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North Of The Tension Line #4
A Small Earnest Question
Life on Washington Island is always interesting. Elisabeth and Roger’s new hotel is open and offering some unusual amenities. Eddie and Oliver Robert have started a great books club, and Emily Martin, not to be outdone, decides what the Island most needs is a literary festival, complete with a famous author. Pali and Ben have a spiritual encounter that will change them both. Meanwhile, Fiona must determine her answers to some very important questions. Lyrical, engrossing, and sharply insightful, J. F. Riordan’s novels are a quiet tribute to the ordinary life, well-lived.
- GenresFiction
375 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 6, 2020
34 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
July 7, 2025
4.5 Such a sweet thoughtful beautifully written book about a small island off Wisconsin. Wonderful sense of place, humor, and great character development with lovable characters including a goat, a dog and a wolf. Plot moves along with generally gentle topics but serious philosophical topics are broached as well. Even had twists and some fast action towards the end. Definitely recommend this fairly literary book that was still light enough for a summer day. I got it on Hoopla and there are 3 more in the series I will be eager to read to get back to these characters.
April 28, 2022
Rather than write a review for all 4 books in the "North of the Tension Line" series, I am going to write one. J.F. Riordan has a different style than many authors introducing you to all the characters and many of them are featured voices throughout the books. Typically this can get confusing, but in this series it is part of a natural flow to the story. You really get the feel of what living on Washington Island might be like. How new residents fit in, or don't. The real quirks and appealing traits of several people shine through including the youngest and the oldest residents of the island. Of course there are a few "villains" that you grow to dislike and root against. While there is one true lead character in the book, there are several others who get a chance to play significant roles in the stories. The book is honestly told and with humor that can catch you by surprise. Several times in all of the books I would burst out laughing. While you can read these books as stand-alone stories, they are so much more enjoyable with the back stories as you move through them. I hated finishing the fourth book because I felt I was saying good-bye to good friends. Book 5 comes out this summer and I have already preordered it.
April 23, 2021
Continue to love this series set on an island in Lake Michigan at the tip of Wisconsin's Door County. Author combines humor and pathos, with a bit of mystery and maturing children just for further wrinkles. Not too serious, but perfect for this time of year (if you can't tell by the incredible blooming trees on the cover!). I wish the author had a place for her more periodic stuff now that the Weekly Standard is no more.
August 5, 2020
A very satisfying conclusion to the four book series. Soon I will start reading the series again as a salve for this year’s COVID-canceled vacation to Ephraim and Washington Island. I miss the fresh corn and the perch baskets and eating cherry pie every day. Beautiful, peaceful places.
December 12, 2020
A Small Earnest Question by J. F. Riordan. This is the fourth book in Riordan's North of the Tension Line series set on Washington Island, a remote island in the Great Lakes. Fiona Campbell is the main character at the center or an eclectic mix of locals, visitors, pets, and even goats for the goat yoga classes. This fourth book involves the grand opening of a remodeled hotel and the island's first literary festival, but the point of the series is to wallow in the charm.
This one is perfect for all the pumpkin spice latte lovers on your list. Riordan brings readers up to speed enough to enjoy this as a stand alone, or splurge on the set of four.
This one is perfect for all the pumpkin spice latte lovers on your list. Riordan brings readers up to speed enough to enjoy this as a stand alone, or splurge on the set of four.
March 27, 2022
Best of the four in series
September 21, 2020
The world as an island...
I have read the four books of the North of the Tension Line series in less than a week, staying up most of the night on two occasions. I gladly did without sleep not only to enjoy the reading, but to keep from waking my husband. I rarely got through one page without a snort, a guffaw, a chortle or a peal of laughter. I discovered even memory foam can't be stopped from jiggling when I'm struggling to swallow laughter. Just doesn't work!
Not only is Riordon's writing style wry, clever and satisfying, her characters are perfect. Not a flat one in the bunch. She populates an entire island with eccentric but entirely believable people you recognize it you have ever paid attention to the people who surround you. Only two of them you would make every attempt to avoid, as do the characters in the books.
Fiona Campbell, the main character, starts out on a peninsula near Green Bay, Wisconsin. She often visits nearby Washington Island for its beaches and the ferry ride. She fantasizes about a lovely old white house in the town. One day she discovers it is for sale and hugs it on a dare. Her friends insist she won't survive the harsh winter on the island, but it is loneliness, her nearest neighbor and her housewarming gift, a cantankerous goat, which offer her greatest challenges to succeeding in making the life for herself that she isn't quite certain she still wants.
Through the four books fast friends are made, elections are won, romances blossom, wither and recover, .mysteries are solved, gorgons are conquered. Through it all, character matters, goodness is examined, evil is overcome and the goat is tamed.
On the island as everywhere, everyday people live everyday lives with heroic overtones based on finding a way to at least coexist if not actually love their neighbor.
All four books of the series are highly recommended. Find a comfy spot, a cup of tea, a glass of wine or a good bottle of scotch, and plan to read the day or night away as you travel to Washington Island to get to know Fiona and her fascinating friends.
KL
I have read the four books of the North of the Tension Line series in less than a week, staying up most of the night on two occasions. I gladly did without sleep not only to enjoy the reading, but to keep from waking my husband. I rarely got through one page without a snort, a guffaw, a chortle or a peal of laughter. I discovered even memory foam can't be stopped from jiggling when I'm struggling to swallow laughter. Just doesn't work!
Not only is Riordon's writing style wry, clever and satisfying, her characters are perfect. Not a flat one in the bunch. She populates an entire island with eccentric but entirely believable people you recognize it you have ever paid attention to the people who surround you. Only two of them you would make every attempt to avoid, as do the characters in the books.
Fiona Campbell, the main character, starts out on a peninsula near Green Bay, Wisconsin. She often visits nearby Washington Island for its beaches and the ferry ride. She fantasizes about a lovely old white house in the town. One day she discovers it is for sale and hugs it on a dare. Her friends insist she won't survive the harsh winter on the island, but it is loneliness, her nearest neighbor and her housewarming gift, a cantankerous goat, which offer her greatest challenges to succeeding in making the life for herself that she isn't quite certain she still wants.
Through the four books fast friends are made, elections are won, romances blossom, wither and recover, .mysteries are solved, gorgons are conquered. Through it all, character matters, goodness is examined, evil is overcome and the goat is tamed.
On the island as everywhere, everyday people live everyday lives with heroic overtones based on finding a way to at least coexist if not actually love their neighbor.
All four books of the series are highly recommended. Find a comfy spot, a cup of tea, a glass of wine or a good bottle of scotch, and plan to read the day or night away as you travel to Washington Island to get to know Fiona and her fascinating friends.
KL
May 10, 2023
Life has continued for Fiona Campbell and the Islanders. Ben is getting taller and continues to demonstrate a kind of spirituality with nature that only deepens as he gets older. He is kind to a younger boy whose older brother is back on the island after a year in boarding school. (He was bad; he went to military academy.) Pali is still steering the ferry and writing poetry. Nancy is feeling her age and wondering what to do with her farm. Stella is horrid, as usual, and Emily is still a pain in the backside. Elizabeth and Roger are making the hotel work, but he has a problem at Ground Zero. It seems his yoga mornings have attracted campers who are filling his parking lot overnight. He also has read about goat yoga, so decides to start a goat yoga class at the hotel using Robert the goat. (You can roll your eyes. You know very well how that will turn out!)
Fiona and her assistant Oliver seem to have found a kind of rhythm and equilibrium. Fiona has worries about Pete. He is still rather vague about how he makes a living.
Eddie has been studying The Great Books online, and he winds up leading a men's book group that is devoted to studying The Great Books.
Jim is now the fire chief, and he has a problem. Someone keeps setting fires. Some more serious than others. Among the suspects are Caleb the bad kid, Fiona, and Stella.
The issue occupying everyone's minds is the mysterious purchasing of all the contiguous property along the west shoreline. The people who sell are, in some cases, taken by surprise by the offer, but in other instances, it means property that has been on the market for a long time is suddenly snapped up. No one can figure out who is buying all that property.
If I say more, I give it away, so that's all you need to know.
If you have been reading this series, this one has some dumb places, but they are absolutely funny, so just give in and laugh. Laughing is good for you. Stella should do more of it - maybe she wouldn't be so disagreeable.
In other cases, it is just a continuation of life on the island as it winds through the seasons. The ending is sweet, and I'm looking forward to the next one.
Fiona and her assistant Oliver seem to have found a kind of rhythm and equilibrium. Fiona has worries about Pete. He is still rather vague about how he makes a living.
Eddie has been studying The Great Books online, and he winds up leading a men's book group that is devoted to studying The Great Books.
Jim is now the fire chief, and he has a problem. Someone keeps setting fires. Some more serious than others. Among the suspects are Caleb the bad kid, Fiona, and Stella.
The issue occupying everyone's minds is the mysterious purchasing of all the contiguous property along the west shoreline. The people who sell are, in some cases, taken by surprise by the offer, but in other instances, it means property that has been on the market for a long time is suddenly snapped up. No one can figure out who is buying all that property.
If I say more, I give it away, so that's all you need to know.
If you have been reading this series, this one has some dumb places, but they are absolutely funny, so just give in and laugh. Laughing is good for you. Stella should do more of it - maybe she wouldn't be so disagreeable.
In other cases, it is just a continuation of life on the island as it winds through the seasons. The ending is sweet, and I'm looking forward to the next one.
July 26, 2025
Nearly every summer for 43 years, we have spent a wonderful week in Door County, Wisconsin. Many times, we have enjoyed taking the ferry across La Porte des Morts (Death's Door) to Washington Island for the day. We like the 30 minute ferry ride, Schoolhouse Beach with its smooth white stones, the Stavkirke, a unique replica of an 11th century Norwegian wooden church, the challenge of climbing the Mountain Lookout Tower for the reward of great views, the beautiful lavender fields, the best yarn shop in the midwest, the few but good restaurants for lunch, the smooth, quiet roads for biking, and the general ambiance of the Island. Sometimes we visit with locals but always leave with questions about what life is like for people living in such a small community, somewhat isolated from other communities. In her North of the Tension Line novels, J.F. Riordan answers a lot of those questions about Island life in an engaging, entertaining manner. I've read all four of the books in the series and hope there may be more. If you have ever visited Washington Island, you should read the North of the Tension Line series.
August 25, 2020
The Washington Island community enjoys their quiet life 'North of the Tension Line' and are cautious of newcomers wanting to make changes. Fiona has been on the Island for awhile and has even taken on the job of Town Board Chairman. She is beginning to gain their trust until a well-meaning family decision derails everything and she melts. While her life is falling apart, her friends are experimenting with new ideas to bring more people to the hotel they recently purchased and renovated ... her assistant decides that he needs to let down his guard and make some friends ... Robert the goat invites himself to the inaugural literary festival and the reader learns more about this community of dreamers who wouldn't live anywhere else than Washington Island. Riordan tackles current issues of bullying and gossiping, mixes in a bit of trouble, mischief, love, laughter and friendship to remind us how important friends and community are. She walks the reader through the beauty of Washington Island and adds a bit of mystery to those that walk among us.
September 6, 2020
Treat yourself to intelligent writing that will fill your book-loving heart and give you a giggle along the way, too. Beautifully written with humor and grace about the people and the unique nature of life on an island. "A Small Earnest Question" continues the story of Fiona (who owns a goat), the Lutheran Men's Prayer Group (which does yoga), Oliver (persnickety assistant to Fiona) and Emily Martin (the haughty do-gooder). This fourth book in the "North of the Tension Line" series continues with the kooky and charming cast of characters from Washington Island, Wisconsin. As an avid reader, I thoroughly enjoy JR Riordan's keen insights. I often devour books, but with this author I find myself pausing and underlining remarkable phrases that make me say "Yes! That's exactly how it is!"
August 20, 2020
A small, lovely book
This is the fourth in a series, and although Ms. Riordan does a wonderful job of exposition to bring readers up to speed, it is much more enjoyable if you’ve read the other three. All are set on Washington Island in Door County, Wisconsin, a place just far enough to be removed from the bustle of the city and to have a number of quirky, but very lovable, residents. Short chapter segments bounce between characters and subplots in a way that, surprisingly, doesn’t feel choppy but advances the character driven story beautifully. I raise a Bloody Roger to this lovely book!
This is the fourth in a series, and although Ms. Riordan does a wonderful job of exposition to bring readers up to speed, it is much more enjoyable if you’ve read the other three. All are set on Washington Island in Door County, Wisconsin, a place just far enough to be removed from the bustle of the city and to have a number of quirky, but very lovable, residents. Short chapter segments bounce between characters and subplots in a way that, surprisingly, doesn’t feel choppy but advances the character driven story beautifully. I raise a Bloody Roger to this lovely book!
September 17, 2020
This is the 4th novel in the Series North of Tension Line. The series takes place in Door County, mostly on Washington Island, Wisconsin. The storyline is funny and even profound at times. Sometimes I feel that there are two authors telling this story because some chapters are so well written with great use of vocabulary and some chapters are written very simply. The story moves along quickly and I love the humor. I look forward to the next book in the series. (I love to read these novels with my black lab at my feet.)
February 6, 2025
J F Riordan has such an appealing style. She writes about the little nothings that happen in everyday life and all of the trials and joys of life in community with others, and has done this in such a way that I have become very invested in the lives, both young and old, of the inhabitants of this little island off the shore of Wisconsin, in Lake Michigan. I have enjoyed my time on Washington Island, and will miss the people and characters. If book 5 really is published this year, I will definitely pick it up to continue the journey.
August 22, 2020
I am a big fan of J.F. Riordan's "North Of the Tension Line" series. "A Small Earnest Question" is the best of the series. Her characters are even more eccentric and lovable. I had planned on reading it slowly, but I quickly was drawn into the mysteries and intrigue. You cannot read her carefully crafted prose without falling in love with her style and humor. It is one of those great novels where the moment you finish it, you want to read it again.
September 9, 2020
I am not convinced that this is a well written book or that it deserves 5 stars. It is the 4th in the series and unlike other trilogies, etc. these books follows the same characters throughout (it doesn’t pick side characters from the previous stories like so many other books) The characters are interesting, quirky and smart people that you care about and want to see how they evolve. Yeah - I liked it!
September 27, 2020
I have enjoyed this series for the descriptions of Door County. The author does capture some of the local flavor. But this book left me a bit disappointed. The main love story is not developed enough to care much about whether they end up together (I will not spoil it for you), and part of the plot (again I will not spoil it) is quite far-fetched. Anyway, still a decent, if a bit too sweet, distraction.
October 2, 2020
Oh how I love this entire series! Jan has put me into the community, I hear the voices of her characters and am on edge waiting to see where she takes these beautifully developed players through their daily lives. Each book has just enough tension...just enough mystery to keep me up past my bedtime to find out what happens while leaving each character open for a new adventure. Can’t wait for the next book!
November 13, 2020
A lovely and satisfying book #4 in the North of the Tension Line series - but you must go back and read the first three books. Then all the characters are back, so settle in and enjoy all the fun characters and their shenanigans in Door County. There is also a sad and thoughtful side to the storyline, but that's life and it's worth the walk alongside the fictional people I've grown to love. Highly recommended!
To author J. F. Riordan - will there be a book #5 - please?
To author J. F. Riordan - will there be a book #5 - please?
December 14, 2020
While not as charming as the first three books, the story of Elizabeth and Fiona is carried to a satisfying conclusion with the exception of a few loose ends. I don't see the need for another in the series as this one made for a good ending. The book didn't really pick up at the end of the 3rd book, which was a bit disappointing. Several characters had appropriate story lines, especially Robert! You just can't go wrong with Robert the goat.
August 10, 2021
The characters, settings, descriptions, drama, and sometimes mystical nature of Riordan's novels resonate as though someone threw Louise Penny & Brian Doyle into a bag, shook it up, and poured out something just slightly lighter than either one, but not by much. I love how these novels take me into another world, and look forward to No. 5 coming out in about a year. Riordan is the only author besides Penny who has kept me reading each new book in a series.
August 28, 2023
This is a great book in the series North of the Tension Line. Besides the original North of the Tension Line, this one is better than the others. I really felt like I was in a small community while reading this book. The characters were well developed and the storyline interesting. How Fiona comes out on top in spite of everything is a true boost. Goats are used thorough out the series and in this one as well. The reader will catch themselves smiling while reading.
August 31, 2024
This is my favorite in this series so far. Fiona and the Washington Island community are always charming. And who wouldn't love the chaos of Roger's goat yoga? Not sure I really believe the men's book group would be quite so in love with the poetry of Yeats, but I loved the story of the group's creation and its escape from Emily Martin. Most of all, this entry in the series sustained multiple good threads of suspense, which I won't spoil here.
August 13, 2020
Satisfying
I love Washington Island, and due to the pandemic, was unable to make our yearly trip to Door county. I was so happy to be able visit it while reading this book. I enjoyed the characters and a glimpse of what life is like on the island. I dream of living there and these books make it possible for a short while to pretend.
I love Washington Island, and due to the pandemic, was unable to make our yearly trip to Door county. I was so happy to be able visit it while reading this book. I enjoyed the characters and a glimpse of what life is like on the island. I dream of living there and these books make it possible for a short while to pretend.
August 17, 2020
The fourth book in the North of the Tension series. I am a huge fan! The wait between books feels like forever, but its always worth it. The series centers around the eccentric people of Washington Island, located in the Great Lakes. There are so many reasons to love this series. Robert the goat is just one.
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September 8, 2020This is the fourth and final book in a series about an island in Door County, Wisconsin. The book is relaxing, about small-town life and problems, with some oddball characters. I especially liked the man who owns a hotel and practices yoga, and the clerk/accountant. It's always nice to have a novel with a ferry boat captain, too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2021
This series is sheer perfection. I have felt as though I’ve lived among the Washington Islanders through all four books. I’ve grieved with them, celebrated with them and thoroughly enjoyed peaking in on their lives. I’m very sad the series has come to an end but my life is enriched for having read it. And I have had the most wonderful time laughing!
August 17, 2020
A Small Earnest Response
An excellent book when it comes to its end leaves you aching for more. My current predicament.
This is a book to read and later, reread so every word morsel can be savored.
An excellent book when it comes to its end leaves you aching for more. My current predicament.
This is a book to read and later, reread so every word morsel can be savored.
October 18, 2020
I am really enjoying this series set on Washington Island, WI. Fiona continues to develop as do her circle of friends. I found this title just perfect for reading during a pandemic with a delightful plot line and a strong sense of the beauties of nature on this island.
January 13, 2023
4.25 stars
I didn't care much for the first third of this book (it didn't make a whole lot of sense to me) but as I read more, I really got into the rhythm of this fourth book. By 70%, I was in love with the phrasing and the plot. Bravo. What a magical place this island is.
I didn't care much for the first third of this book (it didn't make a whole lot of sense to me) but as I read more, I really got into the rhythm of this fourth book. By 70%, I was in love with the phrasing and the plot. Bravo. What a magical place this island is.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews