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Waterfront #2
Within A Shadowed Forest
Recovering from the physical and emotional wounds she suffered in "Out of the Cold Dark Sea," Martha Whitaker travels to Duluth, Minn., to help her friend James MacAuliffe. Someone blew up his truck and a charred body is discovered in the wreckage. Together, they pursue a trail of clues that lead them up the North Shore to the scenic village of Grand Marais, into the vast northern forest, and onto the frigid waters of Lake Superior in search of answers—and a shadowed killer. Before they become the next victims.
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 22, 2020
12 people are currently reading
350 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 4, 2020
Thank you to the author, publisher and Goodreads for another great giveaway. This year I have been particularly fortunate in that I’ve been a winner in a giveaway and that the books have been, in my opinion, winners too.
“I really don’t believe in the bigger picture. There’s just the here and now. This is where we live. These are our lives. They’re fragile, they’re precarious. They’re miraculous. They’re all we have. And someone I met—even if only for a brief time—had hers taken too soon. I owe her discovering who and why. I can’t quit because it gets difficult or people won’t talk to me. I have to dig a little deeper, work a little harder. I feel responsible to people so their stories are told, that the truth is known. I’ve always seen it as the one thing I can do to make a difference in the world; it’s my way of helping them find peace. I owe that to Amelia.”
In this story we see Martha Whitaker, attorney, reunited with James MaxAuliffe, journalist, to solve the mystery surrounding two separate deaths involving a mother and her daughter. Are these just two random and very tragic accidents or something more sinister? All points seem to lead back to the planned development of a rural small town in Minnesota; but as the two dig deeper, the direction turns and we find their own lives are now at risk.
Fast moving mystery with plenty of action- a high 4 star read for sure. I sure hope there will be more in this series because I am totally hooked on the two characters!
“I really don’t believe in the bigger picture. There’s just the here and now. This is where we live. These are our lives. They’re fragile, they’re precarious. They’re miraculous. They’re all we have. And someone I met—even if only for a brief time—had hers taken too soon. I owe her discovering who and why. I can’t quit because it gets difficult or people won’t talk to me. I have to dig a little deeper, work a little harder. I feel responsible to people so their stories are told, that the truth is known. I’ve always seen it as the one thing I can do to make a difference in the world; it’s my way of helping them find peace. I owe that to Amelia.”
In this story we see Martha Whitaker, attorney, reunited with James MaxAuliffe, journalist, to solve the mystery surrounding two separate deaths involving a mother and her daughter. Are these just two random and very tragic accidents or something more sinister? All points seem to lead back to the planned development of a rural small town in Minnesota; but as the two dig deeper, the direction turns and we find their own lives are now at risk.
Fast moving mystery with plenty of action- a high 4 star read for sure. I sure hope there will be more in this series because I am totally hooked on the two characters!
October 1, 2020
Jeffrey Briggs continues his Waterfront Mystery Series with a trip to the big waters of Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota. Martha Whitaker, his heroine from Out of the Cold Dark Sea is back along with many of the other characters, but instead of Puget Sound and busy Seattle, we are treated to the old harbor town of Duluth and the trackless woods within the Superior National Forest. Briggs is back again with his excellent writing, wonderful metaphors, a realistic collection of flawed characters and a twisted story of poor choices, greed, unintended consequences and slivers of hope. He packs it all with such an immersive feel that I kept swatting imaginary mosquitoes from my neck while I read.
Mr. Briggs’ books are always worth reading. I felt Within a Shadowed Forest was even better than his debut novel, which I found compelling. I enjoyed Martha in his first book and she’s every bit as good here. Martha is never static or predictable. It’s often hard to watch her struggles because, as readers, we’ve become so entangled in her welfare that it’s hard not to wish Briggs would cut her some slack and let her enjoy some brief happiness. No rest for fictional characters, I guess.
I highly recommend this excellent book. Once again, Briggs has constructed a mystery that is surprising, yet satisfying, and all while making us reconsider the meaning of right and wrong.
Mr. Briggs’ books are always worth reading. I felt Within a Shadowed Forest was even better than his debut novel, which I found compelling. I enjoyed Martha in his first book and she’s every bit as good here. Martha is never static or predictable. It’s often hard to watch her struggles because, as readers, we’ve become so entangled in her welfare that it’s hard not to wish Briggs would cut her some slack and let her enjoy some brief happiness. No rest for fictional characters, I guess.
I highly recommend this excellent book. Once again, Briggs has constructed a mystery that is surprising, yet satisfying, and all while making us reconsider the meaning of right and wrong.
October 24, 2020
Within a Shadowed Forest is a page turner that really is quite enjoyable. You start to think you know where the plot is going and then you get turned around to find out it's headed in a different direction altogether. Jeffrey Briggs has written this book with lots of details and some really neat plot twists. Martha Whitaker, one of the leads in this story, is sure to come back with more mysteries and murders to solve. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good murder/mystery with lots of plot twists and turns. Thank you, Mr. Briggs for a great read.
This book was made available to me through the Voracious Readers Only group(http:voraciousreadersonly.com)!
This book was made available to me through the Voracious Readers Only group(http:voraciousreadersonly.com)!
August 8, 2020
Another hit...
Sometimes an author’s second book does not measure up to the 1st - that’s totally not the case with Jeff’s 2nd book “Within a Shadowed Forest”. I could not put it down and read late into the night until the mysteries were unwoven. Definitely of interest to me was the location of the story - northern Minnesota is a favorite spot for us and I knew many of the geographic locations mentioned in the story - but most of all Jeff gets you engaged in the beginning and you’re in “hook, line, and sinker” until the very end. I can’t wait for #3!
Sometimes an author’s second book does not measure up to the 1st - that’s totally not the case with Jeff’s 2nd book “Within a Shadowed Forest”. I could not put it down and read late into the night until the mysteries were unwoven. Definitely of interest to me was the location of the story - northern Minnesota is a favorite spot for us and I knew many of the geographic locations mentioned in the story - but most of all Jeff gets you engaged in the beginning and you’re in “hook, line, and sinker” until the very end. I can’t wait for #3!
November 9, 2020
Good mystery. Seems to understand the North Shore area and works it into the book well. I read it because of the location but would have enjoyed it just as well if it was set elsewhere. Other than having swarms of mosquitoes in the woods in autumn and mentioning cattle grazing (there is some cattle in the area but not a heck of a lot, so maybe he found a reference of illegal grazing but I think he may have imported that as an issue) the use of the locations shows he did the research. Good book!
June 30, 2022
I'm long, long overdue in updating my Goodreads and leaving a review for this book. This is another great read by Jeff Briggs! I highly recommend it. He easily transitioned the characters from Seattle to Northern Minnesota along Lake Superior. The book was a page turner which made it hard to put the book down. I read a lot of murder mysteries, and I very much appreciate writers like Jeff who do not give away "who did it" early in the book. I cannot wait until book number 3 comes out!
October 26, 2020
This was a really compelling story that hooked me from the beginning. I had not read the first book in the series, but the author did a good job of providing that backstory without bogging down this story. The plot was smart, with just enough twists and turns. The characters felt very real and I look forward to more of their stories.
October 31, 2020
Great Nordic like thriller. Really enjoyed the mystery of the book and plot twists. Character dynamics were great between Mac and his dad as well as with Martha. Adding this author to my reading list - great writing for action and suspense.
Received a complimentary copy of the book from Voracious Readers Only with no obligation to review
Received a complimentary copy of the book from Voracious Readers Only with no obligation to review
November 9, 2020
I have not read the first book in this series but this did not stop me from enjoying this book. Well written, excellent pacing, interesting plot and a smoothly flowing story made this book an overall good read. I cared about the characters and was interested to see how their lives unfolded. I am excited to read the first book!
I recieved an ARC through VRO in exchange for review.
I recieved an ARC through VRO in exchange for review.
March 31, 2022
Seas of many
The authors love for nature and Seattle comes across beautifully, in this book the story woven around each tree in the forest and laid out on the sails of the many boats, that sail the waters blue highlight the failings and greed that prevades even the most idyllic shores.
The authors love for nature and Seattle comes across beautifully, in this book the story woven around each tree in the forest and laid out on the sails of the many boats, that sail the waters blue highlight the failings and greed that prevades even the most idyllic shores.
October 11, 2025
Great atmospheric mystery amid dark woods and deep waters. Briggs takes his superb waterfront sleuth Martha Whitaker from Seattle, to murder and political intrigue along the shores of Lake Superior. The setting is vividly realized, and the plot twisty enough to keep the reader entertained and guessing. Looking forward to the third in the Waterfront series!
October 26, 2020
A free book from Voracious Readers thank you
A well constructed story with strong characters, a good murder mystery
A well constructed story with strong characters, a good murder mystery
January 28, 2021
Really enjoyed this. Looking forward to his next book.
February 12, 2021
Great read.
This was everything I look for in a book. A good plot, captivating, character development and at the same time educational.
This was everything I look for in a book. A good plot, captivating, character development and at the same time educational.
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July 13, 2023Been to most of the places in this book
September 17, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Briggs' second novel in this series. The first one disappointed. The protagonists here are well-balanced and share the space seamlessly. The supporting cast of Minnesota locals is delightful. The ending is satisfying and believable. I am so looking forward to the next one.
October 19, 2020
This book builds very successfully on Briggs' first Waterfront Mystery, OUT OF A COLD DARK SEA. He shows the same skill at blending a tantalizingly complex mystery with engaging characters and a use of setting that brings the world of the book to life. Book 2 finds his Seattle-based characters, Martha Whittaker and James McAuliffe, drawn away from that city and the Puget Sound to the northern shores of Lake Superior. I was so captivated by the lake, the deep forest, the towns, Highway 61 (remember, this is Dylan territory!), the boats, and the culture. . . that I spent a couple of hours after I finished reading poring over maps and photos of the region on the Internet. I just wasn't ready to leave yet! The development of Martha and McAuliffe's characters -- as well as their relationship -- is also very satisfying part of this sequel. On to book 3 . . . and the next waterfront!!!
July 31, 2020
Mysteries aren't usually my genre, but this book makes me want to read more of them. I read through this in 3 days, stayed up late to finish it. Endearing characters, twists and turns, and a beautiful setting of Lake Superior made for a captivating read. Looking forward to the next installment of Martha's adventures!
September 20, 2020
I couldn’t put "Within A Shadowed Forest" down! A great read - especially in summer due to all the “big water” scenes. Beautiful and vivid descriptions with lively and well developed characters. The plot meanders with turns and twists. Immensely enjoyable!
September 29, 2020
I totally enjoyed this book. It is suspenseful and not at all predictable. Martha and MacAuliffe are back in this 2nd novel and are just as much fun as they were in Briggs' first book, Out of the Cold Dark Sea. I like that the locations are all actual places. Lets hope there is another adventure on the way.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews