What do you think?
Rate this book
Creature X Mysteries #1
Roanoke Ridge
When bigfoot researcher Professor Berton Sorel goes missing in the temperate rainforest of Roanoke Ridge, Oregon, help is summoned in the form of his former star pupil: Laura Reagan, online science populist and avowed skeptic. But what begins as a simple search-and-rescue operation takes a drastic turn when a body is discovered - and the body isn't the professor. Caught in the fallout of the suspicious death, perplexed by a sudden wave of Bigfoot sightings, and still desperately searching for Professor Sorel, Reagan reluctantly admits two things: one, that her old mentor was right about there being secrets hidden in Roanoke Ridge; and two, that it's up to her to uncover them.
224 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2017
9 people are currently reading
401 people want to read
About the author
J.J. Dupuis
22 books39 followersLibrarian Note: Also writes under the pen name Jeff Dupuis.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
February 26, 2020
ROANOKE RIDGE by J.J. Dupuis is the first book in the new Creature X Mystery series. It is also my first book by this author. Bigfoot researcher Professor Berton Sorel is missing near Roanoke Ridge, Oregon. Laura Reagan and her friend Saad Javed arrive to help find him. She is a former student of his, a sceptic, and currently the owner of a popular science-based website called Science Is Awesome (Science IA). The story occurs just before and during the annual Roanoke Valley Bigfoot Festival.
The plot blends crime and cryptozoology into a contemporary setting. It was interesting and had a mystery, but the pace seemed slow to me. The characters did not seem fully developed and three-dimensional. However, their motivations seemed believable and there was an interesting array of secondary characters.
With a suspicious death, a wave of Bigfoot sightings, and the missing professor, I was expecting more suspense and a faster pace. While the plot twists were not unexpected, it was still an entertaining read. Additionally, the author did a great job of giving a clear sense of time and place through vivid descriptions that were not overdone. The author’s interest in the natural world came through clearly as well.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book with a satisfying ending.
Thanks to Dundurn Press and J.J. Dupuis for a complimentary ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
The plot blends crime and cryptozoology into a contemporary setting. It was interesting and had a mystery, but the pace seemed slow to me. The characters did not seem fully developed and three-dimensional. However, their motivations seemed believable and there was an interesting array of secondary characters.
With a suspicious death, a wave of Bigfoot sightings, and the missing professor, I was expecting more suspense and a faster pace. While the plot twists were not unexpected, it was still an entertaining read. Additionally, the author did a great job of giving a clear sense of time and place through vivid descriptions that were not overdone. The author’s interest in the natural world came through clearly as well.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book with a satisfying ending.
Thanks to Dundurn Press and J.J. Dupuis for a complimentary ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
January 28, 2020
3.5 Stars rounded to 4. Many thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for this enjoyable, intriguing mystery. From childhood, I was fascinated by books and articles dealing with cryptozoology. I was always skeptical of reports of sightings of legendary creatures such as Sasquatch(Bigfoot), Yeti, Loch Ness Monster, and other creatures unproven by scientific research. I never believed in them, but always held the hope that one day such a creature’s existence would be confirmed.
I enjoyed the protagonist/Investigator, Laura Reagan. She has a popular website that aims to bring scientific facts to its vast audience, and she is always skeptical of myths and scientific hoaxes. Her goal is to expose frauds and rumours through well-researched truths. She is cynical, resourceful, and physically tough. Her past experience in wilderness hiking and camping with her father has given her endurance and stamina. In addition, she has had martial arts training.
The story is set in Roanoke Ridge in the Oregon wilderness. There have been a number of recent sightings of Bigfoot reported in the vicinity, and the annual Bigfoot Festival is approaching. It draws enthusiasts and believers to the area. There is also present a disgraced hoaxer who falsely claimed to have the body of a Sasquatch in his possession.
Laura is drawn to the festival because her old college mentor, a respected and eccentric man searching for Bigfoot has disappeared and she is determined to find him. She is also on a mission to gather material for her websites and hoping to recover a long-missing videotape. This was made years before by Laura’s father and is said to show a distant view of a Sasquatch and its child.
I thought that the characters of Laura, and of Saad, computer expert and assistant, also Park Ranger and guide, Ted were well-developed personalities. I felt the important secondary characters were introduced too quickly, lacked depth, and I had difficulty sorting them out. After a slow beginning, the team discovers the body of a man who appears to have been murdered. The suspense, pace and tension increase considerably. Laura and her friends continue the search for the elderly professor. They are in danger as a conspiracy begins to unfold.
The cover and final chapter seem to forecast further books in a series. I eagerly anticipate reading about Laura’s next adventures.
I enjoyed the protagonist/Investigator, Laura Reagan. She has a popular website that aims to bring scientific facts to its vast audience, and she is always skeptical of myths and scientific hoaxes. Her goal is to expose frauds and rumours through well-researched truths. She is cynical, resourceful, and physically tough. Her past experience in wilderness hiking and camping with her father has given her endurance and stamina. In addition, she has had martial arts training.
The story is set in Roanoke Ridge in the Oregon wilderness. There have been a number of recent sightings of Bigfoot reported in the vicinity, and the annual Bigfoot Festival is approaching. It draws enthusiasts and believers to the area. There is also present a disgraced hoaxer who falsely claimed to have the body of a Sasquatch in his possession.
Laura is drawn to the festival because her old college mentor, a respected and eccentric man searching for Bigfoot has disappeared and she is determined to find him. She is also on a mission to gather material for her websites and hoping to recover a long-missing videotape. This was made years before by Laura’s father and is said to show a distant view of a Sasquatch and its child.
I thought that the characters of Laura, and of Saad, computer expert and assistant, also Park Ranger and guide, Ted were well-developed personalities. I felt the important secondary characters were introduced too quickly, lacked depth, and I had difficulty sorting them out. After a slow beginning, the team discovers the body of a man who appears to have been murdered. The suspense, pace and tension increase considerably. Laura and her friends continue the search for the elderly professor. They are in danger as a conspiracy begins to unfold.
The cover and final chapter seem to forecast further books in a series. I eagerly anticipate reading about Laura’s next adventures.
February 3, 2021
2.5 stars. This was a decent read, but the ending/reveal isn’t what I like in thrillers sadly.
April 23, 2020
Laura, the owner of a hard science website, is called in to help find an old family friend when he goes missing while hunting for bigfoot. Her father was also a bigfoot hunter and she grew up hiking and camping in the woods of Oregon where the professor disappeared. Laura is a very likable character that we get to know as she traipses through the woods looking for the professor. There's not much of a suspense or mystery as she's not really trying to solve a mystery. It's more of a search and rescue operation. The transitions in this book are very abrupt. I often found myself flipping back to make sure I didn't actually skip a page because suddenly we'd switched scenes and half a day had passed. The book does set itself up for future novels.
Received a review copy from Dundurn Press and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforemntioned.
Received a review copy from Dundurn Press and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforemntioned.
February 8, 2020
DNF @ 33%. This book is mind numbingly boring. I'm a third of the way through this book, and hardly anything has happened. The main character, Laura, has accomplished going to the ranger station and hiking up a mountain for a bit. But we've had time for a scientific lecture on climate change, complete with statistics. We've also had a lecture about the evils of sensational science reporting. Laura has spent a fair bit of time thinking about the deal she's been offered to buy her science website, as well as various articles she's published on the site and the reactions she's gotten to the articles.
I don't care about Laura. I don't care if Professor Sorel is alive. I didn't even care when we found a dead body in the woods.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions are my own.
I don't care about Laura. I don't care if Professor Sorel is alive. I didn't even care when we found a dead body in the woods.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions are my own.
April 12, 2018
Solid read
Good story. Could have done without the slight preaching of climate change as if it is established fact and a couple other liberal ideas, but that was only in the beginning and I managed to get past it. Otherwise, it was a very good tale.
Good story. Could have done without the slight preaching of climate change as if it is established fact and a couple other liberal ideas, but that was only in the beginning and I managed to get past it. Otherwise, it was a very good tale.
March 10, 2020
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews!**
Thanks to Netgalley, Dundurn and the author for sending this my way. When I saw it announced I was excited, but wasn’t that confident I’d get approved, so thank you!
Why was I excited specifically you may ask? My love of Bigfoot based thrillers and horrors. Since my childhood, all things cryptozoology have caught my interest and Bigfoot most of all. Maybe it was because I grew up in British Columbia and there had been sightings a few hours from my house, or maybe it was the thrill of the idea that a massive creature could still be living in the trees had me intrigued.
The book itself is pretty straight forward. Laura has a science website. Her dad believed in Bigfoot and while she spent many summers in the Roanoke area, she herself is a sceptic. Because, as I mentioned before, she has a science website and believes in science.
A Professor who was like a grandfather to her has now been reported missing in the area, so Laura gets a call to head there and help with the search.
What I liked: as with most Bigfoot books, I liked the tension and excitement of the possibility of them discovering Bigfoot.
What I didn’t like: truthfully, a fair bit. The pace is glacial at times, offering up very minor bits but stretching them out. At the beginning, we are treated to an author’s note, which states they are a sceptic, and that should be your mindset going in. We are treated to a science lecture with detailed statistics at the start – which I get, it did play well with a potential shift in Bigfoot habitat’s – but it was put in there purely to stereotype all Bigfoot searchers as science disbelievers, climate change deniers and rednecks who like to shoot guns. While each chapter starts with a real quote from various Bigfoot researchers and newspapers, most of the characters appear to be direct parodies/caricatures of real people – we get the Loren Coleman twin opening up the Bigfoot fesitival, we get the Todd Standing hoaxer twin, there are the characters that don’t matter who are trying to be the Finding Bigfoot crew and even the Science is Awesome website felt like a take on the site I F+++ing Love Science.
The ending was rushed and frustrating and just left me fuming that more could have been added in. It felt like a Hardy Boys Lite release.
Why you should buy it: if you love Bigfoot or creature features and want a single sitting read, this could be right up your alley. Be warned though, as I mentioned – the author is a sceptic – which means this book frequently makes sure that we understand that no rational mind can believe in Bigfoot.
Does it exist? Who knows? I sure hope so. But this book doesn’t add much to that side of the argument.
Thanks to Netgalley, Dundurn and the author for sending this my way. When I saw it announced I was excited, but wasn’t that confident I’d get approved, so thank you!
Why was I excited specifically you may ask? My love of Bigfoot based thrillers and horrors. Since my childhood, all things cryptozoology have caught my interest and Bigfoot most of all. Maybe it was because I grew up in British Columbia and there had been sightings a few hours from my house, or maybe it was the thrill of the idea that a massive creature could still be living in the trees had me intrigued.
The book itself is pretty straight forward. Laura has a science website. Her dad believed in Bigfoot and while she spent many summers in the Roanoke area, she herself is a sceptic. Because, as I mentioned before, she has a science website and believes in science.
A Professor who was like a grandfather to her has now been reported missing in the area, so Laura gets a call to head there and help with the search.
What I liked: as with most Bigfoot books, I liked the tension and excitement of the possibility of them discovering Bigfoot.
What I didn’t like: truthfully, a fair bit. The pace is glacial at times, offering up very minor bits but stretching them out. At the beginning, we are treated to an author’s note, which states they are a sceptic, and that should be your mindset going in. We are treated to a science lecture with detailed statistics at the start – which I get, it did play well with a potential shift in Bigfoot habitat’s – but it was put in there purely to stereotype all Bigfoot searchers as science disbelievers, climate change deniers and rednecks who like to shoot guns. While each chapter starts with a real quote from various Bigfoot researchers and newspapers, most of the characters appear to be direct parodies/caricatures of real people – we get the Loren Coleman twin opening up the Bigfoot fesitival, we get the Todd Standing hoaxer twin, there are the characters that don’t matter who are trying to be the Finding Bigfoot crew and even the Science is Awesome website felt like a take on the site I F+++ing Love Science.
The ending was rushed and frustrating and just left me fuming that more could have been added in. It felt like a Hardy Boys Lite release.
Why you should buy it: if you love Bigfoot or creature features and want a single sitting read, this could be right up your alley. Be warned though, as I mentioned – the author is a sceptic – which means this book frequently makes sure that we understand that no rational mind can believe in Bigfoot.
Does it exist? Who knows? I sure hope so. But this book doesn’t add much to that side of the argument.
February 4, 2020
Review to come
January 28, 2020
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the galley of this book.
SO. This book. It was kinda campy, and a fun romp...but then it feels like there are a couple chapters missing at the end. The ending & "reveals" happen so abruptly it's jarring, especially after the slower, meandering pace of the story prior. I don't think it sets up the conceit of the story super well, and it doesn't give a ton of background information, which I felt lacking. The characters feel a bit flat, too, but that's my own personal gripe.
The writing is incredible, but if you don't have a background in biology/anthropology/possibly archaeology?, you may want to have a dictionary handy, because this book is riddled with science jargon and basically none of it is explained. For the pace of the first 80% of the book to be so slow, the last 20% careens at breakneck speed and the whole tone of the book shifts along with it. It feels a little like I read two totally different books but with similar plot lines.
It's a short, fun read, and I wouldn't discourage you from reading it. I just felt a bit disappointed overall by it.
SO. This book. It was kinda campy, and a fun romp...but then it feels like there are a couple chapters missing at the end. The ending & "reveals" happen so abruptly it's jarring, especially after the slower, meandering pace of the story prior. I don't think it sets up the conceit of the story super well, and it doesn't give a ton of background information, which I felt lacking. The characters feel a bit flat, too, but that's my own personal gripe.
The writing is incredible, but if you don't have a background in biology/anthropology/possibly archaeology?, you may want to have a dictionary handy, because this book is riddled with science jargon and basically none of it is explained. For the pace of the first 80% of the book to be so slow, the last 20% careens at breakneck speed and the whole tone of the book shifts along with it. It feels a little like I read two totally different books but with similar plot lines.
It's a short, fun read, and I wouldn't discourage you from reading it. I just felt a bit disappointed overall by it.
June 22, 2020
This is another Dundurn book, and I have to say that Dundurn remains one of my favorite publishers, particularly in the mystery genre. Dundurn's detectives are a quirky, diverse group, and I keep finding myself hoping that titles will become series (or that series will be extended) because I want to spend time with these new "friends." For that reason, I'm delighted that Roanoke Ridge is subtitled to indicate it won't be a one-off.
Laura Reagan, the central character of Roanoke Ridge, is a science blogger and the daughter of a well-known bigfoot hunter. Laura's blog focuses on myth-busting, so when she attends a bigfoot celebration to investigate the disappearance of a former professor and mentor, we have a perspective that is both critical (blogger) and sympathetic (father's daughter). Laura is accompanied by her best friend Saad, a computer whiz originally from Pakistan.
The bigfoot celebration draws all sorts of believers and "believers": an unscrupulous hoaxer; a friendly Brit who loves dissecting bits of Bigfoot research; a grad student studying bigfoot, whose real agenda is using her data to demonstrate the reality of climate change to an audience generally hostile to mainstream science; and more.
The central mystery here works well enough, but the real heart of the book is the characters. I'll be checking the Dundurn catalogue regularly to see when I'll next be able to spend time with Laura Reagan.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.
Laura Reagan, the central character of Roanoke Ridge, is a science blogger and the daughter of a well-known bigfoot hunter. Laura's blog focuses on myth-busting, so when she attends a bigfoot celebration to investigate the disappearance of a former professor and mentor, we have a perspective that is both critical (blogger) and sympathetic (father's daughter). Laura is accompanied by her best friend Saad, a computer whiz originally from Pakistan.
The bigfoot celebration draws all sorts of believers and "believers": an unscrupulous hoaxer; a friendly Brit who loves dissecting bits of Bigfoot research; a grad student studying bigfoot, whose real agenda is using her data to demonstrate the reality of climate change to an audience generally hostile to mainstream science; and more.
The central mystery here works well enough, but the real heart of the book is the characters. I'll be checking the Dundurn catalogue regularly to see when I'll next be able to spend time with Laura Reagan.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.
March 14, 2022
Roanoke Ridge is a paranormal mystery just over 200 pages. Paranormal because it’s about tracking bigfoot. Yes, the mythical hairy man-creature aka sasquatch. Plenty to like in this quirky, imperfect, little mystery set in beautiful north-west USA. I would have given it 3 1/2 stars but I’ve rounded it up to 4.
Things I enjoyed about this novel:
- Bigfoot. Yeah, I enjoyed this aspect. The bigfoot enthusiasts, the ‘squatchers’ - who go looking, the Bigfoot festival. It was all entertaining.
- The setting in Oregon had a natural beauty that Dupuis described well.
- Our current environmental crisis wasn’t focused on but was incorporated into the book in a natural way, rather than ignoring it.
- One of the main characters was Saad, a Pakistani American.
- I was happy with the ending.
There wasn’t much I didn’t like about Roanoke Ridge. There were a few formatting issues, though it wasn’t difficult to navigate them. To be honest I find that with most ebooks I read.
Roanoke Ridge had a few moments of so-so writing but those moments didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. They were quickly forgotten in among solid writing, plenty of action that kept me going through to the end, and characters I liked.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Dundurn Press for my copy of the book in return for an honest review, and to the author, J.J. Dupuis.
Things I enjoyed about this novel:
- Bigfoot. Yeah, I enjoyed this aspect. The bigfoot enthusiasts, the ‘squatchers’ - who go looking, the Bigfoot festival. It was all entertaining.
- The setting in Oregon had a natural beauty that Dupuis described well.
- Our current environmental crisis wasn’t focused on but was incorporated into the book in a natural way, rather than ignoring it.
- One of the main characters was Saad, a Pakistani American.
- I was happy with the ending.
There wasn’t much I didn’t like about Roanoke Ridge. There were a few formatting issues, though it wasn’t difficult to navigate them. To be honest I find that with most ebooks I read.
Roanoke Ridge had a few moments of so-so writing but those moments didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. They were quickly forgotten in among solid writing, plenty of action that kept me going through to the end, and characters I liked.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Dundurn Press for my copy of the book in return for an honest review, and to the author, J.J. Dupuis.
March 30, 2021
This is so out of my normal oeuvre, but it intrigued me when mentioned in a webinar last year, and when I finally picked it up? Compulsively readable. Strange, very strange. But compulsively readable. I hope the series does continue, because I think the cast of characters we've collected could make for good reading - Laura and Saad, and Ted and Moira ... yeah, we got potential.
August 30, 2022
This is writer J.J. Dupuis' first novel. I was introduced to him during a panel put on by his publisher, Dundurn, at a convention in Toronto. Listening to him describe his process in crafting this adult novel, which struck me as being in the genre of the X-Files, caught my attention. I have not read much about Cryptids (Creatures that some believe exist in the wild but are dismissed by mainstream scientists) but his take on the subject matter made me want to learn more. Full disclosure here, I am a skeptic when it comes to Abominable Snowmen, Loch Ness Monsters, Lost Valleys full of Dinosaurs (Which would be seriously cool!) and so forth. However, as this book features a skeptic (A-la Dana Skully) it became a worthwhile purchase.
The story is set in the Pacific Northwest, aptly in an area called the Roanoke Valley. (A real place by the way!) It is here our main character, Laura Reagan, a true science podcaster, has come to aid in the search for her missing mentor, Professor Berton Sorel. Something you should know about the missing Doctor is that while academically credible, he is also an ardent researcher into Bigfoot, as was Laura's father who once filmed the critter to the delight of believers everywhere. Of course the rescue attempt occurs during an annual festival in tribute to the mysterious creature, which is not only sighted, but is implicated in the murder of a snake-oil salesman who profits off of Cryptid believer's gullibility.
The beginning of the book felt to me to be a little too layered down with descriptive prose. "Inside the diner, a few feet from the front door, is a wraparound glass counter filled with baked goods, sandwiches and bagels, juice bottles and pop cans, even jars of honey made locally. It's L-shaped and stretches all the way toward the back wall. The walls and ceiling are paneled with wood. The clock on the wall has the Pepsi logo on it. On the pillar holding up the back of the diner is a poster showing all the fish species native to the local waters." This certainly sets the scene but I felt it overdone and initially began detracting from the story. However, as it advanced further into the book I began to think this was an intentional move on the part of the author to firmly set the type of community and mentality prevalent in it to support some of the activities that take place later on. There are a number of characters interacted with from the local sheriff to a coiffured TV producer, some 2nd Amendment addicts and a local park ranger. This puts you into a frame of mind so when you read something like, " Then he looks up at me with his eyes impossibly blue, innocent like a child's, with a sincerity that burns away doubt. "I just saw fucking Bigfoot," you will take a minute to determine whether to accept the statement or not.
This ends up making the story work well. The setting is instrumental to the activities and to the credence the reader will put into them. this also works well for Laura who puts science ahead of all other concerns. It also serves to keep things grounded and not drifting off into the unknown. And I am certainly not going to give away anything about whether Bigfoot is encountered or not!
This book functions like a novel by Michael Crichton or Alistair MacLean. (Diverse styles to be sure!) Like these authors it could be turned into a movie script in no time at all. It has fast pacing, strong character development that occurs through dialogue and activity that is moving the story forward. The use of actual claimed encounters, as well as debunked ones, adds verisimilitude to the story and keeps the reader thinking, "this could have happened." In the end this turned out to be a worthwhile read that passed an afternoon very pleasurably while scratching that paranormal itch.
The story is set in the Pacific Northwest, aptly in an area called the Roanoke Valley. (A real place by the way!) It is here our main character, Laura Reagan, a true science podcaster, has come to aid in the search for her missing mentor, Professor Berton Sorel. Something you should know about the missing Doctor is that while academically credible, he is also an ardent researcher into Bigfoot, as was Laura's father who once filmed the critter to the delight of believers everywhere. Of course the rescue attempt occurs during an annual festival in tribute to the mysterious creature, which is not only sighted, but is implicated in the murder of a snake-oil salesman who profits off of Cryptid believer's gullibility.
The beginning of the book felt to me to be a little too layered down with descriptive prose. "Inside the diner, a few feet from the front door, is a wraparound glass counter filled with baked goods, sandwiches and bagels, juice bottles and pop cans, even jars of honey made locally. It's L-shaped and stretches all the way toward the back wall. The walls and ceiling are paneled with wood. The clock on the wall has the Pepsi logo on it. On the pillar holding up the back of the diner is a poster showing all the fish species native to the local waters." This certainly sets the scene but I felt it overdone and initially began detracting from the story. However, as it advanced further into the book I began to think this was an intentional move on the part of the author to firmly set the type of community and mentality prevalent in it to support some of the activities that take place later on. There are a number of characters interacted with from the local sheriff to a coiffured TV producer, some 2nd Amendment addicts and a local park ranger. This puts you into a frame of mind so when you read something like, " Then he looks up at me with his eyes impossibly blue, innocent like a child's, with a sincerity that burns away doubt. "I just saw fucking Bigfoot," you will take a minute to determine whether to accept the statement or not.
This ends up making the story work well. The setting is instrumental to the activities and to the credence the reader will put into them. this also works well for Laura who puts science ahead of all other concerns. It also serves to keep things grounded and not drifting off into the unknown. And I am certainly not going to give away anything about whether Bigfoot is encountered or not!
This book functions like a novel by Michael Crichton or Alistair MacLean. (Diverse styles to be sure!) Like these authors it could be turned into a movie script in no time at all. It has fast pacing, strong character development that occurs through dialogue and activity that is moving the story forward. The use of actual claimed encounters, as well as debunked ones, adds verisimilitude to the story and keeps the reader thinking, "this could have happened." In the end this turned out to be a worthwhile read that passed an afternoon very pleasurably while scratching that paranormal itch.
March 29, 2020
Roanoke Ridge by J.J. Dupuis is a recommended mystery and the first book in the start of a new series.
Laura Reagan is the owner of a popular website called Science Is Awesome. Science IA strives to cover news worthy science topics with reality and facts, including cryptozoological investigations. This is in contrast to Laura's upbringing by her father who famously filmed a distant shot of a Sasquatch and child in the woods at Roanoke Ridge, Oregon. Now Laura's mentor, relative, and Bigfoot researcher Professor Berton Sorel has gone missing right as the annual Roanoke Valley Bigfoot Festival is about to start. Laura and her friend Saad Javed (who knows the difference between hard science and pseudoscience) are going to Roanoke Ridge to help search for Professor Sorel and maybe uncover the facts behind the recent Bigfoot sightings. When the search and rescue operation results in the body of a notorious Bigfoot hoaxer being found, and not the Professor's, the investigation expands.
The mystery is straightforward so don't expect heart-stopping action or a tension filled plot. The pace is slow and sometimes meandering, but the book is short so it is a quick read. While there are sentences and descriptions that shine, other parts of the narrative are pedestrian, which left me feeling that the writing in Roanoke Ridge is competent, but not exceptional. Be prepared for several long lectures included in the novel, some of which may be insulting to readers. Those lectures actually are a big impairment to the narrative. Chapters open with quotes over the years from various sources about Bigfoot or Sasquatch sightings, which add an interesting touch. The ending does feel rushed.
Admittedly any mystery involving Bigfoot would immediately draw my attention if simply for the novelty and kitsch factor. The idea of this being part of a series of creature mysteries is intriguing, but I'm uncertain if I will read another novel in the series. Laura is the only character who receives sufficient development but I'm not sure she is appealing enough to carry a whole series. The other characters are all caricatures representing different stereotypical types of people. Laura simply wasn't an interesting or appealing enough character to subject myself to wading through more thought lectures embedded in the plot, however reading another book in the series might be based more on what creature is sought.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Dundurn Press.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2020/0...
Laura Reagan is the owner of a popular website called Science Is Awesome. Science IA strives to cover news worthy science topics with reality and facts, including cryptozoological investigations. This is in contrast to Laura's upbringing by her father who famously filmed a distant shot of a Sasquatch and child in the woods at Roanoke Ridge, Oregon. Now Laura's mentor, relative, and Bigfoot researcher Professor Berton Sorel has gone missing right as the annual Roanoke Valley Bigfoot Festival is about to start. Laura and her friend Saad Javed (who knows the difference between hard science and pseudoscience) are going to Roanoke Ridge to help search for Professor Sorel and maybe uncover the facts behind the recent Bigfoot sightings. When the search and rescue operation results in the body of a notorious Bigfoot hoaxer being found, and not the Professor's, the investigation expands.
The mystery is straightforward so don't expect heart-stopping action or a tension filled plot. The pace is slow and sometimes meandering, but the book is short so it is a quick read. While there are sentences and descriptions that shine, other parts of the narrative are pedestrian, which left me feeling that the writing in Roanoke Ridge is competent, but not exceptional. Be prepared for several long lectures included in the novel, some of which may be insulting to readers. Those lectures actually are a big impairment to the narrative. Chapters open with quotes over the years from various sources about Bigfoot or Sasquatch sightings, which add an interesting touch. The ending does feel rushed.
Admittedly any mystery involving Bigfoot would immediately draw my attention if simply for the novelty and kitsch factor. The idea of this being part of a series of creature mysteries is intriguing, but I'm uncertain if I will read another novel in the series. Laura is the only character who receives sufficient development but I'm not sure she is appealing enough to carry a whole series. The other characters are all caricatures representing different stereotypical types of people. Laura simply wasn't an interesting or appealing enough character to subject myself to wading through more thought lectures embedded in the plot, however reading another book in the series might be based more on what creature is sought.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Dundurn Press.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2020/0...
February 2, 2020
Title: Roanoke Ridge
Author: J. J. Dupuis
Rating: 4.5 stars
Initial thoughts
A book about Bigfoot? Oh yes, I needed to read this one. I love books like this because they help me escape from my everyday life.
Description
When Bigfoot researcher Professor Berton Sorel goes missing in the rainforest of Roanoke Ridge, Oregon, help is summoned in the form of his former star pupil, Laura Reagan, online science populist and avowed skeptic. But what begins as a simple search and rescue operation takes a drastic turn when a body is discovered — and it isn’t the professor’s.
Caught in the fallout of the suspicious death, perplexed by a sudden wave of Bigfoot sightings, and still desperately searching for Professor Sorel, Reagan reluctantly admits two things: her old mentor was right about there being secrets hidden in Roanoke Ridge, and it’s up to her to uncover them.
Characters
We follow the story through the eyes of Laura Reagan. She is a former student of Berton Sorel, she doesn’t believe in Bigfoot but confused too. A smart, strong-minded woman who wants to get to the bottom of her former professor’s disappearance and the truth behind her father’s experience with Bigfoot. I really grew fond of her as the story went.
Her sidekick is Saad, who is loyally follows Laura around. He proves to be useful and brave too.
Ranger Ted started out as an arrogant idiot but turned out to be kind, and smart, someone Laura can rely on. I have to admit that he is my favourite character. I like it when a character seems to be a negative one but turns out to be one of the good guys.
Writing style/ Ending
The story was easy to follow, I loved the twists, and the mystery behind Bigfoot.
I was flipping through the pages, to find out what happened next.
I was expecting a different ending though, something a little bit mysterious.
I very much enjoyed this tale and I hope there will be a next book about another mysterious creature.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for my advance copy. All opinions are my own.
Author: J. J. Dupuis
Rating: 4.5 stars
Initial thoughts
A book about Bigfoot? Oh yes, I needed to read this one. I love books like this because they help me escape from my everyday life.
Description
When Bigfoot researcher Professor Berton Sorel goes missing in the rainforest of Roanoke Ridge, Oregon, help is summoned in the form of his former star pupil, Laura Reagan, online science populist and avowed skeptic. But what begins as a simple search and rescue operation takes a drastic turn when a body is discovered — and it isn’t the professor’s.
Caught in the fallout of the suspicious death, perplexed by a sudden wave of Bigfoot sightings, and still desperately searching for Professor Sorel, Reagan reluctantly admits two things: her old mentor was right about there being secrets hidden in Roanoke Ridge, and it’s up to her to uncover them.
Characters
We follow the story through the eyes of Laura Reagan. She is a former student of Berton Sorel, she doesn’t believe in Bigfoot but confused too. A smart, strong-minded woman who wants to get to the bottom of her former professor’s disappearance and the truth behind her father’s experience with Bigfoot. I really grew fond of her as the story went.
Her sidekick is Saad, who is loyally follows Laura around. He proves to be useful and brave too.
Ranger Ted started out as an arrogant idiot but turned out to be kind, and smart, someone Laura can rely on. I have to admit that he is my favourite character. I like it when a character seems to be a negative one but turns out to be one of the good guys.
Writing style/ Ending
The story was easy to follow, I loved the twists, and the mystery behind Bigfoot.
I was flipping through the pages, to find out what happened next.
I was expecting a different ending though, something a little bit mysterious.
I very much enjoyed this tale and I hope there will be a next book about another mysterious creature.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for my advance copy. All opinions are my own.
February 18, 2020
Laura Reagan is called to the Pacific Northwest’s Roanoke Ridge to help search for missing Bigfoot researcher Professor Berton Sorel. A man she’s been close with her whole life. It also happens to be the town’s annual Bigfoot festival. While searching for the professor, a body is found and Laura is pulled into the mystery of a man’s mysterious death. She continues to search for the professor, but she’s also faced with the mystery of another man’s suspicious death and an overwhelming number of Bigfoot sightings.
This book was fun. I had my doubts going into it because, well, Bigfoot. The prologue definitely caused me to pause because it seemed cheesy right off the bat. But I’ll read almost anything set in the PNW and I’m so glad I did.
Laura being a scientist and a skeptic lent this novel some credibility that made it less about Bigfoot and more about a woman solving family and town secrets. The little troop that forms around Laura is perfect for the atmosphere. There’s Laura the skeptic, Saad the one who will believe anything, and Ted the tough guy. Side note: Laura does NOT need a tough guy and she’ll tell you so.
This story gave me serious throw back vibes. It definitely felt like Scooby-doo without the talking dog. There’s Sasquatch though, so maybe that counts. There’s a reality TV aspect to this story that I absolutely love. I’m assuming there’s going to be a book series around it. 🙌🏻
I found this to be a well written, easy going book. It doesn’t have the most shocking twists. I saw where the book was going very early on. If you’re in the mood for a fast read set in a beautiful place, pick this up. Who doesn’t love a creature feature every once and awhile, right?
Thank you to Netgalley and Dundurn Press for this free review copy.
This book was fun. I had my doubts going into it because, well, Bigfoot. The prologue definitely caused me to pause because it seemed cheesy right off the bat. But I’ll read almost anything set in the PNW and I’m so glad I did.
Laura being a scientist and a skeptic lent this novel some credibility that made it less about Bigfoot and more about a woman solving family and town secrets. The little troop that forms around Laura is perfect for the atmosphere. There’s Laura the skeptic, Saad the one who will believe anything, and Ted the tough guy. Side note: Laura does NOT need a tough guy and she’ll tell you so.
This story gave me serious throw back vibes. It definitely felt like Scooby-doo without the talking dog. There’s Sasquatch though, so maybe that counts. There’s a reality TV aspect to this story that I absolutely love. I’m assuming there’s going to be a book series around it. 🙌🏻
I found this to be a well written, easy going book. It doesn’t have the most shocking twists. I saw where the book was going very early on. If you’re in the mood for a fast read set in a beautiful place, pick this up. Who doesn’t love a creature feature every once and awhile, right?
Thank you to Netgalley and Dundurn Press for this free review copy.
August 20, 2023
3.0 stars -- When I wrote this up in my reading journal, I gave it a higher rating, but the more I wrote about what I didn't like versus what I did, I decided to drop it. I liked this book, don't get me wrong, but I was disappointed by it. What I liked was the topic and the quotes included at the beginning of each chapter. I went down a rabbit hole of articles and summaries about Bigfoot due to those quotes. The author definitely researched the topic. I also liked the tidbits of science information specific to Oregon that were slipped in by Ted, the Forest Ranger. (A trogloraptor? Who knew?!) What I didn't like was everything else. The main character, Laura Reagan, is a stereotypical scientist (Boo), but she is not a stereotypical woman, which steals from the empowering idea of a woman in science (also Boo). The relationship she has with Saad, her partner on her science website, is a bit bizarre. She lies by omission to him on multiple occasions about multiple things, with really no valid reason. She is also very awkward with her Aunt Barb in a very tough moment. Perhaps I just missed key character development here. At the end, she is also considering giving up her science website for the smoke and mirrors of "educational myth documentaries". Forest Ranger Ted, who at first seemed a bit slimy, wound up being my favorite character. I also did not like that all the current information about or presentation of Bigfoot/Sasquatch in the story are presented as hoaxes. When I consider that the two men who perpetrated the hoaxes both also have a mental disability, well, that just left a bad taste in my mouth. I will read the next one in the series because I am intrigued enough with where it is going, but I will be reading with a more critical view, sadly enough.
February 24, 2020
A celebrated professor and Bigfoot researcher goes missing in the vast wilderness of Oregon. The presence of his former student and owner of a popular science based website, Laura Reagan, has arrived to help find him. When a dead body is discovered following sightings of Bigfoot Laura dives in deep to discover the secrets of Roanoke Ridge and inadvertently her own history. Her hope is to find the professor before he becomes another casualty of the forest.
This was a fun book to read as I've always loved folklore creatures and after living in the Pacific Northwest for a few years I can see why the environment still breathes life into the lore surrounding Sasquatch/Bigfoot. The wooded areas are entirely different than that of my native Colorado - our trees do not grow so dense you can barely see through them during the day. For me Roanoke Ridge was more of a murder mystery with a folklore background. It was clean, moderately paced and enjoyable. The conclusion of the book did feel a bit rushed while the rest of the book had a slower pace.
There are two other novels slated for release in the Creature X Mystery series and I can honestly say that I'm interested to see what they'll be. I'm curious to see if Laura makes an appearance and if it has anything to do with the ending of this novel and the deal she struck for her website. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy suspense, cryptozoology, murder mystery and folklore. Thank you to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for a copy of this book to read and review.
This was a fun book to read as I've always loved folklore creatures and after living in the Pacific Northwest for a few years I can see why the environment still breathes life into the lore surrounding Sasquatch/Bigfoot. The wooded areas are entirely different than that of my native Colorado - our trees do not grow so dense you can barely see through them during the day. For me Roanoke Ridge was more of a murder mystery with a folklore background. It was clean, moderately paced and enjoyable. The conclusion of the book did feel a bit rushed while the rest of the book had a slower pace.
There are two other novels slated for release in the Creature X Mystery series and I can honestly say that I'm interested to see what they'll be. I'm curious to see if Laura makes an appearance and if it has anything to do with the ending of this novel and the deal she struck for her website. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy suspense, cryptozoology, murder mystery and folklore. Thank you to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for a copy of this book to read and review.
February 26, 2020
I read Roanoke Ridge because I wanted something different, and Roanoke Ridge delivered!
Not going to lie, this one was 100% out of my "normal" reads, and I was ready for it to be ridiculous. Which it was, but in a super campy, totally fun, zero regrets for reading this kind of way. Set in rural wooded Oregon, Laura and best friend Saad have been called to help find a missing family friend, and Bigfoot expert who has gone missing, searching for Bigfoot (obviously). Is Bigfoot real? It's the onset of the annual Bigfoot Festival, so most people here would say yes. But has Bigfoot taken the Professor? A search for Bigfoot ensues, someone ends up murdered, a house ends up being burnt to the ground, the professor is still missing, and Bigfoot sightings skyrocket as this tiny town looks for answers.
Gotta admit I started out skeptical but am now a believer....in this book, that is. Wait, did you think I meant Bigfoot?
Although I personally could have used a little more charecter development, particularly in the realm of Nate and his relationships, as well as a tid bit more explainations towards the end (seemed a tiny bit on the rushed side) I would still highly recommend taking a copy of Roanoke Ridge on your next camping trip and of course as reading materia to tide you over until your next Bigfoot convention.
Bigfoot campiness awaits you, who knows...you may just become a believer.
Big ol' thank you to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for an advanced copy of Roanoke Ridge in exchange for my honest review.
Not going to lie, this one was 100% out of my "normal" reads, and I was ready for it to be ridiculous. Which it was, but in a super campy, totally fun, zero regrets for reading this kind of way. Set in rural wooded Oregon, Laura and best friend Saad have been called to help find a missing family friend, and Bigfoot expert who has gone missing, searching for Bigfoot (obviously). Is Bigfoot real? It's the onset of the annual Bigfoot Festival, so most people here would say yes. But has Bigfoot taken the Professor? A search for Bigfoot ensues, someone ends up murdered, a house ends up being burnt to the ground, the professor is still missing, and Bigfoot sightings skyrocket as this tiny town looks for answers.
Gotta admit I started out skeptical but am now a believer....in this book, that is. Wait, did you think I meant Bigfoot?
Although I personally could have used a little more charecter development, particularly in the realm of Nate and his relationships, as well as a tid bit more explainations towards the end (seemed a tiny bit on the rushed side) I would still highly recommend taking a copy of Roanoke Ridge on your next camping trip and of course as reading materia to tide you over until your next Bigfoot convention.
Bigfoot campiness awaits you, who knows...you may just become a believer.
Big ol' thank you to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for an advanced copy of Roanoke Ridge in exchange for my honest review.
July 25, 2020
Despite reading the blurb, I did not retain the specifics, and when I actually got around to reading the book, I surprised by the storyline. The story has a vague form of narration from the beginning that makes you feel like the beginning was not when you entered the story and that there has been a sequence of events before the first page that we have already been an audience for. This is not something I commonly experience, and I did not expect to like it, but I did!
The lead characters relationship is not defined and is extremely fuzzy at best. There is no resolution on that front in this book, but maybe if this is to be a series, there will be something in later books. The mystery remains in the background but simply done. I may or may not have expected the turn of events, but I did not pay enough attention to it to even guess at the outcome.
Laura is back in familiar territory, it is Bigfoot extravaganza. There are people attending from all walks of life, and her father is a well-known name amongst them. She is actually there to help find an old friend but during her downtime, contemplates her life choices as well as the events occurring in town. The narration moves quite quickly with a death amidst the hunt for the missing man, and the investigation now has multiple layers. Overall it is an interesting base for a new series.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
The lead characters relationship is not defined and is extremely fuzzy at best. There is no resolution on that front in this book, but maybe if this is to be a series, there will be something in later books. The mystery remains in the background but simply done. I may or may not have expected the turn of events, but I did not pay enough attention to it to even guess at the outcome.
Laura is back in familiar territory, it is Bigfoot extravaganza. There are people attending from all walks of life, and her father is a well-known name amongst them. She is actually there to help find an old friend but during her downtime, contemplates her life choices as well as the events occurring in town. The narration moves quite quickly with a death amidst the hunt for the missing man, and the investigation now has multiple layers. Overall it is an interesting base for a new series.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
February 2, 2020
3 stars
Laura Reagan and her friend Saad travel to Roanoke Ridge in Oregon to look for her former professor Berton Sorel who has gone missing on a hiking trip in search of Bigfoot. Laura now runs a website that is science-based, either supporting or debunking current theories about new (or old), discoveries in the science fields.
At the same time, there is a Bigfoot Festival going on in the little town, adding several hundred people to the crowds in the street. There are several “sightings” of the beast, but the images caught on a cell phone are too blurry to make out much.
On Laura and Saad's first foray into the woods searching for the professor, they find a dead man on t he trail. Ranger Ted accompanies them and feels it is an accident, but Laura spots signs that it was murder.
Laura learns some hard truths about her beloved father and his friends, as well as Professor Berton Sorel.
I am not sure how I feel about this book. It was fairly well written, but it wandered a little bit. The characters weren't as engaging as I had hoped. Saad was almost a non-person. I had no grasp of him at all. I like to get to know the main characters in any book I read (even if I don't like them). Neither was there very much science in the book. I was also disappointed in that. This book was just not as good as the novels Dundurn usually publishes.
I want to thank NetGalley and Dundurn for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.
Laura Reagan and her friend Saad travel to Roanoke Ridge in Oregon to look for her former professor Berton Sorel who has gone missing on a hiking trip in search of Bigfoot. Laura now runs a website that is science-based, either supporting or debunking current theories about new (or old), discoveries in the science fields.
At the same time, there is a Bigfoot Festival going on in the little town, adding several hundred people to the crowds in the street. There are several “sightings” of the beast, but the images caught on a cell phone are too blurry to make out much.
On Laura and Saad's first foray into the woods searching for the professor, they find a dead man on t he trail. Ranger Ted accompanies them and feels it is an accident, but Laura spots signs that it was murder.
Laura learns some hard truths about her beloved father and his friends, as well as Professor Berton Sorel.
I am not sure how I feel about this book. It was fairly well written, but it wandered a little bit. The characters weren't as engaging as I had hoped. Saad was almost a non-person. I had no grasp of him at all. I like to get to know the main characters in any book I read (even if I don't like them). Neither was there very much science in the book. I was also disappointed in that. This book was just not as good as the novels Dundurn usually publishes.
I want to thank NetGalley and Dundurn for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.
February 26, 2020
I read Roanoke Ridge because I wanted something different, and Roanoke Ridge delivered!
Not going to lie, this one was 100% out of my "normal" reads, and I was ready for it to be ridiculous. Which it was, but in a super campy, totally fun, zero regrets for reading this kind of way. Set in rural wooded Oregon, Laura and best friend Saad have been called to help find a missing family friend, and Bigfoot expert who has gone missing, searching for Bigfoot (obviously). Is Bigfoot real? It's the onset of the annual Bigfoot Festival, so most people here would say yes. But has Bigfoot taken the Professor? A search for Bigfoot ensues, someone ends up murdered, a house ends up being burnt to the ground, the professor is still missing, and Bigfoot sightings skyrocket as this tiny town looks for answers.
Gotta admit I started out skeptical but am now a believer....in this book, that is. Wait, did you think I meant Bigfoot?
Although I personally could have used a little more charecter development, particularly in the realm of Nate and his relationships, as well as a tid bit more explainations towards the end (seemed a tiny bit on the rushed side) I would still highly recommend taking a copy of Roanoke Ridge on your next camping trip and of course as reading materia to tide you over until your next Bigfoot convention.
Bigfoot campiness awaits you, who knows...you may just become a believer.
Not going to lie, this one was 100% out of my "normal" reads, and I was ready for it to be ridiculous. Which it was, but in a super campy, totally fun, zero regrets for reading this kind of way. Set in rural wooded Oregon, Laura and best friend Saad have been called to help find a missing family friend, and Bigfoot expert who has gone missing, searching for Bigfoot (obviously). Is Bigfoot real? It's the onset of the annual Bigfoot Festival, so most people here would say yes. But has Bigfoot taken the Professor? A search for Bigfoot ensues, someone ends up murdered, a house ends up being burnt to the ground, the professor is still missing, and Bigfoot sightings skyrocket as this tiny town looks for answers.
Gotta admit I started out skeptical but am now a believer....in this book, that is. Wait, did you think I meant Bigfoot?
Although I personally could have used a little more charecter development, particularly in the realm of Nate and his relationships, as well as a tid bit more explainations towards the end (seemed a tiny bit on the rushed side) I would still highly recommend taking a copy of Roanoke Ridge on your next camping trip and of course as reading materia to tide you over until your next Bigfoot convention.
Bigfoot campiness awaits you, who knows...you may just become a believer.
March 17, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I tried to like this book. I really, truly tried. At times I thought I might even have succeeded. But try as I might, I could not get past all of the flaws.
The premise sounds interesting enough - a professor who happens to believe in Bigfoot goes missing, and an ex student of his (whose father happens to have caught Bigfoot on camera) joins the search party. They find a body, but not the professor's.
Such a cool idea! Unfortunately, there was little to no plot. Next to nothing happens, and the little that does happen is drawn out way too long. The whole plot could be narrowed down to about twenty pages. The only reason I finished it, was because I hoped it would get better (spoiler: it got worse)
The main character, Laura, is clearly written by a male author who doesn't know how to accurately write the female character. He tries to make her tough and sassy and "one of the guys", but in reality, she's just a bitch.
The writing is repetitive. Nearly every piece of dialogue is ended with "he says"/"she says"/"I say". There are so many synonyms that can be used to add a bit of variety!
There were a few well written sentences, portraying the author's wit and imagination, so that kind of makes up it, and I do respect the time and effort the author has put into the book, especially all the information about Bigfoot, which is why this review is a 2/5 instead of a 1/5.
I tried to like this book. I really, truly tried. At times I thought I might even have succeeded. But try as I might, I could not get past all of the flaws.
The premise sounds interesting enough - a professor who happens to believe in Bigfoot goes missing, and an ex student of his (whose father happens to have caught Bigfoot on camera) joins the search party. They find a body, but not the professor's.
Such a cool idea! Unfortunately, there was little to no plot. Next to nothing happens, and the little that does happen is drawn out way too long. The whole plot could be narrowed down to about twenty pages. The only reason I finished it, was because I hoped it would get better (spoiler: it got worse)
The main character, Laura, is clearly written by a male author who doesn't know how to accurately write the female character. He tries to make her tough and sassy and "one of the guys", but in reality, she's just a bitch.
The writing is repetitive. Nearly every piece of dialogue is ended with "he says"/"she says"/"I say". There are so many synonyms that can be used to add a bit of variety!
There were a few well written sentences, portraying the author's wit and imagination, so that kind of makes up it, and I do respect the time and effort the author has put into the book, especially all the information about Bigfoot, which is why this review is a 2/5 instead of a 1/5.
January 3, 2021
A quick mystery read with a good setting and drawing on an interesting subculture, squatchers. This book may not appeal to those who are die-hard believers in Bigfoot, as the author and main character seem to be among the skeptics, but for those with a passing interest in strange creatures as well as satisfying mystery stories this may be worth a check out.
I liked the main character and most of the secondary characters, while they could have used a bit more development, I got why they were there, their motivations and bits and pieces of their backgrounds that made them if not fully fleshed out, at least characters that I wanted to read about.
I was also satisfied with the mystery itself, it kept me guessing and came together in the end with a flourish.
For me one of the most interesting points was in the beginning when a scientist did a presentation on the changing habits and possible range of Bigfoot based on climate change. I wondered to myself if that scientists, beyond Mythbusters, ever attend or present at conferences like the Bigfoot festival in the book, trying to convince more people that climate change is real. Funny that folks will believe in something based on a few blurry photos/videos and not believe in something with daily impacts, weekly news reports, and countless books, films, papers, and scientists all reporting the reality.
I liked the main character and most of the secondary characters, while they could have used a bit more development, I got why they were there, their motivations and bits and pieces of their backgrounds that made them if not fully fleshed out, at least characters that I wanted to read about.
I was also satisfied with the mystery itself, it kept me guessing and came together in the end with a flourish.
For me one of the most interesting points was in the beginning when a scientist did a presentation on the changing habits and possible range of Bigfoot based on climate change. I wondered to myself if that scientists, beyond Mythbusters, ever attend or present at conferences like the Bigfoot festival in the book, trying to convince more people that climate change is real. Funny that folks will believe in something based on a few blurry photos/videos and not believe in something with daily impacts, weekly news reports, and countless books, films, papers, and scientists all reporting the reality.
February 24, 2020
A murder mystery during a hunt for Bigfoot seems like a book written for me. Even if I personally don’t believe in them, it’s hard not to be fascinated by mythical creatures, especially in the beautiful environment of the Oregon wilderness. This novel is a fast read. When her mentor, professor Sorel disappears in the remote woods while searching for Bigfoot, Laura and her sidekick Saad join the search and rescue efforts. All the Sasquatch enthusiasts in town for a Bigfoot festival want to help, using it as an excuse to hunt for the elusive creature. Some say they’ve seen it and even have footage to prove it. This is an entertaining read, with a fast rhythm that kept me turning the pages. I was wondering how the different mysteries would be explained. What I didn’t like was the characters. I didn’t connect with the lead at all, supporting characters are not very well-defined and the rest are just caricatures of rednecks. I’m not familiar with Bigfoot followers, they may all be country hicks for all I know, but it still felt like they were all just background to the action and not part of it. I still enjoyed the novel.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/ Dundurn Press!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/ Dundurn Press!
February 2, 2020
When I first read the synopsis of Roanoke Ridge I was intrigued. It’s such a great idea for the sorry. Bigfoot, skeptics, and a dead body thrown in the mix? Sign me up! I really like how well researched this book was, especially from the science aspect of the story. Another thing Dupuis does well is the scenic descriptions. I felt like I was dropped in the Pacific Northwest with his beautiful prose.
I loved the story and the twist at the end but I felt as though the ending was rushed. That’s what made it a 3.5 star read. I know it’s hard to fit all of that in a shorter book but I wish some of the situations at the end had been expanded or had better transitions.
Overall, if you are looking for a quick mystery with a folklore twist, give this this book a shot! It’s definitely worth it and I’m looking forward to more in the series.
Thank you NetGalley and Dundurn Press for an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and not influenced by outside sources.
I loved the story and the twist at the end but I felt as though the ending was rushed. That’s what made it a 3.5 star read. I know it’s hard to fit all of that in a shorter book but I wish some of the situations at the end had been expanded or had better transitions.
Overall, if you are looking for a quick mystery with a folklore twist, give this this book a shot! It’s definitely worth it and I’m looking forward to more in the series.
Thank you NetGalley and Dundurn Press for an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and not influenced by outside sources.
June 22, 2020
Laura Reagan is an online science populist and avowed skeptic. She has known Professor Sorel since her childhood and as a mentor in more recent times. He has always been obsessed with the search for Bigfoot aka Sasquatch. When the professor disappears it gives her the opportunity conduct her own search with on site filming. She grew up in the town and not many of the inhabitants will be pleased to see her return.
I had a good feeling about this right from the start. The mix of science and possible myth were particularly appealing to me. The author does a fantastic job of weaving crime and cryptozoology with the right amount of fascination, obsession and folklore to create a great read.
The relationship Laura had with her partner Saad had me a little puzzled. They seemed very close in some ways and well suited yet lacked any sign of intimacy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
I had a good feeling about this right from the start. The mix of science and possible myth were particularly appealing to me. The author does a fantastic job of weaving crime and cryptozoology with the right amount of fascination, obsession and folklore to create a great read.
The relationship Laura had with her partner Saad had me a little puzzled. They seemed very close in some ways and well suited yet lacked any sign of intimacy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read
June 14, 2025J.J. Dupuis’ Roanoke Ridge is a Creature X Mystery. For readers who loved the X-Files or are interested in tales such as those about the Loch Ness monster and the Sasquatch, this will be an entertaining read. The main character Laura is a trained scientist and experienced wilderness camper, while her father is one of many people who claim to have seen and filmed a Sasquatch in the Oregon wilds. At an annual Bigfoot Festival in the area, Laura’s “uncle” and mentor, Professor Sorel (a bigfoot hunter) mysteriously disappears. Laura joins the search for him and hopes to finally prove or disprove the bigfoot stories. There’s a murder mystery, sightings of strange creatures, some science and lots of commentary about the environment. Well-developed main characters, lots of visual description and good writing make this an interesting book.
May 30, 2022
A satisfying, fun read about the power of myth in place-making. Roanoke Ridge is home to one of two Bigfoot videos, and the sleepy little town has turned this mythology into a tourist trap. Science journalist Laura Reagan finds herself back in the town – which she used to visit with her father – to investigate the disappearance of her beloved former professor and friend, Berton Sorel.
As Bigfoot enthusiasts and sensationalist TV show producers descend on Roanoke Ridge, emotions start to run high. The novel has shades of Devolution by Max Brooks, with its quick pacing and tense storytelling. It's a story about cryptids, but more than anything else, it's a story about the human desire to believe.
As Bigfoot enthusiasts and sensationalist TV show producers descend on Roanoke Ridge, emotions start to run high. The novel has shades of Devolution by Max Brooks, with its quick pacing and tense storytelling. It's a story about cryptids, but more than anything else, it's a story about the human desire to believe.
February 15, 2020
Okapi. Mountain gorilla. Giant squid. These are examples of creatures science once told us didn't exist. Could creatures from cryptozoology like Sasquatch be real too? That's one of the fascinating thoughts one must consider as they read the thoroughly entertaining Roanoke Ridge by J. J. Dupuis. It's no secret Sasquatch (or Bigfoot) is a fascinating topic. One needs only to look at the sheer numbers of books, films, and podcasts which talk about the creature to this day. Dupuis joins the list of those who have used the creature in a work of fiction. And, to his credit, Roanoke Ridge is a smashing success. I haven't enjoyed a Sasquatch read this much since The Shadowkiller by Matthew Scott Hansen. The enjoyable part of Roanoke Ridge is the fact the author has created a marvelous marriage between a cryptid mystery and a murder mystery. The characters are believable and the book is well paced. It is a book which believers and skeptics alike can both enjoy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews