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The Mystery at Black Partridge Woods
A legendary water beast, mysterious wolves, and an unsolved murder echo through two centuries.
Wawetseka, a Potawatomi woman, is shocked when a body washes up near her village, but events soon turn worse: her only son is arrested for murder. To free him she must track down the real killer. Her investigation takes her through the wilderness of 1817 northern Illinois and to Fort Dearborn as she races desperately, fighting the harsh terrain and the realities of vigilante justice.
Two centuries later, Wawetseka’s descendent, Nick Pokagon, a charismatic young scientist, partners with Cora Tozzi, Cisco, and Frannie to publish Wawetseka’s adventures. But then Cora and her friends are attacked. What does Wawetseka’s story have to do with the present? How can the mysterious assailant be stopped?
The Mystery at Black Partridge Woods tells two related stories with unexpected parallels. It is both a fast-paced adventure and a mystery that paints a picture of the little-known earliest days of what is now Lemont, Illinois. Readers who enjoy amateur sleuths and adventure will find it hard to put down.
Wawetseka, a Potawatomi woman, is shocked when a body washes up near her village, but events soon turn worse: her only son is arrested for murder. To free him she must track down the real killer. Her investigation takes her through the wilderness of 1817 northern Illinois and to Fort Dearborn as she races desperately, fighting the harsh terrain and the realities of vigilante justice.
Two centuries later, Wawetseka’s descendent, Nick Pokagon, a charismatic young scientist, partners with Cora Tozzi, Cisco, and Frannie to publish Wawetseka’s adventures. But then Cora and her friends are attacked. What does Wawetseka’s story have to do with the present? How can the mysterious assailant be stopped?
The Mystery at Black Partridge Woods tells two related stories with unexpected parallels. It is both a fast-paced adventure and a mystery that paints a picture of the little-known earliest days of what is now Lemont, Illinois. Readers who enjoy amateur sleuths and adventure will find it hard to put down.
387 pages, Paperback
Published August 21, 2016
About the author
Pat Camalliere
10 books36 followersPat Camalliere is the author of the popular, five-star-rated Cora Tozzi Historical Mystery Series. Her debut novel, The Mystery at Sag Bridge. was published in 2015. Her second book, The Mystery at Black Partridge Woods, was published in 2016. The Mystery at Mount Forest Island was published on 3/27/20.
Pat lives with her husband in Lemont, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. She serves on the boards of the Lemont Historical Society and the Lemont Public Library District. She is a member of the Society of Midland Authors, Sisters in Crime and the Chicago Writers Association. She writes a blog about local history that can be read on her website at www.patcamallierebooks.com.
Pat lives with her husband in Lemont, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. She serves on the boards of the Lemont Historical Society and the Lemont Public Library District. She is a member of the Society of Midland Authors, Sisters in Crime and the Chicago Writers Association. She writes a blog about local history that can be read on her website at www.patcamallierebooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 21, 2016
Award-Winning Finalist, Most Original Concept, 2017 Red City Review Book Awards
From Red City Review: The second installment in the Cora Tozzi Historical Mystery Series, The Mystery at Black Partridge Woods is an intriguing novel that combines two mysteries spanning two centuries in one engaging narrative. In the year 1817, we follow Wawetseka, a Potawatomi woman living in what is present-day Illinois, who discovers a dead body at the edge of her village. While this alone is alarming, the situation worsens when her only son is arrested, suspected of murdering the very victim Wawetseka discovered. The only way to prove her son’s innocence is to track down the real killer, causing her to start an investigation of her own, which leads her through the harsh wilderness, heading toward Fort Dearborn as she fights against the dangerous terrain. Two hundred years later, one of Wawetseka’s descendants, Nick Pokagon, teams up with Cora Tozzi, and her friends Cisco and Frannie to publish an account about Wawetseka’s journey. Shortly after Cora and company sign on to the project, they are viciously attacked by someone, or something, who doesn’t want Wawetseka’s story to be told. Readers are forced to wonder what this mystery from the past has to do with anything going on today, creating a suspenseful tale that is sure to keep the pages turning one after another.
By crafting a well-thought-out narrative that ties together two mysteries with unexpected parallels, Camalliere succeeds at entertaining readers with a suspenseful novel that will keep them guessing until the very end. Both timelines are well paced, and the characters are given a great deal of depth. It’s interesting to read about the northern Illinois wilderness present in Wawetseka’s story, and then see how the setting has changed over the centuries as we follow Cora around the streets of Lemont. Cora is a likable amateur sleuth, who uses her abilities and intelligence to try and crack the case, before it’s too late.
http://redcityreview.com/reviews/the-...
From Red City Review: The second installment in the Cora Tozzi Historical Mystery Series, The Mystery at Black Partridge Woods is an intriguing novel that combines two mysteries spanning two centuries in one engaging narrative. In the year 1817, we follow Wawetseka, a Potawatomi woman living in what is present-day Illinois, who discovers a dead body at the edge of her village. While this alone is alarming, the situation worsens when her only son is arrested, suspected of murdering the very victim Wawetseka discovered. The only way to prove her son’s innocence is to track down the real killer, causing her to start an investigation of her own, which leads her through the harsh wilderness, heading toward Fort Dearborn as she fights against the dangerous terrain. Two hundred years later, one of Wawetseka’s descendants, Nick Pokagon, teams up with Cora Tozzi, and her friends Cisco and Frannie to publish an account about Wawetseka’s journey. Shortly after Cora and company sign on to the project, they are viciously attacked by someone, or something, who doesn’t want Wawetseka’s story to be told. Readers are forced to wonder what this mystery from the past has to do with anything going on today, creating a suspenseful tale that is sure to keep the pages turning one after another.
By crafting a well-thought-out narrative that ties together two mysteries with unexpected parallels, Camalliere succeeds at entertaining readers with a suspenseful novel that will keep them guessing until the very end. Both timelines are well paced, and the characters are given a great deal of depth. It’s interesting to read about the northern Illinois wilderness present in Wawetseka’s story, and then see how the setting has changed over the centuries as we follow Cora around the streets of Lemont. Cora is a likable amateur sleuth, who uses her abilities and intelligence to try and crack the case, before it’s too late.
http://redcityreview.com/reviews/the-...
January 6, 2024
Another intriguing mystery, except the ending...wasn't that great. Left much to be desired. In the last few chapters there was the Big Reveal, and the bad guy was a minor background character only mentioned once, and I still have no idea who the bad guy is. I figured it would be someone unexpected, like in all mysteries, but the antagonist here was almost nonexistent for the entire novel. There were also several plot points that were never resolved: Frannie was researching the Broussard family to see if she was related; the result of that search was never mentioned. Nick was being subjected to a harassment campaign by his co-workers who were trying to get him fired-this was never concluded, and I was actually more concerned about Nick's career than solving the mystery by this point. Also: is the bad guy dead or alive? Again no conclusion, and how exactly the dead wolf got into the house is never explained fully. So I feel like a chapter was missing that would've explained all this...but, the rest of the book is really good, and I really enjoyed the plot, just the ending needed a little more editing.
October 21, 2018
One woman's attempt to help a friend publish his ancestor's journal leads to threats by a mysterious stranger and the appearance of an ancient North American sea serpent. Switching between two time periods (1817 and present day Illinois) Camalliere effortlessly blends historical fiction with magical realism and a modern day mystery tale. Although there isn't much action, the story rolled along with adequate tension with thoroughly loveable characters to keep this reader turning pages until the triumphal conclusion. It's a delightful cozy mystery with a little something extra. I learned things I never knew about early American history. This book follows Camalliere's first novel featuring these same characters but can easily be read as a stand alone without knowledge of the previous book.
February 6, 2023
Cora Tozzi enchanted me in the first book in the series, so I was excited to follow her on a quest to solve a 200-year-old mystery. Set in the real location of Lemont, Illinois, the physical descriptions place the reader into a beautiful setting. The historical facts draw the reader more deeply into the setting and the parallel stories as they unfold. The characters are relatable and fun to follow as they solve the mystery. As an added benefit, Black Partridge Woods is a real place you can visit just north of the Village of Lemont.
July 6, 2017
Great book. A bit of American Indian local history and culture with a murder mystery to solve. I plan to follow the main character's footsteps in the Village of Lemont, Illinois and visit the places mentioned in the story.
February 20, 2017
This is actually a book within a book. i loved the local history that Pat researched and used (my dad always did tell me that Archer sve was an indian trail). I also liked that she continued using most of the same characters.
December 22, 2016
Love to be able to read something about my town written by a "local", AND it is a great story blending fact and fiction with lots of historical significance!
October 16, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this second installment in the Cora Tozzi historical mystery series. Because of her previous success in solving the Sag Bridge mystery, Cora is approached by Nick, a young Potawatomi scholar who hopes that she will help him turn his ancestor's memoir into a book. Cora, her friend Frannie, and eventually her husband Cisco each lend their hand to the project. The memoir in question is the first-person account of how a white-educated native woman named Wawetseka tried to prove that her only son was not guilty of the murder he's been accused of. The account tells how she set about solving the mystery and, along the way, reveals interesting things about Illinois in the year 1817, just before statehood.
As in the first Cora Tozzi mystery, the historical tale is sandwiched between two halves of a contemporary story, which also contains a mystery. Someone, for reasons unknown, wants to stop the publication of Wawetseka's memoir. Both mysteries—historical and contemporary—have twist and turns along the way to the end.
Another similarity to the first book in the series is that motherhood is a significant theme in the story. As is friendship. The relationships are complex and well drawn.
As in the first Cora Tozzi mystery, the historical tale is sandwiched between two halves of a contemporary story, which also contains a mystery. Someone, for reasons unknown, wants to stop the publication of Wawetseka's memoir. Both mysteries—historical and contemporary—have twist and turns along the way to the end.
Another similarity to the first book in the series is that motherhood is a significant theme in the story. As is friendship. The relationships are complex and well drawn.
November 23, 2016
This novel is constructed in two parts; a modern day mystery set in today's Chicago suburbs, and a 200-year-old tale which really makes the book worth reading. Since I don't read a lot of mysteries that aren't action-oriented, I grew a bit impatient at times with the surrounding "Jessica Fletcher-ish" sleuth and her friends.. The tale of a Native American woman trying to clear her son of the murder of a white man, though, kicked it into high gear.
Ms. Camalliere's characters may not satisfy those of us who want a little more action, and the deep research sometimes gets in the way of the storytelling on occasion, but I learned a lot about the early days of Illinois and got me seeking more information, which is one of the joys of good historical fiction. If you're a fan of "pg-rated" mysteries, or interested in the complicated interaction of whites and natives pre-Revolutionary War, you'll enjoy this book.
Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book as preparation for a blog interview. No quid pro quo was offered nor expected.
Ms. Camalliere's characters may not satisfy those of us who want a little more action, and the deep research sometimes gets in the way of the storytelling on occasion, but I learned a lot about the early days of Illinois and got me seeking more information, which is one of the joys of good historical fiction. If you're a fan of "pg-rated" mysteries, or interested in the complicated interaction of whites and natives pre-Revolutionary War, you'll enjoy this book.
Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book as preparation for a blog interview. No quid pro quo was offered nor expected.
October 25, 2016
Full Disclosure: The author and I are friends and attend writing workshops together. The relationship notwithstanding, Pat has done a bang up job. Her knowledge and love of local history, combined with her writing skills, have crafted a novel that anyone can enjoy, even if they are unfamiliar with the location.
Cora and Cisco, characters from The Mystery at Sag Bridge, are again caught up in a story within a story. It's a difficult format for a contemporary novel, but Pat pulls it off nicely, sandwiching the tale of Wawetseka from 1817 between present day events that are driven by the historical presentation.
I did think the first section was somewhat slowly paced but Wawetseka's account of her struggle to save her son from 'white' justice is compelling and the final section is suspenseful and dramatic.
A really good read.
Cora and Cisco, characters from The Mystery at Sag Bridge, are again caught up in a story within a story. It's a difficult format for a contemporary novel, but Pat pulls it off nicely, sandwiching the tale of Wawetseka from 1817 between present day events that are driven by the historical presentation.
I did think the first section was somewhat slowly paced but Wawetseka's account of her struggle to save her son from 'white' justice is compelling and the final section is suspenseful and dramatic.
A really good read.
December 12, 2016
I really enjoyed rereading this book after almost five years. I found it compelling once again. I especially loved the little details that linked the past to the present. The present-day characters had similarities and parallels to the characters in the historic period, which added interest to both mysteries. I found Wawetseka, the main historic character, to be delightful, with many of the characteristics of Cora, the main present-day character. Both characters refused to give up when things got tough. The historic details were also fascinating. The book made me feel like I was immersed in the life of Wawetseka, seeing history through her eyes. I loved it.
August 21, 2016
Sue Merrell, Windy City Reviews: “Camalliere does an excellent job of describing the Des Plaines River Valley of 1817, which would have been one of the main highways to Fort Dearborn where Chicago is today. The plucky heroine, Wawetseka, reminds me of television’s MacGyver as she comes up with rustic inventions to cross a river or set a broken leg. But there’s a strong element of supernatural as well to help Wawetseka and add a little magic to the story.”
December 14, 2016
This is the author's second book in a series. She is a fellow Lemonter and so I enjoyed the historical and local flavor she added to the mystery.
February 10, 2018
I loved the portion of the book written from Wawetseka's point of view! Her portion of the story was hard to put down and felt genuine (historical portion). I enjoyed the present day characters of Cora and her family and having read Pat Camalliere's first book, was happy to catch up with them too! Can't wait for book three!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews