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Calaveras Crime #1
Blue Mountain
It’s been the year from hell for Jessica Williams. Her cheating husband not only bankrupted them—he’s been indicted. Now the rat bastard has disappeared. Thank God for Nana. Jess couldn’t survive without the old woman’s wisdom and brutal honesty. But when her beloved Nana is arrested and held responsible for the largest mass murder in Calaveras County history Jess suspects her husband may be one of Nana’s latest victims.As the oldest inmate at the cramped county jail, Nana also holds the honor of being the only suspected serial killer ever housed there. With her life hanging by a thread, Nana is granted deathbed visitation and Jess demands the truth. But as shocking confessions unfold, Jess is forced into a relentless pursuit for justice. Armed with Nana’s fragmented and sinister past, Jess could unearth secrets so dark and twisted they will destroy her.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2021
About the author
Lisa Michelle
7 books52 followersAward-winning screenwriter, filmmaker, and bestselling author Lisa Michelle traded rodeo spurs for hiking boots three decades ago. Her debut thriller Calaveras became an Amazon instant bestseller, launching the successful Blue Mountain and the Calaveras Crime Series. After being snowbound without electricity during winter 2023, she penned The Lonesome Dark. Her recently released and only work of nonfiction, True Nature: Hidden in the High Sierra, earned a PenCraft Best Book Award. This former rodeo cowgirl and mother of two feeds her creative fuel with long wilderness hikes, raging snowstorms, and fly fishing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
October 16, 2025
Old lady serial killers… sign me up 😂
Read
March 26, 2024Nope, not for me.
November 10, 2025
I was ready to rate it 4/5 but the ending fell flat for me😢
August 2, 2025
Not grabbing me at all. DNF @ 27%.
November 2, 2022
outstanding
Great book! So thankful I stumbled upon this author. She keeps you on the edge of your seat. Can not wait to read the next book in the series and will be recommending to all my friends and family.
“Once in a great while the world points you in the right direction, and when it does you’d best look.”
Great book! So thankful I stumbled upon this author. She keeps you on the edge of your seat. Can not wait to read the next book in the series and will be recommending to all my friends and family.
“Once in a great while the world points you in the right direction, and when it does you’d best look.”
January 19, 2025
I really liked the main character in this book-- she is tough, courageous, and does whatever she needs to do to get the truth. From a writing standpoint, Blue Mountain was at a pace that kept me hooked all the way through. Lisa Michelle implemented smart storylines and plot twists that were probable and well-executed. I can't wait to read the rest in the series :)
November 19, 2025
This book started off so good. The first 70% were great, but then went down hill after that. Really disappointed with the ending.
October 23, 2025
Some parts were excellent and some parts were terrible.
January 13, 2026
This one was good! I kinda wanted it to be a little more unhinged though 🤣🤦🏽♀️
December 29, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
The end was pretty anticlimactic for me.
The end was pretty anticlimactic for me.
March 10, 2023
I found this a bit hard going at first but once it picked up I was interested to find out what was happening with Nana and the bodies. It all went a bit crazy when Jessica was running from Police and skipping off to Canada with a stowaway. I was happy how it ended but it was a strange journey.
January 6, 2026
It started really good, couldn’t put it down. Then grandma died and so did the book.
December 31, 2021
What an amazing book!! I loved the story line and description in this book so much. The character development is fantastic and I love how it’s an old and new story woven together. One of the best ending I’ve read.
January 15, 2022
Outstanding!
Not too many books hook me from the get go. This one did that! I highly recommend you check this one out. I loved Jessica and Nana. Nana is a feisty little thing. Reminded me of myself. (I'm a female. The account is under my husbands name.)
Not too many books hook me from the get go. This one did that! I highly recommend you check this one out. I loved Jessica and Nana. Nana is a feisty little thing. Reminded me of myself. (I'm a female. The account is under my husbands name.)
July 10, 2026
This book did the worst thing – it was boring. I went into this with the idea that it was about a woman faced with the murderous history of her dying grandmother, and the story behind the bodies that littered her history.
The grandmother’s past murders were barely a part of this – and they weren’t even that interesting to begin with, especially as the assault that sparked her first murder was such a wild left turn, and it felt like the event happened as a way to shock the reader as opposed to a relationship with a few cracks in it that finally took the inevitable turn for violence. I was rolling my eyes with how cartoon villain the ‘bad people’ in this book were, how all these characters acted like caricatures and kept me from having any connection to them. The summary talked about a woman’s whose harsh past was marred with murders done in the name of vengeance and justice…. But the people she killed were so unreal that I couldn’t even care.
None of the characters in this book were likable. Our main lead Jessica was just annoying, with a mean streak of shitting on other woman’s appearances for no reason when they don’t go above and beyond to skirt the rules for her. Jessica’s mother was a neglectful depression ridden mess that the book tries to show a justification for, but that didn’t land. Nana is a cartoon grumpy dying woman, who’s entire backstory was tragedy porn full of corny ‘bad ass’ moments that just made me roll my eyes. Jessica’s husband….
God, the entire thing with her husband was so stupid. All of this was because he wanted to hunt Bigfoot. Not kidding, this is all because he has trauma because his dad saw Bigfoot and nobody believed him, so now he’s obsessed with the creature and proving that his dead dad wasn’t lying. If anyone was a cartoon character, it was this man. Far too much of this story was taken up by the husband, references to Bigfoot, and talk about ‘The Mexicans’ he worked with to fuel his weird hobby – the ‘Mexicans’ who were killing racehorses that lost for insurance money, and who would chop the arms and legs off a person when they were alive if you crossed them.
In regard to the Bigfoot hunting: “I imagine at nine; he had no choice but to believe what his dad told him. No different than religion or racism.” The book treats this as sage wisdom. Like, what even is this???
The book can keep trying to lampshade all they want, calling the Bigfoot angle stupid with some lazy tongue and cheek humor, but it's a pivotal plot in the book, so I’m not giving it a pass.
Also, Jessica connects with her grandmother’s miscarriage and being a murderer because, she too has killed someone. That someone… her fetus. She calls it ‘killing her baby’ multiple times, with a quick hand wave about how, ya she thinks people should have a right to choose but she had an abortion, and she regrets it because she ‘killed her baby’. Having a subplot about her having regrets about an abortion, and her reflecting on that when her grandmother talks about the violent attack that cost her her pregnancy would have been an interesting thing to explore. But we don’t get that, we get a handful of remarks about ‘killing her baby’ before that is completely dropped and we never actually resolve this matter; something that could have been revisited with how the book ends.
And then there was the campsite romance… what even was the plot of this book?? This book read like a bunch of thoughts were shoved together and not well written all together. Just could not enjoy this, even when I kept reading in hopes that it might get better.
Writing 4/10
Pace 4/10
Plot 3/10
Characters 2/10
Enjoyment 3/10
Ending 2/10
The grandmother’s past murders were barely a part of this – and they weren’t even that interesting to begin with, especially as the assault that sparked her first murder was such a wild left turn, and it felt like the event happened as a way to shock the reader as opposed to a relationship with a few cracks in it that finally took the inevitable turn for violence. I was rolling my eyes with how cartoon villain the ‘bad people’ in this book were, how all these characters acted like caricatures and kept me from having any connection to them. The summary talked about a woman’s whose harsh past was marred with murders done in the name of vengeance and justice…. But the people she killed were so unreal that I couldn’t even care.
None of the characters in this book were likable. Our main lead Jessica was just annoying, with a mean streak of shitting on other woman’s appearances for no reason when they don’t go above and beyond to skirt the rules for her. Jessica’s mother was a neglectful depression ridden mess that the book tries to show a justification for, but that didn’t land. Nana is a cartoon grumpy dying woman, who’s entire backstory was tragedy porn full of corny ‘bad ass’ moments that just made me roll my eyes. Jessica’s husband….
God, the entire thing with her husband was so stupid. All of this was because he wanted to hunt Bigfoot. Not kidding, this is all because he has trauma because his dad saw Bigfoot and nobody believed him, so now he’s obsessed with the creature and proving that his dead dad wasn’t lying. If anyone was a cartoon character, it was this man. Far too much of this story was taken up by the husband, references to Bigfoot, and talk about ‘The Mexicans’ he worked with to fuel his weird hobby – the ‘Mexicans’ who were killing racehorses that lost for insurance money, and who would chop the arms and legs off a person when they were alive if you crossed them.
In regard to the Bigfoot hunting: “I imagine at nine; he had no choice but to believe what his dad told him. No different than religion or racism.” The book treats this as sage wisdom. Like, what even is this???
The book can keep trying to lampshade all they want, calling the Bigfoot angle stupid with some lazy tongue and cheek humor, but it's a pivotal plot in the book, so I’m not giving it a pass.
Also, Jessica connects with her grandmother’s miscarriage and being a murderer because, she too has killed someone. That someone… her fetus. She calls it ‘killing her baby’ multiple times, with a quick hand wave about how, ya she thinks people should have a right to choose but she had an abortion, and she regrets it because she ‘killed her baby’. Having a subplot about her having regrets about an abortion, and her reflecting on that when her grandmother talks about the violent attack that cost her her pregnancy would have been an interesting thing to explore. But we don’t get that, we get a handful of remarks about ‘killing her baby’ before that is completely dropped and we never actually resolve this matter; something that could have been revisited with how the book ends.
And then there was the campsite romance… what even was the plot of this book?? This book read like a bunch of thoughts were shoved together and not well written all together. Just could not enjoy this, even when I kept reading in hopes that it might get better.
Writing 4/10
Pace 4/10
Plot 3/10
Characters 2/10
Enjoyment 3/10
Ending 2/10
May 27, 2026
Blue Mountain by Lisa Michelle 🎧
⭐⭐⭐ /5
Nana being a secret serial killer? Sign me the f*ck UP! 🙌🔪
When I first read the premise of Blue Mountain, I was completely captivated. A cheating, bankrupt husband disappears, and beloved, brutally honest Nana is suddenly arrested for the largest mass murder in Calaveras County history? I thought I was buckling in for a wild, bloody ride. 🩸🌲
Unfortunately, this one ended up being more of a Sunday afternoon soap opera than a gritty psychological thriller. 🛋️📺
While the writing itself is genuinely well done, the pacing is slow. I was willing to hang in there because the setup was so intriguing, but then... the story took a turn. To put it bluntly: Grandma died, and the momentum of the book died right along with her. 💀🪦 The ending completely fell flat and left me feeling so disappointed after such a promising start.
If you love slow burn, family drama heavy mysteries with a side of small town gossip, you might enjoy the vibe! But if you came strictly for the serial killer thrills, you might find yourself left out in the cold. 🥶
💬 Let’s Chat! 👇
What is a book premise that completely hooked you, but the actual ending left you totally disappointed? Let’s vent in the comments! 🤬👇
🏷️
#BlueMountain #ThrillerBookstagram #BookReview #PsychologicalThriller #ThrillerBookReview
⭐⭐⭐ /5
Nana being a secret serial killer? Sign me the f*ck UP! 🙌🔪
When I first read the premise of Blue Mountain, I was completely captivated. A cheating, bankrupt husband disappears, and beloved, brutally honest Nana is suddenly arrested for the largest mass murder in Calaveras County history? I thought I was buckling in for a wild, bloody ride. 🩸🌲
Unfortunately, this one ended up being more of a Sunday afternoon soap opera than a gritty psychological thriller. 🛋️📺
While the writing itself is genuinely well done, the pacing is slow. I was willing to hang in there because the setup was so intriguing, but then... the story took a turn. To put it bluntly: Grandma died, and the momentum of the book died right along with her. 💀🪦 The ending completely fell flat and left me feeling so disappointed after such a promising start.
If you love slow burn, family drama heavy mysteries with a side of small town gossip, you might enjoy the vibe! But if you came strictly for the serial killer thrills, you might find yourself left out in the cold. 🥶
💬 Let’s Chat! 👇
What is a book premise that completely hooked you, but the actual ending left you totally disappointed? Let’s vent in the comments! 🤬👇
🏷️
#BlueMountain #ThrillerBookstagram #BookReview #PsychologicalThriller #ThrillerBookReview
October 30, 2025
wtf did I just read? And I mean that in the worst way. The author had a plan, then decided to had more plot points, change the trajectory from “grandpa arrested for being a serial killer but actually kinda was but died before trial but 1/3 of the book is granny’s backstory” to “main character has identity crisis and decides to go find her husband who apparently is obsessed with Bigfoot in Canada” to “finding her husband to kill him but also has a teenager break into her trailer who nearly dies of an overdose so she rescues him and if becomes another random plot” to “set husband up to get caught but seduces him in the most cringe way you almost stopped the book entirely”
This book was potentially but jc did the author piss it down the drain. Don’t recommend and take it off your tbr if it’s on there.
This book was potentially but jc did the author piss it down the drain. Don’t recommend and take it off your tbr if it’s on there.
June 21, 2026
3.75⭐️
🎧 - single narrator
It was great up until about 75% in. The story took a turn and I’m not sure I liked it. I loved hearing the story of Grandma Effie and the accusation of murder.
For me, the end was not what I was hoping. You get an ending that is suitable for the FMC, but the part on how we got there was a bit of a head scratcher for me.
I didn’t really love the whole husband thing and the Sasquatch thing and how the journey took her to Canada of all places. I think I had hoped that the end would’ve been more impactful given the rest of the journey with the grandma’s story.
Overall, the story was pretty good then the writing was good. I just wish the resolution at the end got there in a different way, if that makes any sense. I would probably read another book from this author as I do like her writing style.
🎧 - single narrator
It was great up until about 75% in. The story took a turn and I’m not sure I liked it. I loved hearing the story of Grandma Effie and the accusation of murder.
For me, the end was not what I was hoping. You get an ending that is suitable for the FMC, but the part on how we got there was a bit of a head scratcher for me.
I didn’t really love the whole husband thing and the Sasquatch thing and how the journey took her to Canada of all places. I think I had hoped that the end would’ve been more impactful given the rest of the journey with the grandma’s story.
Overall, the story was pretty good then the writing was good. I just wish the resolution at the end got there in a different way, if that makes any sense. I would probably read another book from this author as I do like her writing style.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2026
I would not call this a “thriller”, it was definitely more of a drama. I was so excited to read about a serial-killing Nana, and HER story did not disappoint. However, when I passed the halfway point, the whole story seemed to shift. Instead of the Nana’s backstory, it changed to her granddaughter and her husband. Seriously?? I wanted more of Nana! When the story focused on her granddaughter instead, it was….ok. I kept hoping that it would go back to the diaries and backstory, but it seemed like we were just done with that, and sadly, Nana had become more of a side-story rather than the premise. It was an ok ending, but I wish that it would have followed the Nana’s story more rather than shifting in a different direction.
June 17, 2026
a Fun Read with exceptions
I found this story both intriguing and creative and enjoyed the two main characters. I recommend it with reservations. Although I enjoyed the story line, the twists and turns, it was the unnecessary use of profanity that reduced my rating. I don’t understand why an author feels the need to scatter the F word and taking the Lord’s name in vain a necessary addition to a good story. It simply takes away and frankly, is a turn off. I think Lisa has a true talent for storytelling and hope she rethinks the use of vulgarity that adds nothing but cringe to what I consider good work.
I found this story both intriguing and creative and enjoyed the two main characters. I recommend it with reservations. Although I enjoyed the story line, the twists and turns, it was the unnecessary use of profanity that reduced my rating. I don’t understand why an author feels the need to scatter the F word and taking the Lord’s name in vain a necessary addition to a good story. It simply takes away and frankly, is a turn off. I think Lisa has a true talent for storytelling and hope she rethinks the use of vulgarity that adds nothing but cringe to what I consider good work.
August 28, 2022
Well wasnt that a fun read....
My fave was Winnie's childhood, living with her grandmother (and her being a mini trouble maker lol).
Nana telling her story from her deathbed was neat, to say the least. This book was full of wit (eg Mr. Truman ; Mr. Not a True Man lol).
Nana's confessions were the best part of the book. When it switched to Jess's story, for some reason, I just didn't care for it as much as Nana's story. I recommend this book to people who like unraveling mystery and a bit of thrill
My fave was Winnie's childhood, living with her grandmother (and her being a mini trouble maker lol).
Nana telling her story from her deathbed was neat, to say the least. This book was full of wit (eg Mr. Truman ; Mr. Not a True Man lol).
Nana's confessions were the best part of the book. When it switched to Jess's story, for some reason, I just didn't care for it as much as Nana's story. I recommend this book to people who like unraveling mystery and a bit of thrill
May 27, 2026
The book started out so that the reader didn’t WANT to like Nana. We commiserated with her granddaughter Jessica. But as time passed, you couldn’t help but understand that the murders Nana committed were understandable, if not justifiable. By the time Nana has made her final confession, you’re thinking “those folks deserved what they got.” Jessica is indefatigable in her search for her husband, the veterinarian who intentionally killed race horses for the insurance money. That alone would be enough for most of us. Does Jessica follow in Nana’s footsteps??
December 7, 2021
What a whirlwind!
When I first started this book, I wasn't sure about it. Jess was a bit of a lacking character starting out. Too much whoa-is-me. But as the story progressed, her character grew and became a great main character. I really had no idea where the book was going to take me and I liked that about the storyline. Everything worked well and when the ending came, I wanted more. I really enjoyed this book. Highly recommend
When I first started this book, I wasn't sure about it. Jess was a bit of a lacking character starting out. Too much whoa-is-me. But as the story progressed, her character grew and became a great main character. I really had no idea where the book was going to take me and I liked that about the storyline. Everything worked well and when the ending came, I wanted more. I really enjoyed this book. Highly recommend
March 11, 2022
Excellent read!
Is Nana a serial killer and did she use her hogs to destroy the evidence? Well, see that's a tagline that should suck anyone into this story. Lots of flashbacks, but its all so intense that you look down and wonder how you'd read 100 pages. Nana isn't who she seems to be, never had been, but is she a killer? You should definitely read it and find out because the answer isn't as black and white as the reader fist thinks.
Is Nana a serial killer and did she use her hogs to destroy the evidence? Well, see that's a tagline that should suck anyone into this story. Lots of flashbacks, but its all so intense that you look down and wonder how you'd read 100 pages. Nana isn't who she seems to be, never had been, but is she a killer? You should definitely read it and find out because the answer isn't as black and white as the reader fist thinks.
May 12, 2022
Such promise!
I had such high hopes for this book—right up until the last chapter. I loved the way the author made Jess real and made her a flawed Christian, because that’s the only kind there is! But for some reason, the ending—which I won’t spoil—seemed unsatisfying. Then again, it’s making me question my own faith and what I would’ve done in Jessica’s situation, so maybe that was the author’s intent.
Either way, I want to read Book two!
I had such high hopes for this book—right up until the last chapter. I loved the way the author made Jess real and made her a flawed Christian, because that’s the only kind there is! But for some reason, the ending—which I won’t spoil—seemed unsatisfying. Then again, it’s making me question my own faith and what I would’ve done in Jessica’s situation, so maybe that was the author’s intent.
Either way, I want to read Book two!
January 16, 2026
I actually didn’t finish this. Like many other comments, the story was sooo good! Until it wasn’t. Suddenly we are in Canada, chasing the husband who killed people & horses, because he was hunting big foot. Oh. And now there’s a random stowaway who is going through withdrawal from heroine? It should have wrapped up when nana died. I became completely disinterested at 85% so I abandoned it. Such a shame!
January 31, 2026
This is what I get for finding a random book available on hoopla when all the good ones are on hold. This could have been a good story, Nana’s character was flawed and lovable. Instead it starts out with her in the hospital dying AND she’s suspected of being a serial character? I’m fascinated that it’s a series, had so much potential to immediately start with some clarity and finish some plots and leave you wanting a second book, but sadly it wasn’t that.
February 13, 2026
3.75 Stars:
I picked this book up because I thought the cover looked cool. I liked the characters and the pacing of this story, and the atmosphere felt immersive. This book would probably make a good movie.
After reading the author bio: "Award-winning screenwriter, filmmaker, and bestselling author Lisa Michelle traded rodeo spurs for hiking boots three decades ago" my last thought makes a ton of sense!
I picked this book up because I thought the cover looked cool. I liked the characters and the pacing of this story, and the atmosphere felt immersive. This book would probably make a good movie.
After reading the author bio: "Award-winning screenwriter, filmmaker, and bestselling author Lisa Michelle traded rodeo spurs for hiking boots three decades ago" my last thought makes a ton of sense!
April 5, 2026
Not my usual read but not bad. Jessica’s husband left her high and dry but luckily she has her nana to support her. Her world falls apart when her nana is suspected to have committed several murders. The police found fragments of bone in her nana’s hog pen. Not too sure how the police caught wind of the whole situation. Nana becomes ill and tells Jess the full story on her death bed, it is now up to Jess to prove the truth
July 7, 2026
Enjoyed the first half. Nana was interesting and fun and her relationship with Jessica was sweet. Duke was awesome. Everything flowed well until about halfway. At this point things started to jump around. What felt like random & unnecessary storylines were mixed in. I was confused by the introduction of the dope fiend. I didn’t find many of these side stories to be believable and it would have been a better story without.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews