By Kayie Seed
The first in the Creature X Mystery series, Roanoke Ridge, follows scientist and Bigfoot skeptic Laura Reagan as she attempts to help find Berton Sorel, one of her former professors, after he goes missing while hiking in Roanoke Ridge, Oregon. When the discovery of a body that does not belong to Berton is found, Laura begins to question her skepticism on cryptids and feels compelled to uncover the secrets surrounding Roanoke Ridge.
Roanoke Ridge is a mystery mixed with crime and cryptozoology, and while it may seem like this would be an action-packed story, it is not. The plot is quite slow which can leave the reader wondering where all the action is, especially since the beginning of the novel starts out with an action-packed scene. The main characters lack depth, and I was hoping for more descriptions about them to really paint a picture in my head of who they are. While the characterization is somewhat lacking, Dupuis is heavy on the setting, with vivid descriptions that show his appreciation for the natural world. I found myself having to look up a lot of the science jargon; readers who are not familiar with scientific words, terms, and phrases may find themselves doing the same thing.
There aren’t a lot of themes present, but the ability to challenge your personal beliefs is the one theme that runs throughout the entire story. Being able to challenge your own beliefs is what makes you a critical thinker, and it was nice to see this in a novel; it shows the reader that there is room to grow as a person. While the story and its twists are a bit predictable overall, those readers looking for a novel that is heavy on nature will appreciate Roanoke Ridge. I am looking forward to reading and reviewing the next two books in the Creature X Mystery series as they follow Laura’s search for more cryptids from around the world.
Thank you to Dundurn Press for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.