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Book Summary and Reviews of Beast of the North Woods by Annelise Ryan

Beast of the North Woods by Annelise Ryan

Beast of the North Woods

Monster Hunter Mysteries #3

by Annelise Ryan

  • Readers' Rating (29):
  • Publishes:
  • Jan 28, 2025, 320 pages
  • Rate this book

About this book

Book Summary

When a local fisherman is mauled to death, it seems like the only possible cause is a mythical creature in the latest puzzling entry in this USA Today bestselling series.

An ice fisherman is savagely mauled to death in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and an eyewitness claims the man was attacked by a hodag. There's just one problem with that: it's well known that the creature is not real and was created by a local hoaxer. So how could an imaginary creature be chomping on local sportsmen?

The suggestion that a hodag killed someone isn't well received by the townsfolk because of its beloved ties to the town and the money it generates from tourist dollars. Due to this, people begin to suspect the witness is the real killer, especially when it's discovered he has a tangled past with the victim.

The witness to the attack happens to be the nephew of Morgan Carter's bookstore employee, Rita Bosworth, who convinces the professional cryptozoologist to travel to Wisconsin to prove that a hodag not only exists but killed the victim.

Clues may be hard to come by, but one thing's for sure: something killed that man, and that something now has its eyes focused on Morgan.

Please be aware that this discussion may contain spoilers!

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What are you reading this week? (11-21-2024)
I started The Beast of the North Woods by Annelise Ryan a couple of days ago, but I'm not too far along. Next up will be The Memory Library by Kate Storey.
-kim.kovacs


What are you reading this week? (2024-10-31)
I'm reading Beast of the North Woods by Annelise Ryan this week - I received it as part of BookBrowse's First Impressions program.
-HannahT

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Ryan once again delivers the goods, serving up a cheeky, atmospheric investigation that goes down as smoothly as an episode of Scooby-Doo but with far more narrative intricacy. This series continues to impress." —Publishers Weekly

This information about Beast of the North Woods was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

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Kathleen C. (Cockeysville, MD)

Murder and the search for mythical creatures
A fun and not too cozy mystery series featuring Morgan Carter as a cryptozoologist who owns a specialty book & oddities shop. She frequently becomes in involved in solving mysteries involving the possibility of mythical creatures. This third installment involves Rita, one of the shop employees, asking Morgan for help in proving Rita's nephew was not involved in a murder. The series has engaging characters, interesting mysteries and wonderfully descriptive surroundings of the Wisconsin settings. There are continuing story lines between the books which further the connection the reader develops with the characters but the story could be read a stand alone (I'd still start with the first mystery though).

Catherine O. (Altavista, VA)

Clever and Fun
What a fun and unique read. This is the first novel of Annalise Ryan that I have read, but it won't be my last. This clever novel follows Morgan Carter, a cryptozoologist, as she searches for a Hogad in the North Woods. This premise sounds like it could have easily veered into a campy novel, yet it remained believable and entertaining throughout. The characters were interesting, the story came together with lots of action and minimal explanations. This was a quick and enjoyable read and I will be recommending this book and this author to all my reading friends.

Hannah L. (Plymouth, MA)

Plot twists that keep you on your toes!
I really enjoyed reading Beasts of the North Woods and it actually exceeded my expectations as it wasn't a predictable plot which can often be the case with mysteries. The plot twists kept me guessing! I will definitely be reading Anneliese Ryan's next book!

Barbara E. (Rockville, MD)

Hodags, Murder, and Mayhem, Oh My!
I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery! The main characters are well-developed and truly engaging. I particularly appreciated the rich details the author provided about the Wisconsin town of Rhinelander and the mythical Hodag, which added a unique local flavor to the story. As the protagonist delves into the mystery, readers are drawn into a world where the line between myth and reality is tantalizingly blurred. Ryan builds tension skillfully, keeping readers guessing about the true nature of the hodag and whether there's more than folklore behind the recent sightings. The mystery itself is intricate and satisfying, with a clever resolution. Plus, the cliffhanger at the end left me eagerly anticipating the next book in the series!

Donna M. (Kennesaw, GA)

Good mystery
This mystery begins when cryptozoologist (one who studies legendary creatures) Morgan Carter is asked to help prove the innocence of a friend's nephew who is in jail for murder. The nephew claims that the victim was killed by a mythical creature, the Hodag. Obviously the authorities and community are skeptical. Soon though, her mission progresses into more and more mysterious events.

The novel is engaging and well paced, and characters and environment are developed. At some point in the novel, the many situations almost overwhelm Morgan's mission to exonerate the nephew, but the story sustained my interest even as mysteries become more complicated. I consider it a fine and enjoyable weekend read.

While this book is the third in a series, it is a solid stand-alone. Readers might want to try the first two books: A Death in Door County, and Death in the Dark Woods.

Bill B. (Choctaw, OK)

Fantasy Novel
Ordinarily, I do not make it through fantasy stories, but "The Beast if the North Woods" held me to the end. I enjoyed the interworking of supernatural with reality. Now, I am going to read more of Ryan's works.

...23 more reader reviews

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Author Information

Annelise Ryan

Annelise Ryan is the USA Today bestselling author of multiple mystery series, including the Mattie Winston Mysteries. A retired ER nurse, she now writes full-time from her Wisconsin home.

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