Former police officer John Cabrelli is recuperating at Spider Lake when a string of mysterious events in a nearby town draws him into a case involving a missing federal agent and a secluded cabin… An unputdownable crime thriller!
From the back cover:
A missing federal agent, suitcases full of cash, a secluded cabin in the woods. Spider Lake is no longer the peaceful retreat John Cabrelli needs to recover from his gunshot wounds and start a new life. Knowing Cabrelli is a former law enforcement officer, the new chief of police recruits him to help untangle a string of strange events in the little town of Musky Falls. Cabrelli and a colorful team of local residents land in the center of a fast-paced action thriller with a surprise ending that’s sure to make your head spin.
Spider Lake aptly offers the dichotomy between the quiet, simple beauty of life in Wisconsin’s Northwoods and the vicious wickedness of the organized crime world in this riveting thrill ride… Nania depicts the natural world of woods and waters to remind the reader that it is these special places that are worth preserving, and that outside forces bent on destroying what is good in life, must be eradicated. Cabrelli is the hero we need right now—a man who fights the good fight and risks his own life to rid the world of traffickers and murderers.
Never underestimate law enforcement in a sleepy little town—that’s not so sleepy after all. John Cabrelli is ready, willing, and able when shots are fired in Spider Lake, the exciting, intricately plotted sequel in the Northern Lakes Mystery series.
Book two in this series ramps up the tension and momentum the author firmly established in “Figure Eight,” book one in the series. Nania (again) weaves a plot that is both believable and complex, reflecting real-world scenarios where bad guys ply their criminal trade wherever they can. I love the juxtaposition of what appears to be the serene and calm Northwoods of Wisconsin with a violent criminal enterprise where murder is just the side effect of doing business. Nania has a winner with this series because he’s given us a multifaceted main character in John Cabrelli. He is likeable and relatable with imperfections that are understandable given what we know of his past. Writing both the continuing plot line of Cabrelli’s life within the action of each book’s story is a challenge for series writers, and Nania has mastered this balance. Cannot wait for the next book!
Barry Adams talks with Jeff Nania about writing, wetlands, and farm life.
Book review by Paul Smith
