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Winter's End
The fourth installment in the gripping, atmospheric Alaska Wild series, Paige Shelton's Winter's End...
It’s springtime in Benedict, Alaska, and with it the warmer weather comes an unseasonably somber local tradition...the annual Death March. At the end of each brutal winter, citizens gather downtown and then break into groups to search the community for those who might have somehow gotten stuck at home. Beth Rivers sets off with her friend Orin and dog Gus, toward the cabin of an elderly resident, intending to check on him.
When they reach the cabin, the old man is alive, but not in the best shape. Beth stays with him while Orin hurries to town for help, but it’s not Orin who returns. Gril comes back with shocking news, and it soon becomes clear that Orin has also vanished. When they discover that their friend has been doing some top-secret research, they start to worry he’s been exposed, or worse.
Meanwhile, Beth continues on her own search, for her father, who allegedly is alive in Mexico, but won't return her calls. Still, she's making progress in healing from her own trauma, though can't quite shake the feeling she's being followed...
It’s springtime in Benedict, Alaska, and with it the warmer weather comes an unseasonably somber local tradition...the annual Death March. At the end of each brutal winter, citizens gather downtown and then break into groups to search the community for those who might have somehow gotten stuck at home. Beth Rivers sets off with her friend Orin and dog Gus, toward the cabin of an elderly resident, intending to check on him.
When they reach the cabin, the old man is alive, but not in the best shape. Beth stays with him while Orin hurries to town for help, but it’s not Orin who returns. Gril comes back with shocking news, and it soon becomes clear that Orin has also vanished. When they discover that their friend has been doing some top-secret research, they start to worry he’s been exposed, or worse.
Meanwhile, Beth continues on her own search, for her father, who allegedly is alive in Mexico, but won't return her calls. Still, she's making progress in healing from her own trauma, though can't quite shake the feeling she's being followed...
272 pages, Hardcover
First published December 6, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 291 reviews
December 6, 2022
I'm happy to be back in Benedict, Alaskaaa! From books 1-4, the development in "Winter's End" is what I've been waiting for! 😍💃
Beth Rivers is a successful mystery writer and has been hiding in Benedict after a book fan abducted her. She escaped with some injuries but since he was never caught she doesn't feel safe and constantly looks over her shoulder.
Beth lives at The Benedict House, a halfway house for nonviolent female convicts. She's made some new friends and is in charge of the town's local paper.
It's springtime and the community gathers together for the customary "death walk" to see if people survive the winter. Gasp, is this real?😱 As it turns out, an elderly is found weak, there are missing people, and a body was found!
This is overall entertaining and a good addition to the series. If you've been reading the last three, I think you'll enjoy where the story is going. With that said, it's best to read the first book before "Winter's End" although you don't need to. I've listened to this series since book one and enjoyed the audiobook narrated by Suzie Althens. 3.5⭐
Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for this ALC.
Published Dec 6, 2022.
Beth Rivers is a successful mystery writer and has been hiding in Benedict after a book fan abducted her. She escaped with some injuries but since he was never caught she doesn't feel safe and constantly looks over her shoulder.
Beth lives at The Benedict House, a halfway house for nonviolent female convicts. She's made some new friends and is in charge of the town's local paper.
It's springtime and the community gathers together for the customary "death walk" to see if people survive the winter. Gasp, is this real?😱 As it turns out, an elderly is found weak, there are missing people, and a body was found!
This is overall entertaining and a good addition to the series. If you've been reading the last three, I think you'll enjoy where the story is going. With that said, it's best to read the first book before "Winter's End" although you don't need to. I've listened to this series since book one and enjoyed the audiobook narrated by Suzie Althens. 3.5⭐
Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for this ALC.
Published Dec 6, 2022.
September 18, 2022
Paige Shelton brings atmosphere, mystery, and heart to
Winter’s End
, the fourth book in the Alaska Wild series set in fictional Benedict, Alaska. This well-written novel combines traditional police detective work and amateur sleuthing. Secrets, murder, and a horrific experience that continues to haunt and traumatize the main character make for a suspenseful and riveting read.
Beth Rivers, a successful thriller writer known as Elizabeth Fairchild is still hiding and recovering in Alaska while the Missouri police look for her stalker turned kidnapper. Only a few locals know Beth’s story including police chief Gril Samuels and his deputy Donner.
With winter ending and springtime approaching, it’s time for a local tradition, the annual Death Walk. All citizens gather at the community center and check their name off a list. If anyone is missing, groups are assigned to go to their homes and confirm whether they are still alive or have died during the winter. A couple, Warren, and Al are missing. Beth, her dog, Gus, and Orin, the librarian, drive and then hike to 94 year-old Al’s cabin. He is alive, but is in bad shape. Beth stays with him while Orin goes to get help. Gril and Donner arrive a few hours later, but Orin has disappeared. However, Al isn’t the only one to not show up at the community center. Are they alive or dead? Was it forgetfulness or something more sinister?
Beth’s character is well-developed. She continues to be a flawed protagonist who has shown some growth through making friends and learning to deal with her post traumatic stress disorder, but she still keeps secrets and finds it hard to trust people. However, readers will see this dynamic character change in attitude and outlook as she responds to events. Several of the secondary characters gained depth in this book as secrets are revealed. This is especially true of Orin and Viola, the owner of the house where Beth rents a room. There are a large number of characters in this story, but several of them were introduced in the earlier books so it felt like I was catching up with old friends.
The author does a great job of portraying the hardships and lack of amenities as well as the friendships, pace of life, the wonders, the loneliness, and the dangers of living in and around small town Alaska. I could easily visualize the town, the people, the road conditions, the weather, and the isolation.
This story hooked me immediately and built momentum leading to an action-filled conclusion. It’s suspenseful and there are twists and turns and surprises along the way in an intricate plot that kept me guessing. From the small town residents to the descriptions of Alaska to the various mysteries, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Several themes run through the tale including death, isolation, disappearances, secrets, dysfunctional families, feuds, and much more.
Overall, this enjoyable mystery was engaging, suspenseful, intriguing, and compulsively readable. The well-developed ideas with good pacing from scene to scene kept me turning the pages. If you enjoy well-written mysteries, then I recommend you check out this series. The books are best read in order, but there is enough background that this one could be read as a standalone. I’m looking forward to book five.
St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur Books and Paige Shelton provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is set for December 6, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
-------------------
My 4.16 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Beth Rivers, a successful thriller writer known as Elizabeth Fairchild is still hiding and recovering in Alaska while the Missouri police look for her stalker turned kidnapper. Only a few locals know Beth’s story including police chief Gril Samuels and his deputy Donner.
With winter ending and springtime approaching, it’s time for a local tradition, the annual Death Walk. All citizens gather at the community center and check their name off a list. If anyone is missing, groups are assigned to go to their homes and confirm whether they are still alive or have died during the winter. A couple, Warren, and Al are missing. Beth, her dog, Gus, and Orin, the librarian, drive and then hike to 94 year-old Al’s cabin. He is alive, but is in bad shape. Beth stays with him while Orin goes to get help. Gril and Donner arrive a few hours later, but Orin has disappeared. However, Al isn’t the only one to not show up at the community center. Are they alive or dead? Was it forgetfulness or something more sinister?
Beth’s character is well-developed. She continues to be a flawed protagonist who has shown some growth through making friends and learning to deal with her post traumatic stress disorder, but she still keeps secrets and finds it hard to trust people. However, readers will see this dynamic character change in attitude and outlook as she responds to events. Several of the secondary characters gained depth in this book as secrets are revealed. This is especially true of Orin and Viola, the owner of the house where Beth rents a room. There are a large number of characters in this story, but several of them were introduced in the earlier books so it felt like I was catching up with old friends.
The author does a great job of portraying the hardships and lack of amenities as well as the friendships, pace of life, the wonders, the loneliness, and the dangers of living in and around small town Alaska. I could easily visualize the town, the people, the road conditions, the weather, and the isolation.
This story hooked me immediately and built momentum leading to an action-filled conclusion. It’s suspenseful and there are twists and turns and surprises along the way in an intricate plot that kept me guessing. From the small town residents to the descriptions of Alaska to the various mysteries, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Several themes run through the tale including death, isolation, disappearances, secrets, dysfunctional families, feuds, and much more.
Overall, this enjoyable mystery was engaging, suspenseful, intriguing, and compulsively readable. The well-developed ideas with good pacing from scene to scene kept me turning the pages. If you enjoy well-written mysteries, then I recommend you check out this series. The books are best read in order, but there is enough background that this one could be read as a standalone. I’m looking forward to book five.
St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur Books and Paige Shelton provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is set for December 6, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
-------------------
My 4.16 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
September 15, 2022
Winter's End is the 4th book in the Alaska Wild series. I have read this series from the first book. The story takes place in Benedict, Alaska. The main character is Elizabeth Fairchild (Beth) who is trying to put her life together after escaping from her kidnapper Travis Walker. She is worried that he is trying to find out who she is and where she is going. Her real name is Beth Rivers. Beth in her other life was and still i a thriller writer for books. There are only a few people who know who she really is. One is the police chief Gril. Beth is the editor of the local paper The Petition. Beth lives at Benedict House owned by a woman named Viola. it is a half-way house for nonviolent females. Her sister, Benny owns the local bar. Violet let Beth stay there even though she was not a criminal. There are a lot of mystery to some of the people who live in the town which the reader will enjoy learning about.
Elijah, who is realy Hugh Givens, has disappeared. He asked Beth to find homes for his sled dogs which names he suggested. All dogs went to the people on his list. Kaye Miller owns the dog Finn who is part St. Bernard. She and Beth walk their dogs together., On their walk Kaye seems upset but does not tell Beth what the problem is. Her husband, Warren comes and gets her. Kaye seems scared.
It is the beginning of spring. The whole town gets together to do the Death Walk. The town goes to find the people on the list who did not sign in, it is the way that they check up to make sure everyone is okay after the winter. Beth goes with Orin, the librarian, to checkup on Old Al, a 94 year old man who lives by himself in the wilderness, They find him in bed and very weak. Orin goes to get help and leaves Beth and her dog there with Old Al. She warms some soup and gets him to eat a little. which he does.. Grill and Donner, police man who works with Gril come and decide to bring Al to town and leave him with Dr. Powder until he is stronger. Orin seems to have disappeared also.
Gril and Donner find out that both Warren and Kaye are missing. They meet with both the Miller's and Oliphant's as they are two families who have been feuding for years.. Kaye is later found dead behind the community center. At this point it is hard to explain on paper all that is going on. I will leave this to the reader to read and enjoy the rest of the story.
I really love this series and know the readers will too, I look forward to the next book to find out what Beth decides to do and what new adventure the town of Bendedict and the townspeople get into.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC.
Elijah, who is realy Hugh Givens, has disappeared. He asked Beth to find homes for his sled dogs which names he suggested. All dogs went to the people on his list. Kaye Miller owns the dog Finn who is part St. Bernard. She and Beth walk their dogs together., On their walk Kaye seems upset but does not tell Beth what the problem is. Her husband, Warren comes and gets her. Kaye seems scared.
It is the beginning of spring. The whole town gets together to do the Death Walk. The town goes to find the people on the list who did not sign in, it is the way that they check up to make sure everyone is okay after the winter. Beth goes with Orin, the librarian, to checkup on Old Al, a 94 year old man who lives by himself in the wilderness, They find him in bed and very weak. Orin goes to get help and leaves Beth and her dog there with Old Al. She warms some soup and gets him to eat a little. which he does.. Grill and Donner, police man who works with Gril come and decide to bring Al to town and leave him with Dr. Powder until he is stronger. Orin seems to have disappeared also.
Gril and Donner find out that both Warren and Kaye are missing. They meet with both the Miller's and Oliphant's as they are two families who have been feuding for years.. Kaye is later found dead behind the community center. At this point it is hard to explain on paper all that is going on. I will leave this to the reader to read and enjoy the rest of the story.
I really love this series and know the readers will too, I look forward to the next book to find out what Beth decides to do and what new adventure the town of Bendedict and the townspeople get into.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC.
June 13, 2024
UPDATED
4/5 🌟
4/5 ❤️🩹
1/5 🥰
0/5 🌶️
3/5 🔎
4/5 😰😱
2/5 🎭😂
3/5 🎭😭
0/5 👻
1/5 🔬
4/5 🔫
2/5 🏥
4/5 ✍🏼
0/5 🥱
⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️
Murder
Death
Blood
Gore
Pregnancy
🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️
The fourth installment in the gripping, atmospheric Alaska Wild series, Paige Shelton's Winter's End.
It’s springtime in Benedict, Alaska, and with it the warmer weather comes an unseasonably somber local tradition...the annual Death Walk. At the end of each brutal winter, citizens gather downtown and then break into groups to search the community for those who might have somehow gotten stuck at home. Beth Rivers sets off with her friend Orin and dog Gus, toward the cabin of an elderly resident, intending to check on him.
When they reach the cabin, the old man is alive, but not in the best shape. Beth stays with him while Orin hurries to town for help, but it’s not Orin who returns. Gril comes back with shocking news, and it soon becomes clear that Orin has also vanished. When they discover that their friend has been doing some top-secret research, they start to worry he’s been exposed, or worse.
Meanwhile, Beth continues on her own search, for her father, who allegedly is alive in Mexico, but won't return her calls. Still, she's making progress in healing from her own trauma, though can't quite shake the feeling she's being followed...
🌎📖OVERALL REVIEWS📖🌎
Courtesy of Storygraph
COMMUNITY REVIEWS
SUMMARY OF 75 REVIEWS
Moods
mysterious 100%
adventurous 50%
dark 37%
tense 37%
hopeful 18%
challenging 12%
emotional 12%
inspiring 6%
reflective 6%
sad 6%
Pace
medium 66%
slow 20%
fast 13%
Plot- or character-driven?
A mix: 85% | Plot: 14%
Strong character development?
Yes: 69% | No: 23% | It's complicated: 7%
Loveable characters?
Yes: 69% | It's complicated: 15% | No: 15%
Diverse cast of characters?
No: 64% | Yes: 21% | It's complicated: 14%
Flaws of characters a main focus?
Yes: 38% | It's complicated: 30% | No: 30%
Average rating
3.82 ⭐️
🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔
I’m going to be honest, I should probably re-read this book because I had a lot going on and do not really remember what happened in this book. I was in the hospital for a few days and I simply can’t recall anything about this book. I’m assuming it was good. I’ll be rereading this and will give an informed updated review afterwards.
UPDATE:
This book is actually a pretty important book in so much that there is a pivotal moment that is key in the main plot of the story. We get to meet some new characters and one of them is monumental in Beth’s life.
RATING KEY:
🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared🫣/Anxious😱 - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy😂/Tragedy😭
-based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy
👻 Spooky😵💫/Creepy🧟♀️ -based on if this had any occult or paranormal themes and if those elements creeped me out or gave me anxiety!
🔬 Sci-Fi -based on the Science Fiction in the book as well as the Dystopian elements.
🔫 Action/Thriller -based on if I thought this was more of a spy action type of thriller.
🏥 Medical Content -based on the amount and the accuracy of any medical content or if the book is supposed to be a medical style thriller.
✍🏼 Writing Style -based on if I enjoyed the writing style or not and how the author portrayed the world, characters, concept, plot etc.
🥱 Boredom -based on if I was bored if it held my interest or if I’d rather be doing something else 😴
🙅🏻♀️ DNF -based on if the book is just stupid, boring, childish, overly ridiculous etc.
4/5 🌟
4/5 ❤️🩹
1/5 🥰
0/5 🌶️
3/5 🔎
4/5 😰😱
2/5 🎭😂
3/5 🎭😭
0/5 👻
1/5 🔬
4/5 🔫
2/5 🏥
4/5 ✍🏼
0/5 🥱
⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️
Murder
Death
Blood
Gore
Pregnancy
🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️
The fourth installment in the gripping, atmospheric Alaska Wild series, Paige Shelton's Winter's End.
It’s springtime in Benedict, Alaska, and with it the warmer weather comes an unseasonably somber local tradition...the annual Death Walk. At the end of each brutal winter, citizens gather downtown and then break into groups to search the community for those who might have somehow gotten stuck at home. Beth Rivers sets off with her friend Orin and dog Gus, toward the cabin of an elderly resident, intending to check on him.
When they reach the cabin, the old man is alive, but not in the best shape. Beth stays with him while Orin hurries to town for help, but it’s not Orin who returns. Gril comes back with shocking news, and it soon becomes clear that Orin has also vanished. When they discover that their friend has been doing some top-secret research, they start to worry he’s been exposed, or worse.
Meanwhile, Beth continues on her own search, for her father, who allegedly is alive in Mexico, but won't return her calls. Still, she's making progress in healing from her own trauma, though can't quite shake the feeling she's being followed...
🌎📖OVERALL REVIEWS📖🌎
Courtesy of Storygraph
COMMUNITY REVIEWS
SUMMARY OF 75 REVIEWS
Moods
mysterious 100%
adventurous 50%
dark 37%
tense 37%
hopeful 18%
challenging 12%
emotional 12%
inspiring 6%
reflective 6%
sad 6%
Pace
medium 66%
slow 20%
fast 13%
Plot- or character-driven?
A mix: 85% | Plot: 14%
Strong character development?
Yes: 69% | No: 23% | It's complicated: 7%
Loveable characters?
Yes: 69% | It's complicated: 15% | No: 15%
Diverse cast of characters?
No: 64% | Yes: 21% | It's complicated: 14%
Flaws of characters a main focus?
Yes: 38% | It's complicated: 30% | No: 30%
Average rating
3.82 ⭐️
🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔
I’m going to be honest, I should probably re-read this book because I had a lot going on and do not really remember what happened in this book. I was in the hospital for a few days and I simply can’t recall anything about this book. I’m assuming it was good. I’ll be rereading this and will give an informed updated review afterwards.
UPDATE:
This book is actually a pretty important book in so much that there is a pivotal moment that is key in the main plot of the story. We get to meet some new characters and one of them is monumental in Beth’s life.
RATING KEY:
🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared🫣/Anxious😱 - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy😂/Tragedy😭
-based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy
👻 Spooky😵💫/Creepy🧟♀️ -based on if this had any occult or paranormal themes and if those elements creeped me out or gave me anxiety!
🔬 Sci-Fi -based on the Science Fiction in the book as well as the Dystopian elements.
🔫 Action/Thriller -based on if I thought this was more of a spy action type of thriller.
🏥 Medical Content -based on the amount and the accuracy of any medical content or if the book is supposed to be a medical style thriller.
✍🏼 Writing Style -based on if I enjoyed the writing style or not and how the author portrayed the world, characters, concept, plot etc.
🥱 Boredom -based on if I was bored if it held my interest or if I’d rather be doing something else 😴
🙅🏻♀️ DNF -based on if the book is just stupid, boring, childish, overly ridiculous etc.
December 7, 2022
Winter's End is set in a tiny isolated town in Alaska. As a mystery, there are elements of coziness, however, the rugged location and dark atmosphere create the suspense of a thriller. The author has done a wonderful job describing the location and depicting the rural and the occasionally off-the-grid way in which the residents live.
The complex mystery was very gripping and the author gives us clues to try to solve the mystery. We learned along with the main character, Beth, who she could trust. In a part of the world where individualistic and eccentric lifestyle are common, figuring out who is keeping a deadly secret is hard. The story held my attention all the way through and I felt that the ending was very satisfying. Clearly, there is more to come from this series and I am looking forward to it.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. This is my honest review.
The complex mystery was very gripping and the author gives us clues to try to solve the mystery. We learned along with the main character, Beth, who she could trust. In a part of the world where individualistic and eccentric lifestyle are common, figuring out who is keeping a deadly secret is hard. The story held my attention all the way through and I felt that the ending was very satisfying. Clearly, there is more to come from this series and I am looking forward to it.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. This is my honest review.
November 21, 2022
I've enjoyed this cozy mystery series set in Benedict, Alaska featuring Beth Rivers, a successful mystery writer. It's Spring in this fourth installment in the series and time for the annual Death Walk, where residents check in with the local police chief to make sure everyone has made it through the long winter.
Among those failing to check in are Kaye and Warren Miller, a young couple Beth just talked to the day before while walking her dog. The Miller family claims not to know where their son and daughter-in-law have disappeared to. What gives?
The wilds of Alaska are one place people can come to to hide away: from their past; their lies; their crimes. In Beth's case, she escaped from an abductor, a man named Travis Walker who held her captive for three days in his van in Missouri and currently remains at large.
Everyone has secrets, Beth is reminded. Do Kaye and Warren have their own? Beth tends to insert herself into situations whether she's meant to or not. 'People are going to do what people are going to do,' she's told, but she just cannot stop worrying and inquiring minds want to know.
A wild and sometimes dangerous setting, interesting, flawed characters and an exciting plot keep the reader turning pages. I would recommend readers new to the series start with book one as the story builds and relationships develop. Will there be more in the series? We'll see!
I received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Among those failing to check in are Kaye and Warren Miller, a young couple Beth just talked to the day before while walking her dog. The Miller family claims not to know where their son and daughter-in-law have disappeared to. What gives?
The wilds of Alaska are one place people can come to to hide away: from their past; their lies; their crimes. In Beth's case, she escaped from an abductor, a man named Travis Walker who held her captive for three days in his van in Missouri and currently remains at large.
Everyone has secrets, Beth is reminded. Do Kaye and Warren have their own? Beth tends to insert herself into situations whether she's meant to or not. 'People are going to do what people are going to do,' she's told, but she just cannot stop worrying and inquiring minds want to know.
A wild and sometimes dangerous setting, interesting, flawed characters and an exciting plot keep the reader turning pages. I would recommend readers new to the series start with book one as the story builds and relationships develop. Will there be more in the series? We'll see!
I received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
December 8, 2022
Winter’s End is the fourth book in Paige Shelton’s Alaska Wild mystery series and it’s a very satisfying read. Shelton writes vividly about life in Alaska: the weather, the isolation, the beauty. The stories take place in Benedict, a small town that seems to be just a ferry-ride away from Juneau, but is rather isolated. There are a lot of references to how hard it is to get a cell signal - and just forget about television reception and internet access, other than at the library and a couple of other places around town.
The main character, Beth Rivers, is actually a well-known writer of mysteries/thrillers. She is living in Benedict under a different name so that she can recover (mostly psychologically) from a terrible experience, having been kidnapped by a stalker-fan and held in a van for a number of days before she escaped. As a result, she has been slow to trust other people and is constantly afraid that her kidnapper will find her. Only a few people in town know her story. She has now been in Benedict for almost a year and has started making a few friends and has begun to trust a bit more. The action takes place in June, at winter’s end, as the title states. The sense of relief felt by the locals at having survived another long hard winter is palpable. There is a central mystery that involves a young couple who didn’t show up for the annual “Death Walk”, an accounting of everyone, after the long winter. If people don’t show up, members of the community go and check on them or search for them. This was a great way to showcase how the community cares about each other. In this particular book, a long-term feud between a two families who live in compounds outside of town features largely.
Winter’s End *could* be read as a standalone but I’d recommend reading at least one of the previous books in the series first, or you might be a bit lost, despite the author’s excellent efforts at filling in some backstory. I’ve only read book two, Cold Wind, and I felt like I was missing some relevant background info about Beth’s parents and about Elijah - but I still really enjoyed the book. I will probably go back and read book three to see what I was missing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
The main character, Beth Rivers, is actually a well-known writer of mysteries/thrillers. She is living in Benedict under a different name so that she can recover (mostly psychologically) from a terrible experience, having been kidnapped by a stalker-fan and held in a van for a number of days before she escaped. As a result, she has been slow to trust other people and is constantly afraid that her kidnapper will find her. Only a few people in town know her story. She has now been in Benedict for almost a year and has started making a few friends and has begun to trust a bit more. The action takes place in June, at winter’s end, as the title states. The sense of relief felt by the locals at having survived another long hard winter is palpable. There is a central mystery that involves a young couple who didn’t show up for the annual “Death Walk”, an accounting of everyone, after the long winter. If people don’t show up, members of the community go and check on them or search for them. This was a great way to showcase how the community cares about each other. In this particular book, a long-term feud between a two families who live in compounds outside of town features largely.
Winter’s End *could* be read as a standalone but I’d recommend reading at least one of the previous books in the series first, or you might be a bit lost, despite the author’s excellent efforts at filling in some backstory. I’ve only read book two, Cold Wind, and I felt like I was missing some relevant background info about Beth’s parents and about Elijah - but I still really enjoyed the book. I will probably go back and read book three to see what I was missing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
January 23, 2023
3.75
I know I say this a lot but I had no idea this book was part of a series. I thought it sounded good and didn’t pay attention to the fact that it was number four! Luckily, that didn’t matter. This was a nice cozy mystery that you can read in one day. I really loved the Alaska setting. Reading this definitely made me want to visit or at the very least go hiking soon! This book was really fun, the mystery was well told and will keep you engaged until the end. Overall, I would recommend this series or atleast this one for sure. I will definitely be going back and reading the other three. The author has made me a fan! I think the less you know the better for this one so I’m keeping my review extra short!
Thank you so much for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I know I say this a lot but I had no idea this book was part of a series. I thought it sounded good and didn’t pay attention to the fact that it was number four! Luckily, that didn’t matter. This was a nice cozy mystery that you can read in one day. I really loved the Alaska setting. Reading this definitely made me want to visit or at the very least go hiking soon! This book was really fun, the mystery was well told and will keep you engaged until the end. Overall, I would recommend this series or atleast this one for sure. I will definitely be going back and reading the other three. The author has made me a fan! I think the less you know the better for this one so I’m keeping my review extra short!
Thank you so much for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 6, 2022
There is something so engaging about this series. And every time I open a book in this series it’s like I step right back into the Alaska wild. Beth is such a damaged, unique character. I am really hoping there’s more because I’m not ready to let go of this cast of characters. They are a great place to visit even if people sure do die there.
November 3, 2022
I’m enjoying this not-so-cozy mystery series! Winter’s End is book 4 in Paige Shelton’s ‘Alaska Wild’ series.
Shelton’s ‘Alaska Wild’ books are definitely a portal to America’s last frontier; she capably captures the essence of Alaskan living. This stunningly beautiful state is not for the faint of heart and you’ll read about the effects of isolation as well as the wildlife and weather dangers such as risk of exposure. Speaking of which, Shelton highlights exposure of a different kind. You’ll need to read to find out! Like the rest of the Benedict, Alaska community, Beth will tell you that the unique beauty and the abundant wildlife more than make up for the cold temperatures. In fact, most of the residents are willing to put up with the above in exchange for the refuge and anonymity.
This book has everything; a flawed protagonist, piles of secrets, missing people, and a community that, although laid-back and down-to-earth, relies on forging solid relationships as a necessity to survival. Just when I think Beth is going to go stir-crazy with the slower pace and the lack of closure on her past, something happens to grab her attention and I am whisked along for the ride. The mysteries are compelling and the author ties some up and leaves others hanging so that we can’t wait for her next book!
I love learning things about new places and the information Shelton shared about Alaska is really interesting. Like Beth, going on a Death Walk, although necessary, is not something I’d ever heard of nor imagined myself doing! I noted the diversity within the community and the respect for long-standing traditions. I loved the quirky recipes, the comradery and the secondary characters as much as I loved the main mystery and solving the murder. As I turned the last page, I surmised that the sun has not set on the Land of the Midnight Sun just yet…I’m certain there’s another sequel in the near future!
Perhaps you’ll be like me and start humming The Black Eyed Peas ‘I Gotta Feeling’ as the tension ramps up and Beth can’t shake the feeling that she’s being followed! Regardless, Shelton has hit a homerun with this series. It’s worth all the stars.
I’m thankful that St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley gifted me this copy with no obligation to provide a review. It was worth my time and effort.
Shelton’s ‘Alaska Wild’ books are definitely a portal to America’s last frontier; she capably captures the essence of Alaskan living. This stunningly beautiful state is not for the faint of heart and you’ll read about the effects of isolation as well as the wildlife and weather dangers such as risk of exposure. Speaking of which, Shelton highlights exposure of a different kind. You’ll need to read to find out! Like the rest of the Benedict, Alaska community, Beth will tell you that the unique beauty and the abundant wildlife more than make up for the cold temperatures. In fact, most of the residents are willing to put up with the above in exchange for the refuge and anonymity.
This book has everything; a flawed protagonist, piles of secrets, missing people, and a community that, although laid-back and down-to-earth, relies on forging solid relationships as a necessity to survival. Just when I think Beth is going to go stir-crazy with the slower pace and the lack of closure on her past, something happens to grab her attention and I am whisked along for the ride. The mysteries are compelling and the author ties some up and leaves others hanging so that we can’t wait for her next book!
I love learning things about new places and the information Shelton shared about Alaska is really interesting. Like Beth, going on a Death Walk, although necessary, is not something I’d ever heard of nor imagined myself doing! I noted the diversity within the community and the respect for long-standing traditions. I loved the quirky recipes, the comradery and the secondary characters as much as I loved the main mystery and solving the murder. As I turned the last page, I surmised that the sun has not set on the Land of the Midnight Sun just yet…I’m certain there’s another sequel in the near future!
Perhaps you’ll be like me and start humming The Black Eyed Peas ‘I Gotta Feeling’ as the tension ramps up and Beth can’t shake the feeling that she’s being followed! Regardless, Shelton has hit a homerun with this series. It’s worth all the stars.
I’m thankful that St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley gifted me this copy with no obligation to provide a review. It was worth my time and effort.
January 14, 2023
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Benedict, Alaska has a unique tradition due to the vastness of the area and the savage winter months. When the warmer weather of spring returns the annual Death Walk commences. Each citizen must check in downtown. Failure to do so means a visit from members of the community to check if they are still among the living. Newcomer Beth Rivers takes part in her first Death Walk and after checking in travels with her friend Orin and dog Gus to visit an elderly resident who has not appeared in town. They arrive to find the man alive but in a pretty bad state. While Orin leaves to arrange for him to be transferred to the doctor in town Beth stays to try to get some fluids into the man who is clearly dehydrated.
Sometime later Police Chief Gril returns to help Beth and tells her Orin has disappeared. When they return to town she also learns another of her new friends is missing too. Just what Beth needs in her life, more missing persons. She has been searching for her dad and her mother came to Alaska for a visit and took off without saying where she was going. She is also still recovering from her own traumatic event involving another missing man that needs to be caught. Beth also has the eerie feeling someone is watching her. On the upside, there is a new tenant at Benedict House, and boy can they cook!
Beth Rivers is a wonderful protagonist. She moved to Alaska to escape, to hide, from a man who kidnapped her and kept her locked in a van for 3 days before she was able to free herself. She was injured and hospitalized and with a little help, she left the lower 48 and touched down in Alaska to check in to Benedict House until her kidnapper could be caught. As a successful thriller author, using the pseudonym of Elizabeth Fairchild, she can write anywhere. Even in the wilderness of Alaska. Now with this 4th book, Beth is more settled. She has a routine and has made friends. Just a few know her true story but she has fit right into this unique town that is mostly made up of misfits, each with their own distinct story. Ms. Shelton has created a whole group of multifaceted characters including several new characters for this book. They all have layers that are slowly peeled away as the story/series continues. They are all intriguing in their own way and really draw you into the story.
There are several lines of mystery entwined together. A family feud, missing persons, a dead body, a mysterious individual, a weird landmark, and more all come together within these pages. The author has written a fast-paced riveting novel full of mystery and suspense. The location is almost a character in itself. I was able to clearly visualize every place our protagonist traveled. From where she lives at Benedict House, to the shed where she writes, the nearby library, the compounds at each end of town, and even the airport.
Winter’s End is another fascinating read from Paige Shelton. I escaped right into it and had a great time with the residents of Benedict, Alaska.
I have enjoyed every book in this series. I do recommend that you read them all in order to fully appreciate the character growth and development. Plus they are all fantastic reads. The best thing is that Beth’s story continues . . . but we have to wait until December when Lost Hours will be released. Ms. Shelton, can you see me tapping my foot? I am excited and impatiently waiting until that day.
Benedict, Alaska has a unique tradition due to the vastness of the area and the savage winter months. When the warmer weather of spring returns the annual Death Walk commences. Each citizen must check in downtown. Failure to do so means a visit from members of the community to check if they are still among the living. Newcomer Beth Rivers takes part in her first Death Walk and after checking in travels with her friend Orin and dog Gus to visit an elderly resident who has not appeared in town. They arrive to find the man alive but in a pretty bad state. While Orin leaves to arrange for him to be transferred to the doctor in town Beth stays to try to get some fluids into the man who is clearly dehydrated.
Sometime later Police Chief Gril returns to help Beth and tells her Orin has disappeared. When they return to town she also learns another of her new friends is missing too. Just what Beth needs in her life, more missing persons. She has been searching for her dad and her mother came to Alaska for a visit and took off without saying where she was going. She is also still recovering from her own traumatic event involving another missing man that needs to be caught. Beth also has the eerie feeling someone is watching her. On the upside, there is a new tenant at Benedict House, and boy can they cook!
Beth Rivers is a wonderful protagonist. She moved to Alaska to escape, to hide, from a man who kidnapped her and kept her locked in a van for 3 days before she was able to free herself. She was injured and hospitalized and with a little help, she left the lower 48 and touched down in Alaska to check in to Benedict House until her kidnapper could be caught. As a successful thriller author, using the pseudonym of Elizabeth Fairchild, she can write anywhere. Even in the wilderness of Alaska. Now with this 4th book, Beth is more settled. She has a routine and has made friends. Just a few know her true story but she has fit right into this unique town that is mostly made up of misfits, each with their own distinct story. Ms. Shelton has created a whole group of multifaceted characters including several new characters for this book. They all have layers that are slowly peeled away as the story/series continues. They are all intriguing in their own way and really draw you into the story.
There are several lines of mystery entwined together. A family feud, missing persons, a dead body, a mysterious individual, a weird landmark, and more all come together within these pages. The author has written a fast-paced riveting novel full of mystery and suspense. The location is almost a character in itself. I was able to clearly visualize every place our protagonist traveled. From where she lives at Benedict House, to the shed where she writes, the nearby library, the compounds at each end of town, and even the airport.
Winter’s End is another fascinating read from Paige Shelton. I escaped right into it and had a great time with the residents of Benedict, Alaska.
I have enjoyed every book in this series. I do recommend that you read them all in order to fully appreciate the character growth and development. Plus they are all fantastic reads. The best thing is that Beth’s story continues . . . but we have to wait until December when Lost Hours will be released. Ms. Shelton, can you see me tapping my foot? I am excited and impatiently waiting until that day.
December 23, 2022
the story was interesting, but Beth is getting kinda annoying. and how on earth is she a better "detective" than an actual law enforcement and a ranger? her sudden brilliant realizations are more ridiculous than anything else, and it's just irritating how smart about EVERYTHING she is. and, of course, people love Beth, not a single soul doesn't like her. give me a break.
April 21, 2023
Once again, I blundered into a series, this time at book #4. I will say now, it is important to read this series in order. I was lost for parts of it and I missed some really important back story. I will be going back and reading the first three books in order! Winter's End is set in springtime in Benedict, Alaska. The annual Death March is set to occur, a seasonal ritual where the residents gather and set out in small groups to search the community for those who might have gotten ill or passed over the long, isolated winter. Just the day before, Beth had met and chatted with Kaye and Warren Miller, a young couple Beth just talked to the day before while walking her dog. The Miller family claims not to know where their son and daughter-in-law have disappeared to. As well, Beth, Orin and her dog, Gus, head to a secluded cabin to check on Al, a 94 year old man who lives alone. He is bad shape, so Orin goes for help. Several hours later, Police Chief Gril and his Deputy, Donner arrive without Orin as he has disappeared. What has happened to Orin? Where are the Millers? Are these cases connected?
Coming in at book #4, I have missed a lot of backstory, so the secondary storyline of Beth trying to locate her father had me a bit confused (my fault, not the author's). Beth is a successful mystery author, so her investigation skills and interest have developed along the way. She is also dealing with her own trauma, that adds another storyline to the book. Beth is a character that is dealing with PTSD from her past trauma and has been somewhat a loner. She is starting to make friends and had hoped that she and Kaye Miller would become just that. She is extremely worried about Kaye and begins to investigate the family. As in many stories about Alaska, the families tend to be somewhat insulated, often "preppers" and people who want to be left alone. The Millers fit this description. There are a lot of characters in the book, but Paige Shelton does a good job of making sure the reader gets to know them sufficiently to see their role in the story. She also describes the setting and lifestyle portraying the hardships, lack of amenities, loneliness, lack of friendship and communication, slower pace and danger of living in small town Alaska. The mystery was well plotted with twists and turns that kept me reading and listening whenever I had a few moments. Overall, this was a suspenseful story with a great mystery and some serious themes including: isolation, secrets, dysfunctional families, feuds, spousal abuse, PTSD and more. I did a read/listen with this book and enjoyed both formats. Suzie Althens narrates this story and does a great job. She gives voice to the various characters and uses expression to add suspense and tension to the story. I will definitely listen to other books she narrates.
Coming in at book #4, I have missed a lot of backstory, so the secondary storyline of Beth trying to locate her father had me a bit confused (my fault, not the author's). Beth is a successful mystery author, so her investigation skills and interest have developed along the way. She is also dealing with her own trauma, that adds another storyline to the book. Beth is a character that is dealing with PTSD from her past trauma and has been somewhat a loner. She is starting to make friends and had hoped that she and Kaye Miller would become just that. She is extremely worried about Kaye and begins to investigate the family. As in many stories about Alaska, the families tend to be somewhat insulated, often "preppers" and people who want to be left alone. The Millers fit this description. There are a lot of characters in the book, but Paige Shelton does a good job of making sure the reader gets to know them sufficiently to see their role in the story. She also describes the setting and lifestyle portraying the hardships, lack of amenities, loneliness, lack of friendship and communication, slower pace and danger of living in small town Alaska. The mystery was well plotted with twists and turns that kept me reading and listening whenever I had a few moments. Overall, this was a suspenseful story with a great mystery and some serious themes including: isolation, secrets, dysfunctional families, feuds, spousal abuse, PTSD and more. I did a read/listen with this book and enjoyed both formats. Suzie Althens narrates this story and does a great job. She gives voice to the various characters and uses expression to add suspense and tension to the story. I will definitely listen to other books she narrates.
December 12, 2022
Springtime comes to Alaska and with it a tradition that is somber in nature called the Death Walk. Once the winter ends citizens get together as groups so they can make their way through the community to see if anyone might have been stuck at home and the shape they are in. Beth along with Orin head toward an elderly citizens home, they find him alive but he's not in the best condition. Orin leaves to get help but isn't who returns to the cabin. Gril shows up and it soon becomes apparent that Orin has disappeared. Beth and Gril learn that he had been doing some secret research and wonder if that has anything to do with his disappearance. Meanwhile Beth is still searching for her father, she thinks he is in Mexico, so she can continue to work towards healing. Follow along to see if Beth can figure out what happen to Orin and whether she finds her father. This such a great series, the characters are well-written and relatable. I look forward to seeing what happens next!
December 7, 2022
I love this series! The setting is amazing and the story keeps you reading, entranced until the very end. The characters are well-developed and likeable. The concept of the Death Walk was absolutely perfect to set the scene for the murder. There's so much I learn about Alaska in this series and I hope, after that ending, that the series continues. Looking forward to many more.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
December 14, 2022
I've been enjoying this series--set in Alaska. Always a mystery to solve. I was concerned with this book as it seemed the author might be "wrapping up" the series, but the last line of the book gives me hope there will be another installment coming--"We weren't anything near the end of this story, and that was a very good thing."
January 25, 2023
I like Beth, I like the setting and I like the other characters. This book is a great addition to the series.
December 17, 2022
The Alaska Wild series by Paige Shelton is not a survivalist series, and, yet it is. This mystery/crime series set in the isolated small town of Benedict, Alaska presents a challenge where every person who lives there must respect the weather and the terrain to survive. It’s not a place for the faint of heart. It’s smart living, without smart devices. Cell phone reception is spotty and there are only a few landlines in the town. It’s a good place to get lost, or rather not be found. Beth Rivers has been counting on the isolation of Benedict to protect her from a man who kidnapped, tortured, and intended to kill her back in her home state of Missouri. That man, Travis Walker, is still on the loose and eluding the authorities. Beth has gone from her persona as best-selling mystery writer Elizabeth Fairchild to just plain Beth Rivers, another seeker of anonymity in the wilds of Alaska. Only a few people in Benedict know of her background, with just as few outside of Benedict knowing her where-abouts. In Winter’s End, Beth is seeing shadows of a man whom she fears may be here worst nightmare come to claim her.
Beth has made it through her first winter in Benedict, and it’s now springtime, the time residents do the “Death Walk” to determine who has and hasn’t been smart and lucky enough to have another winter under their belt. Although it sounds like a morbid event, it’s a time for the community to gather and see one another, after a long time of being confined to their homes. Most see it as a celebratory time. Even people who are reclusive, deliberately living away from everyone else, come to check in. Two such reclusive families are the Oliphants and the Millers, families who live in the same area of outlying wilderness and who have feuded for years. Beth knows one of the Millers, Kaye, as Beth had given Kaye one of her friend Elijah’s sled dogs when he suddenly left Benedict months before. Beth had been on a walk with Kaye and their dogs just the previous day.
On “Death Walk Day,” the residents of the town and the area arrive in Benedict and check their names off a printed list. When it appears all residents who are going to show up have, the list is perused for names left unchecked, and those people’s homes, either in town or out in the country, are visited by groups to determine their well-being. The first person found missing was 94-year-old Al, who lived by himself in an isolated cabin. Beth and Orin, the town librarian (and much more) discovered Al in his cabin but not in the best of shape. When Orin goes back to town to get help in bringing Al down the mountain to see the doctor, Orin disappears.
The other person missing on “Death Walk Day” is Warren Miller, Kaye’s husband. It’s shortly determined that his wife Kaye is also missing, and her name was checked off on the list by someone else, person unknown. When one of these two ends up murdered, a tragic story of hate and love must be untangled, and Beth is right in the middle of untangling it. Beth had unofficially worked with her grandfather in law enforcement in Missouri before he died and she started her writing career, and she had a special gift for reading a criminal scene. She’s also trying to solve the mystery of where Orin is and what he’s up to. Then, there’s another curiosity in the story, a male parolee staying at the Benedict House where Beth rents a room from Viola, the manager and person overseeing the half-way house. This is the first time a male has ever stayed there, as it’s supposed to be a half-way house for female non-violent convicts. But, he seems like a nice guy and can cook like nobody’s business.
So, there’s lots of intrigue and mystery in this latest book of the Alaska Wild series. It never seems disjointed though. It’s a smooth series of events that all end up sorted, with plenty of surprises. Paige Shelton has created and developed quite a few interesting characters for this series, and readers will learn backgrounds of several in this story that explain their current set of circumstances. Beth will personally receive a couple of big shocks that the readers will enjoy. I am wondering if the series will last much longer with the amount of plot and character forward movement here, but there is certainly room for Beth to have more mysteries to solve and more personal growth to experience. I know that I’m hoping to read many more stories in this favorite series, as I love the Alaska setting and the community of Benedict I’ve gotten to know.
Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced copy of Winter’s End.
Beth has made it through her first winter in Benedict, and it’s now springtime, the time residents do the “Death Walk” to determine who has and hasn’t been smart and lucky enough to have another winter under their belt. Although it sounds like a morbid event, it’s a time for the community to gather and see one another, after a long time of being confined to their homes. Most see it as a celebratory time. Even people who are reclusive, deliberately living away from everyone else, come to check in. Two such reclusive families are the Oliphants and the Millers, families who live in the same area of outlying wilderness and who have feuded for years. Beth knows one of the Millers, Kaye, as Beth had given Kaye one of her friend Elijah’s sled dogs when he suddenly left Benedict months before. Beth had been on a walk with Kaye and their dogs just the previous day.
On “Death Walk Day,” the residents of the town and the area arrive in Benedict and check their names off a printed list. When it appears all residents who are going to show up have, the list is perused for names left unchecked, and those people’s homes, either in town or out in the country, are visited by groups to determine their well-being. The first person found missing was 94-year-old Al, who lived by himself in an isolated cabin. Beth and Orin, the town librarian (and much more) discovered Al in his cabin but not in the best of shape. When Orin goes back to town to get help in bringing Al down the mountain to see the doctor, Orin disappears.
The other person missing on “Death Walk Day” is Warren Miller, Kaye’s husband. It’s shortly determined that his wife Kaye is also missing, and her name was checked off on the list by someone else, person unknown. When one of these two ends up murdered, a tragic story of hate and love must be untangled, and Beth is right in the middle of untangling it. Beth had unofficially worked with her grandfather in law enforcement in Missouri before he died and she started her writing career, and she had a special gift for reading a criminal scene. She’s also trying to solve the mystery of where Orin is and what he’s up to. Then, there’s another curiosity in the story, a male parolee staying at the Benedict House where Beth rents a room from Viola, the manager and person overseeing the half-way house. This is the first time a male has ever stayed there, as it’s supposed to be a half-way house for female non-violent convicts. But, he seems like a nice guy and can cook like nobody’s business.
So, there’s lots of intrigue and mystery in this latest book of the Alaska Wild series. It never seems disjointed though. It’s a smooth series of events that all end up sorted, with plenty of surprises. Paige Shelton has created and developed quite a few interesting characters for this series, and readers will learn backgrounds of several in this story that explain their current set of circumstances. Beth will personally receive a couple of big shocks that the readers will enjoy. I am wondering if the series will last much longer with the amount of plot and character forward movement here, but there is certainly room for Beth to have more mysteries to solve and more personal growth to experience. I know that I’m hoping to read many more stories in this favorite series, as I love the Alaska setting and the community of Benedict I’ve gotten to know.
Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced copy of Winter’s End.
September 9, 2022
WINTER’S END is the fourth book in the Alaska Wild Mysteries by Paige Shelton. This riveting series continues to enthrall me with the beautiful but brutal setting of the wilds in Alaska along with the intriguing secrets protagonist Beth Rivers tries to uncover as she remains in hiding. While Winter’s End can be read as a standalone, it’s well worthwhile to start from the beginning with how Beth, a thriller author, came to be hiding in Benedict, Alaska. Ms. Shelton does a marvelous job with Beth’s character and it's been a delight watching her grow from a shattered young woman to one who finds strength and courage to face whatever challenge that may come her way… whether the challenge is in the form of nature or human. There is also a wonderful core cast of characters surrounding Beth and, as the series unfolds, it seems most of them have a secretive past.
As I started the book, I could hardly contain my eagerness to find out what happens when the town meets for the annual Death Walk… which the event name alone piqued my curiosity. Guessing that the Death Walk was probably the catalyst for even more suspenseful happenings, I kept turning the pages long into the night, devouring the words to find out what happens next. Ms. Shelton delivers in spades from murder, to a missing baby, to a missing friend, and much more. She does an admirable job wrapping up the murder mystery and missing people threads of the story with a highly satisfactory conclusion, while leaving a hint of more intrigue to come. I, for one, will be impatiently waiting for the next book!
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
As I started the book, I could hardly contain my eagerness to find out what happens when the town meets for the annual Death Walk… which the event name alone piqued my curiosity. Guessing that the Death Walk was probably the catalyst for even more suspenseful happenings, I kept turning the pages long into the night, devouring the words to find out what happens next. Ms. Shelton delivers in spades from murder, to a missing baby, to a missing friend, and much more. She does an admirable job wrapping up the murder mystery and missing people threads of the story with a highly satisfactory conclusion, while leaving a hint of more intrigue to come. I, for one, will be impatiently waiting for the next book!
I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 10, 2023
I've given every installment in this series 2 stars, and I almost feel like I should give this one 1, but I still enjoy small elements of the series enough to plod on. (May Al live forever!) The mystery in this was extremely uninteresting as well. No stakes and ridiculous.
Beth is really annoying in this one. Like, extremely so. Everything is about her and she really needs to rein it in. A random newcomer to town would NOT be allowed to assist the police basically ever. It makes no sense, and I feel like honestly at this point they'd be sick of her and run her out of town. Maybe that's the plot of book 5...
Beth is really annoying in this one. Like, extremely so. Everything is about her and she really needs to rein it in. A random newcomer to town would NOT be allowed to assist the police basically ever. It makes no sense, and I feel like honestly at this point they'd be sick of her and run her out of town. Maybe that's the plot of book 5...
December 24, 2022
This is the first book I have read in this series but I was not lost.
This was great mystery as Beth tries to continue research for her missing friend Orin and figure out where a missing baby is and who the father is. This is a good mystery set in beautiful wild of Alaska and about as far away from Scottish bookshop as you can get. That is where Paige Shelton’s other series is set in 😊.
I listened to an audiobook - the narration was good.
I enjoyed this book and already reserved the first book so I can read rest of the series.
This is my opinion of audiobook I received from NetGalley.
This was great mystery as Beth tries to continue research for her missing friend Orin and figure out where a missing baby is and who the father is. This is a good mystery set in beautiful wild of Alaska and about as far away from Scottish bookshop as you can get. That is where Paige Shelton’s other series is set in 😊.
I listened to an audiobook - the narration was good.
I enjoyed this book and already reserved the first book so I can read rest of the series.
This is my opinion of audiobook I received from NetGalley.
December 5, 2022
When Beth and Orin, her friend, check on an elderly resident who didn’t check in for the town’s annual Death Walk – a way for town officials to learn who might be in need of help after a long winter in Alaska – they find him alive but not in good shape. Beth stays with Al, Orin sets off for help, but Orin never returns. Upon getting Al to town to receive medical care, Beth and Gril take up the search for Orin – and for the apparent murderer of a woman Beth was just getting to know.
Book #4 in the Alaska Wild series was even better than the previous three, although I approached it with the fear that it will be the last book in the series. Ms. Shelton’s series don’t usually go more than five or six books, and the word “End” in this title seemed like a clue of some kind. Unless I’m reading things incorrectly, though, because of the way this book ended, it seems there will be at least one more book in the series *whew*
I like the recurring characters in these books and have enjoyed watching Beth slowly regain her trust in other people, but still maintain her independence and resourcefulness. The tiny town in Alaska where *everyone has secrets is described so well, it was easy to picture it in my mind as I read. The idea of a “death walk” seemed macabre at first, but when its purpose was explained, it seemed a logical and good idea.
There were plenty of clues – some real, some red herrings – as to the identity of the murderer, but I was completely wrong about who it was and their motive. I look forward to the next book in this series to see what happens next with Beth, Viola, Gril and the rest.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Book #4 in the Alaska Wild series was even better than the previous three, although I approached it with the fear that it will be the last book in the series. Ms. Shelton’s series don’t usually go more than five or six books, and the word “End” in this title seemed like a clue of some kind. Unless I’m reading things incorrectly, though, because of the way this book ended, it seems there will be at least one more book in the series *whew*
I like the recurring characters in these books and have enjoyed watching Beth slowly regain her trust in other people, but still maintain her independence and resourcefulness. The tiny town in Alaska where *everyone has secrets is described so well, it was easy to picture it in my mind as I read. The idea of a “death walk” seemed macabre at first, but when its purpose was explained, it seemed a logical and good idea.
There were plenty of clues – some real, some red herrings – as to the identity of the murderer, but I was completely wrong about who it was and their motive. I look forward to the next book in this series to see what happens next with Beth, Viola, Gril and the rest.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
December 6, 2022
I haven’t read the previous books in this series but this book seems to stand alone. Beth has been hiding in Alaska for awhile now. She gets caught up in the murder of someone she was friends with.
For some reason I wasn’t a big fan of Beth and I’m not entirely sure why. She just didn’t click with me. I thought the book was just ok
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
For some reason I wasn’t a big fan of Beth and I’m not entirely sure why. She just didn’t click with me. I thought the book was just ok
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
November 25, 2022
Just to catch you up a little earlier (the book gets around to it, but I hope this helps):
Beth, an author, is still hiding out in a remote area of Alaska from the man who kidnapped/traumatized/brain injured/stress disordered her in her hometown of St Louis. A fiction writer and journalist, she has assumed the local paper and uses its building as a writer's retreat and even uses a typewriter to work on a novel to keep off the grid while staying in a former hotel, now a sort of minimal security women's rehab and only using burner phones. She has confided in the local law and an interesting man who has more than enough secrets of his own.
Now to the current story!
Intense!
In the isolated wilds of a part of Alaska there is a group activity called the Death Walk which aims to locate each member of the town. Alive or dead. One old man is found alive but uncharacteristically ill in his own remote cabin and taken to the resident MD and later to the former hotel to be monitored while he gains strength. Later this usually all female establishment is host to a white-collar criminal at the request of the state authorities. Then Beth inadvertently gets involved in a feud between two local families and things get bizarre. As if that wasn't enough there are important persons of the town who have gone missing. Then the body of a woman with ties to both of the feuding families is found. And don't forget about the dogs. Beth and law enforcement are stretched to the limit trying to solve things while some very interesting secrets are unveiled.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Beth, an author, is still hiding out in a remote area of Alaska from the man who kidnapped/traumatized/brain injured/stress disordered her in her hometown of St Louis. A fiction writer and journalist, she has assumed the local paper and uses its building as a writer's retreat and even uses a typewriter to work on a novel to keep off the grid while staying in a former hotel, now a sort of minimal security women's rehab and only using burner phones. She has confided in the local law and an interesting man who has more than enough secrets of his own.
Now to the current story!
Intense!
In the isolated wilds of a part of Alaska there is a group activity called the Death Walk which aims to locate each member of the town. Alive or dead. One old man is found alive but uncharacteristically ill in his own remote cabin and taken to the resident MD and later to the former hotel to be monitored while he gains strength. Later this usually all female establishment is host to a white-collar criminal at the request of the state authorities. Then Beth inadvertently gets involved in a feud between two local families and things get bizarre. As if that wasn't enough there are important persons of the town who have gone missing. Then the body of a woman with ties to both of the feuding families is found. And don't forget about the dogs. Beth and law enforcement are stretched to the limit trying to solve things while some very interesting secrets are unveiled.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
December 7, 2022
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher.
Winter's End by Paige Shelton has a bit of a mystery wrapped in an enigma, hidden in a puzzle type of feel with all the questions that the main character, Beth, is trying to answer. There’s also answers to ongoing questions in this installment that made it the strongest book yet in the series. I did find the first book to have a case of too many questions, not enough answers; the second was a bit better, and then this one starts to even that out. The remote setting is engrossing and offers something fresh in that it avoids other common small-town tropes. The practicalities of living in a remote area set a tone for the people and their actions. Great for cozy readers ready to embrace the end of winter isolation feeling - even if you’re just starting winter in the Northern Hemisphere!
There's still a lot to learn about the town's residents and their secrets so Beth should be busy in future books as well. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
Winter's End by Paige Shelton has a bit of a mystery wrapped in an enigma, hidden in a puzzle type of feel with all the questions that the main character, Beth, is trying to answer. There’s also answers to ongoing questions in this installment that made it the strongest book yet in the series. I did find the first book to have a case of too many questions, not enough answers; the second was a bit better, and then this one starts to even that out. The remote setting is engrossing and offers something fresh in that it avoids other common small-town tropes. The practicalities of living in a remote area set a tone for the people and their actions. Great for cozy readers ready to embrace the end of winter isolation feeling - even if you’re just starting winter in the Northern Hemisphere!
There's still a lot to learn about the town's residents and their secrets so Beth should be busy in future books as well. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
June 5, 2022
4 sterren - Nederlandse paperback
Ik begon te lezen zonder verwachting. Dat komt niet vaak bij mij voor. Na twee hoofdstukken was ik nieuwsgierig: waar gaat dit heen. Hoe komt die jongen daar en waarom wijst forensisch niets naar hem?
Een goed verhaal, zeker voor een beginnende schrijver! In het eerste gedeelte van het boek lees je allerlei losse eindjes die naarmate het verhaal vordert naadloos in elkaar gaan vallen! Als puzzelstukjes .
Ik begon te lezen zonder verwachting. Dat komt niet vaak bij mij voor. Na twee hoofdstukken was ik nieuwsgierig: waar gaat dit heen. Hoe komt die jongen daar en waarom wijst forensisch niets naar hem?
Een goed verhaal, zeker voor een beginnende schrijver! In het eerste gedeelte van het boek lees je allerlei losse eindjes die naarmate het verhaal vordert naadloos in elkaar gaan vallen! Als puzzelstukjes .
November 5, 2023
For the longest time leading up to actually reading WINTER'S END, the fourth book in author Paige Shelton's Alaska Wild series, I thought the title meant the series would be ending and I was a little sad.
Thankfully, I follow the author on social media so when she announced the next book in the series, I settled in to read this one without the dread of finishing the "last" book.
As for the story itself, spring has come to Benedict, Alaska. Or at least it is not quite so cold as it usually is in the remote town. For Beth Rivers, who is still hiding out from the stalker who kidnapped and brutalized her, it is her first spring in the town and she's about to talk part in a local "tradition".
It's called the Death Walk. With so many residents in the town living in the outlying areas and likely not seen all that much during the extended and brutal winters, the town's police chief holds an informal "census" each spring. The townspeople all check in with the town. If anyone is unaccounted for, people are dispatched to check on their safety (and more notably, to see if they are still alive).
When an elderly man living alone in the mountains fails to check in, Beth and the town librarian, the secretive Orin, are sent. They find the man alive but most definitely in need of help. Orin goes for help, but he never returns having mysteriously disappeared! While Al (the old man) eventually is brought to town to heal up, Beth is left to wonder what happened to Orin.
But that's the least of what will soon be keeping Beth's attention. She'd begun a friendship with a local woman, Kaye Miller. They had been walking their dogs together. But when Kaye's body turns up murdered by the river, a long simmering local feud between the Miller and Oliphant families explodes as both sides accuse the other of the murder. With the town in the middle, finding out what happened to Kaye and where her missing husband is becomes priority number one not only for the police but for Beth as well. While the friendship was in the early stages, she liked Kaye and her death clearly doesn't sit well with Beth.
What she doesn't know is just how dangerous getting involved could be. The two families aren't exactly worried about collateral damage as long as they can get back at each other for whatever real or imagined offenses the other side has committed.
As Beth tries to find answers, explosive secrets come to light. There's a mysterious man in black, a new client at the halfway house where Beth also lives and let's not forget Beth's own still in progress recovery from her own traumas.
But when certain truths are revealed, Beth will need to gather all her wits to stop a killer from upping the body count, with Beth as one of the potential victims!
I don't mind saying that part of the plotline for the previous book in the series didn't exactly thrill me. It left me thinking the book was just a little less than what I would've liked.
But with WINTER'S END, Paige Shelton really hit it out of the park! The introduction of the Hatfields & the McCoys-like feud having the townsfolk walking on eggshells. The intriguing way the murder not only happened but why it happened was great. And the various reveals along the way, whether it was tied to the murder, Beth or any number of the regular supporting cast of the Benedict townspeople made for a pressing need to keep turning the pages.
Oh, and I loved how the author inserted the name of one of my favorite musicians into the story. She gave one member of the feuding families the name Warren and the other side had a member named Zevon. Okay, maybe I'm reading too much into that but I doubt it! So that was very VERY cool!
Even though it is just shy of a year in town for Beth, I like the way she's integrating herself into her new home. The townspeople seem to be accepting of her and the secret of who she really is being known to a few means she doesn't have to be quite as circumspect in dealing with everyone.
The two cops, Gril and Donner, were particularly interesting this time around as both have to deal with the idiocy brought on by the feuding families and as it grows more intense, they put their foot down hard to bring said feud back under control as they look for the murderer and certain other things that pop up in the course of their investigation.
The bond between Beth and Viola, the woman who runs the halfway house, continues to grow and you can see the mutual respect the two have for each other.
And the low-key bombshells the author drops throughout the story are perfectly timed and leave you momentarily shocked before you move on to asking yourself, "OK, now what?"
In the end, all I can really say is that I found WINTER'S END to be a captivating read and I'm so happy that Paige Shelton is continuing forward with the series. If you want to read a fully satisfying mystery with plenty of twists, turns and surprises, you won't go wrong with WINTER'S END.
Thankfully, I follow the author on social media so when she announced the next book in the series, I settled in to read this one without the dread of finishing the "last" book.
As for the story itself, spring has come to Benedict, Alaska. Or at least it is not quite so cold as it usually is in the remote town. For Beth Rivers, who is still hiding out from the stalker who kidnapped and brutalized her, it is her first spring in the town and she's about to talk part in a local "tradition".
It's called the Death Walk. With so many residents in the town living in the outlying areas and likely not seen all that much during the extended and brutal winters, the town's police chief holds an informal "census" each spring. The townspeople all check in with the town. If anyone is unaccounted for, people are dispatched to check on their safety (and more notably, to see if they are still alive).
When an elderly man living alone in the mountains fails to check in, Beth and the town librarian, the secretive Orin, are sent. They find the man alive but most definitely in need of help. Orin goes for help, but he never returns having mysteriously disappeared! While Al (the old man) eventually is brought to town to heal up, Beth is left to wonder what happened to Orin.
But that's the least of what will soon be keeping Beth's attention. She'd begun a friendship with a local woman, Kaye Miller. They had been walking their dogs together. But when Kaye's body turns up murdered by the river, a long simmering local feud between the Miller and Oliphant families explodes as both sides accuse the other of the murder. With the town in the middle, finding out what happened to Kaye and where her missing husband is becomes priority number one not only for the police but for Beth as well. While the friendship was in the early stages, she liked Kaye and her death clearly doesn't sit well with Beth.
What she doesn't know is just how dangerous getting involved could be. The two families aren't exactly worried about collateral damage as long as they can get back at each other for whatever real or imagined offenses the other side has committed.
As Beth tries to find answers, explosive secrets come to light. There's a mysterious man in black, a new client at the halfway house where Beth also lives and let's not forget Beth's own still in progress recovery from her own traumas.
But when certain truths are revealed, Beth will need to gather all her wits to stop a killer from upping the body count, with Beth as one of the potential victims!
I don't mind saying that part of the plotline for the previous book in the series didn't exactly thrill me. It left me thinking the book was just a little less than what I would've liked.
But with WINTER'S END, Paige Shelton really hit it out of the park! The introduction of the Hatfields & the McCoys-like feud having the townsfolk walking on eggshells. The intriguing way the murder not only happened but why it happened was great. And the various reveals along the way, whether it was tied to the murder, Beth or any number of the regular supporting cast of the Benedict townspeople made for a pressing need to keep turning the pages.
Oh, and I loved how the author inserted the name of one of my favorite musicians into the story. She gave one member of the feuding families the name Warren and the other side had a member named Zevon. Okay, maybe I'm reading too much into that but I doubt it! So that was very VERY cool!
Even though it is just shy of a year in town for Beth, I like the way she's integrating herself into her new home. The townspeople seem to be accepting of her and the secret of who she really is being known to a few means she doesn't have to be quite as circumspect in dealing with everyone.
The two cops, Gril and Donner, were particularly interesting this time around as both have to deal with the idiocy brought on by the feuding families and as it grows more intense, they put their foot down hard to bring said feud back under control as they look for the murderer and certain other things that pop up in the course of their investigation.
The bond between Beth and Viola, the woman who runs the halfway house, continues to grow and you can see the mutual respect the two have for each other.
And the low-key bombshells the author drops throughout the story are perfectly timed and leave you momentarily shocked before you move on to asking yourself, "OK, now what?"
In the end, all I can really say is that I found WINTER'S END to be a captivating read and I'm so happy that Paige Shelton is continuing forward with the series. If you want to read a fully satisfying mystery with plenty of twists, turns and surprises, you won't go wrong with WINTER'S END.
December 7, 2022
Well alrighty then [I have never had a burning to desire to live in Alaska, and these books have not changed that. If anything, it makes me realize that even though I love the idea of being alone, there is such a thing as too much alone and ALL. THAT. DARK. Nope. I'm good to just read about it thankyouverymuch]. ALL of that was completely unexpected. Well, not all of it as there were a couple of things I was pretty sure about [in the sense that they were lies] from the minute the person speaking opened their mouths, but most of it? COMPLETE surprise. And the way I thought the end was going was just my silly over-active imagination working severely overtime [which happens when I am lacking sleep] and I was completely wrong [never have I been happier]. Hallelujah.
I have loved this series [and was so happy to see there WILL. BE. MORE.] and this one was just WOW. SO much going on, so much to be V E R Y nervous about [again, way over-active imagination, but it wasn't totally that. The writing of this one is a complete chef's kiss], and still, filled with spurts of humor that both surprise you and make you bark out loud with laughter [and apparently scare other people living in the same house as you...oops?? ;-) ].
I have really grown to love Beth [and all her flaws; really girl? We are just going to walk into a tunnel of closely grown together trees? Alone? With NO FLASHLIGHT? Oh, okay, we are. Excellent. Should have gone pee apparently before reading all that], Viola [she is such a gem; learning more about her story was flat out superb], Orin [and isn't HE an enigma; I want to know SO much more about him that is for sure], Gril [who has WAY more patience than I do], Donner and Benny so much that I feel like if I knew them in real life, I'd want them as friends [and if not friends, at least on my side should something go down]. I missed Beth's interaction with Rex, but I love how this time apart has made her realize some things about her life with and without him. And the side characters [OMG I LOVE LOVE LOVE Al. I hope that we see more of him in the future books] that are throughout this book REALLY tie everything together, for good AND for bad. And boy-howdy is there a lot of bad in this one. Bitterness is not the friend people think it is and revenge and hate will never ever get you anywhere good. Ever. It is a poison that infects everyone around you and make people make assumptions that bring pain and suffering to people who never, ever, deserved that.
I really love that the ending of this book is both happy and sad. That is what life is like and we have to take both equally. What a great lesson to leave everyone with. Well done Ms. Shelton. Very. Well. Done.
Thank you to NetGalley, Paige Shelton, and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have loved this series [and was so happy to see there WILL. BE. MORE.] and this one was just WOW. SO much going on, so much to be V E R Y nervous about [again, way over-active imagination, but it wasn't totally that. The writing of this one is a complete chef's kiss], and still, filled with spurts of humor that both surprise you and make you bark out loud with laughter [and apparently scare other people living in the same house as you...oops?? ;-) ].
I have really grown to love Beth [and all her flaws; really girl? We are just going to walk into a tunnel of closely grown together trees? Alone? With NO FLASHLIGHT? Oh, okay, we are. Excellent. Should have gone pee apparently before reading all that], Viola [she is such a gem; learning more about her story was flat out superb], Orin [and isn't HE an enigma; I want to know SO much more about him that is for sure], Gril [who has WAY more patience than I do], Donner and Benny so much that I feel like if I knew them in real life, I'd want them as friends [and if not friends, at least on my side should something go down]. I missed Beth's interaction with Rex, but I love how this time apart has made her realize some things about her life with and without him. And the side characters [OMG I LOVE LOVE LOVE Al. I hope that we see more of him in the future books] that are throughout this book REALLY tie everything together, for good AND for bad. And boy-howdy is there a lot of bad in this one. Bitterness is not the friend people think it is and revenge and hate will never ever get you anywhere good. Ever. It is a poison that infects everyone around you and make people make assumptions that bring pain and suffering to people who never, ever, deserved that.
I really love that the ending of this book is both happy and sad. That is what life is like and we have to take both equally. What a great lesson to leave everyone with. Well done Ms. Shelton. Very. Well. Done.
Thank you to NetGalley, Paige Shelton, and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 3, 2022
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
I was happy to continue the Alaska Wild Mysteries . I would read the series in order as both the mystery plot arc and the personal relationships grow throughout the series. Each book has smaller mysteries in addition to, and sometimes tangled up in, the main series mysteries. Beth came to Alaska to hide from a stalker. She doesn't remember everything about her abduction and keeps her story close as she isn't sure who to trust. She is getting to know and trust more people in this small town.
Benedict Alaska has some small town quirkiness. One thing is each year at Winter's End, they hold an event called the annual Death March. Everyone comes into town to check in so the town knows they are ok. Anyone who doesn't show up, the sheriff or deputy goes to find them. Sometimes people forgot, or they are old and not up to a trek into town, and sometimes they are dead.
Beth goes with Orin to check on an older man. They find him at his home. Beth tries to get some food in him and Orin goes for medical help. Orin disappears. Beth worries about another husband and wife, Warren and Kaye who haven't turned up.
Beth is taking care of some dogs left by a friend. She takes one herself and another has been rehomed with Kaye. She likes Kaye and hopes they will be friends. Warren's family and another family have had an ongoing feud, so there's worry they are why Warren and Kaye are missing. There is also a new person at the halfway house and it's a male! They have never had a male, and he's an awesome cook.
So there is plenty happening and Beth jumps into everything trying to solve all the mysteries herself. That seems a bit unrealistic to me but she does it in every book and the sheriff lets her do it. She really puts herself in danger too. She has a good mind for investigating but no physical / defensive skills. A couple big story arcs are resolved here so it will be interesting to see where things go next.
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
I was happy to continue the Alaska Wild Mysteries . I would read the series in order as both the mystery plot arc and the personal relationships grow throughout the series. Each book has smaller mysteries in addition to, and sometimes tangled up in, the main series mysteries. Beth came to Alaska to hide from a stalker. She doesn't remember everything about her abduction and keeps her story close as she isn't sure who to trust. She is getting to know and trust more people in this small town.
Benedict Alaska has some small town quirkiness. One thing is each year at Winter's End, they hold an event called the annual Death March. Everyone comes into town to check in so the town knows they are ok. Anyone who doesn't show up, the sheriff or deputy goes to find them. Sometimes people forgot, or they are old and not up to a trek into town, and sometimes they are dead.
Beth goes with Orin to check on an older man. They find him at his home. Beth tries to get some food in him and Orin goes for medical help. Orin disappears. Beth worries about another husband and wife, Warren and Kaye who haven't turned up.
Beth is taking care of some dogs left by a friend. She takes one herself and another has been rehomed with Kaye. She likes Kaye and hopes they will be friends. Warren's family and another family have had an ongoing feud, so there's worry they are why Warren and Kaye are missing. There is also a new person at the halfway house and it's a male! They have never had a male, and he's an awesome cook.
So there is plenty happening and Beth jumps into everything trying to solve all the mysteries herself. That seems a bit unrealistic to me but she does it in every book and the sheriff lets her do it. She really puts herself in danger too. She has a good mind for investigating but no physical / defensive skills. A couple big story arcs are resolved here so it will be interesting to see where things go next.
December 12, 2022
I received a complimentary copy of WINTER’S END by Paige Shelton. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for the chance to read and provide an honest review.
WINTER’S END is the fourth installment in the author’s Alaska Wild series. In the first book, THIN ICE, Beth Rivers has come to Alaska to keep herself safe. She was abducted by a man and managed to escape a couple days later, but in the process she had a serious head wound and between that and the trauma, she doesn’t remember what happened to her. She has come to a small town in Alaska, renting a room in a halfway house, mostly keeping her identity under wraps in this isolated setting.
In WINTER’S END, it has come to the time of year when the thaw is starting and the annual death walk is to be held. In spite of the name, this is actually an upbeat occasion where everyone from the surrounding area comes into town to check in. Anyone who doesn’t show up must be sought out to make sure they made it through the winter. When it is one of Beth’s friends who doesn’t make it to the walk even though someone checked off her name, family secrets and rivalries come to light as they try to find out where she is and what has happened.
I really enjoy this series of books. They are quick and easy reads with a good blend of a concrete mystery in each book and some overarching story lines with the answers slowly coming to light about Beth’s abduction. The people in this Alaskan setting make for fascinating characters and it is a very different type of life to read about. This book was once again a quick binge read and I thought that the mysteries that played out were done well and there is a lot accomplished in a short (less than 300 pages) book.
This is a fun series for the mystery fans and I would recommend them. The book would work as a standalone, but I would generally recommend going ahead and starting from book one since you will get more from the story if you know the relationships and the original storyline of Beth’s time in Alaska.
WINTER’S END is the fourth installment in the author’s Alaska Wild series. In the first book, THIN ICE, Beth Rivers has come to Alaska to keep herself safe. She was abducted by a man and managed to escape a couple days later, but in the process she had a serious head wound and between that and the trauma, she doesn’t remember what happened to her. She has come to a small town in Alaska, renting a room in a halfway house, mostly keeping her identity under wraps in this isolated setting.
In WINTER’S END, it has come to the time of year when the thaw is starting and the annual death walk is to be held. In spite of the name, this is actually an upbeat occasion where everyone from the surrounding area comes into town to check in. Anyone who doesn’t show up must be sought out to make sure they made it through the winter. When it is one of Beth’s friends who doesn’t make it to the walk even though someone checked off her name, family secrets and rivalries come to light as they try to find out where she is and what has happened.
I really enjoy this series of books. They are quick and easy reads with a good blend of a concrete mystery in each book and some overarching story lines with the answers slowly coming to light about Beth’s abduction. The people in this Alaskan setting make for fascinating characters and it is a very different type of life to read about. This book was once again a quick binge read and I thought that the mysteries that played out were done well and there is a lot accomplished in a short (less than 300 pages) book.
This is a fun series for the mystery fans and I would recommend them. The book would work as a standalone, but I would generally recommend going ahead and starting from book one since you will get more from the story if you know the relationships and the original storyline of Beth’s time in Alaska.
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