by Victoria Houston is the first book about Lew Ferris and Loon Lake. Although I'm not much of a fisherman I do like this series and the characters. I have collected the first 18 books and have some reading to do. If you like me like the outdoors and small town mysteries this is a series for you.

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Sentence: Dr. Osborne struggled for balance in the waist-high waters of the roiling Prairie River

Retired dentist and widower Doc Osborn decides to rekindle his love of fly fishing with the help of fishing instructor, and town sheriff, “Lew” Ferris. What they don’t expect to find is the body of a well-dressed woman who has had all her dental fillings removed. Enlisting Doc, and his friend Roy, to help, Lew is determined to find the killer.

Houston perfectly describes fly fishing and the nature of those who love it—“No sport, except fly fishing, can take you so close to the heart of the water.”—or the inherent sexism—“Sure, she held a man’s job but still…learning to fish from a woman? He couldn’t get over it.”

The author’s voice brings her characters to life—“Why am I doing this? He had badgered himself as he hurried to keep up. Isn’t a 63-year-old retired dentist entitled to a life of grace and dignity? Dignity was out of the question as he plopped around in his boxy waters...” Each of the characters are introduced in such a way that we have a feel for who they are and their backgrounds. The one rather unfortunate aspect is that the author chose to present the late wife in such a negative fashion. In fact, one has the sense that the author doesn’t seem to like many of her characters.

One rather amusing, yet important, point in the plot is the existence of the telephone party line. Yes, a few do still exist in rural and/or isolated communities. It does add an amusing element to the story. And, on another element, what book focused on fishing would be complete without a recipe for cooking fish?

Good twists add a more serious note to the plot, and one introduces an element very relevant to current affairs.

“Dead Angler” is a very enjoyable read with increasing suspense. The ending is a bit pat, but the story certain holds ones interest.

DEAD ANGLER (Trad Mys-Paul Osborn/Lewellyn Ferris-WI-Contemp) – Good
Houston, Victoria – 1st in series
Berkeley – April 2000

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

More Local Flavor Than a Friday Night Fish Fry
This is the first story I’ve read by Northwoods author, Victoria Houston. Reading it while surrounded by the settings she so colorfully and accurately describes added to my enjoyment of the experience. It’s a themed murder mystery that anyone with a remote interest in fishing—particularly fly-fishing—will savor for the knowledgeable references to the sport and those who participate in it.

The main characters are very well drawn and highly likable. Osborne, aka “Doc,” is a retired dentist-made deputy on the case of the ‘dead angler,’ Meredith Marshall. Doc discovers the body while fishing with his friend, Lewellyn Ferris. “Lew” is the Loon Lake chief of police, the first woman to hold the job. She’s smart and sexy, and an expert fisherman. (Doc is more attracted to her than he realizes.) Doc’s neighbor, Ray Pradt, is probably best described as a local-yokel, a celebrated fishing guide who wears a trout on his head in the form of hat and has a side-job digging graves. Together, this trio falls into several precarious situations as they solve the case. Each stays true to character throughout the story and the dialog is so good, I could ‘hear’ them talking—Northwoods dialect and all. Meanwhile, Meredith’s sister, Alicia, is juicy, detestable villainess throughout the story; however, other suspects in the case are not given equal time to make uncovering the mystery in the plot the reason to keep turning pages.

I simply liked spending time in this region with these characters, and I look forwarding to reading more of Houston’s series.

[Kelli · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this for free on my Kindle. The writing is terrible and the story is dumb. Even in a small town, the chief of police wouldn't let a retired dentist walk on to a murder investigation and act as medical examiner. Are you kidding me? I'd love to be the lawyer acting for the defence on this one. And please, can she write LOON LAKE a few thousand more times? I'm not sure that I quite understood that this was in LOON LAKE, and that LOON LAKE was a small town, and LOON LAKE, LOON LAKE, LOON LAKE. Jesus.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It will never make it to the New York Times Best Seller List but it is just a FUN summer read! In fact, I am reading the entire series. My fishing family is getting quite impressed by my new-found fishing knowledge!

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Add this to my burgeoning list of "hobby" mysteries. Houston's been writing these fly-fishing mysteries for a decade now: what took me so long? Female police chief for small resort town, retired, recovering-alcoholic dentist, and free-wheeling grave digger: what a team! I enjoyed the camaraderie, the fishing details, and the little touches that added depth. Much the same mood as a Diane Mott Davidson--but people are fishing instead of cooking. Very boomerish!

[Ginnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun to read muder mystery set in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. I enjoyed reading about the location, because the author captured it so well.

A little predictable but not the whole plot.

Recommended to me by Jane.
I'll probably come back to this author.

[IslandRiverScribe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Paul Osborne is a dentist in Loon Lake, Wisconsin, a small town that supports itself on the spending habits of tourists who love to fish and on the wages from a paper mill. Taking early retirement from his practice, Osborne had intended to spend his golden years occupied with his most enjoyable hobbies, hunting and fishing. It had not been his intention to become, without warning, a widower. And after his wife’s death, steeped in grief, he became a flaming alcoholic.

Now the grief that sent him spiraling into the bottle was not from losing the love of his life. Several years into his marriage, Osborne discovered that he did not like the person his wife, Mary Lee, had become. Perhaps she had been that type of person all along, shielding her true nature from him by conscious intent, but she was now a social climber and a status seeker. She lived for the parties, the “things” she possessed and the life she plotted for her oldest child. And she was an inveterate nag, with Osborne the most frequent target of her displeasure.

So when Mary Lee died unexpectedly, there was no more nagging, no more social pressure, and the children were gone in more ways than one. Love, affection and friendship had long since fled from Osborne’s life, leaving only pride, loyalty and responsibility to hold his part of the relationship together. While Osborne’s practice, his hunting and his fishing had been effective shields against his wife’s greed and rancor, now there was nothing for them to shield him from.

Thus, Paul Osborne was lost. Nothing he had done for the last 30 years to survive his legal and religious vows needed doing anymore. And the shame he felt for being glad it was over engulfed him. Fortunately, that pity-party didn’t last long. After an early intervention by his youngest daughter and after several very productive months in rehab, Osborne came back, loving life, drinking ginger ale, and especially loving his fishing.

Now, with the slip of a foot in a roiling river while night fishing, the past threatens to come roaring back. Osborne has stumbled, quite literally, on the submerged body of Meredith Marshall, the younger sister of Alicia Roderick, his dead wife’s best friend and fellow bully.

At the time he discovers the body, Osborne is taking his first refresher fly-fishing lesson from Lew Ferris, the newly minted Loon Lake Chief of Police. The nickname “Lew” is short for “Lewellyn” and she is everything Osborne’s wife wasn’t. She is attractive but not beautiful, strongly built and comfortably dressed rather than fashionable. She achieved her position in life through determination rather than through money and social bullying, in spite of a divorce and the death of one of her three children. She has even more intelligence and knowledge of human nature than she has competence with fly-fishing – and she is an expert in that field.

Finding a cracked skull but not enough bruising to account for the current’s speed and the rocky river bottom, Osborne suspects the death is not an accident. When he determines that every gold filling has been removed from her mouth, he knows it’s not. Knowing Osborne’s background in forensics and with the town’s incompetent coroner on vacation, Lew immediately deputizes Osborne to help with the case.

This first entry in the Loon Lake series could probably be classified as a cozy. While there are several murders, accomplished by some rather inventive means, we are spared the overly graphic, splashy (no pun intended) details. This book is not about gore or titillation or shock value. This novel is centered more on ethics, family dynamics, small-town secrets and societal expectations, or the lack thereof, with murder as the major dynamic and vehicle.

This first entry in the series could also fall into the romantic suspense genre. But don’t expect hot steamy sex. There is not one single sex scene, not one single kiss, not even the holding of hands. But there is serious interest on Osborne’s part concerning Lew, who is easily more than a decade younger. He tries not to be obvious or overt about his burgeoning feelings, but his daughters and his best friend and neighbor, Ray Pradt, are not fooled. Lew plays it just as close to the vest as Osborne does, but you can practically feel her personal interest sliding right in there with her respect for his investigative skills. They play off each other well when dealing with both suspects and theories and the reader can sense the team that is being formed, both personally and professionally.

Although written in third person, Houston makes it clear that Osborne is the main protagonist. The only internal monologues and descriptive observations are from his standpoint. And because Osborne’s view is all we have, the suspense in this “cozy” ratchets up page by page. While the identities of the villains are relatively easy for the reader to pinpoint by about half way through the book, the task of proving it is not so quick and easy. And the last 20% of the book contains several scenarios that will suck your breath away from fear and wondering who will survive and how well they will survive.

I truly enjoyed the gradual but thorough buildup of the characters’ personalities and the systematic way in which the author builds the tension. I also enjoyed that Houston used a blend of backstory and present circumstances to get us invested in the lives of the vulnerable Osborne, the intriguing Lew and the eccentric but highly versatile Ray. I even enjoyed the way that Houston tied the techniques of fly-fishing to the techniques of police work and people-handling.

What I didn’t enjoy were the editing errors and the poor formatting. This book was published in 2000, fourteen years ago as I write this review. It appears that, when this book was translated into e-format, the translation didn’t go too well and has never been updated. The most obvious formatting problem is that the text is not fully justified. Therefore, the irregularly shaped white areas in the right margin are distracting and wreak havoc on flow of consciousness, especially when a character’s dialogue encompasses more than one paragraph.

The editing errors include misspelled words, missing words, repeated words, and jumbled word combinations that make no logical sense. And these errors occur frequently enough to break the natural flow of reading, causing an internal comment of “Do what?” These errors appear to be rooted in technology rather than in ignorance of the rules of grammar and sentence construction, but they still present a poor impression of the author’s attention to final detail in the finished product.

Regardless of these technical difficulties, Houston has presented us with a well-crafted and intriguing mystery, with a realistic denouement, that holds great promise for the rest of the series. And it is quite refreshing to read a tale in which the protagonists are middle-aged instead of being young guns, who are competent and trained in their chosen fields rather than being prodigies, and who are average in appearance rather than being inordinately handsome or beautiful.

It is also a breath of fresh air to encounter protagonists who are essentially happy, who have a healthy, positive and realistic attitude toward life rather than being wounded, brooding, angry and defensive at every turn. They are good people, who have faced bad circumstances, and who have come out battered for a time, but not broken. They are literally and figuratively the people next door, and Houston has formulated a premise which, for me, is worth the time and money to pursue.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable series.

Kindle Unlimited, listen & read

[sidewalk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was slow to start. I even put it down, read two other books and then picked it back up again, since it was... there....
I have to admit: It was not the books fault! I had the wrong attitude when I first picked it up. Once I found the books "voice" it all fell into place and I started loving every minute of it. I could not put it down.

I could hear the Minnesota accent of the characters. It made them more "real" , more believable, sweeter.

I do have to say there were rather lots of mistakes in the book, that were distracting to the point of annoyance. I am not sure if it's just in the B&N nook edition, or if it is in the paper books as well. It annoyed me to the point of writing to the author and making her aware of it. What happens is: there are words missing in the sentences. It could be a formatting issue... I thought if she knew about it she could have it taken care of. It really does take away from the over all reading experience.

For example on page 195 of the nook edition : "Answer it, Doc, " said Lew. "I'll get your gear out of truck."
It should read: Answer it, Doc, " said Lew. "I'll get your gear out of my truck/ out of the truck."
These kind of things abound and are really distracting.

Other than that it was a fun little read. I will put Miss Houston on my to read list for sure. I have gotten to like Chief of Police Lew and the "Doc" and all the other characters of Loon Lake!

My recommendation:
Try the paper edition instead of the e-book. I hope the mistakes are not as many in the actual physical book! But do read it. :)

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more. I really did. I'm not into fishing so much, but, I knew going into this book that I'd be kind of bored by the large amount of fishing in the story. I had problems with the fact that a dentist and another random citizen were so very involved in the investigation of the murder of a local and how much of the "investigation" was discovered by the 2 non-police individuals "talking" (more like gossiping) about what they had learned so far. A real-life lawyer would have a field day with this scenario. Also, way way way too many reminders that the town was called Loon Lake. We got it. Not sure who really needed to be reminded, about what town this was happening in, the reader or the author??

