Lori C. (dollycas) reviewed Spider Lake: A Northern Lakes Mystery (John Cabrelli Series) on + 712 more book reviews
Dollycas's Thoughts
We are back in Musky Falls with former Madison cop John Cabrelli. He is still recovering from the gunshot wounds he suffered in Book 1, Figure Eight. There are many ramifications to what happened in that book including some crimes still under investigation. The new police chief asks for John's help as he tries to wrap up all the loose ends and new crimes that may still arise. Soon several Musky Falls locals are involved and John learns how much Spider Lake, the quiet restful place of his youth, has changed, and not for the good.
John Cabrelli is a flawed human being and he knows it. A mistake made on the job turned him into a different man. He is less confident, has nightmares, second-guesses himself, and is unsure of the path his life is supposed to take. Right now he just wants to relax at the cabin on Spider Lake that he inherited from his Uncle Nick, but he now knows his uncle's death was murder and he has to find the killer before he will be able to have any peace. The author has surrounded his main character with interesting friends, colleagues, and residents of the small Wisconsin town. They are all developing naturally and the dialogue rings true to me.
I enjoy how Mr. Nania brings the beauty of The Northwoods of Wisconsin alive. Fishing on Spider Lake or just sitting on the dock with a cup of coffee sounds delightful. Sadly it seems criminals find the place delightful too.
The mystery has a slow build as the investigations develop and more clues fall into place. I got caught up in the story because it wasn't just about trying to find the killer. We observed John's daily life, enjoying the lake, trying to figure out the women in his life, and welcoming a group of student bird watchers trying to document the rare Kirtland Warbler. That being said all those things were surrounded by events that drove the investigation forward by the chief of police, the sheriff, John, and another civilian because other than themselves, they trusted no one. The suspense became intense when a request to an old friend blew open the case in a huge way. Suddenly I was unable to put this book down. It grabbed me and I stayed up late to finish the book. An exciting ending had me on the edge of my seat. An epilogue tells us the aftermath and sets up readers for the next book.
I had purchased this series for my husband and he loved it and had been after me to read them. I am so happy that I listened to him. Figure Eight was a compelling read and I couldn't wait to read Spider Lake and now I have devoured that. I have Bough Cutter screaming at me from my TBR stack. I hope to read and review it soon.
We are back in Musky Falls with former Madison cop John Cabrelli. He is still recovering from the gunshot wounds he suffered in Book 1, Figure Eight. There are many ramifications to what happened in that book including some crimes still under investigation. The new police chief asks for John's help as he tries to wrap up all the loose ends and new crimes that may still arise. Soon several Musky Falls locals are involved and John learns how much Spider Lake, the quiet restful place of his youth, has changed, and not for the good.
John Cabrelli is a flawed human being and he knows it. A mistake made on the job turned him into a different man. He is less confident, has nightmares, second-guesses himself, and is unsure of the path his life is supposed to take. Right now he just wants to relax at the cabin on Spider Lake that he inherited from his Uncle Nick, but he now knows his uncle's death was murder and he has to find the killer before he will be able to have any peace. The author has surrounded his main character with interesting friends, colleagues, and residents of the small Wisconsin town. They are all developing naturally and the dialogue rings true to me.
I enjoy how Mr. Nania brings the beauty of The Northwoods of Wisconsin alive. Fishing on Spider Lake or just sitting on the dock with a cup of coffee sounds delightful. Sadly it seems criminals find the place delightful too.
The mystery has a slow build as the investigations develop and more clues fall into place. I got caught up in the story because it wasn't just about trying to find the killer. We observed John's daily life, enjoying the lake, trying to figure out the women in his life, and welcoming a group of student bird watchers trying to document the rare Kirtland Warbler. That being said all those things were surrounded by events that drove the investigation forward by the chief of police, the sheriff, John, and another civilian because other than themselves, they trusted no one. The suspense became intense when a request to an old friend blew open the case in a huge way. Suddenly I was unable to put this book down. It grabbed me and I stayed up late to finish the book. An exciting ending had me on the edge of my seat. An epilogue tells us the aftermath and sets up readers for the next book.
I had purchased this series for my husband and he loved it and had been after me to read them. I am so happy that I listened to him. Figure Eight was a compelling read and I couldn't wait to read Spider Lake and now I have devoured that. I have Bough Cutter screaming at me from my TBR stack. I hope to read and review it soon.
