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Cork O'Connor #6
Copper River: A Novel (Cork O'Connor Mystery Series) by William Kent Krueger
Desperately avoiding the clutches of professional hit men who have already put a bullet in his leg, Cork finds sanctuary outside the small Michigan town of Bodine. But while he's hiding out in an old resort owned by his cousin Jewell DuBois, a bitter widow with a fourteen-year-old son named Ren, the body of a young girl surfaces along the banks of the Copper River -- and then another teenager vanishes. Instead of thwarting his assassins, Cork focuses on tracking a ring of killers who prey on innocent children -- before anyone else falls victim. But as his deadly followers close in, Cork realizes he's made an error any good man might make -- and it may be his last.
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First published August 22, 2006
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About the author
William Kent Krueger
80 books16.4k followersRaised in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, William Kent Krueger briefly attended Stanford University—before being kicked out for radical activities. After that, he logged timber, worked construction, tried his hand at freelance journalism, and eventually ended up researching child development at the University of Minnesota. He currently makes his living as a full-time author. He’s been married for over 40 years to a marvelous woman who is an attorney. He makes his home in St. Paul, a city he dearly loves.
Krueger writes a mystery series set in the north woods of Minnesota. His protagonist is Cork O’Connor, the former sheriff of Tamarack County and a man of mixed heritage—part Irish and part Ojibwe. His work has received a number of awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Dilys Award, and the Friends of American Writers Prize. His last five novels were all New York Times bestsellers.
"Ordinary Grace," his stand-alone novel published in 2013, received the Edgar Award, given by the Mystery Writers of America in recognition for the best novel published in that year. "Windigo Island," number fourteen in his Cork O’Connor series, was released in August 2014.
Krueger writes a mystery series set in the north woods of Minnesota. His protagonist is Cork O’Connor, the former sheriff of Tamarack County and a man of mixed heritage—part Irish and part Ojibwe. His work has received a number of awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Dilys Award, and the Friends of American Writers Prize. His last five novels were all New York Times bestsellers.
"Ordinary Grace," his stand-alone novel published in 2013, received the Edgar Award, given by the Mystery Writers of America in recognition for the best novel published in that year. "Windigo Island," number fourteen in his Cork O’Connor series, was released in August 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,352 reviews
June 4, 2021
Copper River (Cork O'Connor #6) by William Kent Krueger (Author), David Chandler (Narrator)
Copper River takes place immediately after Mercy Falls. Cork is on the run from hitman bounty hunters, has been shot in the thigh, and has taken refuge with a cousin in Bodine, MI. You would think that this might be a good time for Cork to lay low and recover from his wound, maybe give it a chance to stop bleeding, and rest from all that blood loss. Of course, that's not what happens.
There is trouble in Bodine and it has nothing to do with Cork's arrival. The body of a teenage girl is found and then another girl disappears after the murder of her father. There is the chance that the son of Cork's cousin could be in danger. To make matters worse, a huge cougar is prowling around the area, coming up to the remote cabins where Cork is staying, and trying to get into the bloody, bullet riddled car that brought Cork to his cousin's place. All the while, Cork is worried about his family and whether the wealthy man who has the bounty on him will target his family.
In the short time we are with Cork's extended family, I became attached to his young cousin, Wren, and Wren's troubled friend, Charlie. Wren's mother struggles with and hides her Native American heritage but it is important to Wren, as it was important to his late father. It's good to see Cork help Wren learn more about his heritage and give the boy the encouragement he needs to pursue his love of art.
Copper River takes place immediately after Mercy Falls. Cork is on the run from hitman bounty hunters, has been shot in the thigh, and has taken refuge with a cousin in Bodine, MI. You would think that this might be a good time for Cork to lay low and recover from his wound, maybe give it a chance to stop bleeding, and rest from all that blood loss. Of course, that's not what happens.
There is trouble in Bodine and it has nothing to do with Cork's arrival. The body of a teenage girl is found and then another girl disappears after the murder of her father. There is the chance that the son of Cork's cousin could be in danger. To make matters worse, a huge cougar is prowling around the area, coming up to the remote cabins where Cork is staying, and trying to get into the bloody, bullet riddled car that brought Cork to his cousin's place. All the while, Cork is worried about his family and whether the wealthy man who has the bounty on him will target his family.
In the short time we are with Cork's extended family, I became attached to his young cousin, Wren, and Wren's troubled friend, Charlie. Wren's mother struggles with and hides her Native American heritage but it is important to Wren, as it was important to his late father. It's good to see Cork help Wren learn more about his heritage and give the boy the encouragement he needs to pursue his love of art.
September 10, 2017
Dang! This is book #6 of the phenomenal Cork O’Connor series. I have already awarded books 1-5 five stars each. It is super frustrating not to have more stars to give this one! What a richly entertaining read this is.
Mr. Krueger moves Cork out of northern Minnesota in this tale. Cork is on the run and ends up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We are introduced to an array of new characters, all UPers (aka Yoopers). I drove through the UP once upon a time. It struck me as being a whole different world into itself. Mr. Krueger deftly transports us to the Keweenaw Peninsula (the uppermost portion of the UP) with his beautiful imagery for this story of evil, struggle, loyalty and family. I was immersed from the prologue and was pulled deeply into an intriguing web of threads that eventually interconnected. Our new characters take on major roles, including 14-year-old part Ojibwe Renoir DuBois (“Ren”), his mom and Cork’s cousin Jewell (a hard-working veterinarian), and Ren’s friend young Charlene (“Charlie”). PI Dina Willner, someone who I would love to see have her own series (alas, not to be), makes a return visit from Mercy Falls (book #5). I only need one good character to root for in a book, and here we have five characters that I just loved. We even get a wild cougar that has a big role. If you are a fan of characterization, you get it in spades in this book. The boy Ren was especially well done.
