Pickleball is a hot sport in Loon Lake, Wisconsin. Sixty-eight-year-old dentist Bert Willoughby has his own court to play on, but when he’s hit with a bullet and killed during practice with his partner, it looks like a cunning killer got the last shot in AT THE EDGE OF THE WOODS, the third book in Victoria Houston’s Lew Ferris Mysteries.

McBride County sheriff Lew Ferris suspects it was an accidental shooting caused by a hunter’s stray bullet. Bert’s partner and new love interest, Robin Carpenter, was unharmed by the incident. When Lew notifies Bert’s wife, Jane, she seems more relieved than traumatized. Yet, when the will is read, Jane and her daughter Katherine are infuriated. The mistress, Robin, inherits a large portion of Bert’s estate. When Robin becomes the second victim of a pickleball court shooting, Lew knows this time the shooting was deliberate. Could the killer be the wife, the daughter, an injured pickleball player, a disgruntled neighbor, an unhappy dental patient, a woman suing Bert for medical malpractice, or the housekeeper? There are plenty of suspects for Lew to interview, and she realizes she has to catch the killer before they flee the area, and she needs to restore peace to the pickleball courts. And of course, get some fishing in.

AT THE EDGE OF THE WOODS is an entertaining mystery set in the Northern Wisconsin Woods with a strong female lead and plenty of outdoor fun, especially fishing. The mystery starts strong and continues with solid pacing and plot development. The investigations are logical, the characters are relatable, and the motives are believable. Lew is tough and fair, and she doesn’t hesitate to bring in other experts to help her solve the crime. The setting is serene and will entice readers to take up some outdoor sports, and the conclusion is particularly satisfying as the guilty party meets a fitting end. Enjoy this trip to Loon Lake, and get ready for a mystery filled with family dynamics, deception, greed, and fishing!