While police procedurals are not my favorite sub genre of mystery novel, I do appreciate a good detective book from time to time. Cold Woods met all of the criteria for a fantastic read. As the second in the Northampton County series, the first being River Bodies, I picked up on two or three references to the previous book. However, it wasn't enough that I felt out of the loop. The characters were very well written and had depth. The personal struggles of each one was detailed and made a connection possible. Even when some of the characters did questionable things it was easy to see the situation from their point of view. That's not always possible if the author doesn't get that connection going between reader and character. Set during an exceptionally cold winter (some parts complete with blizzard), the setting lends a sense of bleakness to the story that enhances the feeling of isolation in the small Appalachian community. All of these features, in addition to a great murder plot, sets the reader up for a mystery read they won't soon forget.

While the book had so many good qualities, I did feel like it dragged around the halfway mark. I just kept thinking that the same clues and points kept being discussed by each character group but in different ways. This led to a feeling of the momentum of the story being stagnant for awhile with no real action happening in a few chapters. Things picked back up again fairly soon, though, and the mystery finished out nicely. I do wish there had been a little more closure on a couple of the characters and situations, but I'm still feeling good about how it all ended.

Just as a forewarning, the novel does encompasses quite a few different book tropes and plot points, some of which may be difficult for some readers. Sexual abuse of a minor plays a large part in the mystery, as does physical abuse of a spouse, sex trafficking, and other hard to read topics. I just wanted to add that in here for those who may want to avoid these types of things.

Thank you to Goodreads and the publisher for the ebook I received as part of a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Returning home and being told by your mother that you shouldn’t have come back is where we meet Trisha.

Trisha came back after 30 years because they found the bones of Lester, her step father, and bones that she and her neighbors and friends had something to do with.

Lester was not a good man, and Trisha still hated him to this day. All he did was cause trouble for her.

We go back and forth as Trisha’s life as a child and as an adult is described. Her childhood wasn’t a pleasant one and neither was her life as an adult.

The main focus is the investigation of the murder of Lester both past and present. As the investigation moves ahead, the tension increases and secrets are revealed.

COLD WOODS addresses some social issues and life styles that affect the behavior of the characters as well as upsetting, abusive situations.

Readers who enjoy a mystery whose killer you think is known from the start and those who enjoy getting to see the investigation unravel, will want to take a look at COLD WOODS.

You will be guessing and most likely guessing incorrectly until the end...the ending has a great twist and surprise. 4/5

This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Linda's Book Obsession Reviews "Cold Woods" by Karen Katchur, Thomas & Mercer, August 2019

WOW! Karen Katchur, Author of "Cold Woods" has written an amazing, intense, captivating, riveting, page-turning, intriguing and edgy novel. The Genres for this novel are Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, and Fiction. There are two timelines in this story that do connect, and anything that goes back to the past concerns the events or characters in this story. The author describes her dramatic characters as complex, complicated, flawed, each with their own set of problems.

This is the second book in a series, but definitely can be a stand-alone. Detective Parker Reed becomes involved in a cold case when the bones of a man, who disappeared many years ago surface. Local residents Trisha and her friends were just teenagers thirty years before when Trisha's step-father disappeared. Trisha has led an abused life and has just returned to her home, to escape an abusive husband.

As Parker and his partner look into Trisha's home, her mother, and her friends' lives things appear to be more complicated. Trisha's step-father was a miserable man, and many people had reason to kill him. The only problem is that even the suspects don't know what truly happened. There are twists and turns. Anyone could be a suspect.

This is such an intense and edgy adventure, and I highly recommend that you read this! ( )

There’s nothing like a short, creepy prologue to whet your appetite for what’s to come. One line sums it up nicely: “He had it coming”.

The story follows the relationships between a group of women in 2 time lines, one in the present & one from 30 years ago. It’s clear they share a huge secret stemming from traumatic events. When a body is found in present day, that past comes roaring back & forces them to remember what they’d sworn to forget. The thing is, not everyone’s memories are the same.

Parker Reed is a detective in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. After the fallout from his last case, he’s in the department dog house. So when a human skull is found near the Appalachian Trail, he’s the lucky guy assigned to freeze his butt off while forensic crews do their stuff. At least it gives him a chance to bond with new partner Geena Brassard. In some ways she’s the department’s other outcast. Her crimes? Too smart & too attractive. *sigh* The nerve of some women 🙄.

It’s a sparsely populated area where everyone knows your business. So it’s not long before they identify the remains. Lester Haines was a surly drunk who disappeared 30 years ago. Public opinion was he simply walked away from his wife & stepdaughter. Apparently it was a short walk.

Three decades ago Trisha Haines left town in a hurry. That’s no surprise in itself. It’s one of those places you either never leave or never come back to. She cut all ties with her mother & friends Danni & Carlyn. Now she has no choice but to return. Danni’s mother has died & a funeral is the perfect opportunity to remind her old friends to keep their mouths shut about the body.

That’s it, no more yakking about the plot. Best to let you draw your own conclusions as both time lines unfold. I loved the historical side of the story. Trisha, Danni & Carlyn are typical teens dealing with all the usual issues brought on by high school drama & raging hormones. Two of them live with single moms. Danni’s mother has given up & never leaves the house & Carlyn’s works the night shift, leaving her to raise herself.

Only Trisha has a father figure in her life. Her real dad left when she was a baby & her mother soon remarried. Sadly, she’s an alcoholic who is unaware of what’s happening in her own home. Which brings us to Lester. Drunk, despicable Lester. Most of this side of the story is alluded to, leaving the reader to imagine the worst. But the effect on those involved is very well portrayed.

As we follow the 3 families through these years. I was struck by a couple of things. First, with the exception of Parker, few men in this story come off very well. Second, the women are a wonder. Each of them suffers with poverty & abuse or abandonment. But there’s a resilience, the ability to make do with the hand they’re dealt & support each other as best they can. There’s an ominous undertone that builds as these chapters progress. We know Lester is going to meet his maker. The question is who & how.

The present day time line also has an edge but most comes from a separate subplot. I fared less well with this side of the story. Meeting all the characters decades later reveals some long held secrets as they deal with the police. But there’s a middle section where the story, like the investigation, slows down & not much happens. At one point we get some info about Trisha’s real father & how he shaped her current life but I wanted more detail as it had huge significance (trying not to give too much away here).

As they reach for the end, both story lines will have you guessing. Some of mine were spot on, some weren’t even in the same time zone. But when it’s all said & done you might find yourself thinking back to that line from the prologue & agreeing. ( )