Amy Pease

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A close-up of Amy Pease.

Amy Pease

This state has no shortage of authors writing about life (and death) in northern Wisconsin. One of the newest voices is Amy Pease, whose gripping debut novel, Northwoods, is earning high praise from none other than William Kent Krueger. The story revolves around the murder of a teenage boy in a small resort town, a missing teenage girl and the scarred military veteran-turned-sheriff’s deputy on the case — all set against the backdrop of America’s opioid epidemic. Pease, a nurse practitioner who lives in the Madison area and is a nationally recognized HIV specialist, will celebrate the book’s publication day in conversation with fellow local author Cayce Osborne, whose debut psychological thriller, I Know What You Did, was one our favorite reads of last year. Seating is limited and RSVPs are encouraged, but the event also will be livestreamed on Crowdcast. Note: Rescheduled from January.

media release: Live @ MTM: Amy Pease in Conversation with Cayce Osborne. NEW DATE: Feb. 27.

About the book: The dark underbelly of an idyllic Midwestern resort town is revealed in the aftermath of a murder with ties to America's opioid epidemic in this unputdownable and thrilling debut that is perfect for fans of James Lee Burke, William Kent Krueger, and Mindy Mejia.

Eli North is not okay.

His drinking is getting worse by the day, his emotional wounds after a deployment to Afghanistan are as raw as ever, his marriage and career are over, and the only job he can hold down is with the local sheriff’s department. And that’s only because the sheriff is his mother—and she’s overwhelmed with small town Shaky Lake’s dwindling budget and the fallout from the opioid epidemic. The Northwoods of Wisconsin may be a vacationer’s paradise, but amidst the fishing trips and campfires and Paul Bunyan festivals, something sinister is taking shape.

When the body of a teenage boy is found in the lake, it sets in motion an investigation that leads Eli to a wealthy enclave with a violent past, a pharmaceutical salesman, and a missing teenage girl. Soon, Eli and his mother, along with a young FBI agent, are on the hunt for more than just a killer.

If Eli solves the case, could he finally get the shot at redemption he so desperately needs? Or will answers to this dark case elude him and continue to bring destruction to the Northwoods?

Amy Pease is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin and the Madison Writer’s Studio, and works as a nurse practitioner, where she is a nationally recognized HIV specialist. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and two children. Northwoods is her first novel.

Cayce Osborne is a writer and graphic designer from Madison, WI. When not writing, she spends her time hanging out with her husband and two sons, reading library books, walking her dog, subscribing to way too many streaming services, and attempting arts and crafts. Her short fiction has appeared in many literary magazines and anthologies, including Exposition Review, Atlas + Alice Literary Magazine, and Pizza Parties and Poltergeists. I Know What You Did is her debut novel. Learn more at cayceosborne.com.