The Wolves Are Watching: A Lew Ferris Mystery
Mystery/ Small Town Fiction
4th in Series with this Publisher
23rd in Series Overall
Setting – Wisconsin
Publisher : Crooked Lane Books
Publication date : February 24, 2026
Print length : 240 pages
Hrardcover
ISBN-13 : 979-8892424264
Paperback
ISBN-13 : 979-8892424271
Kindle
ISBN-13 : 979-8892424288
It’s early September when a competitor in a high school fishing tournament is approached by a stranger who threatens him and his family in an attempt to blackmail him into throwing the first round of the tournament. The boy flees into the woods, where at night he sleeps with wolves watching him from the shadows.
When the boy’s father asks Lew’s deputy, Ray Pradt, for help finding his son as well as the man who threatened him, they’re thrown into a world of illegal betting that’s more dangerous than either could have imagined. Meanwhile, Lew Ferris learns that a couple who went on a wolf-watching trip has disappeared without a trace, right near an old log cabin that Ray remembers from his childhood.
Sheriff Lew Ferris finds herself challenged more than ever before: arms dealing, sports betting, blackmail, and wolves. Is she under threat from predators too?
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Sheriff Lew Ferris has her hands full in The Wolves are Watching. Wisconsin’s wolf population remains healthy and secure in the state, and people come from far and wide to see them in the wild.
A high school fishing tournament brings out the worst in some people. The event could award the winning team with a large sum of money, but someone else wants to win a large sum of their own. They don’t want to leave the payoff to chance either. They try to blackmail one of the contestants by threatening his family unless he agrees to throw the first round. Upset, the young man spends the night in the woods with the wolves watching him nearby.
In the meantime, Lew is notified about a couple who disappeared during a wolf-watching event. She is going to need a lot of help searching the woods if she has any chance of finding the avid wolf watchers. Her friend and deputy Ray Pradt is involved in both cases. She also requests help from the “Wausau boys”. When they find a stash of illegal guns during their search, they have to call in the FBI.
Will Lew be able to find the couple? Will she be able to catch the blackmailer? Will she be able to shut down the flow of illegal guns and put those responsible behind bars?
Ms. Houston has created a wonderful cast of characters for this series, and they are still going strong in the 23rd installment (4th with this publisher). Flyfishing is the theme that runs through the series. Lew Ferris is not only an expert but also teaches others the right techniques, and barters her lessons to get the help she needs to solve her cases. Her significant other, Doc Osbourne, still learns new things from her. Their relationship is so warm and comforting. Ray Pradt has his own set of skills, and in this book, we were reminded about how he acquired those skills. Bruce Peters, a talented forensic scientist out of Wausau, remains a reliable ally and is always willing to help when Lew calls, especially if they have time to fish. New development, a female has now joined his team, so they are no longer the “Wausau boys”. It truly is like visiting old friends every time I open up a book in this series.
This story is particularly well-constructed, offering a compelling and suspenseful plot that keeps the reader engaged. The progress of the case relies on traditional investigative work, which adds authenticity and satisfaction to the narrative. An old friend of Lew’s plays a crucial role, helping to connect important clues and drive the investigation forward.
The story includes several tense moments, culminating in an unexpected takedown that adds excitement and surprise. A meeting that gathers all the law enforcement officials around the conference table is a highlight, as they collectively review the evidence and discuss the case. While one question remains unresolved at this point, it is addressed just a few pages later. The book concludes with a heartwarming moment that left me with a smile on my face and provided an uplifting ending to the story.
The Wolves Are Watching is filled with appealing characters and a mystery you can sink your teeth into set in the beautiful North Woods of Wisconsin. As I mentioned in other reviews, like Lew, my grandfather was the one who took me fishing as a child. Every time Lew steps into that stream in her waders with her rod and reel, I can easily envision my grandfather a bit upstream, taking it all in. Each book in this series has brought back wonderful memories.
While this is a long-running series, the author does an excellent job making new readers feel right at home. You can cast your line into any book and totally enjoy it.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC.
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About the Author
Victoria Houston is the author of the Loon Lake mysteries
To find out more about Victoria Houston,
visit her webpage here and Facebook here.
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Check out The Loon Lake Mysteries
to see how these characters started out.
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