To solve this series of suspicious deaths, somebody has to believe that they’re crimes in the first place... On the cold streets of Anchorage, Alaskan Native women are turning up dead. The police have written off this surge in casualties as random, but burned out gumshoe Lewis Bocarde isn’t buying it. There are too many “accidental” and “undetermined” women haunting the police logs who fit the same profile. Bocarde thinks a killer is prowling the streets of the city, preying on some of its most vulnerable citizens.The detective enlists the help of a troubled social worker named Grace and a band of indigenous contrarians to uncover the truth, and someone isn’t happy about their efforts. As they peel away the layers of their city to find an ice-cold killer and to deliver justice, they must come face to face with an insidious form of one that twists fears and prejudice to unspeakable ends.If you like well written, roller coaster thrillers, with vivid characters who leap off the page and drink all your beer, then you will love Elvis English’s incredible, gritty journey into the heart of Alaskan darkness. Get Winter City Wolf Moon today and be swept away by this spellbinding avalanche of icy suspense.
Thank you NetGalley and Elvis English for this arc.
This was not the book for me. Too bleak. It was the usual formulaic serial killer chase mixed up with a seemingly continual and pious rant on racial equality (don't want you readers to miss that point....? repeat it over 50 times). I found the main characters flat and unrealistic and their "romance" ridiculous. But that's just my opinion, many other readers seemed to have enjoyed the book.
A thriller that captures your interest right away, as the social realization that those who were living here are ostracized and made to live as the 'new' people do is brought to the front in Alaska. Where the folks that have lived there for years are called 'natives', and known for their alcohol and homelessness. Even though they have the homes they want, because it is different from the newer white folks think they should live, they are no good. This story is written well, the characters are well-described, you know exactly what each is like. The plot is suspenseful, as native women are being hunted and killed, with no one really looking into whats happening. There are wonderful descriptions of Alaska, you feel yourself there in the setting, walking Fourth Avenue with other tourists.A thoroughly enjoyable story that kept my attention from start to finish. I received a copy of this book from AXP Elite Reader program and the author, Elvis English, who I thank for my chance to read this wonderful story and to leave my thoughts in a review for others to enjoy.
It is 1997 and Lewis Bocarde is a criminal defense investigator in Anchorage, Alaska. He is compulsively drawn into looking into the supposedly natural deaths of two Native Alaskan women. Soon the body count rises, Bocarde is helped by a social worker with problems of her own, and he is trying to convince the police that these women have been killed.
This is a long, dark look at the dirty underside of Anchorage and the rampant racism prevalent in its culture.
I didn't like the author's writing style at all. It was much too flowery and he pontificated endlessly throughout the book about the bigotry of everyone else against the Native Alaskans. Yes, this is an important subject but I didn't feel like being pounded with it.
Some people enjoyed the book. I just wasn't one of them. It left me depressed and with a bad taste in my mouth.
I did rate the book with two stars instead of one because I did finish it.
I received this book from Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
WINTER CITY WOLF MOON by Elvis English is a crime suspense thriller that is set in Alaska. When a young native-American woman turns up dead in Ship Creek; middle-aged Lewis Bocarde who works a criminal defense investigator, takes an interest in the case. Facing mid-life crisis, not feeling satisfied at his job and due to his empathy for the plight of the native-American community, he soon finds himself in the pursuit of a serial killer.
As the body count goes up; the killer becomes bolder with every kill. Lewis pursues him with a passion and in the process he falls in love and makes new friends with whom he shares high and low moments.
The novel is fast paced and it entertains all the way to the end. There is a good amount of action scenes for those readers who appreciate blood and gore and I particularly enjoy chase scenes close to the end of the book.It is definitely a dark tale that will appeal to readers of a mature age.
The characters are fleshed out and as a reader I did have to spend a lot of time with Lewis and very little with other characters. I would have liked to know more about Grace and in my books the author never adequately justifies why she had to meet Lewis the way that she did. The Native American homeless crew was fun. I thought the point of view of the killer was also interesting.
The book touches on issues of race intolerance, social injustice and culture bashing among other things. I feel that this gives the book depth, and it touches on the issue of Native-American rights; a topic that has been written a lot about lately. The novel seems to be well researched.
I am giving this book 4 out of 5 stars because I was thoroughly entertained and engaged and I hope to read more works from the author.
However if you prefer a battered hero, a sad heroine, and a really nasty villain, then it may be your cup of coffee. Elvis English's descriptive prose is wonderfully evocative. Discover Alaska in all its seasons, and the dark underbelly of Anchorage, while the hero is trying to solve the murders of two Native women, and trying to stay alive as the villain is a very sick individual. I laughed, I cried and sometimes I just felt sick as the story played out. Well done, Elvis English, it is a winner.
This was an excellent book. Elvis English does a very good job creating a world of characters and then taking you on their journey. He takes on an Alaskan tale of prejudice and makes you feel the injustice of the people while creating a mystery that just sinks in your bones and doesn't let go until the last page. This is definitely a must read. Well done Elvis!
In the style and social revelations of man's superior attitude towards different types and conquered people an honest and open revelation of true problems and culture of native Americans . We should be ashamed of ourselves !!! John Steinbeck would be proud to have written this .
I loved the way this book was written. The characters were fully developed and real. Everything from thoughts, actions, and mindset were vividly described. I hope there is a sequel because these characters were too real not to carry on.
I received this as an ARC and boy! I'm happy I did!
This is a great thriller, very well written and with a fantastic plot. The main characters are appealing, the story gripping and the setting adds to the whole in a very clever way.
I love this & I can't wait for more. I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon. And letting everyone know about it. So i gave it a 5 Stars.
Provides stark commentary on contemporary society, the under class, and the power and price of commitment. Even when you know what's coming, you can't look away.
I must say, I am extremely torn on how to rate this book, even though I did manage to do it. (plot - 5 stars, editing 2.5 stars and I rounded up to 4)The plot of the story is great, but the editing leaves much to be desired. (OK, I admit to being a bit of a grammar Nazi, but still.) Mr. English has obviously never met a run-on sentence that he didn't think couldn't be improved by adding an additional 20-25 words!! There were places where the entire paragraph was one sentence. At times I felt like saying, "Would you take a breath already!" And other times, there was so much going on in that sentence (a LONG list of things one of the characters was doing or saying) that by the time I got to the end of it, I'd lost the train of thought. I had to go back several times and start over to try and keep up with what was going on. There were missing words, wrong words, repeated words, etc that even a basic editing read-through would have caught. Also, it felt like Mr. English had a specific word count in mind and he was going to make that word count regardless. The book probably could have been much tighter with a bit of "trimming". Then there was the tense thing. I would be reading along and suddenly it would change from past tense to present tense, sometime within the same paragraph. That drives me nuts. Pick a tense and stick with it. I'm fine with either past or present, but not both!
Ok, that's what I didn't like. Now let's get to what I did like. This is one more first-rate thriller. The bad guy is written so well I wanted to go out and strangle him with my bare hands. He definitely epitomizes the bad guy you love to hate. He has not one redeeming trait. He's that well-written. The protagonists are just as well-written. They are both broken, flawed people looking for a way to make the world a better place and will not give up until they do. There is plenty of action, for the most part, even though there are some slow sections. The last third of the book was really tense and I couldn't put it down until I finished.
In spite of the things about this book that irritated me, I'm really glad I read it and would definitely be willing to try another book of Mr. English's. All in all, a positive experience.
I obtained an ARC from BookSirens and want to thank them and the author for giving me the opportunity to read it. This is my honest and personal opinion.
I received this as an ARC via Book Sirens for free in trade for an honest review.
This is a serial killer themed book based in Anchorage, Alaska in 1997. The bodies of two young Alaska Native women have been discovered along the banks of Ship Creek, and their deaths are ruled “accidental” and “undetermined” by police and that seems as far as the investigation is going. Lewis Bocarde, originally from Louisiana is a trained investigator working for defence lawyers. After talking with one of the many homeless residents, he starts to sense that perhaps something more sinister is lurking. He joins forces with a suicidal social worker called Grace and the race to discover the truth begins.
This book highlights the plight of the native American and the racism that they face. Well he more beats you over the head with it. I felt that half of this book was written to show examples of the racism people face. Whilst obviously an important topic and should be highlighted, I don't feel the constant preaching added to the overall story. It detracted from the serial killer storyline that the book was meant to be about.
I also struggled with the writing style, it felt too 'flowery' and really didn't add to the content. The characters were flat and unrealistic and the 'practical joke' suggestions from a senior policeman to Lewis...really??? I couldn't believe the romance between Lewis and Grace. She tries to commit suicide, contacts him and then lo and behold they're in a relationship.
Some people really enjoyed the book, but I wasn't one of them.
This was a pretty good read and there was a lot I really enjoyed in it. The plot was well fleshed out and it was clear the author took the time to really plan and research locations and certain issues that are still prominent today. I liked the characters – Lewis was a solid main and there was a good variety of others. Descriptions of Anchorage were lush and I could clear see the scenes that English was trying to describe. All this being said, I will admit also admit that there were parts that I struggled with.
The overall book in itself was good and enjoyable, but I wasn’t particularly a fan of the relationship between Lewis and Grace. Considering how they really got to know each other, it seems rather implausible that they would just move in together and become a couple. There were also moments that I felt the book just kind of dragged on. When there wasn’t action, it seemed to default to reminding readers about the many injustices faced by Native Alaskans. It’s an important issue, of course, but it felt this was the main point of the novel than actually solving the murders. Overall though, it was still a good read.
Thank you Voracious Readers and Elvis English for my copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engrossed and engaged.
The serial killer in the book was definitely high on the creep factor, and I really loved Lewis, he has me rooting for him, in all elements of the book.
If you enjoy reading the thrilling, psychological, creepy serial killer type of book ... and feeling like you're on a roller coaster at the same time ... definitely read this book then, but be warned, you might not be able to put it down ... and when you're done - don't expect to sleep.
Wicked tale. A mystery set in Anchorage, Alaska in the late 1900s. You get all the grit and grime of a city on the edge of the wilderness. It has one foot in civilization the other in primal world around it. The author either spent enough time here to get to know the place well or took copious notes in a very short time. I'm guessing the former. The situation with the native community, drunks on Fourth Ave., it's all there. Great read.
This offering from VRO was a great read. With scary villains, tourists, residents, uninterested cops and a suicidal social worker and a never give up private eye, I found it difficult to put down. The descriptions of people and landscapes are intense and almost put you into the scene. A bit scary at times, not for the faint of heart. One feels vindicated when the villain gets his from a circle of indigenous men who band together to defeat a major predator who is adept at hiding in plain sight.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Was sent a complimentary copy of this novel by the author via voracious readers only in exchange for an honest review. Good rollercoaster of a plot with wonderfully detailed descriptions of a place I’ve only ever seen in pictures! Loved the main character Lewis, who when his world was turned upside down, stuck to his principles to find the sadistic murderer.
Just finished this book. It had a pretty good storyline. Was easy to follow. I just didn't Care for all the goal language in the story. Would be nice to read a story w/o the language. Have not read any of English's books before.
This book is different from my usual choice of reading matter. Wow, it kept me riveted throughout, not knowing until the end who the culprit was. It was scary, without being over the top. Well worth reading.🙂
Brilliant!!!!! Could not put this down. Descriptive in every sense, life and death with everything in between. A great psychological thriller. A must read if you enjoy this genre
I received a complimentary copy of this book via Voracious Readers. A very well written book that kept me turning the pages while also being quite disturbing, certainly not a feel good read. Not for the faint of heart but a good thriller.
Based in the year 1997 This is a story of discrimination and deep rooted prejudice. The town of Anchorage, Alaska individuals, of indigenous descent have been referred to as Natives. The White's who are Native Alaskan do not consider the Natives on par and continue to treat them shabbily and with disdain. Taking away their own right to their homeland and their culture seemingly putting across a belief of shame and terror to uphold the basic knowledge, wisdom and skill for their future generations. In this basic right of looking down at the Natives and not believing they deserve equal rights is a marked demarkation of society, people and places of visits. Thus is the mentality that the perpetrator of this story also carries. He is mean, unethical and relishes in his power of the weak. In this power he is killing Native woman with no remorse. He does it blatantly sure of not being caught as the city turns a blind eye to the plight of these unfortunate inhabitants.
Lewis Bocarde is a private investigator who is sure that this is a hate crime of a serial killer. With the police force not falling for that cause he takes it upon himself to prove them wrong in the bargain of losing his sanity being targetted and just when he gets emotionaly close, has his love life on the line of danger. You get a regular hero with flaws and overzealous at times with no sense of reasoning and off in a tangent. But good at heart and will do anything to fight and get the city free of this madman. The killer is as always two steps forward and you do wish that his resulting end was much more enthralling than how it was after all the misery he put others through.
Elvis English the Author has a remarkable style of writing and creating that perfect atmosphere of Alaska from the eyes of a resident to a tourist. You can picture it perfectly and believe in your surroundings. He has brought the untold story of racism and dark regressed state of culture in Anchorage, Alaska. Though at times the description is expressed in extremely long sentences. It does tend to get a tad bit tedious. And one can skip through sentences not missing much. I give this novel a 3🌠
Man on Quest to Find Out Who's Murdering Native American Females
Lewis, a criminal defense investigator is bothered by what appears to be a serial killer targeting Native American women. The police aren't following it up, viewing the deaths as unexplained or undetermined. Lewis, however, cannot let this go, and he gathers other people—eventually known as the circle—who help him track down clues about the murders. Lewis has some personal demons that he exorcises along the way, including his past history with women and the way he feels about being a coward who doesn't act.
The writing is richly detailed about the time and place, so much that you could feel you were walking around Ship Creek or downtown Anchorage. Like any good thing, at times it was a bit much and felt like a speed bump keeping the reader from the action. The book had some strange punctuation problems. I don't know if it was the author's preference or a sloppy editor, but the required comma between independent clauses in a compound sentence created many run-on sentences. Some sentences were very long and would have benefitted from being recast as multiple sentences.
If you like crime thrillers, you might find it interesting to follow the clues. At a certain point, we know who the killer is while the Circle does not. The book is a satisfying, fast-paced ride!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.