Don’t let the bit of Indian folklore put you off. That would have kept me from the series and I would have never started it if not for my persistent partner who argued this was the best series she had ever read. True story. And yes, I like the Indian parts. I’ve learned a lot.
The evil is really evil in Copper River. But again, we are spared terribly graphic scenes. There is a great deal of tension as Cork and Dina ferret out what the hell is going on. There are also a lot of “who can I trust?” moments. This 400-page book just flew by. The ending was as it should be. The end of book #5, Mercy Falls, left me with terrifiying chills up my spine. The end of Copper River left me with “warm chills” in my heart.
This series should be read in order to fully appreciate the experience. If you don’t mind jumping around, I would still highly advocate that Mercy Falls be read ahead of Copper River.
In my opinion, William Kent Krueger weaves a story as well as any other author out there. I strongly recommend the Cork O’Connor series to all readers of crime fiction.
Mr. Krueger moves Cork out of northern Minnesota in this tale. Cork is on the run and ends up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We are introduced to an array of new characters, all UPers (aka Yoopers). I drove through the UP once upon a time. It struck me as being a whole different world into itself. Mr. Krueger deftly transports us to the Keweenaw Peninsula (the uppermost portion of the UP) with his beautiful imagery for this story of evil, struggle, loyalty and family. I was immersed from the prologue and was pulled deeply into an intriguing web of threads that eventually interconnected. Our new characters take on major roles, including 14-year-old part Ojibwe Renoir DuBois (“Ren”), his mom and Cork’s cousin Jewell (a hard-working veterinarian), and Ren’s friend young Charlene (“Charlie”). PI Dina Willner, someone who I would love to see have her own series (alas, not to be), makes a return visit from Mercy Falls (book #5). I only need one good character to root for in a book, and here we have five characters that I just loved. We even get a wild cougar that has a big role. If you are a fan of characterization, you get it in spades in this book. The boy Ren was especially well done.
Don’t let the bit of Indian folklore put you off. That would have kept me from the series and I would have never started it if not for my persistent partner who argued this was the best series she had ever read. True story. And yes, I like the Indian parts. I’ve learned a lot.
The evil is really evil in Copper River. But again, we are spared terribly graphic scenes. There is a great deal of tension as Cork and Dina ferret out what the hell is going on. There are also a lot of “who can I trust?” moments. This 400-page book just flew by. The ending was as it should be. The end of book #5, Mercy Falls, left me with terrifiying chills up my spine. The end of Copper River left me with “warm chills” in my heart.
This series should be read in order to fully appreciate the experience. If you don’t mind jumping around, I would still highly advocate that Mercy Falls be read ahead of Copper River.
In my opinion, William Kent Krueger weaves a story as well as any other author out there. I strongly recommend the Cork O’Connor series to all readers of crime fiction.
June 11, 2017
Out of the six books I have read so far in the series this is the one I like the least and I am trying to work out why!
Maybe it was because Cork is physically out of action for most of the time and I am accustomed to him taking a much bigger role in the story.
It could be because I did not like Dina very much at all and she plays a huge role in this book.
Perhaps it was because I found the whole idea that Cork would go hide in the woods and totally cease contact with his family ridiculous.
On the other hand it was still a perfectly readable book with some nice new characters and a bit of a mystery. Just not as good as his other books to date:)
Maybe it was because Cork is physically out of action for most of the time and I am accustomed to him taking a much bigger role in the story.
It could be because I did not like Dina very much at all and she plays a huge role in this book.
Perhaps it was because I found the whole idea that Cork would go hide in the woods and totally cease contact with his family ridiculous.
On the other hand it was still a perfectly readable book with some nice new characters and a bit of a mystery. Just not as good as his other books to date:)
February 5, 2017
I have enjoyed all the Cork O'Connor books I've read. My library doesn't carry this series, so I've been picking them up second hand. This means I tend to read them out of order. Despite getting a tad confused about where I am in O'Connor's life, I always find the books uniformly good.
In this book, Cork is away from Aurora and on the run from a bounty on his head. He takes shelter with his cousin and her son. Dina, an ex-FBI agent who first appears in book five, arrives to help him. She is a strong character and I hope this isn't the last we see of her.
Great writing as always. Krueger has a way of describing people and places that just resonates. Looking forward to working my way through the rest of the series.
In this book, Cork is away from Aurora and on the run from a bounty on his head. He takes shelter with his cousin and her son. Dina, an ex-FBI agent who first appears in book five, arrives to help him. She is a strong character and I hope this isn't the last we see of her.
Great writing as always. Krueger has a way of describing people and places that just resonates. Looking forward to working my way through the rest of the series.
August 7, 2024
4/4.5 stars
Copper River is an excellent ending to book five, Mercy Falls!
I’m going to try to avoid spoilers for this book and the previous one as well.
***Mercy Falls, the fifth book in the Cork O’ Conner series ends on a cliffhanger and Copper River starts off instantly from that point. I would suggest not skipping Mercy Falls before reading this.***
Cork O’Conner, our beloved sheriff from Aurora, Minnesota is hiding out. He’s staying with his cousin Jewell DuBois and her son, Ren.
They live in the upper peninsula of Michigan, and I loved the atmosphere and setting of this book!
Just like previous books set in upper Minnesota, there’s a rugged and natural beauty in this area that speaks to me. It's great atmosphere and William Kent Krueger sure knows how to describe it!
While Cork is staying with them, Ren and his friend Charlie get into some trouble. One day while hanging out by Copper River, they notice a body floating in the river.
The body of this young girl will put both teenagers in the crosshairs of evil that’s been lurking in the area for sometime.
Not only did Krueger give me new side characters to love but he’s completely changed my opinion with the character of Dina Willner. She's a character in the previous book, Mercy Falls that I was skeptical and suspicious of. I loved her by the end of this book!
From the mystery of the body in the river to who is responsible for the death, it all ends up making a well-thought-out crime thriller.
I was riveted with the investigation and loved how Krueger puts a positive focus on troubled children and young adults that society has given up on. He’s not preachy with this narrative and allows the reader to come to terms with how we’ve neglected the innocent and vulnerable. So well done!!
This was an excellent addition to the series and a step up from the previous one!
Copper River is an excellent ending to book five, Mercy Falls!
I’m going to try to avoid spoilers for this book and the previous one as well.
***Mercy Falls, the fifth book in the Cork O’ Conner series ends on a cliffhanger and Copper River starts off instantly from that point. I would suggest not skipping Mercy Falls before reading this.***
Cork O’Conner, our beloved sheriff from Aurora, Minnesota is hiding out. He’s staying with his cousin Jewell DuBois and her son, Ren.
They live in the upper peninsula of Michigan, and I loved the atmosphere and setting of this book!
Just like previous books set in upper Minnesota, there’s a rugged and natural beauty in this area that speaks to me. It's great atmosphere and William Kent Krueger sure knows how to describe it!
While Cork is staying with them, Ren and his friend Charlie get into some trouble. One day while hanging out by Copper River, they notice a body floating in the river.
The body of this young girl will put both teenagers in the crosshairs of evil that’s been lurking in the area for sometime.
Not only did Krueger give me new side characters to love but he’s completely changed my opinion with the character of Dina Willner. She's a character in the previous book, Mercy Falls that I was skeptical and suspicious of. I loved her by the end of this book!
From the mystery of the body in the river to who is responsible for the death, it all ends up making a well-thought-out crime thriller.
I was riveted with the investigation and loved how Krueger puts a positive focus on troubled children and young adults that society has given up on. He’s not preachy with this narrative and allows the reader to come to terms with how we’ve neglected the innocent and vulnerable. So well done!!
This was an excellent addition to the series and a step up from the previous one!
July 1, 2017
Cork O'Connor is on the run after Lou Jacoby placed a $500,000 bounty on his head because he believes he killed his son, Ben. An injured Cork lands in Bodine, Michigan where his estranged and widowed cousin, Jewell DuBois lives with her son, Ren. He arrives just in time to assist (from the sidelines) with a murder involving Ren's best friend, Charlene (Charlie).
I really liked this story but not because of the parts relating to Cork's situation, which missed the mark in my opinion. The case involving Ren and his friends was loaded with symbolism and a different type of Indian mysticism, different from those in the past. It was more allegorical or spiritual. Those kids were pretty special, even in the midst of some pretty evil stuff. The mystery was not easy to unravel and you had to pay attention to some fairly minor details to solve it, which I didn't do very well.
This was an extremely relevant story with some very strong but disturbing themes and I'm still haunted by some of them. As usual, I loved David Chandler's narration as he not only nailed Cork but Ren and his friends.
I really liked this story but not because of the parts relating to Cork's situation, which missed the mark in my opinion. The case involving Ren and his friends was loaded with symbolism and a different type of Indian mysticism, different from those in the past. It was more allegorical or spiritual. Those kids were pretty special, even in the midst of some pretty evil stuff. The mystery was not easy to unravel and you had to pay attention to some fairly minor details to solve it, which I didn't do very well.
This was an extremely relevant story with some very strong but disturbing themes and I'm still haunted by some of them. As usual, I loved David Chandler's narration as he not only nailed Cork but Ren and his friends.
February 8, 2015
Cork O'Connor shares the stage with some new characters in this book, the sixth in the series. I hope we see some of them in future books. His family was on the back burner, and there is an issue I hope Krueger addresses in a future book as well. I like the relationships in this book and how they change over the course of time. The various threads were woven together and tied off nicely at the end. Unlike some others I've read, this series continues to be very good!
April 22, 2023
“What’s the attraction?”
“Bodine got its problems, but it’s basically a good place to live,” he replied.
“A little deadly these days, seems to me.”
In the immediate aftermath of events from book five in the series, sheriff Cork O’Connor takes refuge in small town Bodine [fictional], in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Cork is on the run and gravely wounded by bounty hunters set on his trail by a Mafia boss from Chicago, who believes our sheriff is involved in the murder of two of his children.
Cork hopes to recover in the house of his half-Ojibwe cousin in Bodine, a veterinarian who can deal with his wounded leg, but trouble of a different sort is following him even in hiding.
Dead bodies in quiet little towns are a regular problem for crime writers who need to come up with fresh ideas to keep their franchise series going. William Kent Krueger does this a little better than most other authors I’ve read, in this episode relying on the tried and tested device of taking his sheriff/detective away from home ground [Aurora, Tamarack County], but still to another small place with Native American connections.
When those kids become desperate we don’t see them, don’t hear them. As long as they’re not haunting our block, staring helplessly into our windows, we can pretend they don’t exist or worse, that whatever horror they deal with they’ve brought on themselves. They’re not our children. They’re not even like our children.
The other thing that Krueger does extremely well is stories focused on troubled children or adolescents who must deal with grown up troubles. Sometimes, the author can get carried away by his religious agenda, but this novel is not one of those preaching tales.
I’m not going to describe the actual events in the book, other than to mention how reading a non-fiction book about serial killers has drawn my attention to what was termed there as victims of opportunity : vulnerable people living on the edge of society and often blamed for their own troubles and ignored by police forces and by social workers.
The fact that Cork O’Connor and his increasingly appealing sidekick, a freelance bodyguard and ex-federal agent, help dealing not only with crime but also with the complicated lives of a couple of rebellious teenagers redeems the series somewhat for me.
I was planning to abandon the setting after a couple of less than stellar plots, but I am now willing to continue for at least a couple of episodes more, before I switch to another setting that explores the culture of Native tribes in a modern context.
“A wiser man. He told me once every falling leaf comes to rest where it was always meant to.”
These words from Henry Meloux, an Ojibwe medicine man, are a good end for my remarks, but as usual I have a couple of unrelated observations I would like to include.
----
“Anatomy of a Murder” is a classic movie that was inspired and filmed in Marquette, and referenced in the novel. I know I have seen it, many years ago, but the details are hazy and I welcome this chance to revisit it.
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Cork O’Connor is worried that the paid killers are tracking him through his cell phone, in particular through the E911 set of protocols meant for emergency service calls. This is also something that I would like to read more about.
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An unintentional moment of hilarity occurred when I found myself mentioned in the book, when Cork and his local cousin complain about weekend invaders to Bodine who trample over the pristine forest paths, use noisy ATV’s and leave garbage behind.
I don’t personally do this kind of ecologically forbidden stuff, but I can definitely be included in what the book describes as leaf peepers or city slickers coming to the wilderness to photograph autumn colours in the forest.
August 18, 2018
Very good but the ending was a bit of a rush job. We meet two more members of Cork’s family and Cork gets involved in a local case, while evading Jacoby from the previous book. As always, the beautiful wild landscape plays a significant part of the story. Ren and Charlie were wonderful characters.
January 8, 2024
This series is so addictive and I hope Dina shows up again.
April 29, 2021
I love these books. Krueger’s mysteries always seem to have a little more heart than all the others, and they just don’t get old for me. Each book is its own thing, yet we continue to see Cork and his family relations grow. Book 6 is another excellent chapter in this great series. This one actually serves as a sequel to the previous book in the series, Mercy Falls, as well as its own story. It probably could be read as a stand-alone, but you’d be much better off having read Mercy Falls at least.
We pick up exactly where the last book left off, with Cork injured and on the run from some bad dudes who have put a bounty on his head. He flees Minnesota and makes his way to the remote Keeweenaw Peninsula in the UP of Michigan where he has some relatives. While recovering, a teenage girl connected to his nephew is found dead floating down the Copper River, and Cork gets pulled into a new mystery. How will this tie in to the last book?
I really enjoyed this one, and significantly more than the last book, Mercy Falls, which was my least favorite in the series so far (though still very good). This one didn’t have the normal family subplots between Cork and his family due to him hiding out in a different town, but I’d say it made up for it by introducing Cork’s cousin and her son and his friends. I really loved the characters of Ren and Charlie, and they were wonderfully written. Krueger writes kids extremely well, as good as just about anyone.
The landscapes of the north and the people who live there are an important part of Krueger’s stories, so really you’re getting more than just your average mystery. This is a guy that loves the land and his characters, and it really comes through in his writing.
We pick up exactly where the last book left off, with Cork injured and on the run from some bad dudes who have put a bounty on his head. He flees Minnesota and makes his way to the remote Keeweenaw Peninsula in the UP of Michigan where he has some relatives. While recovering, a teenage girl connected to his nephew is found dead floating down the Copper River, and Cork gets pulled into a new mystery. How will this tie in to the last book?
I really enjoyed this one, and significantly more than the last book, Mercy Falls, which was my least favorite in the series so far (though still very good). This one didn’t have the normal family subplots between Cork and his family due to him hiding out in a different town, but I’d say it made up for it by introducing Cork’s cousin and her son and his friends. I really loved the characters of Ren and Charlie, and they were wonderfully written. Krueger writes kids extremely well, as good as just about anyone.
The landscapes of the north and the people who live there are an important part of Krueger’s stories, so really you’re getting more than just your average mystery. This is a guy that loves the land and his characters, and it really comes through in his writing.
August 24, 2022
One of the best Cork O'Connor books that I have read so far. Great story and great characters.
July 2, 2022
Cork is running for his life and runs straight into a murderous conspiracy involving teenage runaways. Desperate to avoid the clutches of professional hit men who have already put a bullet in his leg, Cork finds a sanctuary outside the small Michigan town of Bodine and help from his cousin Jewell DuBois, a bitter widow with a fourteen year old son, Ren. While Cork is hiding out and recuperating at his cousins resort the body of a young girl surfaces along the banks of Copper River, then another teenager vanishes. Cork then focuses his attention on tracking a ring of killers praying on innocent children before anyone else falls victim. But as Cork's deadly followers close in has Cork made an error that any good man might make that may be his last? This is one of my favorites in the series and highly recommend the entire series. Five Stars.
October 8, 2025
There was a lot going on for Cork and his extended family in this installment. Cork has been shot, he has a price on his head, and he is hiding out. Of course that doesn’t stop him from getting involved in another situation. I liked the dynamic between the kids, the adults trying to protect them, and the mystery of what is really going on. And then throw a mountain lion into the mix and what an entertaining story we have been given. So far this whole series has been excellent.
April 2, 2020
Copper River by William Kent Krueger is the 6th installment in his Cork O'Connor series. Just when I felt really comfortable getting use to Mr. Krueger's writing style and expectation of the twist and turns of his mysteries -- Copper River showed up. Since I already read Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land which was written several years after Copper River -- to me, this is the novel where Mr. Krueger's writing style became more polished -- yes, it's a mystery but there is a depth to this novel which makes it stand out. It is the combination of the characters and overall story which raises his writing to a higher bar!
"Sometimes at the end of a long day when she walked into the cabin and found R and his friends had left a mess in the kitchen or living room and she heard the sound of their roughhousing in R's room, she would think how pleasant it might be to have the place to herself, as clean and quiet as she'd left it that morning. But that thought always evaporated in R's presence when she asked him about his day and he shared with her the precious treasure that was his life."
"Sometimes at the end of a long day when she walked into the cabin and found R and his friends had left a mess in the kitchen or living room and she heard the sound of their roughhousing in R's room, she would think how pleasant it might be to have the place to herself, as clean and quiet as she'd left it that morning. But that thought always evaporated in R's presence when she asked him about his day and he shared with her the precious treasure that was his life."
August 1, 2022
I read this pretty close to the previous book as it somewhat continued the plot and I didn't want to forget too much of that. While this did finish with a great resolution to book #5's plot, it wasn't the main storyline in #6. I really liked how both played out. Hard themes on young teens who are runaways/throwaways and the evil that exists, even in this beautiful northern Michigan setting. While Krueger's Cork O'Connor series is very gritty and I cannot read them one after another, his writing is superb.
December 4, 2025
There’s something about reading a series that is so cozy. It’s like watching your favorite TV show. You know these people! You can jump right in, you don’t get that hazy feeling for the first few chapters where you’re trying to get your bearings, figure out who is who - the setting, the plot, the characters, whether you are jiving with it or not.
Copper River, #6 in WKK’s Cork O’Connor mystery series, was just that for me. We find out the conclusion to the cliff hanger at the end of #5, Mercy Falls. We meet some new characters, we revisit ones we met in #5, the plot was dark, the action great, the feelings meaningful and the ending perfect. Onto #7!
Copper River, #6 in WKK’s Cork O’Connor mystery series, was just that for me. We find out the conclusion to the cliff hanger at the end of #5, Mercy Falls. We meet some new characters, we revisit ones we met in #5, the plot was dark, the action great, the feelings meaningful and the ending perfect. Onto #7!
August 17, 2024
Copper River picks up where the 5th book ended, with Cork wounded and on the run for his life. There’s a powerful man who believes Cork killed his son and has put a large bounty on his head. Afraid to go home and put his family at risk, Cork takes refuge with a distance cousin in the Upper Peninsula area of Michigan.
Jewell and her son Ren live in a quiet small town that is the perfect place for Cork to hide out and mend. There is more going on in this quiet town than is clear, and Ren and his friends witness something and then become targets themselves.
This 6th in the series continues the suspense as Cork fights for his own life as well as to protect his extended family. Once again, excellently narrated in the audiobook.
Jewell and her son Ren live in a quiet small town that is the perfect place for Cork to hide out and mend. There is more going on in this quiet town than is clear, and Ren and his friends witness something and then become targets themselves.
This 6th in the series continues the suspense as Cork fights for his own life as well as to protect his extended family. Once again, excellently narrated in the audiobook.
January 12, 2013
William Kent Krueger's Cork O'OConnor series comprise a series of stories set in Aurora Minnesota, an area of the country of which I'm blatantly ignorant. Frankly, in reading the reviews of this setting I managed to barely stifle a yawn. Small town mysteries set in a frozen wasteland? With boring backgrounds that involve Indian supernatural folklore - I don't stomach mysteries that resort to such subterfuge, avoid beyond this world explanations when the genre is detective/mystery, decry irrational explanations of the crime which to me defeat the whole purpose of reading the damn book (unless of course you are Michael Gruber and you're reading the Jimmy Paz series - yeah, I'll read anything Gruber puts out there!) - boring red neck characters (is there such a thing as a Minnesota red neck?), small town corruption and politics, incompetent forensics and pathologists, petty motivations,and what not. Needless to say, I wasn't thrilled.
And yet: In 2005 and 2006, Krueger won back to back Anthony Awards for best novel - a feat only matched by one other writer since the award's inception. Normally, as this essay so eloquently states, I don't ascribe to popularity, or the NYT Best Sellers list as those manuscripts inevitably disappoint but where it comes to mystery/detective awards, the final vote is usually something I can go for. And, as I was in a hurry and needed something to download to my Kindle, fully prepared to read yet another book full of flat characters, resigned myself to boring ethnographic descriptions, I said: "Screw it, let's give Mr. Krueger a try."
I found myself marveling at this author's delicate handling and knowledge of the very thing that made me not want to read it: The spiritual undertones and affectations that guide human beings (which I am interested in) but that can come loose at the seams when bordering on superstition and surreal explorations. That he does this through the juxtaposition of Catholicism and the folklore and beliefs of the Anishinaabeg, or "Original People", and that he does so by fusing that carefully within the storyline so that it never seems gratuitous, over played, or cause the outcome to be dependent on irrationality is masterful. Nice! As Mr. Krueger says:
"In the mysteries that I write, I often deal with the whole question of the spiritual journey. It’s always intrigued me. I’ve never believed in the Christian view of heaven. But I certainly believe in eternal life. It’s a belief that goes back to a black and white film I saw in a grungy movie theater when I was too young for all the esoteric considerations of the afterlife. It’s amazing, isn’t it, the things that can change your life."
In terms of the Anishinaabeg Mr. Krueger is careful to not enforce the stereotype to which most have come to:
[...]If you read my stories, please don’t read them as ethnography. The Anishinaabeg are far more complex culturally, rich historically, and textured spiritually, than I will ever be able to adequately portray in my writing. But if I’m able to give you a sense of the admiration I feel for them, then I’ve succeeded.
This book reminds me of my boyhood heroes. In the Netherlands where I was born, it wasn't cops and robbers we played while kids:it was cowboy and indians; my fictional heroes were Winnetou and Old Shatterhand a YA series published in the Netherlands but not available in the states. Krueger manages to convey the Native American culture spanning centuries, on into modern day America, in such a way so as to recall my boyhood dreams. There are terrifying moments, men bound to trees and being tortured, honor among killers, and dishonor and deceit within ordinary people.
As to Cork O'Connor the hero in this series. As most who read my reviews know, I thoroughly enjoy the loner as heroic, a man or woman who understands that despite social conventions (often designed to hide facing this) man is essentially alone, a creature running around on this planet with (hopefully) purpose. And, as most also know, I despise flat characters (Vince Flynn comes to mind - sorry, Leon!). Cork is the former, not the latter. As a father I understand the inexplicable guilt one feels towards one's children upon facing divorce. And as a father I have come to admire, as Cork does, the resiliency children have to overcome such a situation and make the best of it (far better managed than us adults!). Everything is about juxtaposition. Cork O'Conner is a man who believes in justice, not as meted out by often corrupt law enforcement, but the justice of not denying reality, the justice of truth. When Cork sets his mind to resolving a mystery that to others seems clear cut, ready to be put to rest, he is like a rabid dog unwilling to lessen the vice like grip of his jaws no matter what the consequences to himself and those he loves. We feel his struggle with morality, his disappointment with an almighty being, and yet feel his empirical longing for a peace that the world has consigned to other worldly systems. Cork is, forever, the man in between.
The plot is superb. The writing carefully edited so as to give us a straight mystery detective while infusing us with a pleasurable knowledge of Aurora, it's inhabitants, and the evil that belies even the most tranquil of locations.
Yeah, I liked it! And, the usual disclaimer, if you've read this review of one of the O'Connor series, you've read 'em all. Good reading!
And yet: In 2005 and 2006, Krueger won back to back Anthony Awards for best novel - a feat only matched by one other writer since the award's inception. Normally, as this essay so eloquently states, I don't ascribe to popularity, or the NYT Best Sellers list as those manuscripts inevitably disappoint but where it comes to mystery/detective awards, the final vote is usually something I can go for. And, as I was in a hurry and needed something to download to my Kindle, fully prepared to read yet another book full of flat characters, resigned myself to boring ethnographic descriptions, I said: "Screw it, let's give Mr. Krueger a try."
I found myself marveling at this author's delicate handling and knowledge of the very thing that made me not want to read it: The spiritual undertones and affectations that guide human beings (which I am interested in) but that can come loose at the seams when bordering on superstition and surreal explorations. That he does this through the juxtaposition of Catholicism and the folklore and beliefs of the Anishinaabeg, or "Original People", and that he does so by fusing that carefully within the storyline so that it never seems gratuitous, over played, or cause the outcome to be dependent on irrationality is masterful. Nice! As Mr. Krueger says:
"In the mysteries that I write, I often deal with the whole question of the spiritual journey. It’s always intrigued me. I’ve never believed in the Christian view of heaven. But I certainly believe in eternal life. It’s a belief that goes back to a black and white film I saw in a grungy movie theater when I was too young for all the esoteric considerations of the afterlife. It’s amazing, isn’t it, the things that can change your life."
In terms of the Anishinaabeg Mr. Krueger is careful to not enforce the stereotype to which most have come to:
[...]If you read my stories, please don’t read them as ethnography. The Anishinaabeg are far more complex culturally, rich historically, and textured spiritually, than I will ever be able to adequately portray in my writing. But if I’m able to give you a sense of the admiration I feel for them, then I’ve succeeded.
This book reminds me of my boyhood heroes. In the Netherlands where I was born, it wasn't cops and robbers we played while kids:it was cowboy and indians; my fictional heroes were Winnetou and Old Shatterhand a YA series published in the Netherlands but not available in the states. Krueger manages to convey the Native American culture spanning centuries, on into modern day America, in such a way so as to recall my boyhood dreams. There are terrifying moments, men bound to trees and being tortured, honor among killers, and dishonor and deceit within ordinary people.
As to Cork O'Connor the hero in this series. As most who read my reviews know, I thoroughly enjoy the loner as heroic, a man or woman who understands that despite social conventions (often designed to hide facing this) man is essentially alone, a creature running around on this planet with (hopefully) purpose. And, as most also know, I despise flat characters (Vince Flynn comes to mind - sorry, Leon!). Cork is the former, not the latter. As a father I understand the inexplicable guilt one feels towards one's children upon facing divorce. And as a father I have come to admire, as Cork does, the resiliency children have to overcome such a situation and make the best of it (far better managed than us adults!). Everything is about juxtaposition. Cork O'Conner is a man who believes in justice, not as meted out by often corrupt law enforcement, but the justice of not denying reality, the justice of truth. When Cork sets his mind to resolving a mystery that to others seems clear cut, ready to be put to rest, he is like a rabid dog unwilling to lessen the vice like grip of his jaws no matter what the consequences to himself and those he loves. We feel his struggle with morality, his disappointment with an almighty being, and yet feel his empirical longing for a peace that the world has consigned to other worldly systems. Cork is, forever, the man in between.
The plot is superb. The writing carefully edited so as to give us a straight mystery detective while infusing us with a pleasurable knowledge of Aurora, it's inhabitants, and the evil that belies even the most tranquil of locations.
Yeah, I liked it! And, the usual disclaimer, if you've read this review of one of the O'Connor series, you've read 'em all. Good reading!
November 8, 2014
This is the 6th installment in the Cork O'Conner series
Throughout the book I was looking for a reason not to give it five stars. To me a five star book is a special book. Yet when I got done with the book I felt I would only give it a four because I was being stubborn. Is it the best Cork O'Conner book I have read yet? No but I have come to realize I really enjoy Krueger's books. This has twists and brings out a bounty of emotions in the reader. Dread, anticipation, revulsion, guilt, sentimental feelings and finally joy. This is a very good book and a fun read.
This is a continuation from Mercy Falls. Cork is on the run from a hit man. He heads for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to his cousin Jewel's place. Jewel's son Ren and his friend Charlie, who is a tomboy, are really the main actors in this tale. They see what they think is a body floating down the river. Soon those connected to them start having things happen to them. Cork is on hand to help solve the mystery despite nursing a gunshot wound to his leg.
William Kent Krueger. The man is an excellent story teller. Start at the beginning of the Cork O'Conner series "Iron Lake" and read them all. You won't regret it.
Throughout the book I was looking for a reason not to give it five stars. To me a five star book is a special book. Yet when I got done with the book I felt I would only give it a four because I was being stubborn. Is it the best Cork O'Conner book I have read yet? No but I have come to realize I really enjoy Krueger's books. This has twists and brings out a bounty of emotions in the reader. Dread, anticipation, revulsion, guilt, sentimental feelings and finally joy. This is a very good book and a fun read.
This is a continuation from Mercy Falls. Cork is on the run from a hit man. He heads for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to his cousin Jewel's place. Jewel's son Ren and his friend Charlie, who is a tomboy, are really the main actors in this tale. They see what they think is a body floating down the river. Soon those connected to them start having things happen to them. Cork is on hand to help solve the mystery despite nursing a gunshot wound to his leg.
William Kent Krueger. The man is an excellent story teller. Start at the beginning of the Cork O'Conner series "Iron Lake" and read them all. You won't regret it.
July 23, 2021
I have been reading this series so fast that I am way behind on writing the reviews. Since I have already forgotten details on the earlier books, I am skipping over a couple. Just a caveat, I have loved them all! William Kent Krueger is an exceptional writer that reels you in and doesn’t let go.
In Copper River, Cork is on the run. In the previous book, Mercy Falls, he got mixed up with the wealthy Jacoby family of Chicago as he tried to solve the murder of the youngest Jacoby, Eddie who was in Tamarack County trying to negotiate a contract with the Ojibwe’s and the local casino.
When he is found murdered, Cork, as the new Sheriff is called in. He soon discovers that his wife, Jo, has a past with the older Jacoby brother Ben and it seems all is downhill from there.
The Jacoby’s bring in their own investigator, Dina Willner, a former FBI investigator, who Cork is not sure he can trust, but he has no choice to but to work for her. An attempt is made on his life and book five leads right into this book, number six.
I loved this book even though Cork was away from his family and on different turf. He takes off for the small town of Bodine, Michigan where his estranged cousin, Jewell DuBois lives. Hoping she will give him shelter for a while he settles in with her and her 14-year-old son. Little does he know, but he has landed in the middle of another town with missing teenage girls.
Dina Willner from the last book, and now his good friend, comes up to help keep him and his cousin safe and between the two of them they begin investigating the missing girls. I really enjoyed all the moving parts of this book with the new characters, Dina’s friendship and the mystery of the missing girls. The ending was a bit climactic, but a win as usual for Cork. I gave this book four stars.
In Copper River, Cork is on the run. In the previous book, Mercy Falls, he got mixed up with the wealthy Jacoby family of Chicago as he tried to solve the murder of the youngest Jacoby, Eddie who was in Tamarack County trying to negotiate a contract with the Ojibwe’s and the local casino.
When he is found murdered, Cork, as the new Sheriff is called in. He soon discovers that his wife, Jo, has a past with the older Jacoby brother Ben and it seems all is downhill from there.
The Jacoby’s bring in their own investigator, Dina Willner, a former FBI investigator, who Cork is not sure he can trust, but he has no choice to but to work for her. An attempt is made on his life and book five leads right into this book, number six.
I loved this book even though Cork was away from his family and on different turf. He takes off for the small town of Bodine, Michigan where his estranged cousin, Jewell DuBois lives. Hoping she will give him shelter for a while he settles in with her and her 14-year-old son. Little does he know, but he has landed in the middle of another town with missing teenage girls.
Dina Willner from the last book, and now his good friend, comes up to help keep him and his cousin safe and between the two of them they begin investigating the missing girls. I really enjoyed all the moving parts of this book with the new characters, Dina’s friendship and the mystery of the missing girls. The ending was a bit climactic, but a win as usual for Cork. I gave this book four stars.
January 20, 2021
I liked the chemistry of Dina and Cork. I hope she weaves into other future books. I would not like her to be done in his future. I liked the story line and the means of developing more characters that he is related to. This story was a little more balanced and not so Cork-centric. I liked it a lot and found the end a nice resolution for the book. I would surely recommend this author, series and book. I look forward to reading the next in the series.
October 18, 2017
Warning: Child abuse and murder in first chapter. This can be skipped.
4-Stars, minus 1 star for a truly clumsy and ham-fisted ending.
Ren and Charlie are lovely characters. A very nice presentation of kids their age.
The Anatomy of a Muder (1959) with Jimmy Stewart is mentioned several times as being filmed in this area. Directed by Otto Preminger with music by Duke Ellington.
When Krueger is good, he's very good....
You live in a place your whole life. You know it. It’s as familiar as the mole on your left wrist or the flatness of your nose or the way your tongue rests in your mouth. You stop noticing. Then something happens, and it all changes. You step through some unexpected looking glass of tragedy—the murder of your husband, say—and although everything around you appears the same, nothing really is, not at all, not ever. You wait for a day that feels normal, when the sun is a reason to smile, when the sight of a couple holding hands doesn’t make you want to cry, when you walk without dragging a coffin behind you. You pray for even a moment of letting go. But it never comes.
A tiny death machine. Beretta Tomcat. Dina gave one to Cork:
So far, only chapter one has graphically shown too much abuse/violence towards children... Krueger is mostly handling this topic well and sympathetically.
Jeez. Krueger insults us again!
And to finish, Krueger gives us a clumsy, extraordinarily improbable climax. * Godzilla Facepalm *
Did Krueger just get bored and rush the ending? The see other authors do this as well 😥
Notes:
10.0% "... lots of dull dialogue here, Krueger's weakest skill.
18.0% ".... some good narrative here. We find out what happens after Mercy Falls
... I like Dina a lot. Don't trust her, but I admire her skills and intelligence.
... I'm skipping sections with child abuse or distress.
30.0% ".... the Cork narrative is good. Ren, his mother, Dina and Charlie are well-drawn.
53.0% ".... so far, only chapter one has graphically shown too much abuse/violence towards children.... Krueger is mostly handling this topic well, and sympathetically.
4-Stars, minus 1 star for a truly clumsy and ham-fisted ending.
Ren and Charlie are lovely characters. A very nice presentation of kids their age.
The Anatomy of a Muder (1959) with Jimmy Stewart is mentioned several times as being filmed in this area. Directed by Otto Preminger with music by Duke Ellington.
When Krueger is good, he's very good....
You live in a place your whole life. You know it. It’s as familiar as the mole on your left wrist or the flatness of your nose or the way your tongue rests in your mouth. You stop noticing. Then something happens, and it all changes. You step through some unexpected looking glass of tragedy—the murder of your husband, say—and although everything around you appears the same, nothing really is, not at all, not ever. You wait for a day that feels normal, when the sun is a reason to smile, when the sight of a couple holding hands doesn’t make you want to cry, when you walk without dragging a coffin behind you. You pray for even a moment of letting go. But it never comes.
A tiny death machine. Beretta Tomcat. Dina gave one to Cork:
So far, only chapter one has graphically shown too much abuse/violence towards children... Krueger is mostly handling this topic well and sympathetically.
Jeez. Krueger insults us again!
And to finish, Krueger gives us a clumsy, extraordinarily improbable climax. * Godzilla Facepalm *
Did Krueger just get bored and rush the ending? The see other authors do this as well 😥
Notes:
10.0% "... lots of dull dialogue here, Krueger's weakest skill.
18.0% ".... some good narrative here. We find out what happens after Mercy Falls
... I like Dina a lot. Don't trust her, but I admire her skills and intelligence.
... I'm skipping sections with child abuse or distress.
30.0% ".... the Cork narrative is good. Ren, his mother, Dina and Charlie are well-drawn.
53.0% ".... so far, only chapter one has graphically shown too much abuse/violence towards children.... Krueger is mostly handling this topic well, and sympathetically.
September 9, 2016
William Kent Krueger has a way with words, with an ability to create monstrous villains while at the same time portraying love and tenderness between the main characters. Although sheriff Cork O'Connor is written as tough with terrific detecting skills, he also has a warm side when it comes to his wife and kids. He's also compassionate with the families of victims, demonstrating that even nice guys can be great cops. In "Copper River", Krueger explores the horrifying world of sexual abuse of runaway teens, helping to shine a spotlight on this terrible crime. Even though you suspect what's going on, there are still several plot twists and turns and surprises. All in all, you can't go wrong with a Krueger book.
March 2, 2020
This is a continuation from Mercy Falls which really ticked me off because it had no ending. This is an excellent, quick read that resolves Mercy Falls quickly in the last chapter, but has little to do with it during the rest of the book. So why bother? Masterful plotting, a lot of action and a bunch of really bad guys. Highly recommended.
July 29, 2018
Not sure how WKK does it. He is producing gems with each offering in his O'Connor series. Time to get out of Aurora for awhile, and he plans and executes it perfectly. Love, love, love Charlie. This installment was flawless!
July 26, 2019
I wanted to go on to the next one but someone has it checked out. Back to fill in the gaps with Iron Lake.
July 10, 2023
This series is outstanding! I can’t get get enough of Cork O’Connor.
October 25, 2017
Running from the hitmen sent after him by an angry and confused father, Cork takes a bullet in the leg. Unable to go to a hospital, he falls back on family in the form of a cousin, Jewell Dubois, who just happens to be a veterinarian. Holed up at her wilderness resort, he hopes to lay low while the police prove that he wasn't the one who killed Lou Jakobi's son.
But this is Cork O'Connor we're talking about. Ren, Jewell's son, is with a couple of friends when one of them sees a body floating down Copper River. No one else sees it and Ren is more inclined to think it was a log, but then his friend Charlie's father is found bludgeoned to death, and Charlie is missing. Two days later, his other friend, Stash, is hit by a car. Is someone coming for him next?
This takes up where the last book seemed to leave us hanging over the abyss of unfinished story land. I started this while driving out of town and as luck would have it, hadn't downloaded the second half of the book! I almost cried. Copper River is one of the best books in the series so far - I love the intensity of family and friendship this work includes. The action isn't bad either. Hopefully Jewell and Ren will return in another book.
But this is Cork O'Connor we're talking about. Ren, Jewell's son, is with a couple of friends when one of them sees a body floating down Copper River. No one else sees it and Ren is more inclined to think it was a log, but then his friend Charlie's father is found bludgeoned to death, and Charlie is missing. Two days later, his other friend, Stash, is hit by a car. Is someone coming for him next?
This takes up where the last book seemed to leave us hanging over the abyss of unfinished story land. I started this while driving out of town and as luck would have it, hadn't downloaded the second half of the book! I almost cried. Copper River is one of the best books in the series so far - I love the intensity of family and friendship this work includes. The action isn't bad either. Hopefully Jewell and Ren will return in another book.
July 27, 2019
As usual for William Kent Krueger, an excellent read. There were a bunch of interesting new characters in this book, and I hope we get to see some of them in subsequent books.
Most of the action takes place in a very small town where Cork is hiding out with a half million dollar bounty on his head from the last book. This book continues that story.
Some serious issues were brought out in this story, such as the plight of homeless children and their problems. It highlights how they are forgotten by most people even though many have fought harder to survive than any young person should. There's a lot of wasted potential due to this attitude. In this story, we meet a couple of them. One is Charlie, who improves throughout the story and seems on her way to big changes. Another is a grown up, Dina. She's a very interesting character who I hope to see more of. She's former FBI, now a private "security consultant" that proves to be extremely capable and becomes close to Charlie despite a rocky start.
This was more of a nail-biter than some previous books in a way. We always know Cork won't die because there are more books to come, but there are some new, likable characters in this one that could get hurt.
Most of the action takes place in a very small town where Cork is hiding out with a half million dollar bounty on his head from the last book. This book continues that story.
Some serious issues were brought out in this story, such as the plight of homeless children and their problems. It highlights how they are forgotten by most people even though many have fought harder to survive than any young person should. There's a lot of wasted potential due to this attitude. In this story, we meet a couple of them. One is Charlie, who improves throughout the story and seems on her way to big changes. Another is a grown up, Dina. She's a very interesting character who I hope to see more of. She's former FBI, now a private "security consultant" that proves to be extremely capable and becomes close to Charlie despite a rocky start.
This was more of a nail-biter than some previous books in a way. We always know Cork won't die because there are more books to come, but there are some new, likable characters in this one that could get hurt.
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