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Fair Chase
From Travis Mulhauser, “who always honors his characters with firebrand intelligence, knife-sharp wit, and reckless heart,” (Nickolas Butler) comes the gripping story of a desperately hopeful foster child who’s searching for his family—even though they’re dangerous, complicated, and never see him coming.
There hasn’t been a gray wolf in Michigan’s lower peninsula in over 100 years, but when one migrates onto the Sawbrook family’s vast acreage, the small community of Cutler finds itself in the throes of a panic. A trail of mutilated chickens and barn cats have peppered the area’s remote outskirts, and concerns about safety are accompanied by the economic and political cost of an endangered species’ uninvited return to northern Michigan. The Sawbrook siblings—Lucy, Buckner, and Jewell—find themselves at odds with locals, property owners, and the state’s department of resources.
When fourteen-year-old runaway, Delos Harris, arrives on the family property claiming to be the siblings’ second cousin, and to have knowledge of the wolf’s exact location, the Sawbrooks are skeptical, but desperate, and can’t deny something about the boy seems oddly familiar. With time running out, they forge ahead together against gathering threats.
The state wants the wolf moved, the locals and the developers want it dead, and the Sawbrooks see its return as a decisive victory in their battle to preserve the natural world in northern Michigan. But when a poacher is hired to settle the matter permanently, the Sawbrooks must fight to protect each other, their land, and the brave child whose mysterious connection to the wolf will either save them all, or deliver the Sawbrooks to their final ruin.
There hasn’t been a gray wolf in Michigan’s lower peninsula in over 100 years, but when one migrates onto the Sawbrook family’s vast acreage, the small community of Cutler finds itself in the throes of a panic. A trail of mutilated chickens and barn cats have peppered the area’s remote outskirts, and concerns about safety are accompanied by the economic and political cost of an endangered species’ uninvited return to northern Michigan. The Sawbrook siblings—Lucy, Buckner, and Jewell—find themselves at odds with locals, property owners, and the state’s department of resources.
When fourteen-year-old runaway, Delos Harris, arrives on the family property claiming to be the siblings’ second cousin, and to have knowledge of the wolf’s exact location, the Sawbrooks are skeptical, but desperate, and can’t deny something about the boy seems oddly familiar. With time running out, they forge ahead together against gathering threats.
The state wants the wolf moved, the locals and the developers want it dead, and the Sawbrooks see its return as a decisive victory in their battle to preserve the natural world in northern Michigan. But when a poacher is hired to settle the matter permanently, the Sawbrooks must fight to protect each other, their land, and the brave child whose mysterious connection to the wolf will either save them all, or deliver the Sawbrooks to their final ruin.
310 pages, Paperback
Published April 28, 2026
6 people are currently reading
5459 people want to read
About the author
Travis Mulhauser
6 books207 followersTravis Mulhauser was born and raised in Northern Michigan. His novel, The Trouble Up North (Grand Central/Hatchette), received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly, was an Amazon Editor's Choice Pick, and was an Apple Audio Must Listen selection. His novel, Sweetgirl (Ecco/Harper Collins) was long-listed for The Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize, was a Michigan Notable Book Award winner, an Indie Next Pick, and was named one of Ploughshares Best Books of the New Year.
Travis is the author of Greetings from Cutler County: A Novella and Stories, and received his MFA in Fiction from UNC-Greensboro. He is also a proud graduate of North Central Michigan College and Central Michigan University. He lives currently in Durham, North Carolina with his wife, two children, and dog. He has been published in France, the Netherlands, Brazil, Germany, and the UK, and his novel, Fair Chase (Grand Central/Hachette), is forthcoming in April 2026.
Travis is the author of Greetings from Cutler County: A Novella and Stories, and received his MFA in Fiction from UNC-Greensboro. He is also a proud graduate of North Central Michigan College and Central Michigan University. He lives currently in Durham, North Carolina with his wife, two children, and dog. He has been published in France, the Netherlands, Brazil, Germany, and the UK, and his novel, Fair Chase (Grand Central/Hachette), is forthcoming in April 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Things generally don't work out the way they should
Cutler is a small town in Michigan's lower peninsula and is home to the storied Sawbrook family which of late is whittled down to siblings Lucy, Buckner and Jewell. Lucy is generally considered the "sane" one (although it has been observed that one can be the sanest Sawbrook and still be crazy), and all three share deep roots to the land owned by their family for generations. As their parents did before them, they are fighting to preserve the unspoiled beauty of the natural world that surrounds them but are pitted against developers turning the small town into a resort area for rich city folk as well as the locals whose bread is buttered by those same outsiders. When a gray wolf is reportedly sighted nearby, an endangered species protected by federal law and once native to the area, it is viewed by some as a threat (both to livestock and the ability to continue the onward march of development) and by others like the Sawbrooks as a step towards reclaiming the natural order. Lucy is a ranger, and her boss makes it clear that those who control their purse strings want the wolf, if there is one, eradicated with no trace it was ever there. Someone has even hired a recently released prisoner to hunt, shoot, and kill the animal and bury it so it is never found. Lucy and her siblings connect with others in the area to find a way to find and save the wolf instead. And if that isn't challenging enough, a 14 year old runaway named Delos arrives on the Sawbrook property claiming to (a) have seen the wolf and (b) be a Sawbrook by blood. Is there any way that all of this can work out in a mildly happily-ever-after way?
In this follow-up to author Travis Mulhauser's The Trouble Up North, the Sawbrook clan is again mixed up in all manner of situations and working to do the right thing even if it isn't exactly legal and may or may not end up in a way that makes anyone happy. As the hunt for the wolf spools out so does the family saga, and the Sawbrooks (including the is he or isn't he Delos) are a smart, reckless, feisty group of characters. With a narrative that has the drive of progress smacking up against conservation and a family that is far from perfect but feels a debt to the land they've inherited and the family from which they sprung, this is a tale that is an honest portrayal of the people and place that inhabit its pages. Readers who enjoy books set in rural areas with memorable characters and a strong sense of place, including fans of William Kent Krueger, Leif Enger and Richard Russo, should give this book (and its predecessor) a try. My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me access to this novel full of heart in exchange for my honest review...I enjoyed the first book a great deal, and was delighted to catch up on the Sawbrooks and Cutler in this latest installment.
Cutler is a small town in Michigan's lower peninsula and is home to the storied Sawbrook family which of late is whittled down to siblings Lucy, Buckner and Jewell. Lucy is generally considered the "sane" one (although it has been observed that one can be the sanest Sawbrook and still be crazy), and all three share deep roots to the land owned by their family for generations. As their parents did before them, they are fighting to preserve the unspoiled beauty of the natural world that surrounds them but are pitted against developers turning the small town into a resort area for rich city folk as well as the locals whose bread is buttered by those same outsiders. When a gray wolf is reportedly sighted nearby, an endangered species protected by federal law and once native to the area, it is viewed by some as a threat (both to livestock and the ability to continue the onward march of development) and by others like the Sawbrooks as a step towards reclaiming the natural order. Lucy is a ranger, and her boss makes it clear that those who control their purse strings want the wolf, if there is one, eradicated with no trace it was ever there. Someone has even hired a recently released prisoner to hunt, shoot, and kill the animal and bury it so it is never found. Lucy and her siblings connect with others in the area to find a way to find and save the wolf instead. And if that isn't challenging enough, a 14 year old runaway named Delos arrives on the Sawbrook property claiming to (a) have seen the wolf and (b) be a Sawbrook by blood. Is there any way that all of this can work out in a mildly happily-ever-after way?
In this follow-up to author Travis Mulhauser's The Trouble Up North, the Sawbrook clan is again mixed up in all manner of situations and working to do the right thing even if it isn't exactly legal and may or may not end up in a way that makes anyone happy. As the hunt for the wolf spools out so does the family saga, and the Sawbrooks (including the is he or isn't he Delos) are a smart, reckless, feisty group of characters. With a narrative that has the drive of progress smacking up against conservation and a family that is far from perfect but feels a debt to the land they've inherited and the family from which they sprung, this is a tale that is an honest portrayal of the people and place that inhabit its pages. Readers who enjoy books set in rural areas with memorable characters and a strong sense of place, including fans of William Kent Krueger, Leif Enger and Richard Russo, should give this book (and its predecessor) a try. My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me access to this novel full of heart in exchange for my honest review...I enjoyed the first book a great deal, and was delighted to catch up on the Sawbrooks and Cutler in this latest installment.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
What a good read this is. Delos, a 14 year old in foster care, sees a wolf one night, a wolf that some in the community want killed. He flees his foster home and heads for the Sawbrooks, a storied family that he believes he is a part of and that will protect both him and the wolf. And they do. This is told by Delos, by Jewell Sawbrook, and by Lucy Sawbrook, a forest ranger but there's also Buckner, the man hired to kill the wolf, and a cameo by the wolf himself. Delos is a slippery one who doesn't want to be sent back to care, the Sawbrooks are an eclectic family. This is atmospheric (there's one heck of a chase through the woods and night in the lake) and propulsive. And the characters shine. It's a coming of age story, a tale of standing up to developers, and it leans in hard on found family. There's humor also. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. This was a real page turner for me. I'm going to look for Mulhauser in the future.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
In Cutler, Michigan the Sawbrook family is well known. The family legacy of caring for the land and protecting the wildlife has been passed down to Lucy, Buckner and Jewell. Lucy is considered to the sane one of the family and she is a park ranger. The family bonds are extremely close and they are shocked when a 14 year old boy Delos shows up on their property claiming to be family.
Delos has run away from foster care to join the Sawbrook family to protect the gray wolf. He alone has seen it three times and knows it's location. The gray wolf is an endangered species and hasn't been seen in the area in over 100 years. Delos longs for family and connection as is happy to be and bonds quickly with Buckner. I enjoyed the witty banter between siblings and how Delos was welcomed into the family quickly.
A town hall meeting gets heated as some want to kill the gray wolf and some want to protect it. A gripping story of family ties and fighting for what you believe in.
Delos has run away from foster care to join the Sawbrook family to protect the gray wolf. He alone has seen it three times and knows it's location. The gray wolf is an endangered species and hasn't been seen in the area in over 100 years. Delos longs for family and connection as is happy to be and bonds quickly with Buckner. I enjoyed the witty banter between siblings and how Delos was welcomed into the family quickly.
A town hall meeting gets heated as some want to kill the gray wolf and some want to protect it. A gripping story of family ties and fighting for what you believe in.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Sawbrooks, along with a new addition, are back with another thriller in the woods or northern Michigan. A lone wolf has been sighted and threats a future development in the area. When Delos, a young teen, sees the wolf, he immediately feels a relationship with it and vows to defend it. He enlists in the help of the Sawbrooks, whom he believes he is related to via a distant cousin. As the family tries to protect and save the wolf, they also start to protect and save Delos.
This is one of the few instances where I enjoyed the 2nd book more than the first. The multiple points of view fit will with this novel. It was fast paced and as someone familiar with "up north" Michigan, I could picture the scenes and locations where the action was unfolding.
I received an ARC via NetGalley.
This is one of the few instances where I enjoyed the 2nd book more than the first. The multiple points of view fit will with this novel. It was fast paced and as someone familiar with "up north" Michigan, I could picture the scenes and locations where the action was unfolding.
I received an ARC via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A magnificent continuation of the Sawbrook family. I highly recommend reading “The Trouble Up North” before jumping into Fair Chase. Fair Chase finds the Sawbrook siblings, Lucy, Jewell, and Buckner, are again at odds with some of Cutler County transplants, that seek to make as much money as possible by building casinos, resorts and golf courses. A gray wolf has wandered into the county, prompting a panic by the locals and transplants. People have a fear of the wolf, either eating pets or stopping construction since the wolf and its habitat is protected. We also meet Delos the only person who has seen the wolf up close. Delos has been in and out of “the system” for years and is looking for the Sawbrook’s, whom he thinks he is related to. This book was great, well written, and extremely engaging. I look forward to more adventures of the Sawbrook family.
April 30, 2026
There hasn’t been a gray wolf in Michigan’s lower peninsula in over 100 years, but when one migrates onto the Sawbrook family’s vast acreage, the small community of Cutler finds itself divided. Some fear for their safety, others celebrate the arrival of an endangered species. The Sawbrook siblings—Lucy, Buckner, and Jewell—find themselves at odds with locals, property owners and the state’s department of natural resources.
Adding to the tumult is the arrival of fourteen-year-old runaway, Delos Harris, claiming to be the siblings’ second cousin AND to have knowledge of the wolf’s exact location. The state wants the wolf moved, the locals and the developers want it dead. The latter hire a poacher to settle the matter permanently.
The Sawbrooks will protect each other and their land. Enjoy!
Adding to the tumult is the arrival of fourteen-year-old runaway, Delos Harris, claiming to be the siblings’ second cousin AND to have knowledge of the wolf’s exact location. The state wants the wolf moved, the locals and the developers want it dead. The latter hire a poacher to settle the matter permanently.
The Sawbrooks will protect each other and their land. Enjoy!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Travis Mulhauser captures the honesty, grit, and beauty of northern Michigan’s landscapes and people like no one else can. His characters are maddening and impulsive, but they love hard and true. In Fair Chase, the latest in the Sawbrook saga, laws make good suggestions, but it’s the people and animals living on the fringes of society who demonstrate true generosity and courage. Fair Chase is refreshing and unapologetically entertaining. Read it, and thank me later.
February 21, 2026
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC. This one was a solid read. Not a ton of character development, but they were engaging. I liked that enough detail was given without going over the top. I wanted a different outcome, but the author pulled it thru at the end leaving the reader feeling hopeful for the future.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Engaging characters, small town politics, nature vs profit…these elements made for a page-turning read. I grew up in a small town in northern Michigan and can vouch for the rugged beauty of the land and waters, the existence of shady “good ol’ boy” networks and the fact that poachers suck.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
3.75 stars. Good, engaging story. Interesting characters. Great wolf scenes. I was very disappointed about the outcome for the wolf but happy for Delos. 🐺There could be a sequel where the wolves come out on top.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Recommended.
Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:
https://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/2...
Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:
https://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/2...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
FAIR CHASE - I would have liked to have the first book, but it isn't necessary to read this book about the same family. Interesting story lines and good characters. Source: NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing. 4*
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews