Winter Song: A Novel

by Rebeca Lee Morales

For fans of Elizabeth Strout and Kent a novel that follows the intertwined lives of a small-town Midwestern police chief and a young man recently released from prison, each in search of justice

It's 1986, deep winter, in the hinterland of remote Middle America, with demolition derbies and downtown diners, a place so frozen and secluded the world beyond its borders barely registers.

Here, Gordon Trent, a police chief facing mandatory retirement, squares off with Byron Lugo, just released from Stillwater prison for vehicular homicide. Byron has never admitted guilt and still proclaims his innocence to anyone who will the police chief, townspeople suspicious of the felon now in their midst, the motley group of friends who will stand by him no matter what did or didn't happen that fateful night.

Byron's headlong quest to clear his name and resume the life he lost when he was convicted will force the chief into a painful reassessment of his own judgment, loyalty, and legacy as a police officer.

Winter Song is a moving and pitch-perfect examination of love, community, identity, and the redress of past wrongs in working-class America—and marks the introduction of a brilliant new literary voice.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

Kindle Edition

Expected publication December 1, 2026

About the author

Rebeca Lee Morales writes fiction that explores human resilience and the quiet moral reckonings that shape everyday lives. Born in Cape Charles, Virginia and raised in Michigan, she is the daughter of a missionary mother who served in the Yucatán and a pastor father. In autumn of 2004, she relocated to the Pacific Northwest, where she now resides. Winter Song is her debut novel.

Reviews

[Jennifer Tackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super grateful to have received this ARC from NetGalley! There aren’t many things I love more than a stellar debut novel! Winter Song is just that - beautifully written, realistic with sympathetic characters and familiar landscapes. I lived in South Dakota for a few years, so much of this Minnesota setting and so many of the characters were familiar. Our protagonist, Byron, is someone you can’t help but root for, and Chief Trent seems to be the upstanding law enforcement we all hope we’d find if ever in Byron’s situation. Rebeca Lee Morales has definitely made a fan out of me.

[Rachel B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advance copy.

Overall, this fell flat for me, but I think there are things to like in this story. Set in the 1980s in Minnesota, this story revolves around a man being released from prison for a crime he didn’t commit. His release prompts the local sheriff to look further into the original crime. That description sold me. I thought it would be at least a mystery. It’s not. This is more about the ins and outs of daily life for both of our main characters. Sometimes it’s interesting, but sometimes it’s just a random chapter that goes nowhere.

The author is very good at describing the setting - the atmosphere feels cold, and I love a story where the setting feels like its own character. That said, the author also has a tendency to get bogged down on the minor details of what the characters are doing in a way that made me skim.

It’s a quick read because it’s short with short chapters, but the pace of the story is very slow.

I think if you go in without expectations of this being a thriller/mystery/crime novel, you may enjoy it more than I did.

[Mary Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Winter Song is a very atmospheric novel set in the winter months of Minnesota. Everything about this book, from the setting, to the language, to the imagery invokes COLD. There are parts that feel very bleak - the main characters are a veteran police chief and a young man just released from a 4 year prison sentence who strongly adheres to his innocence. He is trying to re-adjust to his new life where everyone views him as an ex-convict, while also finding anyone who will believe in him. The chief of police is grappling with his own life and losses and struggles to believe that he should question the way justice played out. This book will really make you think about how you feel about our justice system and then just justice in general. It was a slower paced read, but I really was invested in the characters and wanted to know how things would turn out. I enjoyed this book and give it 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for the opportunity to read this ARC ebook.

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

In most wrongful-conviction stories, the system is the villain. In Winter Song, the system has a conscience.

Set in a small Minnesota town where everybody knows everybody (and yes, everybody has opinions) this character-driven mystery follows Byron Lugo after his release from prison. Convicted of vehicular manslaughter in the death of a child, Byron has never wavered from his claim that he had an alibi. He served his time, but returning home means facing what he truly lost: his job, his reputation, his friends, and the woman he planned to marry.

The heart of this story isn’t high-speed chases or shocking twists. It’s quieter than that. The tension comes from a couple central questions: if Byron didn’t do it, who did? Will the truth ever come out? And will the town, especially Police Chief Gordon Trent, be willing to look again?

Chief Trent was my favorite part of this novel. He cares. He cares about Byron, about the victim’s family, and about the integrity of his town. That felt authentic to small-town life, and I appreciated how his personal investment added both hope and emotional weight to the story.

This is a steady, beautifully paced read. I never skimmed. I never felt impatient. The atmosphere is vivid and picturesque, and having lived in several small towns myself, I can say Morales captured that dynamic perfectly including the loyalty, the long memories, and the quiet judgments.

The novel explores justice, loyalty, and what happens when legal closure doesn’t feel like moral truth. There is a moment of justice outside the system and I’ll admit, I approved.

Content considerations include the death of a child, vehicular manslaughter, and murder.

This isn’t a heart-pounding thriller. It’s a thoughtful, character-driven mystery with a strong emotional core. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy small-town crime with depth and heart. I’ll be buying a copy when it releases. I give this 4.5 stars. It's a solid, satisfying read with no eye-rolls.

A special thank you to Ecco for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Byron Lugo, 26 years old, recently released from Stillwater State Prison after serving time for a crime he swears he didn’t commit, is back home in his small town in southern Minnesota. He visits his dad then finds himself a small place of his own. It doesn’t take long before the whole town knows he’s back. Word spreads like wildfire – the ex-con is back.

His buddies want to drink beer and race cars. Byron wants to get his girl, his former fiancé back. The trouble is, she’s married now. Her husband, a nemesis from their school days, warns him in no uncertain terms to stay the heck away. The police chief, Gordon Trent, greets him and basically keeps an eye on him but is of a mind that he’s served his time, guilty or not. Something tells him the kid may not have been guilty. He seems to be keeping an open mind, unlike so many others.

This is a mystery with a slow burn. I had mixed feelings throughout, wondering whether Byron truly was innocent as he proclaimed. The plot drags in places, meanders in small-town fashion. Byron means well, but he doesn’t always make wise choices, even now, especially when it comes to love, at least not at first. There are few surprises, but there are several.

The characters felt to me like real human beings, flawed, with real feelings and desires. I could practically picture main street and some of the scenes, particularly the snowball fight among Byron and his buddies. The story bogs down a bit midway through, and it was tempting to DNF it, but I’m glad I stuck with it because just when I thought the story was over – it wasn’t. Not quite.

This is not a happy story, exactly, but if felt real. Lifelike. Kudos to Ms. Morales on her debut novel, Winter Song.

I received a digital copy of Winter Song in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, Ecco Press, and the author.

3.5 stars rounded up

[Laura Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes a book is just a good story. That is my opinion of Rebeca Lee Morales's book, Winter Song, to be published December 1, 2026 from Harper Collins Publishers. Morales, a fresh literary voice, writes a compelling story about a small town in Minnesota and the close knit ties of community, the good and the bad.

Byron Lugo has just been released from prison for a hit and run murder he was convicted of, but Byron swears that he did not commit. His one focus, ultimate goal, is to get the life that he feels was stolen from him back. He is bound and determined that the town will see that he is innocent of the hit and run death of a teenage boy.

Life has moved on since his incarceration. His fiancee has married a man that Byron considers a brute. His friends still have his back, but not everyone in town feels the same way. Gordon Trent, the town's chief of police advises Byron to move on with his life, stop looking back. He has paid his debt to society, get busy living again. Yet forgetting his wrongful conviction is not part of his plan, redeeming himself is his goal.

The story poses the questions, can you ever relive the past? Once the general opinion of a community is formed, whether a person is guilty or innocent, can that consensus be corrected? Even when a court rules the person innocent of a crime...or guilty.

Morales's writing is well thought out and plainly powerful. Her characters speak for themselves with voices that feel as though the reader is sitting next to them as part of their conversations. I was simply part of the story as I experienced the book. Which is exactly what I am looking for in this form of literary fiction. Winter Song was not a thriller, nor a complex murder mystery. Winter Song was a good story. I encourage you to read it for yourself December 2026.

I received an advanced reader's copy of Winter Song from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley #WinterSong

[Ed Rabinowitz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Ecco Press for this advance reader’s copy, in exchange for an honest review. “Winter Song” is scheduled for release on June 9, 2026.
In 1986, in a small town in rural Minnesota, police chief Gordon Trent is wrestling with life without his deceased wife and the pending prospect of mandatory retirement.
Into his life comes Byron Lugo, a 26-year-old who was just released from Stillwater prison for a vehicular manslaughter crime committed four years ago. Lugo has served his time, but he remains adamant of his innocence and is Hell bent on proving it. And resuming the life he had prior to his incarceration.
But Lugo soon finds out you can’t always go back home.
It’s an interesting premise and an easy read. But the narrative plods along with frequent chapters that left me wondering what bearing they have on the story. The answer, in the end, is none. So why include them? If they’re there to paint a more vivid picture of the various characters, that didn’t work.
There are no surprises in the narrative. It’s easy to decipher where the story is going and what’s going to happen well before the reveals. So when key moments occur they have minimal impact.
The dialogue, too, is awkward. The exchanges between Lugo and his two friends, Charlie and Andres, is pedestrian at best. It’s hard to believe that friends, even back in 1986 in rural Minnesota, spoke to each other in the depicted manner.
The descriptions of life in rural Minnesota in January are interesting, and some are quite vivid. But they’re just nice window dressing. The heart of the book didn’t embrace me nor entice me to read enthusiastically.
Two stars for “Winter Song.” Its melody is too far off key.
And you can read all of my reviews at my Raised on Reading (www.raisedonreading.com) blog site. New reviews posted every Monday.

[Jennifer Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Winter Song
Author: Rebeca Lee Morales
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Byron was convicted of a crime he said he didn’t commit and after serving time, he returns home to try to start over. Trying to convince the chief of police as well as the father of the teenager who was killed that fateful night doesn’t go as he planned, but he’s not giving up.

Takeaways:
1. Can I just say I love the cover? Sets a sense of nostalgia. However, I will admit as the town was described in the book, that picture on the cover is not what I saw in my mind. My town was more rundown and told a tale of what it had been through. The picture presents newly painted and ready for its closeup, not a place that hunkers down for a midwestern winter. I want to step into that town.
2. I was thinking after the first chapter that this one might be too wordy and descriptive, but once Byron entered the story, there was something about him that truly drove the story forward. Byron makes the story and you find yourself pulling for him to clear his name and reclaim the life he had before prison.
3. Trent is a steadfast, loyal, honest character. He shows it isn’t too late to change your mind and reexamine the evidence.
4. “The past wasn’t the last word and disappointment wasn’t fatal. More importantly, the future was ahead and he intended to drive into it without looking in the rear view mirror.” Words that struck a chord with me. Too often we are stuck trying to resolve our past without turning our focus to what is to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on December 1, 2026.

#arc #netgalley #bookstagram @eccobooks #wintersong @rebecaleemorales

[Kristi Lamont · Rating 1 out of 5]

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of Winter Song, by Rebecca Lee Morales, from Ecco/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

⭐ 1 ⭐

This book was an unfortunate combination of boring and anxious-making.


DESCRIPTION
For fans of Elizabeth Strout and Kent Haruf: a novel that follows the intertwined lives of a small-town Midwestern police chief and a young man recently released from prison, each in search of justice

It's 1986, deep winter, in the hinterland of Minnesota: remote Middle America, with demolition derbies and downtown diners, a place so frozen and secluded the world beyond its borders barely registers.

Here, Gordon Trent, a police chief facing mandatory retirement, squares off with Byron Lugo, just released from Stillwater prison for vehicular homicide. Byron has never admitted guilt and still proclaims his innocence to anyone who will listen: the police chief, townspeople suspicious of the felon now in their midst, the motley group of friends who will stand by him no matter what did or didn't happen that fateful night.

Byron's headlong quest to clear his name and resume the life he lost when he was convicted will force the chief into a painful reassessment of his own judgment, loyalty, and legacy as a police officer.

Winter Song is a moving and pitch-perfect examination of love, community, identity, and the redress of past wrongs in working-class America—and marks the introduction of a brilliant new literary voice.

[Kate Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting small town story as dark and brooding as a mid-winter January day in remote Minnesota.

Police Chief Gordon Trent works hard at maintaining the peaceful status quo of Montevideo, Minnesota. That is until ex-con Byron Lugo returns home after serving nearly four years of a manslaughter charge for a crime he continues to claim he never committed. Byron wants his previous life back in the worst way. Yet, so many obstacles stand in his way. After several chats, Byron inspires the Chief to start questioning the evidence from five years back. Can justice truly be served? Or is it a dream wafting up the chimney with winter's woodsmoke? Step in to the story to find out.

This is a most impressive first novel. The prose, although gloomy at times, is rich and exquisitely delivered. The characters seem very real and the scene settings are evocative of the extreme winters up north. If a thoughtful, deep, police procedural appeals, then this could well be the book for you.

I am grateful to publisher Ecco for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.


Publisher: Ecco
Publication date: December 1, 2026
Number of Pages: 256
ISBN: 978-0063464032

[Ryan Brandenburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

The intriguing premise of this book piqued my interest, so I was excited to receive an advanced copy from NetGalley and the publisher, Ecco, before its release on December 1, 2026. Given the winter setting seemed more appropriate to read right now rather than wait until next fall, I decided to seize the opportunity and read it now instead of waiting. And I’m so l glad I made that choice!

This is a slow-burning, character-driven novel set in rural Minnesota during winter. The protagonist, Byron, was recently released from prison after serving time for a crime he insists he didn’t commit. The narrative alternates between Byron and the police chief, Gordon Trent, and explores Byron’s initial weeks of freedom and his reintroduction to the town he grew up in that’s also where the crime was committed.

I found all the characters captivating and the writing to be excellent. It’s hard to believe this is Morales’s debut novel. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for her future novels after reading this one!

Fans of S.A. Cosby would particularly enjoy this book. While it’s less plot-driven and violent, there’s a similarity I thoroughly enjoyed.

[John Linkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the world of writing there is a divide between non-fiction (based on science and historical fact) and fiction within which all bets are off in a universe of universes created by great story tellers. But paradoxically, perhaps the most difficult fiction to write is about ordinary people, places and times, because that’s where readers actually live, so ever running behind such stories is our “ground truth” and anything that doesn’t ring pitch perfect, can take us from engrossed page turner to distracted amateur editor. Which is to say that Rebeca Lee Morales has accomplished two supremely challenging things. First is telling a “I can’t put the book down” story. Second is filling it with fully formed imperfect people with a cold MN winter as an ever-felt other presence. To do that at all puts Morales in the company of great talent. To do it with her debut novel is extraordinary! I join others in welcoming such a gifted storyteller and hope another book by this truly talented individual is coming soon!

My sincere thanks to ECCO for the opportunity to read a galley of Rebeca Lee Morales’ “Winter Song”!

[Jennifer ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I regret to say that this book didn’t quite pull me in and I struggled to get into the story. That being said, the author does have the gift of descriptive writing. I felt like the setting felt real and tangible- cold and snowy like it was supposed to feel.

This story follows Byron as he gets released from jail after being convicted of hitting and killing a local boy while driving late one night. He staunchly claims his innocence and just wants his life back.

The local police chief feels that niggle telling him that he needs to look back into the case.

I won’t give away any spoilers here but I was slightly disappointed that the outcome was predictable. I also feel like the whole thing was a bit anticlimactic.

I just struggled to stay interested and engaged with the story as it was a very, very slow burn. I also don’t feel like I connected with any of the characters and I think it was maybe my being resentful that the plot just didn’t feel like it moved very well.

All in all, I appreciate the chance to read the book early and thank you to #netgalley for allowing me the chance to review it. It wasn’t my cup of tea but I hope that remains untrue for other readers.

[Emily Kincaid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Morales’s debut novel is set in a small town in the 80s where Byron Lugo has just returned back home from prison after 4 years. Of course, it’s hard to run from the past in a small town, especially when you go away for a hit and run that ended in a young boy being killed. Police chief Trent, recently a widower, is hesitant about Lugo being back, especially because he’s going around telling people he’s innocent. What follows is a story of redemption, of law and order and the idea of returning home but it not really feeling like home anymore.

Overall, this was a strong debut. The writing was great, the small-town vibe was well-established and I felt sympathetic towards the characters created. I think it fell a bit flat for me because there were some characters or elements of the story that I had a hard time understanding their purpose or what they really added. I also went into it expecting more of a mystery or crime drama story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

[sniksnak · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the frozen isolation of 1986 rural Minnesota this debut novel tracks police chief Gordon Trent, nearing retirement, and Byron Lugo, 26, freed from prison after a vehicular homicide conviction he disputes with a strong alibi. Byron seeks to prove innocence, reclaim his life and expose the truth, forcing Trent who was absent from the initial probe due to his wife’s illness to confront judgment, loyalty, and his legacy.
Shifting viewpoints reveal small town strains of deep loyalties, lingering memories, and unspoken verdicts. Favoring introspection over action, it interrogates guilt amid justice, forbidden ties, community, identity, and amending injustices in working class America, ending in extra judicial resolution.

**I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read this gifted ebook in exchange for an honest review. #ARC #NetGalley
#WinterSong

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this book were set to music, I think it would be a lethargic ballad in a minor key. Set during a frigid winter, the town in Minnesota is as colorless as the dirty snow.

I’d call it a slice of life story focusing primarily on Byron, just released from prison on a vehicular manslaughter charge he swears he didn't commit, and Trent, the police chief facing retirement and ruminating about choices he’s made in his life.

Nothing has changed in his friends’ lives since Byron was in prison and they all pick up where they left off. There has been some change though—Byron's fiancé married someone else. Other minor characters flush out the story to keep it moving.

The story was a slog for me. Too slow and no surprises. I think it would have been a better short story.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Ecco for the opportunity to read the ARC and honestly review it.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

In “Winter Song”, Rebeca Lee Morales has written a sprawling novel of heartache and redemption. It’s hard to believe this is her first ever novel. It is so well written, and the characters are so life-like. You can feel the pain of each character. You can feel the question of those that are on the outside trying to figure things out.

The novel isn’t rushed. Not at all. But neither is life. If you have ever been falsely accused, you want a quick resolution. But that isn’t typically how real life plays out. And that is not how a novel like this should be written. There are going to be long, hard days.

This was a beautifully written novel. It will be interesting to see how the author follows up this novel.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Angelie · Rating 3 out of 5]

You could genuinely feel the cold and bleakness of this little town. I grew up in one of those American towns, full of bars and full of churches, in that time -the 1980's, so I know. The author does a fantastic job creating atmosphere.

The story fell flat for me, though. While this is a shorter book, it reads like a longer one. The chapters that focus on the main character held intrigue, but for me, I found there were too many chapters where I would be reading and wondering who I'm reading about and why I'm reading about that person.

If you want to settle in to an atmospheric read, that is more of a quiet mystery and not a thriller, I think this one could click.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for providing the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.

[Holly]

This is a quiet story about friendship, sacrifice, and following one’s internal compass. Retired deputy Owen Cooper and soon-to-be retired police chief, Gordon Trent maintain a quiet friendship of shared history, weekly breakfasts, and wisened observations in a small Minnesota town.

Byron Lugo, 24, is released from jail after serving time for a crime he says he did not commit and has a list of 7 items to check off to get his life back.

Despite having served his time and telling people of his innocence, most of the town treat him like a hopeless cause. Except for Gordon Trent, who starts seeing things that don’t add up and pursues a small
investigation of his own. Slow in pace, matching the slow pace of a small town, the narrative follows Byron’s and Trent’s unhurried processes of uncovering the truth.

Secrets are revealed and a couple of surprises provide just enough intrigue to keep the story compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the advanced reader’s copy of this book.

[Lee Cornell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut novel is set in Montevideo, Minnesota, in 1986. The portrayal of small-town Minnesota is mostly quite accurate. (Not really small town … population just over 5,000. And "mostly" as the gay characters seem to face little of the animosity one would anticipate. But I am quibbling. This is a great book.)

Byron Lugo returns to Montevideo after spending time in prison for vehicular homicide. He is set on proving that he is innocent. The long-time police chief tries to convince Byron to just let it go … It’s done. He has served his time. He should move on with his life.

The book presents a great portrait of working-class life, looking carefully at the things that divide and unite people: family, friendship, and love.

[Sarah Lesko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every page of this book truly felt like winter. The way that it was written really captured the imagery of winter in Minnesota. This also challenges the justice system- what is right isn’t always lawful and vice ver sa. The plot points of this book live in the grey area and there’s definitely lots to think about.

That said, I personally didn’t enjoy that it moved reeeeeally slowly. The pacing felt to drag a bit for me. When it was interesting, it was INTERESTING; but for most of the middle, I was bored.

And then a BIG plot point happened at the 80% mark and I was like “what could I possibly still read about for the last 20%?!”

So idk that I’m the best audience for this, but it is by no means a bad book.

(Received complimentary from NetGalley for review purposes)

[K. L. Laettner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I truly wanted to be absorbed into this story, but round myself feeling a lull…a movie known as “a sleeper” is what it best reminded me of. I waited for some form of excitement, and it wasn’t a bad book, it just meandered along like a lazy river. The writing was good, detailed, almost too detailed, and I set the book aside, not picking it up again until a few weeks later, taking up where I left off. I don’t know if I would recommend it, but if I hadn’t finished it, I don’t think I would have been hurt. Kudos to the author for the story, but perhaps it just wasn’t for me. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy. The best note on the whole story, the ending made me have faith in humanity, and in second chances.

