Shadowland

Praise for The Fox:

"The writing is at turns luminous and spot on. This tale is a perfect autumn read for these ever-darkening Minnesota days. A shining debut for a talented writer - Karen Engstrom is one to watch."

~~Sarah Stonich (author of The Ice Chorus, and Vacationland)

Atmospheric, suspenseful, and deeply moving, The Fox is a mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end-and leave you longing for your own cabin in the woods.

~~JD Trafford (author of Little Boy Lost and the Dark River Series)

Karen Engstrom's The Fox opens with a dramatic scene and raises the questions: who is the victim and who is his killer? Engstrom weaves together an engaging tale, set in both post WWI and WWII. She highlights lives of immigrants, primarily in and around Lake Vermillion in Northern Minnesota. Carl and Elsa Swanson spend summers there, and love to recreate and fish on the lake. Ike left his wife and former life and lives in near seclusion by Vermillion. Other characters are mingled into their stories. In the background, a developer had gone missing years before, and an old map found in Ike's house reveals his whereabouts. It opens an investigation that brings long held secrets to light. Enjoy the trip back in time!

~~Christine Husom (author of the Winnebago County Mysteries and Snow Globe Shop Mysteries)

Practically every Minnesotan is raring to head "Up North" once the temps rise above freezing. Karen Engstrom does an amazing job bringing the true flavors of "up north" to life in her killer debut. Resort cabins, campfires, lakes, and millions of acres of forest abound, along with a little murder and mayhem. Deftly entwining history, mystery, and murder, Engstrom takes us back to the late 40s and spins a tale sure to capture hearts and devious minds alike.

~~Jessie Chandler (author of the Shay O'Hanlon Caper Series)

This is a love letter to Lake Vermillion in northern Minnesota, wrapped inside the story of a mysterious murder that took over twenty years to solve, and a treasure hunt for gold that may or may not be connected to a recent murder or the cold case. Carl and Elsa, the protagonists who are the catalysts for the entire mystery, are a charmingly simple and likable couple who become amateur sleuths after they find the body of a friend floating in the lake. An enjoyable read for fans of Minnesota crime fiction.

~~Chris Norbury (Award-winning author of the Matt Lanier mystery-thriller series)