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Cork O'Connor #14
Windigo Island
When the body of a teenage Ojibwe girl washes up on the shore of an island in Lake Superior, the residents of the nearby Bad Bluff reservation whisper that it was the work of a deadly mythical beast, the Windigo, or a vengeful spirit called Michi Peshu. Such stories have been told by the Ojibwe people for generations, but they don’t explain how the girl and her friend, Mariah Arceneaux, disappeared a year ago. At the request of the Arceneaux family, private investigator Cork O’Connor takes on the case.
But on the Bad Bluff reservation, nobody’s talking. Still, Cork puts enough information together to find a possible trail. He learns that the old port city of Duluth is a modern-day center for sex trafficking of vulnerable women, many of whom are young Native Americans. As the investigation deepens, so does the danger.
Yet Cork holds tight to his higher purpose—his vow to find Mariah, an innocent fifteen-year-old girl whose family is desperate to get her back. With only the barest hope of saving her from men whose darkness rivals that of the legendary Windigo, Cork prepares for an epic battle that will determine whether it will be fear, or love, that truly conquers all.
But on the Bad Bluff reservation, nobody’s talking. Still, Cork puts enough information together to find a possible trail. He learns that the old port city of Duluth is a modern-day center for sex trafficking of vulnerable women, many of whom are young Native Americans. As the investigation deepens, so does the danger.
Yet Cork holds tight to his higher purpose—his vow to find Mariah, an innocent fifteen-year-old girl whose family is desperate to get her back. With only the barest hope of saving her from men whose darkness rivals that of the legendary Windigo, Cork prepares for an epic battle that will determine whether it will be fear, or love, that truly conquers all.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 19, 2014
1843 people are currently reading
4920 people want to read
About the author
William Kent Krueger
80 books16.2k 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 1,073 reviews
July 19, 2021
Windigo Island (Cork O'Connor #14) by William Kent Krueger (Author), David Chandler (Narrator)
Cork O'Connor's twenty seven year old daughter, Jenny, is on a mission. Despite being the single mother to a toddler son, Jenny is off to search for a Native American girl. The body of the girl's friend has washed up on a tiny island and both fourteen year old girls may have been used by a prostitution ring that specializes in girls under the age of fifteen. Jenny has had recurring dreams that seem to a point toward her being the one to save the missing girl, Mariah, and nothing will convince her to stay out of danger as she seems to throw herself into it's path on numerous occasions.
It's a motley crew that is searching for the girl. There is the girl's mother, roused from her depression with the hope that Cork, Jenny, and others are willing to look for her daughter. There is the cousin of the girl, game warden, Daniel, who catches the eye of Jenny. And there is Henry Meloux, almost 100 years old, who knows he needs to be in the thick of things.
This is Cork O'Connor's world, where his kids are as drawn to danger as he is, where a 100 year old man has more than nine lives to give, where the focus is always on the plight of the Native American people. Underage girls, exploited in sex trafficking rings, brainwashed to think that they have no options and that their cruel handlers are their only true family, is a very disturbing subject. The O'Connor family can't save all these girls but they are hoping to save at least one of them.
Published August 19th 2014
Cork O'Connor's twenty seven year old daughter, Jenny, is on a mission. Despite being the single mother to a toddler son, Jenny is off to search for a Native American girl. The body of the girl's friend has washed up on a tiny island and both fourteen year old girls may have been used by a prostitution ring that specializes in girls under the age of fifteen. Jenny has had recurring dreams that seem to a point toward her being the one to save the missing girl, Mariah, and nothing will convince her to stay out of danger as she seems to throw herself into it's path on numerous occasions.
It's a motley crew that is searching for the girl. There is the girl's mother, roused from her depression with the hope that Cork, Jenny, and others are willing to look for her daughter. There is the cousin of the girl, game warden, Daniel, who catches the eye of Jenny. And there is Henry Meloux, almost 100 years old, who knows he needs to be in the thick of things.
This is Cork O'Connor's world, where his kids are as drawn to danger as he is, where a 100 year old man has more than nine lives to give, where the focus is always on the plight of the Native American people. Underage girls, exploited in sex trafficking rings, brainwashed to think that they have no options and that their cruel handlers are their only true family, is a very disturbing subject. The O'Connor family can't save all these girls but they are hoping to save at least one of them.
Published August 19th 2014
July 29, 2021
I enjoyed this book but with some reservations. Fourteen books into the series and I am a Cork O'Connor fan. Now suddenly the author has chosen to view the story through the eyes of Cork's daughter, Jenny. I suppose this would have been okay if I liked Jenny, but I really don't.
Anyway, that's my problem and I will look past it and judge the book apart from that. As usual it was full of action, a few people lost their lives in not very nice ways, Henry remained calm, cool and collected and Cork did not.
Krueger obviously feels very strongly about native Indian's rights and his books always reveal ways in which they should be treated better. This one was no exception. On the other hand I always enjoy his descriptions of the beautiful countryside and this was largely missing from Windigo Island as much of it took place in the city.
Not one of the best books in the series but still good and very readable.
Anyway, that's my problem and I will look past it and judge the book apart from that. As usual it was full of action, a few people lost their lives in not very nice ways, Henry remained calm, cool and collected and Cork did not.
Krueger obviously feels very strongly about native Indian's rights and his books always reveal ways in which they should be treated better. This one was no exception. On the other hand I always enjoy his descriptions of the beautiful countryside and this was largely missing from Windigo Island as much of it took place in the city.
Not one of the best books in the series but still good and very readable.
February 20, 2018
Two young girls ran away from their homes in Bad Bluff, Wisconsin a year ago and one of them, Carrie Verga, just washed ashore. It’s uncertain what happened to her and where she’s been. Now the family of Mariah Arceneaux, Carrie’s runaway companion, seeks help from Henry Meloux to find her. Mariah is his great, great niece and he asks Cork O’Connor to assist preliminarily in his stead. As Cork makes plans to leave, his daughter, Jenny insists that she accompany him. She believes this mission is her destiny based on dreams she’s had since finding her son a few years ago.
There were so many, many angles to this story, not the kind that make it difficult to follow but the kind that are thought provoking. It also includes a narrative in Jenny’s voice for a portion of the book, which I found important because it’s the first time I’ve learned how Cork’s children perceive him. They seem to get him more than he knows but still not enough for my sensibilities.
The subject matter is disheartening as it deals with human trafficking of young girls (under 15-years old) but even sadder are the situations that made them first run from home. Even more insidious was how the girls were seduced into believing their handlers are their family and cared about them. Cork’s moral compass is seriously tested and Jenny gets an opportunity to explore gray areas as she’s now seeing things through a maternal lens.
It’s a complex story that unfolded very well and left me pondering some of the issues long after it was over. I’m so glad David Chandler narrated this one as he captured Henry as well as he always does Cork, which was critical as he factors importantly throughout.
There were so many, many angles to this story, not the kind that make it difficult to follow but the kind that are thought provoking. It also includes a narrative in Jenny’s voice for a portion of the book, which I found important because it’s the first time I’ve learned how Cork’s children perceive him. They seem to get him more than he knows but still not enough for my sensibilities.
The subject matter is disheartening as it deals with human trafficking of young girls (under 15-years old) but even sadder are the situations that made them first run from home. Even more insidious was how the girls were seduced into believing their handlers are their family and cared about them. Cork’s moral compass is seriously tested and Jenny gets an opportunity to explore gray areas as she’s now seeing things through a maternal lens.
It’s a complex story that unfolded very well and left me pondering some of the issues long after it was over. I’m so glad David Chandler narrated this one as he captured Henry as well as he always does Cork, which was critical as he factors importantly throughout.
June 27, 2015
When I first read William Kent Krueger’s Cork O’Connor series, Iron Lake, I was struck by the coldness between whites and Indian populations in Minnesota and admit to finding it off-putting. Krueger’s latest novel is fourteenth in the Cork O’Connor series, and the coldness between the races is still there, but I have a completely different perception of it. Now I feel so grateful to Krueger for pointing out such a failing in our management of race relations that the treatment of Indians on reservations and off is still a hideous blemish we have to confront every day in parts of our country. Indian attitudes should be cold. It would be a miracle if they weren’t.
Krueger gives us a window into a world many of us will never experience firsthand, shares words, customs, traditions, and details of Indian life that can be mined for the underpinning of Indian heritage and culture. But he also shares his clear-eyed view of what our country looks like—both physically and psychically—from the waterfront in Duluth and waves breaking on the shores of Lake Superior’s rock-strewn islands to the inside of a home for runaways and the attitudes of oilmen living in barracks in boom towns.
In this installment, Krueger brings us to North Dakota where some Indians are working to preserve a landscape that is threatened by oil companies dedicated to oil retrieval in the Bakken Formation through the process of fracking. As it turns out, the worthless land the government gave to the Indians way back when happens to be right on top of the Bakken formation which has emerged as one of the most important oil formations in the United States. This must be God’s little joke on the white folk, though I’ll bet the reservation Indians see precious little that will benefit them and a whole lot more that won’t.
Besides this important piece of information, Krueger also shares the history of child prostitution on the Great Lakes near and around Duluth, or what is sometimes called the human trafficking of young girls, many from differing Indian tribes and reservations that were all shoved together at some point, and which now experience gang or tribe-on-tribe violence similar to an inner city history of interracial gang warfare.
Krueger peoples this modern history with realistic characters including the loving and generous children of lawman-turned-private investigator Cork O’Connor. Though O’Connor himself has a tendency towards hard justice, his children exhibit the gentling influence of their tribal blood and the Indian tradition exemplified by the close family friend “Uncle” Henry Meloux.
Uncle Henry is closing on 100 years old, though no one knows his age for sure. He is of the Anishinaabeg Tribe, or what is sometimes called the Iron Lake Ojibwe. He lives alone in a cabin in the woods by a lake and is considered by his tribe members and many others to be an elder of enormous moral understanding and weight. His thinking is elliptical and his pronouncements often indirect, carrying a hard-won wisdom that puts one in mind of great Buddhist leaders, signaling an inclusiveness in the circle of life that is not typical of "the white man."
Krueger introduces a rich cast of characters that seem to have their basis in real life. Sometimes Cork’s twenty-something daughter Jenny seemed not to grasp the menace of the situation in which her crew found themselves while journeying to find men responsible for holding captive some young girls, but she was wily and careful and was forced into action by the end. I tend toward Cork’s end of the spectrum of justice dispensation, but we always need someone questioning those choices.
Krueger’s series gives us a very interesting look at the modern Midwest, in all its glorious dishabille.
Krueger gives us a window into a world many of us will never experience firsthand, shares words, customs, traditions, and details of Indian life that can be mined for the underpinning of Indian heritage and culture. But he also shares his clear-eyed view of what our country looks like—both physically and psychically—from the waterfront in Duluth and waves breaking on the shores of Lake Superior’s rock-strewn islands to the inside of a home for runaways and the attitudes of oilmen living in barracks in boom towns.
In this installment, Krueger brings us to North Dakota where some Indians are working to preserve a landscape that is threatened by oil companies dedicated to oil retrieval in the Bakken Formation through the process of fracking. As it turns out, the worthless land the government gave to the Indians way back when happens to be right on top of the Bakken formation which has emerged as one of the most important oil formations in the United States. This must be God’s little joke on the white folk, though I’ll bet the reservation Indians see precious little that will benefit them and a whole lot more that won’t.
Besides this important piece of information, Krueger also shares the history of child prostitution on the Great Lakes near and around Duluth, or what is sometimes called the human trafficking of young girls, many from differing Indian tribes and reservations that were all shoved together at some point, and which now experience gang or tribe-on-tribe violence similar to an inner city history of interracial gang warfare.
Krueger peoples this modern history with realistic characters including the loving and generous children of lawman-turned-private investigator Cork O’Connor. Though O’Connor himself has a tendency towards hard justice, his children exhibit the gentling influence of their tribal blood and the Indian tradition exemplified by the close family friend “Uncle” Henry Meloux.
”In every human being, there are two wolves constantly fighting. One is fear, and the other is love. The one which will win is the one you feed.
Uncle Henry is closing on 100 years old, though no one knows his age for sure. He is of the Anishinaabeg Tribe, or what is sometimes called the Iron Lake Ojibwe. He lives alone in a cabin in the woods by a lake and is considered by his tribe members and many others to be an elder of enormous moral understanding and weight. His thinking is elliptical and his pronouncements often indirect, carrying a hard-won wisdom that puts one in mind of great Buddhist leaders, signaling an inclusiveness in the circle of life that is not typical of "the white man."
Krueger introduces a rich cast of characters that seem to have their basis in real life. Sometimes Cork’s twenty-something daughter Jenny seemed not to grasp the menace of the situation in which her crew found themselves while journeying to find men responsible for holding captive some young girls, but she was wily and careful and was forced into action by the end. I tend toward Cork’s end of the spectrum of justice dispensation, but we always need someone questioning those choices.
Krueger’s series gives us a very interesting look at the modern Midwest, in all its glorious dishabille.
August 23, 2014
The unique thing about this series, in which a new one is released every August, is the amazing combination of family, time and place and culture. It is so wonderful to be back inside the world and family of Cork O'Connor. My favorite character though is Henry Meloux, a wise, very elderly Objibwe mide. His quiet persona and his spiritual wisdom serves as the anchor for many in his own family as well as O'Connors.
This story takes them from Iron Mountain, Minnesota to Duluth trying to track down a missing Indian girl and those who exploit underage girls in sex trafficking. Windingo Island and the Windingo is an ancient Indian myth, when the Winding calls your name, you are said to be in great danger.
Love the mix of a modern day problem alongside the spiritual belief systems of the Native Americans. Fighting evil leaves a person changed and so it proves for a few characters in this story. A new very interesting character makes an appearance, Daniel who is very knowledgeable about literature, writes poetry and plays the accordion. I hope we see more of him, just as I hope Henry can stay alive a bit longer.
ARC from publisher.
This story takes them from Iron Mountain, Minnesota to Duluth trying to track down a missing Indian girl and those who exploit underage girls in sex trafficking. Windingo Island and the Windingo is an ancient Indian myth, when the Winding calls your name, you are said to be in great danger.
Love the mix of a modern day problem alongside the spiritual belief systems of the Native Americans. Fighting evil leaves a person changed and so it proves for a few characters in this story. A new very interesting character makes an appearance, Daniel who is very knowledgeable about literature, writes poetry and plays the accordion. I hope we see more of him, just as I hope Henry can stay alive a bit longer.
ARC from publisher.
June 14, 2019
The Ojibwe Community asked Krueger to write a tale about the sex trafficking problem they face on their reservations—too many of their young women were falling into the clutches of sex trafficking predators. The result is a crime thriller that highlights the issue and includes a number of Anishinaabe characters affected by the scourge.
When the body of fifteen-year-old Carrie Verga is found washed up on the shore of Kichigami (Lake Superior), the relatives of Mariah Arceneaux are alarmed. The two girls had run away from home together a year ago. Mariah’s cousin, Daniel English, seeks Cork’s help to find her. What results is an odd posse comprised of private investigator Cork O’Connor, his daughter Jennie, Mariah’s mother Louise, Daniel English, and the ancient mide Henry Meloux. They are intent on confronting the Windigo—the monster that preys on the weak.
The mide Henry Meloux is one of my favorite characters in the Cork O’Connor series. His focus is on the damage done to the human spirit by the ‘Windigo’. Enjoy!
When the body of fifteen-year-old Carrie Verga is found washed up on the shore of Kichigami (Lake Superior), the relatives of Mariah Arceneaux are alarmed. The two girls had run away from home together a year ago. Mariah’s cousin, Daniel English, seeks Cork’s help to find her. What results is an odd posse comprised of private investigator Cork O’Connor, his daughter Jennie, Mariah’s mother Louise, Daniel English, and the ancient mide Henry Meloux. They are intent on confronting the Windigo—the monster that preys on the weak.
The mide Henry Meloux is one of my favorite characters in the Cork O’Connor series. His focus is on the damage done to the human spirit by the ‘Windigo’. Enjoy!
March 10, 2024
Rating: 3.75
I'll be honest saying that of all the Cork O'Connor books, this is my least favorite due to the pacing, simplicity of plot and characters. Fortunately the glue is Cork's commitment to justice, family and spirit, much as it is for the 100+ year old Henry Meloux, his friend, spiritual advisor and 'uncle'.
When a trio of boys discover a waterlogged body of a young girl on the shore of Windigo island in Lake Superior, the shock wave spreads quickly. Back in Aurora, MN Cork receives a call from Rainy requesting he immediately comes to Crows Point, a finger of land in Iron Lake. When he arrives, he notices an unfamiliar pickup at the trail head leading to Henry Meloux's cabin. Upon entering, he's introduced to Daniel English, nephew to Henry and an Indian ranger from Duluth seeking Cork's help. As it turns out, Carrie Vega, a Bad Bluff Chippewa had run away from home over a year ago and it was her body that had been discovered. Worse yet, she'd run away with Mariah Arceneaux, a girl from Daniel's family who remains missing. Being 1/8 Ojibwa and deeply connected to the Indian community, Cork's interest in finding the girl blossoms.
When Cork brings the news home, his eldest daughter Jenny demands he takes her along for the hunt. Sharp and strong like her deceased mother, Cork hesitantly goes along. When they arrive in Duluth, they find the down trodden community difficult to deal with; the only willing participants were Mariah's mother, Louise and her husband, Red. The trio take separate directions to track down the truth; in the process they learn that teen girls were being abducted by a criminal referred to as "Windigo" who like the mythical beast, remains invisible. As with all missing person hunts, one thing leads to another and the darkness eventually becomes light.
The cast of characters include the affluent boating community, drug dealers and shady types making the plot a bit predictable. Krueger does a nice job building momentum, but overall, its 'vanilla' as compared to the others in the series.
As the saying goes, 'every pitch can't be a strike' and this one was clearly a 'ball'. Enough said
I'll be honest saying that of all the Cork O'Connor books, this is my least favorite due to the pacing, simplicity of plot and characters. Fortunately the glue is Cork's commitment to justice, family and spirit, much as it is for the 100+ year old Henry Meloux, his friend, spiritual advisor and 'uncle'.
When a trio of boys discover a waterlogged body of a young girl on the shore of Windigo island in Lake Superior, the shock wave spreads quickly. Back in Aurora, MN Cork receives a call from Rainy requesting he immediately comes to Crows Point, a finger of land in Iron Lake. When he arrives, he notices an unfamiliar pickup at the trail head leading to Henry Meloux's cabin. Upon entering, he's introduced to Daniel English, nephew to Henry and an Indian ranger from Duluth seeking Cork's help. As it turns out, Carrie Vega, a Bad Bluff Chippewa had run away from home over a year ago and it was her body that had been discovered. Worse yet, she'd run away with Mariah Arceneaux, a girl from Daniel's family who remains missing. Being 1/8 Ojibwa and deeply connected to the Indian community, Cork's interest in finding the girl blossoms.
When Cork brings the news home, his eldest daughter Jenny demands he takes her along for the hunt. Sharp and strong like her deceased mother, Cork hesitantly goes along. When they arrive in Duluth, they find the down trodden community difficult to deal with; the only willing participants were Mariah's mother, Louise and her husband, Red. The trio take separate directions to track down the truth; in the process they learn that teen girls were being abducted by a criminal referred to as "Windigo" who like the mythical beast, remains invisible. As with all missing person hunts, one thing leads to another and the darkness eventually becomes light.
The cast of characters include the affluent boating community, drug dealers and shady types making the plot a bit predictable. Krueger does a nice job building momentum, but overall, its 'vanilla' as compared to the others in the series.
As the saying goes, 'every pitch can't be a strike' and this one was clearly a 'ball'. Enough said
October 21, 2014
I'm torn by this latest mystery in the Cork O'Connor series. On one hand, I thought the author used the plot line to successfully expose a horrific problem in the Native American community, the sex trafficking of young native girls. On the other hand, I thought there was a lot of unrealistic dialog, thought and action in the book, particularly by O'Connor's daughter, Jenny. For the majority of the book, she just irritated the heck out of me and I wanted to tell her to "grow up" and start thinking how her actions were affecting others.
May 3, 2025
Cork O’Connor is summoned to his old friend and mentor, Henry Meloux’s cabin. He discovers that family of Henry’s are asking for help finding fourteen year old Mariah. Their concern for her has escalated because they find out the other girl she ran away with has been found dead, washed up on Windigo Island. Cork’s daughter Jenny feels called to help, so she joins in the trip to Bad Bluff reservation.
After some investigation, they fear Mariah is being trafficked. Their journey leads them to Deluth, and then later to Montana. This search takes on additional meaning to them all, because the traffickers seem to focus on luring young Native American girls. The stories shared by the women in the book are heartbreaking, as they try to save these girls. The “Windigo” takes on several meanings in this book. As followers of the series will know, the Windigo is demon-type harbinger of death in their legends… but is there a Windigo in human form?
I loved how this book let Henry and Jenny come together to work with Cork in his search. While I rate all the books in this series highly, I do think the storyline in this one is exceptionally good!
And in follow up to my earlier update… I switched and started this book while waiting for my car to be repaired. I swear, sitting at hospitals and car repair shops is so exhausting! 5 hours and much too much money later… at least I had a dependable book to help me through it. And… a coworker told me I’m lucky it happened now, because car parts are one of the things expected to have shortages soon with these X$!#ing tariffs.
Anyway, big fan of this author and this series! 💖
After some investigation, they fear Mariah is being trafficked. Their journey leads them to Deluth, and then later to Montana. This search takes on additional meaning to them all, because the traffickers seem to focus on luring young Native American girls. The stories shared by the women in the book are heartbreaking, as they try to save these girls. The “Windigo” takes on several meanings in this book. As followers of the series will know, the Windigo is demon-type harbinger of death in their legends… but is there a Windigo in human form?
I loved how this book let Henry and Jenny come together to work with Cork in his search. While I rate all the books in this series highly, I do think the storyline in this one is exceptionally good!
And in follow up to my earlier update… I switched and started this book while waiting for my car to be repaired. I swear, sitting at hospitals and car repair shops is so exhausting! 5 hours and much too much money later… at least I had a dependable book to help me through it. And… a coworker told me I’m lucky it happened now, because car parts are one of the things expected to have shortages soon with these X$!#ing tariffs.
Anyway, big fan of this author and this series! 💖
October 1, 2025
I think this is my 6th read in this series this year, and although I am enjoying this series; I almost am wondering when enough is enough. Cork seems to always be trying to protect his family (who go through hell and back) because of his career choice. There is a constant “mama bear” mentality within me that feels they need to get a cabin in the woods with no neighbours and no access to the outside world. Or maybe that is just my dream? 🙃🤔🤣
Regardless, this is my only criticism. WKK can write a compelling story. Perhaps I should take a break and continue the remaining books in 2026.
Regardless, this is my only criticism. WKK can write a compelling story. Perhaps I should take a break and continue the remaining books in 2026.
July 27, 2015
Right up front, I want to say this book deals with the abduction and forced prostitution of young children. However, the most descriptive Krueger gets is telling you what the young girls are wearing. The rest will be in your imagination.
I felt this was a powerful and emotional book. There is much Native American mysticism with the epitome of evil in the Windigo. Cork is more angry than I've ever seen him. Henry provides a calming, healing nature. Jenny is, well, let's say she's a lot like her father and I think she's realizing that and it sort of scares her.
This is #14 in the series and also the latest. It almost felt at the end that it was the end.
I felt this was a powerful and emotional book. There is much Native American mysticism with the epitome of evil in the Windigo. Cork is more angry than I've ever seen him. Henry provides a calming, healing nature. Jenny is, well, let's say she's a lot like her father and I think she's realizing that and it sort of scares her.
This is #14 in the series and also the latest. It almost felt at the end that it was the end.
January 8, 2023
This is a great entry into this wonderful series. We experience the growth of Cork's adult children, Jenny in particular. The author provides an insight into how young Native American girls are lured into a lifestyle that is truly destructive to physical and mental health and where their new 'family' exploits them for financial gain.
I love the shout out to the Library: "Let's do this the old-fashioned way. Let's try the Library. This is their territory. They probably have resources we wouldn't necessarily find on the internet and if they don't have what we need, I bet they know who does."
People are always surprised to discover that the Library is more than just books. It's about connecting people to each other and to resources, providing credible information, programs, meeting space and so much more. The Library is at the heart of each community.
I love the shout out to the Library: "Let's do this the old-fashioned way. Let's try the Library. This is their territory. They probably have resources we wouldn't necessarily find on the internet and if they don't have what we need, I bet they know who does."
People are always surprised to discover that the Library is more than just books. It's about connecting people to each other and to resources, providing credible information, programs, meeting space and so much more. The Library is at the heart of each community.
September 17, 2023
Blew through this one in a single day! Pretty good story.
When the body of a teenaged Ojibwe girl washes up near the shore of Windigo Island, Cork O'Connor discovers she was last seen with two other girls from the rez, and they are still missing. The plot involves angsty teenaged runaways and predatory men who scoop up these girls to use them in sex trafficking. A kinda depressing but timely subject.
In other news, Jenny O'Connor steps forward to take a major role in the investigation (but only after a big nudge from Henry). She places herself in harm's way and makes a life-changing choice to try to save Meloux's life. I like that the O'Connor kids are showing themselves to be strong-willed individuals who are finally starting to step out of (or directly onto) their father's shadow.
Next up: Manitou Canyon.
When the body of a teenaged Ojibwe girl washes up near the shore of Windigo Island, Cork O'Connor discovers she was last seen with two other girls from the rez, and they are still missing. The plot involves angsty teenaged runaways and predatory men who scoop up these girls to use them in sex trafficking. A kinda depressing but timely subject.
In other news, Jenny O'Connor steps forward to take a major role in the investigation (but only after a big nudge from Henry). She places herself in harm's way and makes a life-changing choice to try to save Meloux's life. I like that the O'Connor kids are showing themselves to be strong-willed individuals who are finally starting to step out of (or directly onto) their father's shadow.
Next up: Manitou Canyon.
August 25, 2022
I haven't really bothered to write many reviews for the books in this series because I just didn't want to spend time on reviews for books that I find pretty mediocre. I enjoyed the first few books in this series and rated them 3.5 and 4 stars, but at some point, the series took a downhill turn and has never gotten back to where it was for me. Mostly I rate these 3 stars now for a few reasons, with this one being the first I've rated only 2.
One reason is, with the exception of Henry, that I do not like the characters a whole lot. I find them annoying at times and unrealistic. Cork is a contradiction when it comes to being an ex-police officer/detective and his views on certain things. They don't make sense and don't jive with his actions. His wife in the first half of the series was never a very likable character to me. His kids can also be annoying. Jenny in particular is insufferable at times, especially in this book, where she repeatedly inserts herself where she doesn't need to be, and then in the end is traumatized by her own actions, which left me with little sympathy for her. All she needs to do is remember who that person was and everything they did and she should be just fine, but knowing this series it will take way too long for this to happen.
Another reason these books no longer rate very high for me is that the mysteries are never hard to figure out, in fact, sometimes there is little to no mystery to solve. It's always the obvious solution, and the characters come off as a little dumb for not knowing. And then there is the fact that the books have begun to feel like they are the author's soapbox. Now, I don't necessarily think that authors believe everything their characters believe, or that just because they write something in a book that they have an agenda, but at some point, I became aware that every single bad person in these books seemed to have the same political views. Now, I don't care what the political views are one way or another, but the way this is being done annoys me because it isn't realistic. There are good and bad people in every group, in every walk of life, and these books would be much more realistic if they showed that instead of pointing the finger at only one of them. If we could just have good mysteries instead of agendas, it would be great.
Then, yet another thing about this series that annoys me at times is the author's writing style. He sometimes describes things in too many words, or I guess you could say, in too flowery of a way. Near the end of this book there was a paragraph like this that really stood out to me. I won't quote it since I would have to go back and find it on the audio, but he talks about one of the sex traffickers going to prison and only having the ceiling of his cell to stare at instead of the sky. It was said in a really flowery way when it could have been said in a much simpler way. There was no need to go all poetic about it.
Also, I'm going to interject here that at some point people must take responsibility for themselves, instead of blaming other people for the ills in their lives. I almost decided to quit this series after this book, and I still might, but I only have a few of them left, so I may read those just to finish out the books that are already written.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader.
One reason is, with the exception of Henry, that I do not like the characters a whole lot. I find them annoying at times and unrealistic. Cork is a contradiction when it comes to being an ex-police officer/detective and his views on certain things. They don't make sense and don't jive with his actions. His wife in the first half of the series was never a very likable character to me. His kids can also be annoying. Jenny in particular is insufferable at times, especially in this book, where she repeatedly inserts herself where she doesn't need to be, and then in the end is traumatized by her own actions, which left me with little sympathy for her. All she needs to do is remember who that person was and everything they did and she should be just fine, but knowing this series it will take way too long for this to happen.
Another reason these books no longer rate very high for me is that the mysteries are never hard to figure out, in fact, sometimes there is little to no mystery to solve. It's always the obvious solution, and the characters come off as a little dumb for not knowing. And then there is the fact that the books have begun to feel like they are the author's soapbox. Now, I don't necessarily think that authors believe everything their characters believe, or that just because they write something in a book that they have an agenda, but at some point, I became aware that every single bad person in these books seemed to have the same political views. Now, I don't care what the political views are one way or another, but the way this is being done annoys me because it isn't realistic. There are good and bad people in every group, in every walk of life, and these books would be much more realistic if they showed that instead of pointing the finger at only one of them. If we could just have good mysteries instead of agendas, it would be great.
Then, yet another thing about this series that annoys me at times is the author's writing style. He sometimes describes things in too many words, or I guess you could say, in too flowery of a way. Near the end of this book there was a paragraph like this that really stood out to me. I won't quote it since I would have to go back and find it on the audio, but he talks about one of the sex traffickers going to prison and only having the ceiling of his cell to stare at instead of the sky. It was said in a really flowery way when it could have been said in a much simpler way. There was no need to go all poetic about it.
Also, I'm going to interject here that at some point people must take responsibility for themselves, instead of blaming other people for the ills in their lives. I almost decided to quit this series after this book, and I still might, but I only have a few of them left, so I may read those just to finish out the books that are already written.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader.
May 23, 2016
1.5 stars.
A very tedious read. The description of plight of girls and degeneration of india society is avery sorry. So many words of native language which i did not understand amd it break the flow.
I did not like the book.
Some excerpts
There was anger in Puck, which he’d channeled in a way that would drive him for a while. At some point, the anger wouldn’t be enough. He might well accomplish what he intended to do, outwhite the white man, but the cost would be great, Cork suspected. Then again, what did he know? He ran a burger joint and a second-rate detective business and had no ambition beyond that. Still, he considered himself a happy man, and who could put a dollar sign to that?
-------
Men never talked. Not about themselves, anyway, not really. They talked about what they’d done, what they were doing, what they intended to do, but they didn’t talk about what was at the heart of them, why they did these things.
-------
A very tedious read. The description of plight of girls and degeneration of india society is avery sorry. So many words of native language which i did not understand amd it break the flow.
I did not like the book.
Some excerpts
There was anger in Puck, which he’d channeled in a way that would drive him for a while. At some point, the anger wouldn’t be enough. He might well accomplish what he intended to do, outwhite the white man, but the cost would be great, Cork suspected. Then again, what did he know? He ran a burger joint and a second-rate detective business and had no ambition beyond that. Still, he considered himself a happy man, and who could put a dollar sign to that?
-------
Men never talked. Not about themselves, anyway, not really. They talked about what they’d done, what they were doing, what they intended to do, but they didn’t talk about what was at the heart of them, why they did these things.
-------
November 19, 2025
As always, Krueger's Cork O'Connor books are fantastic.
November 7, 2017
Not Krueger's strongest work. The topic (the exploitation and trafficking of women, Native women in particular) was a difficult one to tackle and unfortunately it came out less like a mystery and more like a treatise on the issue. It's something that should be talked about and I applaud him for his efforts to make more people aware of the issue, I'm just afraid it didn't make for a very good book.
For one thing, there wasn't much mystery. From practically the opening chapters, I could tell you one of the bad guys, and the romantic interest for Jenny was right there from the first introduction. I need some stuff to not be telegraphed at the outset, otherwise why bother to finish the book?
Coming down to it, the biggest issue with the book was Jenny. I didn't care for her in the one where she saves Waboo, and her presence here is not well explained (she had a 'vision') nor is she integrated into the detective work very well. Frankly I found her annoying but I think that is more on Krueger than anything. I don't think he has a good grasp on how to write women and trying to shoehorn Cork's family directly into his investigations doesn't seem to be working too well. She get's about a third of the book to narrate and that didn't make me like her either.
The ending felt predictable and the epilogue felt unnecessary and trite. Not a fan of this installment.
For one thing, there wasn't much mystery. From practically the opening chapters, I could tell you one of the bad guys, and the romantic interest for Jenny was right there from the first introduction. I need some stuff to not be telegraphed at the outset, otherwise why bother to finish the book?
Coming down to it, the biggest issue with the book was Jenny. I didn't care for her in the one where she saves Waboo, and her presence here is not well explained (she had a 'vision') nor is she integrated into the detective work very well. Frankly I found her annoying but I think that is more on Krueger than anything. I don't think he has a good grasp on how to write women and trying to shoehorn Cork's family directly into his investigations doesn't seem to be working too well. She get's about a third of the book to narrate and that didn't make me like her either.
The ending felt predictable and the epilogue felt unnecessary and trite. Not a fan of this installment.
October 6, 2016
Last night at a in-store visit, Kent Krueger (he likes to be called by his middle name) shared his secrets for maintaining a successful series of thrillers. Beyond the excellent storytelling, which he calls a skeleton on which to hang a story, is the necessity to create a backstory involving characters the reader will love and will care about. He has certainly done this with the Cork O'Connor series. And his joy in his creations is evident. Another element he feels essential is inclusion of a newsworthy topic - in this case, the trafficking of young girls by predators preying on their weaknesses and unhappiness with their lives. As with other books in the series, there is a great deal of Native American interaction and spirituality.
He is a delightful writer and an even more delightful person.
He is a delightful writer and an even more delightful person.
April 3, 2024
This was the first book from this series that I read (even though it's #14), and maybe that was part of my problem. I thought it OK, but there were a few things that annoyed me.
First, Henry Meloux calls Cork and Jenny "Corcoran O'Connor" and "Jennifer O'Connor" even though he's know Cork for most of his life and Jenny for probably her ENTIRE life. And everybody else is "niece" or "granddaughter", regardless of whether or not they are actually related to him. Listening to this as an audio book, it was kind of like listening to Yoda speak. A weird verbal tic. And Cork and Jenny are part Anishinabe (1/4 and 1/8, respectively), so why aren't they good enough (pure enough?) to be "nephew" or "granddaughter" or whatever?
My second and most overwhelming annoyance was the character of Jenny O'Connor. For 90% of the book I wanted to punch her in the face. She spend the whole time forcibly and stubbornly inserting herself into situations where she was more of a hindrance than a help. She seems to have no law enforcement/fighting/physical altercation experience and yet she always has to be RIGHT THERE. So now instead of being helpful, she's just another person for Cork to worry about protecting. Splitting his attention when he should be focused on the task at hand, which is rescuing these trafficked girls while not getting killed by their violent, murderous pimps. But Jenny just "felt like she had to be there". And she was going to write a book about it. I was kind of rooting for Windigo or somebody to punch her for me, just for being so stupid and selfish and irresponsible.
First, Henry Meloux calls Cork and Jenny "Corcoran O'Connor" and "Jennifer O'Connor" even though he's know Cork for most of his life and Jenny for probably her ENTIRE life. And everybody else is "niece" or "granddaughter", regardless of whether or not they are actually related to him. Listening to this as an audio book, it was kind of like listening to Yoda speak. A weird verbal tic. And Cork and Jenny are part Anishinabe (1/4 and 1/8, respectively), so why aren't they good enough (pure enough?) to be "nephew" or "granddaughter" or whatever?
My second and most overwhelming annoyance was the character of Jenny O'Connor. For 90% of the book I wanted to punch her in the face. She spend the whole time forcibly and stubbornly inserting herself into situations where she was more of a hindrance than a help. She seems to have no law enforcement/fighting/physical altercation experience and yet she always has to be RIGHT THERE. So now instead of being helpful, she's just another person for Cork to worry about protecting. Splitting his attention when he should be focused on the task at hand, which is rescuing these trafficked girls while not getting killed by their violent, murderous pimps. But Jenny just "felt like she had to be there". And she was going to write a book about it. I was kind of rooting for Windigo or somebody to punch her for me, just for being so stupid and selfish and irresponsible.
August 25, 2014
Not as good a read as I have come to expect from William Kent Krueger. In a scene near the beginning of the book, Cork says something to a woman that is so out of character that it almost ruins the entire book for me. And I think with the trailer scene the book just completely falls apart. From that point on, the story becomes unbelievable. That and Jenny's voice just didn't work.
September 9, 2017
Thank you to Kent for humanizing and publicizing the plight of victims of sexual trafficking of Native American girls. He still spins a wonderfully complex story, but I'm so glad he based it on this topic that needs so much more attention.
February 12, 2021
Really difficult subject matter. I don't think that is why I liked this one a little less than the rest of the series, but I can't be certain. Cork always finds a way to get himself in over his head, and this time is not different except he's dragging his loved ones in it with him.
January 29, 2025
I love listening to the Cork O'Connor mysteries! The narrator does an excellent job and of course I enjoy the suspense around the mystery in each book, and I also enjoy and appreciate the emphasis on the Ojibwe culture. This book (#14 in the series) deals with the vulnerability and abuse of Native female youth and the frustration with governmental agencies that sometimes look the other way.
September 30, 2014
I had the honor of meeting William Kent Krueger at a book signing earlier this month. When I presented my newly purchased copy of Windigo Island, he graciously wrote, “To Jean – Feed the right wolf.” He told me that I would discover the meaning of that phrase as I read the book. The first chapter begins with a quote from the Ojibwe Mide (healer), Henry Meloux, “In every human being, there are two wolves constantly fighting. One is fear, and the other is love. The one that wins the battle? Always the one you feed.”
This theme runs throughout Krueger’s 14th Cork O’Connor mystery novel. By the time some series reach half that many installments, the writing tends to become formulaic and weak. Having read the previous 13 books, plus the standalone Ordinary Grace, I must say that I still love the way Krueger writes. For the uninitiated, it might be helpful to begin at the beginning, with Iron Lake, to better understand the characters and the Anishinaabe culture, which is infused throughout Krueger’s writing, but the reader would certainly not be lost jumping in at number 14.
A windigo is an evil spirit, a cannibal that feeds on human flesh. On Windigo Island, nothing good can happen. If the windigo calls your name, you must meet it head on. Both Cork and his daughter Jenny hear the call. When the body of a runaway Ojibwe girl washes up on shore, Corcoran “Cork” O’Connor, a retired cop and former sheriff, now a private investigator, is asked to find a runaway teen, who left the reservation with the girl who turned up dead.
Jenny O’Connor is strongly featured in this story, and she really comes into her own. She is moved by the plight of Mariah, the missing girl, who has fallen into the hands of a pimp who alternately calls himself Angel and Windigo. Also, the old sage, Henry Meloux, becomes actively involved in this saga. The struggle that Cork feels as he pushes onward to find the men who are abusing these young women is palpable but he does not verbalize his feelings, and it is through Jenny that we sense his inner conflicts. . I won’t spoil anything by going into details, but suffice it to say that time and again, Cork and his band of rescuers must discern which wolf to feed.
As always, Krueger writes simply, beautifully, masterfully. I grew up in northern Minnesota not far from Duluth, spent many years in the Twin Cities, and now live in the southeastern part of the state, so when I read his descriptions of Lake Superior and of her moods, I feel like I am right there looking in awe at the great lake, hearing the waves crash upon the rocks, and feeling the cold wind cut through my bones. If you love nature’s power and splendor, Krueger’s descriptive writing will enhance your enjoyment of his mysteries.
Cork is one-quarter Ojibwe and three-quarters Irish American, and through his eyes and those of Henry Meloux, we see Krueger’s deep respect for Anishinaabe traditions and beliefs. In Windigo Island particularly, the difficulties of being a teenage Native American in white culture are portrayed: poverty, drug abuse, alcoholism, and prostitution – kids rejecting their own culture and being marginalized in the society away from “the rez”. This book contains more social commentary than previous novels, but the quest for the missing Mariah and her oppressor is engrossing, and the developing relationship between Jennifer O’Connor and Daniel English shows promise of more good things to come.
If you read only graphic, heart-pounding, fast-paced thrillers, then perhaps William Kent Krueger is not the author for you. But if you enjoy a well-crafted story with characters who have good hearts and real-life flaws, you might want to give Krueger a try. If you’ve already read Tamarack County, chances are you’ve already got dibs on Windigo Island.
5/5 stars
This theme runs throughout Krueger’s 14th Cork O’Connor mystery novel. By the time some series reach half that many installments, the writing tends to become formulaic and weak. Having read the previous 13 books, plus the standalone Ordinary Grace, I must say that I still love the way Krueger writes. For the uninitiated, it might be helpful to begin at the beginning, with Iron Lake, to better understand the characters and the Anishinaabe culture, which is infused throughout Krueger’s writing, but the reader would certainly not be lost jumping in at number 14.
A windigo is an evil spirit, a cannibal that feeds on human flesh. On Windigo Island, nothing good can happen. If the windigo calls your name, you must meet it head on. Both Cork and his daughter Jenny hear the call. When the body of a runaway Ojibwe girl washes up on shore, Corcoran “Cork” O’Connor, a retired cop and former sheriff, now a private investigator, is asked to find a runaway teen, who left the reservation with the girl who turned up dead.
Jenny O’Connor is strongly featured in this story, and she really comes into her own. She is moved by the plight of Mariah, the missing girl, who has fallen into the hands of a pimp who alternately calls himself Angel and Windigo. Also, the old sage, Henry Meloux, becomes actively involved in this saga. The struggle that Cork feels as he pushes onward to find the men who are abusing these young women is palpable but he does not verbalize his feelings, and it is through Jenny that we sense his inner conflicts. . I won’t spoil anything by going into details, but suffice it to say that time and again, Cork and his band of rescuers must discern which wolf to feed.
As always, Krueger writes simply, beautifully, masterfully. I grew up in northern Minnesota not far from Duluth, spent many years in the Twin Cities, and now live in the southeastern part of the state, so when I read his descriptions of Lake Superior and of her moods, I feel like I am right there looking in awe at the great lake, hearing the waves crash upon the rocks, and feeling the cold wind cut through my bones. If you love nature’s power and splendor, Krueger’s descriptive writing will enhance your enjoyment of his mysteries.
Cork is one-quarter Ojibwe and three-quarters Irish American, and through his eyes and those of Henry Meloux, we see Krueger’s deep respect for Anishinaabe traditions and beliefs. In Windigo Island particularly, the difficulties of being a teenage Native American in white culture are portrayed: poverty, drug abuse, alcoholism, and prostitution – kids rejecting their own culture and being marginalized in the society away from “the rez”. This book contains more social commentary than previous novels, but the quest for the missing Mariah and her oppressor is engrossing, and the developing relationship between Jennifer O’Connor and Daniel English shows promise of more good things to come.
If you read only graphic, heart-pounding, fast-paced thrillers, then perhaps William Kent Krueger is not the author for you. But if you enjoy a well-crafted story with characters who have good hearts and real-life flaws, you might want to give Krueger a try. If you’ve already read Tamarack County, chances are you’ve already got dibs on Windigo Island.
5/5 stars
February 4, 2022
This is the first Cork O'Connor book I've rated at less than 3 stars. The plot centers on sex traffickers of very young Native American girls, a tough subject, but it was the manipulations of the personality of Cork's daughter Jenny that cause me to rate it a 1 star. That Jenny suddenly becomes a hard driving, negative, pushy person, who at times flips to whiney and self-doubting, seems to be a device constructed to push or pull the plot along. How many times did she insist on involving herself in a dangerous situation, which her father inexplicably always let her get away with, promise to stay put or not do anything, as asked, then do the exact opposite? I lost count. She's portrayed as a devoted momma bear but leaves her son her aunt for days while going off to interfere in her father's attempts to rescue a sex trafficked victim. The final twist and resolution of the bad guy was very predictable. Jenny has become a very unlikeable character that I hope will fade back to being much less of a player in the next books.
January 25, 2016
4.5 stars. A dead girl washes up on Windigo Island, one of a pair that ran away from the rez a year earlier. The still missing girl's cousin, Daniel English, seeks help from Midi Henry Meloux, who refuses until the girl's mother comes to see him with the girl's most important possession. Cork O'Connor and daughter Jenny start to investigate, and discover an evil presence, who has become family for these lost runaways as he forces them into prostitution. The underlying reveal about the sexual exploitation of American Indian women is quite sad, and the O'Connor family once again demonstrate their mettle as ogichidaa (standing between evil and the people.) Recommended.
May 13, 2022
I generally like the stories in these books but the problems in the world all being traced back to white men is getting old. I'm not saying white European men didn't cause problems sometimes but not everything bad in the world. cannot be placed at their feet
February 9, 2022
Notes:
Yay for libraries!
If the story had concluded around a certain point, I'd rate this one at 4 stars. But it didn't stop there. Stories can be as complicated or simple. I enjoy the messy complexity that entangles Cork's life and those in his circle. I feel like the author doesn't know how to express that complexity in a manner that shines or stays true within the series context. I keep hoping that the potential for the story will be met, and maybe it will.
Yay for libraries!
If the story had concluded around a certain point, I'd rate this one at 4 stars. But it didn't stop there. Stories can be as complicated or simple. I enjoy the messy complexity that entangles Cork's life and those in his circle. I feel like the author doesn't know how to express that complexity in a manner that shines or stays true within the series context. I keep hoping that the potential for the story will be met, and maybe it will.
August 1, 2014
"In every human being, there are two wolves constantly fighting. One is fear, and the other is love. The one that wins the battle? The one you feed. Always the one you feed."
"The Ojibwe legend tells of the cursed place called Windigo Island. On Windigo Island, death came in the dark. It came in the form of an awful spirit, a cannibal beast with an insatiable craving for human flesh. Sometimes the beast swept in with the foul odor of carnage pouring off its huge body and a bone-chilling scream leaping from ts maw. Sometimes it approached with stealth and wile, and in the moment before it ripped your heart from your chest, it cried your name in a high, keening voice. It could be unpredictable, but one thing was certain: to set foot on Windigo Island in the dead of night was to call forth the worst of what the darkness there held." (pg 4).
When three young boys decide to feed the wolf of fear, they head out late one night to visit island. There was no wind that night with nothing more to light their way than a gibbous moon. The water was like black satin and the only thing they paddled for in the silence was the outline of a small island that was only found on a detailed map. A rough circle a couple of dozen yards in diameter, all of it broken rock. From its center rose a tall, ragged pine, a tree that had somehow managed to put down roots in that humping of stone and had held to it tenaciously through season after season of November gales. The Ojibwe believed the pine was a lightning rod of sorts, a beacon attracting the evil sprits of Kitchigami to that cursed island. Not just the windigo but Michi Peshu, too, a monster that lived in the depths, a creature with horns and the face of a panther and razor-sharp spikes down its back and, some said, the body of the serpent. One thing for sure, they were about to get just what they intended to feed(excerpt).
Corcoran O'Connor, or Cork as he is known by family and close friends finds himself in the center of coming to terms with a legend from his Native American people and dealing with the murder of a young runaway girl Carrie Verga. When her family hires him to investigate the reports that Carrie and Mariah Arceneaux, both young Indian girls who had decided to runaway from home, might have been lured away instead. In fact Cork thinks there may be more to this case than simply a murdered young girl and involve a well known but secret group of men looking for willing girls for their sex trafficking ring in Minnesota. The clues keep building as Cork and his daughter Jenny work with other family members of Mariah in hopes of finding her before she winds up dead.
I received Windigo Island by William Kent Krueger compliments of Atria Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions are mine except where otherwise notated. This is the second novel I've reviewed from William Krueger and love the Native American flair he adds to your standard murder mystery. It lends a suspenseful feel that there is something lurking in the novel besides your standard criminal and the back story of the O'Connors maintains their belief as part of their Native American culture; that stereotypes exist and discrimination still permeates among the Native American tribes. I was completely captivated by this novel since it opens with the legend of Windigo Island and that keeps you glued to the novel to see how it all plays out. Once again, I believe that William Krueger delivered what his readers have come to accept and that is a well-written, captivating and suspenseful novel and thus I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars.
"The Ojibwe legend tells of the cursed place called Windigo Island. On Windigo Island, death came in the dark. It came in the form of an awful spirit, a cannibal beast with an insatiable craving for human flesh. Sometimes the beast swept in with the foul odor of carnage pouring off its huge body and a bone-chilling scream leaping from ts maw. Sometimes it approached with stealth and wile, and in the moment before it ripped your heart from your chest, it cried your name in a high, keening voice. It could be unpredictable, but one thing was certain: to set foot on Windigo Island in the dead of night was to call forth the worst of what the darkness there held." (pg 4).
When three young boys decide to feed the wolf of fear, they head out late one night to visit island. There was no wind that night with nothing more to light their way than a gibbous moon. The water was like black satin and the only thing they paddled for in the silence was the outline of a small island that was only found on a detailed map. A rough circle a couple of dozen yards in diameter, all of it broken rock. From its center rose a tall, ragged pine, a tree that had somehow managed to put down roots in that humping of stone and had held to it tenaciously through season after season of November gales. The Ojibwe believed the pine was a lightning rod of sorts, a beacon attracting the evil sprits of Kitchigami to that cursed island. Not just the windigo but Michi Peshu, too, a monster that lived in the depths, a creature with horns and the face of a panther and razor-sharp spikes down its back and, some said, the body of the serpent. One thing for sure, they were about to get just what they intended to feed(excerpt).
Corcoran O'Connor, or Cork as he is known by family and close friends finds himself in the center of coming to terms with a legend from his Native American people and dealing with the murder of a young runaway girl Carrie Verga. When her family hires him to investigate the reports that Carrie and Mariah Arceneaux, both young Indian girls who had decided to runaway from home, might have been lured away instead. In fact Cork thinks there may be more to this case than simply a murdered young girl and involve a well known but secret group of men looking for willing girls for their sex trafficking ring in Minnesota. The clues keep building as Cork and his daughter Jenny work with other family members of Mariah in hopes of finding her before she winds up dead.
I received Windigo Island by William Kent Krueger compliments of Atria Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions are mine except where otherwise notated. This is the second novel I've reviewed from William Krueger and love the Native American flair he adds to your standard murder mystery. It lends a suspenseful feel that there is something lurking in the novel besides your standard criminal and the back story of the O'Connors maintains their belief as part of their Native American culture; that stereotypes exist and discrimination still permeates among the Native American tribes. I was completely captivated by this novel since it opens with the legend of Windigo Island and that keeps you glued to the novel to see how it all plays out. Once again, I believe that William Krueger delivered what his readers have come to accept and that is a well-written, captivating and suspenseful novel and thus I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars.
August 13, 2021
What a great read!
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