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Full of unlikely situations and coincidences.

Plus, how can a dentist be a forensic pathologist? I know, I know--he only looks at the teeth. But later in the book he pronounces a cause of death for someone as if he were the M.E. Things like that bother me.

And don't get me started on the shoddy police tactics of the female sheriff/dentist's love interest, who, for instance, takes time off to fish while telling the main suspect that she'll "be around in the morning" to investigate the possible scene of the crime. Oh my.

I don't think I'll be going on with this series, even though I enjoyed all the fishing logistics and lore.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lessons from the book.

1. Rich people are shallow, greedy, and evil.
2. Poor people are deep, kind, and live life on a higher plain.
3. The sight of a gun in the back of a truck is a scary thing to a northwoods outdoorsmen.
4. Trout dont bite in the afternoon. They only bite dry flies at 9:30pm when its dark.
5. A 63 yr old retired dentist must travel everywhere with the police chief on murder investigations for the feeblest of reasons.

[Kalena · Rating 2 out of 5]

First book in the series; first book read by the author. I will be honest and say this was a book I could not finish. Found the characters irritating, the swearing as well as the time in a bar/strip club was unnecessary. Glimmer of hope in the forensics/dental information. Please write more about fishing or an actual mystery.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! I live in WI and it made me feel like I am in the book and these characters are my neighbors. I have friends, family and neighbors that talk like that and think.

[Christine PNW · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wisconsin! Done with the North Woods - sadly!

[William Freeman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Written by a fishing fanatic with a touch of supposedly a murder mystery. As a murder mystery fanatic not a fishing one not impressed at all - avoid

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boffo start to the Loon Lake Fishing Mystery series, with likeable, interesting characters one wants to read more about and a plot as tangled as fishing line in a tree.

[Gregory · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
This is the first of a series, and perhaps it shows some of the growing pains of a new mystery series. For the first half, my main reaction was annoyance at the implausible plot and the psychological immaturity of the narrative, who in spite of being a widowed, retired dentist, seems to have no idea how to express his feelings. The idea that a retired dentist becomes the fill-in coroner and then deputy to the sheriff, who then carry out their investigations together, cannot pass the smell test. And dentist has no more idea what to do about his attraction to the sheriff than a junior-high school boy wondering if a cool girl likes him.

Eventually, I got caught up in the mystery itself, which wasn't bad, so I kept reading to find out whodunit. The local color is laid on extremely thick, and the characters drop everything to go out fishing at times when you would think they might catch up on their missed sleep or maybe work on the crimes they discover. But no... they are out dropping flies or casting for musky every few pages. There is also a plethora of local characters to fill out all the stereotypes of the residents in northern Wisconsin. This may be realistic, but it became hard to keep track of all these people, many of whom were rather dicey in one way or another.

Finally, there is a certain soap opera quality to the plot, with childhood hurts, marital infidelities, and various substance addictions popping up all over the place. It all seemed a bit overdone to me.

If you find yourself in a cabin in the woods with few entertainment options, this might be a worthy choice. But if you find yourself in a bookstore or library, I think you can do better.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I heard the author do a presentation about her mystery series several years ago at a local book festival. Then I picked up the Kindle edition of this story a year or so ago when it was a freebie. I finally read it when it was chosen for a summer mystery book group.

It was an enjoyable read. The small town Wisconsin setting seemed quite authentic from the older guys hanging out at McDonald's at breakfast time to the just-out-of-town strip club. I'd be interested in knowing whether there still are party telephone lines in the Northwoods. If not, then that does date the series.

The main characters held my interest: Chief of Police Lew Ferris, retired dentist "Doc" Paul Osborne, and gravedigger/hustler/fish chef Ray Bradt. I thought it was an unusual choice to have Osborne be the narrator of the story rather than the police chief. Also unusual to my mind is to deputize the dentist because of his (limited) forensic skills.

I will most likely continue reading the series at some point.

[Heidi Fogelberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

1st book in the Loon Lake series, set in I think Wisconsin. A very small town in the northern lakes area of the Midwest, anyway, featuring a widowed retired dentist with a serious fishing habit and a crush on the local police chief. The small-town flavor is good, the fishing details are possibly authentic, thank all the gods that dialect is restricted to the odd idiomatic phrase, and there's lots of room for character growth and development through the series. This one focuses on a body in a river, and it gets a little fuzzy in places - first book kind of things. The story sprawls a bit, there are maybe a few too many characters popping in to casually drop crucial comments at the right time, etc. But it's a good story, the characters are promising, and the author is good enough for a first outing.

[Jan Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good things. I grew up in the area of this book. I listened to it on audio. There were a few misprounciations, but not bad overall. I like the fact the detective was law enforcement and not the bait shop owner barging into the homes of all demanding answers.
But some of the police work! Find a body while fishing. Cop and dentist leave her on the river bank to get aid. They are gone for hours. Crime scene unsecured, body left out in the open. Why doesn't one stay there?
And the thing that broke my heart, one character told his daughter he did not love her. Neither was the perp. Just resented her and did not love her. Not sure if he is a repeat character and I am not sure it I can read another in the series.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot about fishing, so a little different from the usual setting.

Retired dentist, Paul Osborne, lost his wife 18 months ago and turned to alcohol. He turned his life around and is finding life worth living again, especially as we see that in later years his wife was not exactly a paragon.

Paul discovers that the local sheriff, Lew Ferris, loves fishing just as much as he does. She deputizes him when she needs his dental expertise with a corpse they discover while fishing. Paul discovers that deputy work agrees with him, as does the robustly healthy sheriff, so different from his social climbing late wife.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book, even though mystery is not a genre I usually read, because it was set in Wisconsin. I have always wanted to live in a small Wisconsin town, so reading about it seems like the next best thing. I do not like to fish, although I don't mind reading about it (A River Runs Through It was and EXCELLENT story), but I kind of took offense to the book's portrayal of women as either money grubbing bitches or make-less fisherwomen. It seems to me that books written by female authors can and should do better than that. That being said, I enjoyed the book. I didn't love it and probably won't read any more in the series (unless I need a Wisconsin mental get-away).

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doc Osborne is adrift, having lost his wife 2 years earlier. When he is cleaning out his garage, he finds his old fly fishing equipment. He goes to get it appraised, and he is told of its value. His friend then tells Doc he should fish again. Doc agrees, and is pleasantly surprised to be paired with Chief Lew Ferris. However, their outing is cut short when they discover a body floating in the water. Doc realizes that he knows the person, and that it was murder.
What follows is a tale of drugs, greed, and jealously.
So begins the series of Loon Lake mysteries. This is an easy to read novel with an intricate murder mystery. The budding romance between Doc and Lew is sweet.

[Baglady · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of a series, wanted to read after plunging into the middle and being satisfied but not thrilled by that story. This one had a not-too-predictable plot and solution, characters who were more interesting because less was taken for granted (and more described about them) than the later book. Low key, interesting but not thrilling, enough info about trout and muskie fishing to sink a boat - either like it for the detail or skim over it knowing you aren't missing the plot.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author spent a lot of time on description that I didn't find compelling or authentic. Because the main character was a man, I felt the flowery nature wasn't realistic.

I also felt it was a little too dark for a cozy mystery. It was interesting and kept my attention (which it only grabbed about 3/4 of the way through), but it didn't have the light easiness I have come to expect in a cozy.

#cozymysteriesaremyjam

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, light mystery that moves quickly but leaves you wanting to spend more time with the characters. I have read many different local MN and WI authors that spin mysteries in small towns with a local sheriff, a budding romance, drugs and a few twists and turns. Nothing new here but enjoyable just the same to ride along as they try to solve the case in familiar (however name changed) small town geography.

[Kathy Schouten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading the Lee Ferris series by this author and enjoyed it so I have gone back to read the earlier books that feature “Doc” Osborne. I live in WI and have been to every town and city mentioned in the book and that makes it special. I’m not a fisherman but love the outdoors so enjoyed that too. And I love the cozy, small town atmosphere with a variety of characters. Will continue reading these books.