[Kate Connell · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5

Very character focused, no big surprises, a deep dive on the two main characters.

It's 1986 and wintertime in Minnesota, where Byron Lugo has just been released after serving part of his sentence for a vehicular homicide that he still claims he is innocent of committing. He quickly learns things won't go back to normal, his job won't take him back, someone else is living in his old rental, and his fiancée got married to another man. Byron learns to navigate a return to the world as he continues to try to find a way to prove his innocence.

Our other character of focus is Gordon Trent, the police chief who is facing mandatory retirement due to his age, and who didn't work Byron's case as his wife was dying at the time. While Byron continues on his quest to clear his name, Trent delves deeper into the case, forcing him to assess his own judgement and legacy in his department while he determines whether Byron is truly innocent, and what that might mean about his department.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley and Ecco for this Advanced Readers Copy for my honest review.

I enjoyed this novel overall, but I found it to be pretty slow at times, and not much action really occurred until the end. I did enjoy the theme of the story—heartache and redemption—and Rebecca Lee Morales did a really great job on describing the winter setting where the novel takes place. That said, the story didn’t exactly have the best flow. I felt that some characters could have been left out, as they didn’t really serve a purpose to the story, while others could have used more context and development. The writing itself was good, but the execution of the story just didn’t fully land for me.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Winter Song is a character-driven, atmospheric novel set in a small, frozen Minnesota town. The setting was one of my favorite parts—you can really feel the isolation and heaviness throughout the story.

I appreciated the themes of redemption, justice, and second chances, and Byron’s character especially kept me invested. However, this is a slower-paced, more literary read. It leans more into daily life and internal reflection than plot or action, and I found myself wanting a bit more momentum.

Overall, a well-written and thoughtful story—just not quite the right fit for my usual reading preferences.

#NetGalley #WinterSong

[ECM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winter Song is a slow-burn, character driven read that evokes the splendor of winter, while touching on themes of justice, mercy, and love in small-town, working-class America. This novel reads like an homage to winter, friendship, and the Midwest in general. I noted allusions to several writers (including Jane Smiley and William Kennedy) and the novel makes all sorts of cultural references without ever being showy or gimmicky. I recommend this novel for lovers of language and deep-dive literary fiction. A book to be savored and shared.

Thank you to the ECCO for this advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Debut novel that does not disappoint.

The beautiful description of Minnesota landscapes brings you to the location with its biting winds, slow, lazy downtown, and judgy townspeople. As a reader, I could feel the bitter cold, and this led to character and plot development as well.

The primary character Byron, is an ex convict who may or may not be guilty of the convicted crime. Police Chief Trent seems to root for Byron even when the choices he makes, present tense, are all wrong.

As is the case with some mysteries, the story is slow at points, but fear not. It returns to thrill again.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3 ⭐️

[JXR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel, set in rural minnesota, features a small-town police chief and a man just released from prison for vehicular homicide who continues to assert his innocence. Each of these characters play off a variety of other characters in a meditation on the criminal justice system, what it really means to be innocent until proven guilty, and the redress for past wrongs.

This issue is one that is close to my heart, and I think this book pulls off the meditation really well. An interesting and thought-provoking read. 5 stars. Thanks to Ecco and Netgalley for the E-ARC.

[Kate Belt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a compelling story about a young Native American man putting his life back together after 5 years in prison for a hit and run death he insists he did not commit. I had empathy for him from beginning to end. Well done descriptions of rural Minnesota provide a strong sense of place. I can see the publisher’s comp to Kent Haruf, There’s a good plot, but some streams don’t seem relevant to the story, and it ended too easily. It’s not strong on character development. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the free ARC ebook. This is my objective review.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short and sad story about a man who has served time and is released from prison, consistently insisting that he hasn't committed the crime. And a policeman who finally decides to get curious. It has so much sadness.

It shows how hard it can be to start over again, even when you have support, even when some people believe you. And how your own belief in yourself can both help and hurt. And how sometimes it's best to just move on and not look backward no matter what.

with gratitude to netgalley and Ecco for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.