Tamarack County

Cork O'Connor #13

by William Kent Krueger

Violence and murder blow into Minnesota’s sleepy Tamarack County as ex-sheriff Cork O’Connor returns in the latest installment of William Kent Krueger’s New York Times bestselling series.As a blizzard swells just days before Christmas, the car belonging to the wife of a retired local judge is discovered abandoned on a rural road in Tamarack County. After days of fruitless effort, the search-and-rescue team has little hope that she’ll be found alive, if at all. Cork O’Connor, former sheriff and now private investigator, is part of that team.

Early on, Cork notices small things about the woman’s disappearance that disturb him. But when the beloved pet dog of a friend is brutally killed and beheaded, he begins to see a startling pattern in these and other recent dark occurrences in the area. After his own son comes close to peril, Cork understands that someone is spinning a deadly web in Tamarack County. At the center is a murder more than twenty years old, for which an innocent man may have been convicted. Cork remembers the case only too well. He was the deputy in charge of the investigation that sent the man to prison.

With the darkest days of the year at hand, the storms of winter continue to isolate Tamarack County. Somewhere behind the blind of all that darkness and drifting snow, a vengeful force is at work. And Cork has only hours to stop it before his family and his friends pay the ultimate price for the sins of others.

With complex plot twists, rich characters, and a vivid setting, Tamarack County is a relentlessly fast-paced novel that will chill, thrill, and shock you.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 20, 2013

About the author

Raised 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.

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tamarack County (Cork O'Connor #13) by William Kent Krueger (Author), David Chandler (Narrator)

Someone with a very dark heart has Tamarack County in their grip. A judge's wife disappears, a man's dog is brutally killed, and Cork's son and his girlfriend have an encounter with what seems to be targeted road rage. These events could be related to a twenty year old murder but how are they related and who is trying to send a cruel message? Stephen, Cork's seventeen year old son, is very involved in this story and Cork's youngest daughter, Anne, is back home, with a heavy heart and mind, not sure if she will continue on the path towards becoming a nun, something she knew she wanted to be from the time she was a young girl.

With one deputy out of town on Christmas vacation, the sheriff has asked for Cork's help to pull everything together. There is a real sense of danger as the pieces come together. Even Henry Meloux, Cork and Stephen's spiritual advisor, visiting his son in Canada, is seeing visions of a great darkness that is targeting the O'Connor household. Stephen is clearly following a path that was paved by Henry and he's allowing what Henry taught him to guide him during this stressful time. As usual, one or more humans come to great harm but this time a pet is killed also and that killing plays a big part of the story. I couldn't help being on edge because it's clear that no character is safe, as we know from past books. I'm attached to these characters that I've come to know over the years of the entire timeline so the tension is high level throughout the book.

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant addition to this great series. Krueger is almost turning it into a family saga now and the additional weight he is bringing to all the other O'Connors pays off.

Stephen is front and centre in the action again. He is growing up fast, has a girlfriend and is starting to question his father's attitudes to life and death. Jenny is happily raising her adopted son but Annie is facing huge issues which she brings home with her at Christmas time. And Cork is being Cork. I am sure we all thought Rainy might be "the one" but maybe not.....

And of course it is cold, the snow is metres deep and someone is going around leaving dead bodies. Cork is drawn into the hunt when things get very personal indeed.

A great story, well written as usual and so gripping that I could hardly put it down. I hope he is still writing these books because I really don't want them to be over. Must check that out!!!

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am already dreading the day that Henry Meloux is not longer part of this series, he adds such a welcome touch of Indian lore and mysticism. As always a big part of this series is Cork and his family, in this one both Stephen, Cork and Anne are dealing with a moral crisis that they must work their way through. Vivid setting in Northern setting, one feels the cold when these books are set in the winter, as this one was. Such a dependable series, the plots are always interesting and entwined with the family and Indian spirituality this is a series I always look forward to. Krueger is such a wonderful writer.

[Karen J · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My third Willian Kent Krueger book I have read this year and definitely not my last.

[Keri Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone reading very far into this series, you read partly for the mystery that will be solved, and partly to immerse yourself again in Cork O’Connor’s family.

Cork’s daughter Ann shows up early for her Christmas holiday with them, and it’s obvious she is in distress. Son Stephen has started seeing a girl. But Cork gets pulled into a case of a local judge’s missing wife. Then a disturbing act of violence occurs close by Stephen and his girlfriend. Strange things keep occurring, but neither Cork nor the sheriff can see their connection.

This is a very well done series, and the narration of the audiobooks are fantastic.

[The Girl with the Sagittarius Tattoo · Rating 2 out of 5]

A ridiculous plot ends physically badly for one O'Connor, and in a secondary storyline, it ends up emotionally badly for another.

Once again, Cork disappoints me with a decision that makes little sense for his goody-goody character and to add insult to injury, that last line - are you kidding me?! Now that Steven is too old to be the cute baby of the clan, he's been conveniently replaced with an adorable new O'Connor.

And Walleye...

*sigh* When was the last time I gave one of these novels a better-than-average rating? Too long ago, that's when. I'm getting tired of this series. But with 14 books behind me (incl the prequel) and only 5 books until I'm all caught up, I feel like I can't give up now! Onward to Windigo Island.

Yay, perseverance. 😒

[Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review


William Kent Krueger

I'll begin this last review (for the time being until the next in series comes out) by saying this: "If you enjoy Johnson's Walt Longmire series, than by all means give Krueger's Cork O'Connor series a try. You will not be disappointed.

And so, Corciran's sage continues in this, the 13th installment of the series. As with Johnson's work, I never tire of these novels. Anne comes back to Tamarack County. Gone is her spiritual and calm demeanor. Something's happened and she isn't telling. Stephen is grown up and misses Meloux, even as he prepares himself to become an Anishinaabeg healer. Cork's love life has taken an unexpected turn. The novel opens with a macabre murder and a demon like stalker is out loose in the county threatening the lives of the characters I've come to love. It's the dead of winter with sub zero temperatures and there's a terrific snow mobile chase that leads to unexpected results.


Killer on the loose

Reading this, is indeed, like coming home.

For an in-depth look at what this series is about, please do continue to read. And if you decide to read this series (reading them in order is preferable)...please, enjoy!


------------------------------------------------------
Series Review
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 (or Ojibwa)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.


Ojibwa woman

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 like this stuff!

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the wife of a retired judge goes missing, Cork O’Connor helps with the search and later investigation at the request of Sheriff Marcia Dross. Things get complicated after his son Stephen and the young girl he’s seeing were threatened by an unknown source and Cork balances his time between the two. Meanwhile, daughter Anne has returned home for a visit and it’s obvious that she’s grappling with some troubling issues, unwilling to share anything about them for the time being.

Cork, Stephen and Anne must deal with personal conflicts that test their moral compasses and each struggle to determine the paths to choose. I’m still in awe of Stephen who has wisdom beyond his age and his special relationship with Henry Meloux is inspiring. I really didn’t see Anne’s dilemma coming but in retrospect, I should have. I’m still trying to figure out what’s going on with Cork, confused by his choices for the first time since I started the series.

All of this is going on in the midst of a dangerous predator who’s tough to identify let alone protect potential victims from. I liked how Cork worked with Marcia and her deputies this time, even though he had his rogue moments that were at least understandable this go round. David Chandler was again near perfect in his narration and the story was unpredictable in its journey. I finished it in a day because I could not stop listening.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Krueger’s 13th offering in the Cork O’Connor murder/mystery series. It begins with the disappearance of an elderly woman on a frigid winter day in Aurora, Minnesota. Search and Rescue can find no trace of the woman. And then menacing incidents start to occur. Henry Meloux, the Anishinaabeg healer, believes that a windigo (evil spirit) may be stalking Cork’s family. There certainly does seem to be something evil afoot! Private Investigator O’Connor and Sheriff Marcia Dross have their hands full sorting it all out.

But what makes this mystery series unusual is that Krueger includes spiritual undertones to his tales—sometimes through the O’Connor family’s Catholic faith and sometimes through the spiritualism of the Ojibway people. What moral constructs help to guide human beings? What can faith do to provide spiritual healing and inner peace to individuals/families when violence enters their lives? Recommend.

[Jonathan K (Max Outlier) · Rating 4 out of 5]

William Kent Krueger is a master storyteller who unlike others, weaves spirit, love, community and family into the story fabric . Having read most of Cork O'Connor series, the blending of darkness and spirit with this episode stands apart from the others.

Cork has lived in Aurora, MN for decades. Having lost his wife Jo years previous, he lives on Goosebury Lane with Jenny his oldest and Stephen, a teen along with Waboo, Jenny's adopted Ojibwe Indian son; his daughter Anne is studying to become a nun. Originally from Chicago, his father was in law enforcement and was killed in the line of duty. When he returned to Tamarack County, he joined the sheriff's department where his focus was criminal investigation. Many years later he becomes sheriff and eventually resigns. When he inherits Sam's Cafe, he uses the office for private investigator work.

The story opens when Evelyn Carter, a retired judge's wife is driving home in a snowstorm and finds someone kneeling close to her home. When she exits to check on the stranger, darkness raises its head. Days later she's gone missing her abandoned car, mysterious. Having been Sheriff Marsha Dross' predecessor, she felt Cork's experience and familiarity with Judge Carter would prove valuable. Ailing and introverted, the judge has a nasty disposition making Cork's questioning a challenge. Dross becomes suspicious due to his total lack of compassion, and unwillingness to cooperate.

Cork and Dross are forced to a 'deep dive' into the judge's past and with it, the details of a murder trial whose mistrial discovery on the part of the judge brought national media. Two Ojibwe Indians were sent to prison, of which one was innocent of the crime. One evening Stephen visits his girlfriend, Marlee Daychild and while waiting hears Ray Jay's dog Dexter howl from the yard. He rushes to see the trouble and discovers the dog's been decapitated. Marlee's mother Stella is stepsister to Ray Jay who's serving time in prison and when Dross arrives, they decide to visit him with hopes the dog's death is tied to Evelyn Carter's disappearance.

The B plots of the story are Annie's unexpected return from school along with Henry Meloux's dark vision while visiting his son in Duluth.

Complex, revealing and well paced, each chapter brings revelations with all driven by a spiritual undercurrent. Toward the end, a chapter opens with the following sentences: "..Nothing came from nothing. Everything came from something that had been before. At the heart of an acorn were the same atoms of a tree from which it had dropped, and those same atoms had been in the soil of the earth before the oak had drawn into itself, and before that, they'd been part of the beginning of the universe.."

We don't often see a mystery author incorporate the essence of Universal Intelligence. Being spiritual himself, WKK feels it important to add these elements along with Native Indian spirit.

This is a complex story whose momentum builds with each chapter and like all good mysteries, the unexpected show up regularly. Well written, paced and engaging, its one of the better books in the series.

[Maygirl7 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thoughts and no time to get them down.

Annie plays softball. Can anyone guess what is causing the turmoil that prompts her to leave convent early for Christmas?

[TracyGH · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one will be one of my favorites from the series. Just kept me listening and wanting to know how everything falls into place. These books are comfort food and I really don’t know if I will find another series that I enjoy as much as this one.

4.5 stars ⭐️

[Jon Recluse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent installment in the Cork O'Connor series, as a case of a former judge's missing wife and the brutal killing of the beloved dog belonging to a family friend sets Cork on the twisted trail of a madman that threatens more than he can imagine. Skillfully blending mystery, nail biting suspense, family drama and Ojibwe mysticism, Krueger never fails to deliver.

Highly recommended.

[Cyndi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was definitely not my favorite Cork O'Connor mystery. Cork has always had his flaws but done the right thing though in his love life in this book I don't think he did the right thing. Too much angst for the majority of the family.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give this 4.5 stars if I could. Krueger is rapidly becoming one of America's best writers and this tale is no exception. The only problem I had was that I figured out Annie's difficulty very early in the book. And NOT because she used to play softball. Highly recommended.

[Joan Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not his best work…

After coming off what I feel is the high point of the series, Trickster’s Point, I looked forward to Tamarack County. However, it was a big disappointment.

The book started well and had promise, but this clearly isn’t Krueger’s best work. It’s almost as if he threw this one together. The plot seem contrived, the characters were rather flat, and missing was the author’s usual vivid descriptions of the Minnesota wilderness. (Yes, we know the winters are cold, but…)

Also, Cork needs to get his act together with the women in his life. He apparently made his decision at the end of the book, which by the way, seemed abrupt.

I’ll continue with the series because I know Krueger is capable of MUCH better writing. However, I’m glad I didn’t read this one first. If so, I wouldn’t bother with any others.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a lot going on in this volume of the series. Relationships were between family members and their loved ones were in the spotlight and William Kent Krueger did a nice job of navigating us through it all. Cork O'Connor's children are transitioning to adulthood and he evaluates how his relationship with them is evolving. This was a buddy read with my hubby and we remained engaged throughout.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not read any of this author’s books before and picked this up just as something different to my other books from the library. In Tamarack County I was introduced to Cork O’Conner who is a private investigator. In previous novels it appears he was a sheriff. Marsha Dross a protégé of Cork is now the sheriff. The reader knows from the beginning that Evelyn Carter is murdered, Cork and the sheriff initially just have an abandoned car and no body. A blizzard complicates finding out what happened. But then other disturbing events start to happen in Tamarack County and they are closely linked to people Cork loves or those his family know. Someone is playing a deadly game. Could it be a game of revenge? If so, for what?
Added to this Cork’s younger daughter comes home and she is facing a crisis of her own. I liked the descriptions of the landscape, and the character of Cork and learning of his family. I also liked the information that flows naturally in the story of the Ojibwe people and their practices and beliefs.
I loved some of the expressions e.g. One man was described as having 'the personality of a bulldozer.' Later in the novel the same man is labelled as having ‘the personally of a scorpion’. Both give you the idea he is not someone you would care to know.
I enjoyed this murder mystery. Towards the end there was no way I was putting the book down and kept rapidly turning the pages till I finished. I’ll probably read more of this writer.

[Valleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars, rounded up

What I loved:
Tamarack County is, as usual, a blend of mystery, police procedural, Native American mysticism and family dynamic. The main plot is an ugly crime that involves Cork and his family. Everyone in this book seemed to struggle: Cork as father and former lawman, grappling with age and loneliness. His daughter Annie, knocked off course toward being a nun by her first passionate affair. His son Stephen, torn between his own first love and becoming a healer. His other daughter Jenny, struggling to be a writer while raising an adopted Ojibwe son.

I also loved this quote from LaPointe: "Anger, hate, jealousy envy, fear. Fill your pockets with these heavy stones and you spend your life trying not to drown. Throw them away, and you float."

What I didn't love:
The Stella-Cork-Rainy storyline. I. Hated. It. Cork has always had his flaws but has chosen to do the right thing. When it comes to Cork's love life in this book, I don't think he did the right thing.

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another terrific Cork O'Connor novel. Krueger is a gifted writer and his plots and characters draw you into the world he has created in Tamarack County, Minnesota.

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murders, children coming back home, folks getting run off the road, revenge for a 20-year-old murder, and many unusual things happening in the bitter cold county of Tamarack in Northern Minnesota.

What was happening in this town that usually was a quiet place to be? No one knew the answer, and the police had no clue either. Even Cork, a retired deputy sheriff, was called in for the investigation that he was more involved with than he knew.

Cork O’Connor wasn't aware that his family would be involved and that part of his family was changing. Cork is a character you would personally want as a friend. He is a great father as well as a dedicated law man.

TAMARACK COUNTY is the second book I have read by Mr. Krueger. It is quite different from ORDINARY GRACE, but still beautifully detailed and written.

Mr. Krueger's characters are always an interesting lot. I enjoyed learning about the Indian traditions and a few Indian words. The landscape descriptions were amazing, but I wouldn't want to live in that cold climate, though, which seemed to be a major theme.

TAMARACK COUNTY definitely kept my attention with a good storyline but a storyline that wasn't gripping until the last half of the book when things did heat up in those freezing temperatures as the mystery unraveled as well as the history of the characters.

The characters were well developed, authentic, and very plausible. TAMARACK COUNTY is a book about community and family all working together for the good of each other.

TAMARACK COUNTY has religious and philosophical themes as subplots.

A quote from page 205 is quite meaningful and something I believe needs to be shared:

“Anger, hate, jealousy envy, fear. Fill your pockets with these heavy stones and you spend your life trying not to drown. Throw them away, and you float."

I hope you get to read this book. It was thought provoking, introspective, and will hold your interest. I enjoyed it. 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing I love about Krueger's books is the consistency of the quality. Every book has been a gem. This one is no exception. There were several moral struggles going on and in the end each compass had settled on pointing in one direction. Things can always change, though, and hopefully I'll find out in the next book where these relationships are headed. I so love the wisdom of Henry Meloux, and it will be a very sad day when he walks the Path of Souls.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tiring of token homosexual characters--always noble, never flawed...Just a perfunctory appendage to the story. We also have wise, insightful native Americans, their dreams, and terminology we must learn as we read...Yawn... Had we stayed otherwise with finding a killer and navigating a few twists and turns..this book might have been worthwhile...Sorry to say, this just wasn't worth the time spent. Obeisance to certain groups really obstructs the book's flow and thins its narrative.

[Permies.world · Rating 1 out of 5]

So frustrated. A few books ago, Krueger changed the dynamics for his main character. Probably to give him the opportunity to be a carefree bachelor. At the time I was frustrated because it was obvious the book was solely a vehicle to get rid of his wife...change the family dynamic. Here we are a few books later and he's managed to completely turn his decent and flawed main character into someone I don't like at all. A 50ish man who acts according to his hormones, just as his teenage son does (you'd expect this of a teenager but not someone of experience...or someone you are supposed to like...who knows it's wrong to objectify women yet spends half the book doing it). Honestly, every ancillary character does have character...it's the main one that he's just ruined. I won't be buying any more of the books. Which is a bummer. I really liked the first half of this series. There were even things about this book I liked. Except the shallowness of the main character. It's hard to cheer for a character you don't like.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't mean to finish this book. I knew more than half way through that I was wasting my time & wasn't even having fun reading what I thought would be a suspense filled thriller. There were a few things I found somewhat interesting... like finding out what a Minnesota winter is like. I didn't know they had such cold snowy winters and I didn't know there are American Native Indian Reservations in Minnesota. But I didn't learn anything about Native American Indians. It was more like reading a bad soap opera. Krueger tried to stir everything into his pot: Native American Indians and some of their beliefs (not clearly explained), religion, same sex relationships, torrid one night stands, murder and teen love. Zzzz.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed in this one... especially Cork’s sexual involvement with Stella. Makes me question his ability for faithfulness in a relationship. Typically, Stella is gorgeous, shapely, and 10 years younger than Cork, and he muses constantly about her unknown fragrance — a stereotypical male midlife crisis. I thought Krueger was one male author I could enjoy reading. But this book was a middle aged man’s wet dream. I doubt I’ll continue this series. Cork’s integrity is sliding and I just don’t like him very much anymore.

[Chuck Karas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great outing about Cork O'Connor and his family and extended family. I do so love this series and its insights of spirituality through native American lore and teachings. This time, an old case brings deaths and new terror, and spiritual plans seem to go awry. I will continue on the journey soon with Cork's next adventure.

[ScrappyMags · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great one in the Cork O'Connor series! I thought the storyline of this one was riveting and there were definitely some great twists and turns. After all of these books though, you have to kind of suspend disbelief a bit. I mean, this Aurora, MN sounds like a pretty violent place for such a small town! I mean, how many of your kids have been shot, shot at, involved in shootings, etc? I would personally be moving, or Yikes, I'd look for a new family! (haha) Though I'm still very unclear about this whole "no gun" thing with Cork - don't know if that's turning into a political statement or something, or if it's just he's done with police work. But then for someone done with police work, he does a lot of police work. I guess I'd like to see him settle into a role - a true PI (maybe take Cork to another town/city, etc?), a consultant, something more distinct - I mean, how much PI work can there be in Aurora? but I guess that's also perhaps a great story - he's been kind of lost since Jo died, searching for his next step, etc. One thing I majorly admired about this book was the subplot with Anne. I thought that was handled very well and I was worried when I saw that coming because of the whole Catholic angle in so many books. One request - let's bring back Rose & Mal in the next one! I still after all these books adore Krueger's writing - he truly captures the northern spirit so well - his descriptions, particularly of setting are so spot on. Being a Michigan girl myself who has moved south - ah.. I can recall that distinct crunch of snow or when it's so cold your nose hair freezes. I've become so attached to this town (though it scares me) and to the family that they've become so alive and vivid in my mind, and that's not an easy thing to do. Great addition to the series and can't wait for the next!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Kent Krueger is one of my go-to authors. I am always so excited when I know a new book in the Cork O'Connor series or a stand alone is on the way. And I am always elated when I am granted a review copy.

Once again, I am drawn into Northern Minnesota after just a few pages with Krueger's compelling writing style. Authors that immediately grab your attention are a rarity and Krueger is one of them.

Cork O'Connor's family dynamic is always changing. In Tamarack County, middle daughter Annie is suddenly home from the convent with a heavily burdened heart. Meloux is in Thunder Bay visiting his son and Rainy has left town for who knows how long.

There is a dark and menacing force around Tamarack County..first a judge's wife is missing then Steven finds a murdered dog. And Steven is under some kind of threat. Cork probes into the past to find the answer to the winter darkness.

There is plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader enthralled. And I shed a few tears. And from the darkness there was tremendous light at the end. Excellent story with a fulfilling ending. It's available on August 20th. Don't miss out. And read this entire series if you haven't yet.

[Jacqueline J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read by WKK. Gotta admit that I wish Corc would have ended up with Stella rather than going back to Rainy whom I find a bit of a nonentity.