As We Forgive Others

Northern Gothic Mysteries #1

by Shane Peacock

Hugh Mercer has come to a small town in Ontario, far away from his broken career, broken marriage, and broken life in New York. He’s expecting to take advantage of what he’s sure will be a peaceful place in the middle of winter to begin to make some sense of the situations he’s left behind. Before he has a chance to settle into his rented farmhouse, a strange woman appears on his doorstep and makes a startling Elizabeth Goode, a local, is about to disappear under bizarre circumstances and her life is at risk. Mercer needs further information, but as quickly as she appeared, the stranger is gone.
Within a few days, Elizabeth Goode does indeed vanish from a café in town and all the witnesses have different accounts of the event. Her life now depends on the skills Mercer honed in the New York Police Department as a homicide detective and the down-to-earth abilities of local police officer Alice Morrow. Together they work to solve the mystery of the disappearance and get to Elizabeth before she is murdered; but they, too, are troubled by their own need for forgiveness, their desire for justice, and their passion for each other.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Canada

312 pages, Paperback

Published November 9, 2024

About the author

Shane Peacock was born in 1957 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, one of four brothers. He attended school in the northern town of Kapuskasing, Ontario, before attending university, where he studied History and English literature. A biographer, journalist, and screenwriter, he is also the author of eighteen novels, a picture book and three plays, and has been won and/or been nominated for numerous awards including two Arthur Ellis Awards for crime fiction, the Geoffrey Bilson Award for historical fiction, the Violet Downey Award, the Libris Award, seven times honored with Junior Library Guild of America selections, and has been on three shortlists for the Canadian Children's Literature Award, and one for the Governor-General's Award. His books have been published in 20 languages in 18 countries. He and his wife, journalist Sophie Kneisel live in Cobourg, Ontario and have two daughters and a son.

Series:
* The Dylan Maples Adventures
* The Boy Sherlock Holmes
The Dark Missions of Edgar Brim
The Seven Series

Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Juvenile (2008): Eye of the Crow
The Arthur Ellis (2013)
The Violet Downey Award
The Libris Award
The Geoffrey Bilson Award
The Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Award
Anne Izard Storyteller Choice Award
Junior Library Guild of America Selection (7 times)
Governor-General's Award (shortlist)
TD Canadian Children's Literature Award (shortlist)

Reviews

[Chelsea || Bibliophelsea || · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great thriller! The mystery was intriguing from the very beginning and had me hooked all the way through! It was a bit slow but not in a boring sense more in the way that all the twists/thrilling parts happened more towards the end!

I picked this book up because it was described as being a great piece of gothic fiction, however I was a bit disappointed in that aspect as this is more of a crime thriller. In fact I don’t see how this novel could be considered gothic horror at all. But as far as crimes thrillers go it was a good one!

[Katey Kozak · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

I really loved this book, would definitely recommend. It was a perfect balance of mystery and crime without being too intense and dark. I loved the pace of the writing and definitely felt like I couldn’t put it down once I got into the plot. It was also really fun to paint a mental image knowing it’s based in northern Ontario. Really looking forward to the next book in this series !!

[Sarah Butland · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first sentence until the absolute last, this is a brilliant read!

Full review to come on The Miramichi Reader

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

“As We Forgive Others” is a first foray into “adult” fiction for prolific YA author Shane Peacock. Not having been a young adult for some time, and not having any in my life, I wasn’t familiar with most of Peacock’s work, so was coming in with very little preconception.

The book is clearly the work of a veteran author. The pacing, the structure, and characterizations are strong and sophisticated, and as a mystery novel, it had enough twists and turns that I wasn’t left saying “Well, it’s clear that THIS is what happens” by the end of chapter 2 and wondering whether to continue.

Overall, a really enjoyable read that is evocative of what some people would call “Alice Munro” country in its bleaker, more harsh seasons, when the flowers have all been cut and the ground scoured by winter winds. I enjoyed the relatively rare double-barrelled protagonist setup (NYC expat cop Hugh Drummond and local detective Alice Morrow) that Peacock chose, and hope to read the next novel, with Alice Morrow more in the center of the spotlight.

I also think that the two-protagonist setup can lead to some interesting conflicts between them in future books.

I enjoyed the book a lot.

[John Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been dubious when reviews say a book is a "page-turner," but As We Forgive Others truly is. Numerous twists keep the reader guessing until the very end. I foresee this book being adapted for the screen or as a mini-series on TV.
I was curious to know why the book's cover refers to the story as "A Northern Gothic Mystery." After reading the book, I now picture Grant Wood's painting American Gothic (the picture of the elderly farmer and his wife holding a pitchfork) and see this as describing the stoicism of a Canadian town and police force where placidity is shaken and truths revealed about its culture via the intervention of a New York homicide detective.
I understand this book is the first in a series. I can't wait for the next episode.

[Carolyn Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually read mysteries or even genre fiction, but I liked this because it was more like Canadian gothic fiction (which I've certifiably read all of!). I wasn't paying much attention to the mystery but to the characters and to the landscape mirroring their internal life. I figured out the solution about 2/3rds in, but I was interested in the ambiguity between perpetrator and victim, and the protagonists' inner guilt being mirrored in their case. That is, this was a story about trauma and redemption, rather than crime and punishment. For me, the one weakness was the superficial comparisons of Canadian and US culture -- this worked better when the values conflicted and less when I was scavenger-hunting all the references to Cancon.

[Enid Wray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent enough police procedural.

I was most annoyed that a book with so many clear references to Canadian culture is set so anonymously in “this northern place.” Be loud and proud.

I also got very tired of the litany of put-downs of various aspects of Canadian culture on the part of Mercer - I get that they were designed/intended to point out the differences between Canadian and American policies/practices but they wore thin also.

There were also many instances where I was asked to suspend disbelief over and above what I was prepared to.

Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting me access to an early digital review copy.

2.5 rounded up to 3

[Mysticpt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book sounded interesting and i have not read this author so thought i would try. The pages did turn and there is something to the writing, however so many of the conversations did not ring true to what would actually be said. The plot was a little slow moving until the end and again most of what happened did just not seem in anyway like it would really happen, nor did we ever get to really really know the history or motivations of the main characters. I will round up to 3 stars and will not likely continue if there are more books to come.

[Stephanie H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a relatively engaging thriller for me. I wanted to get to the bottom of the story and see if my predictions were correct (a lot of them were). I felt like I could really picture this small town as well.

Unfortunately, the stuff I didn’t like just kept happening. I wasn’t a fan of the constant comparing the US to Canada as written by a Canadian speaking in the voice of an American. It was a little ridiculous. I also think Hugh Mercer is a terrible human being and I struggled feeling any sympathy for any plight he faced.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Hugh Mercer has come to a little town in Canada hoping to rid himself of a pass that continues to
haunt him. In this small town he encounters Detective Alice Morrow, who has her own pass. Meanwhile
a very well known women born and raised in this town, moved aware and came back and was missing.
Everything pointed her husband. He told the police that he would ever hurt her, no less kill her.
Lots of drama. Lots of clues. But who took Elizabeth. Guess you have to read the book.

[Mike Broderick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely enjoyed this one.
A good old fashioned whodunnit.
A Canadian reader could get very annoyed with how Mercer looks at our country, our people, but I think the author actually did a good job of highlighting that stereotype.
Overall, a page turner, I wanted to keep reading it, so it is a solid 4 star.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting plot, gothic in a modern context. The characters are thinly drawn but believable. Sorry but I found the story dragged on and the references to its Canadian setting overdone. If the author wants to learn how to write a crackling crime novel he should familiarize himself with the work of the late Elmore Leonard. An honest effort nonetheless.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is actually a very good novel with a very unique and interesting plot. The characters have the potential to be well developed especially Alice who right now is very strange but a very effective police officer. The plot moved fairly quickly and kept my attention. I presume there will be a sequel.

[Gregory Van Den Berg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author. The wait was worth it. The story was developed throughout the reading. The police procedural was first rate. The story was believable from beginning to end. Read and enjoy!

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this may not be grand literature but it was great fun to read. Great characters and a mystery, the resolution to which this reader could not even guess at.
Hope there will be more with the same cast of characters.

[Alexa Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, it was one of those “just one more chapter” books for me. I had to know what happened next! And I enjoyed how I really felt like I was in the town as I was reading it, felt like I was there trying to solve the mystery with the main character. Overall a great read

[DocGill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a strange book, which is not really 'gothic', as advertised, but more a very slow-moving Sherlock Holmes-type novel. It takes itself too seriously at times and takes AGES for the plot to start moving!

The detective, Hugh, is also fairly unlikeable, cold and hooking up with random women, including Alice, a police officer who is also presented as very cold, with no explanation (we wait for one all the way through the book, to no avail!).

Meanwhile, Hugh is reflecting on whether to go back to his wife. This part of the plot only unravels at the end and is quite good.

The twists and turns are a bit laughable, but never expected, so it WAS a book which kept me reading.

[Joyce Nowocin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was very intriguing and clever, and I kept wanting to read to find out what happened to the lady in the coffee shop. I liked the way it contrasted the Canadian and American personalities and how we are the same, yet different. I recommend this book.

[Sam Baldwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid, entertaining mystery set in the Canadian winter. Would recommend!

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Brilliant. Keeps you turning the pages until the last one!!! I cannot wait for his next adult book.

[Julia Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story that kept me guessing. Well written. Highly recommend!

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great debut adult mystery. Such a complex, convoluted story line. There were hints and clues but you really have to pay attention. I look forward to the next installment.

[Kalinda Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick thriller read! I pictured several characters from Chicago PD so I obviously enjoyed this read.

[Cindym · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! A good mystery detective book with an ending that is filled with just the perfect explanations! Great characters, conversations and slight humor. Thank you, Shane Peacock 👍

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compulsively readable— I kept needlessly by the next chapter!
I did feel nd I he ending a bit flat, and though it answered the questions.

[Aven Lee]

I hated the “voice” of this book but it was easy to get through.

[Ontario Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the story and setting.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I guess we all need forgiveness for something.”

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title.

After a violent interaction with an innocent suspect, New York City detective Hugh Mercer’s life has fallen apart. Separated from his wife and ostracized by his children, Mercer travels to a small town in Canada to lick his wounds. When a mysterious woman arrives at his home claiming Mercer’s neighbor will be murdered by her husband a day before said neighbor disappears, Mercer emerges from his self-imposed isolation to investigate. Partnering with the local police, he uses his skills and intuition to solve what he suspects is a murder. This debut adult series from Peacock, author of the Boy Sherlock Holmes series and other YA books, is a great addition to the genre. Hugh Mercer is a rough-around-the-edges protagonist who endears himself to readers. The differences between American and Canadian police policies and Mercer’s on-and-off romance with one of the detectives add depth and interest to the typical murder-investigation template. Readers who enjoy well-plotted mysteries and police procedurals, such as those by Michael Connelly and Louise Penny, will want to check out this one.