ARC Review: Pike Island by Tony Wirt

Pike Island
Author: Tony Wirt
Publication: Thomas & Mercer (November 1, 2024)

Description: From the bestselling author of Just Stay Away comes a haunting thriller about a rising politician whose shadowy past threatens to end his career―and his future shot at the presidency.

What happens at the cabin stays at the cabin. Right?

Andrew Harrison “Harry” Leonard is destined for politics. Getting his start on the Rochester City Council, he quickly rose to become the youngest representative in Congress. Now the up-and-comer from Minnesota is on the brink of something big. If all goes well, he’ll be in perfect position to aim for the presidency.

Then a postcard arrives, blank except for the name on the address: Leonard. Harry hasn’t used that name since high school. Krista Walsh, Harry’s chief of staff, recognizes his old moniker, and when he dodges questions about it, she wonders what he’s trying to hide. She soon discovers the lake pictured on the postcard holds secrets too.

Krista’s investigation into Harry’s past uncovers the truth of what happened one fateful teenage summer. But as disturbing details come to light, how far will Krista go to keep Harry’s career―and her own―headed to the top?

My Thoughts: When a strange postcard arrives at the offices of Freshman Representative Andrew Harrison Leonard, his Chief of Staff Krista Walsh is concerned and puzzled. A picture of a lake in Minnesota leads to discoveries about the man she has supported since his days on the City Council in Rochester, Minnesota, to his current position and hopes to be with him until he is elected President of the United States. She thought she knew everything about Harry's past, but the postcard leads to new potentially damning information.

As Harry gradually doles out information to Krista, alternate chapters show what really happened at Cedar Lake the summer after Harry and his three best friends graduated from high school. And, the more Krista learns, the more she is concerned about Harry's political future and her own future too. 

This was an exciting and page-turning story. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. Fans of suspenseful stories will really enjoy it. I enjoyed it especially because the setting was a part of Minnesota that was familiar to me. I also liked the moral dilemma that Krista faced as she had to decide what to do about the new knowledge she gained about her boss. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.