July 1, 2023
Bookstore owner Morgan Carter is an emerging cryptozoologist--on her first case, she solved the mystery of the monster in Michigan Lake. So naturally the conservation warden turns to her when a man is found dead, his throat jaggedly slashed, after the sighting of a Bigfoot-type creature in Wisconsin's Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Following the LJ-starred A Death in Door Country. Prepub Alert.
Copyright 2023 Library Journal
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 1, 2023
A possible Bigfoot attack that kills a hunter in Wisconsin's Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is too intriguing for cryptozoologist Morgan Carter to pass up when she's brought in on the case by local conservation officer Charlie Aberdeen, who is eager to prove the cryptid sighting. When a second man is killed, a footprint is found near the scene, and Charlie is all in, knowing this is her chance to substantiate Bigfoot's existence. Morgan, on the other hand, approaches with her usual skepticism, and when she and her dog arrive in the village of Bayfield, she soon suspects that there's more going on. Small-town antagonists and a burgeoning romance complicate the investigation, but the novel's intriguing premise and engaging story are hindered by an unfortunately slow beginning. Opening chapters laden with backstory and unnecessary interiority might make this one a tough sell. VERDICT Fans of A Death in Door County, the first book in the series, will be pleased with the reappearance of Chief of Police Jon Flanders. Purchase where Ryan's other books circulate or where there's interest in cryptids or monster lit.--Vicki Briner
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
October 9, 2023
In Ryan’s gripping sequel to 2022’s A Death in Door County, Wisconsin cryptozoologist Morgan Carter chases down Bigfoot while recovering from the trauma of discovering that her former fiancé murdered her parents. Since that tragedy, Morgan has spent most of her time running Odds and Ends, a store selling trinkets and paperback murder mysteries, but she’s happy to volunteer her expertise when local police chief Jon Flanders asks for help on behalf of a colleague. Conservation warden Charlie Aberdeen is looking into a fatal attack on a hunter that one witness attributed to a Bigfoot-like creature. The discovery of a second victim increases the pressure on Aberdeen, and Carter, who is skeptical that Bigfoot exists, agrees to travel to the area and investigate pro bono. Ryan conjures a wonderfully spooky atmosphere as Carter risks her life in search of the truth, and expertly keeps readers in the dark about the perpetrator’s identity for most of the narrative. With a strong premise and smart characterizations, this series is well suited to a long run. Agent: Adam Chomroy, Movable Type Management.
November 1, 2023
A cryptozoologist helps police investigate a pair of deaths in remote Door County, Wisconsin. The Chequamegon National Forest is noted for its Bigfoot sightings because the remote, heavily forested area offers many opportunities for residents and tourists alike to catch brief glimpses of large, hairy creatures who appear for a few moments and then vanish into the brush. So when Jon Flanders, chief of police for Washington Island, asks Morgan Carter to look into the deaths of a hunter and a fisherman, both of whom, according to witnesses, were dispatched by humanoid primates in the Cheq, she jumps at the chance to confirm or dispel rumors that Bigfoot was to blame. Department of Natural Resources warden Charlie Aberdeen is on the "confirm" side, since she believes that Bigfoot was also responsible for killing her father as she hunted by his side as a child. But Deputy Buck Weaver is solidly in favor of "dispel," since he's already filed the reports listing both deaths as the result of bear attacks. When it comes to cryptids, Morgan likes to keep an open mind. So she begins by viewing the death scenes and interviewing witnesses. But the more she digs, the more complicated her investigation becomes, with conflicting testimony from unreliable witnesses and physical evidence that conflicts with both her knowledge of animal behavior and established cryptid lore. Fast-paced and ingenious, though mystery fans will have to overlook some grisly accounts of the attacks to savor the puzzle.
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