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Cork O'Connor #1
Iron Lake
The 20th anniversary edition of the first novel in William Kent Krueger’s beloved and bestselling Cork O’Connor mystery series—includes an exclusive bonus short story!
Part Irish, part Anishinaabe Indian, Cork is having difficulty dealing with the marital meltdown that has separated him from his children, getting by on heavy doses of caffeine, nicotine, and guilt. Once a cop on Chicago’s South Side, there’s not much that can shock him.
But when the town’s judge is brutally murdered, and a young Eagle Scout is reported missing, Cork takes on this complicated and perplexing case of conspiracy, corruption, and a small-town secret that hits painfully close to home.
Part Irish, part Anishinaabe Indian, Cork is having difficulty dealing with the marital meltdown that has separated him from his children, getting by on heavy doses of caffeine, nicotine, and guilt. Once a cop on Chicago’s South Side, there’s not much that can shock him.
But when the town’s judge is brutally murdered, and a young Eagle Scout is reported missing, Cork takes on this complicated and perplexing case of conspiracy, corruption, and a small-town secret that hits painfully close to home.
464 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 1998
About the author
William Kent Krueger
104 books14.4k followersRaised in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, William Kent Krueger briefly attended Stanford University—before being kicked out for radical activities. After that, he logged timber, worked construction, tried his hand at freelance journalism, and eventually ended up researching child development at the University of Minnesota. He currently makes his living as a full-time author. He’s been married for over 40 years to a marvelous woman who is an attorney. He makes his home in St. Paul, a city he dearly loves.
Krueger writes a mystery series set in the north woods of Minnesota. His protagonist is Cork O’Connor, the former sheriff of Tamarack County and a man of mixed heritage—part Irish and part Ojibwe. His work has received a number of awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Dilys Award, and the Friends of American Writers Prize. His last five novels were all New York Times bestsellers.
"Ordinary Grace," his stand-alone novel published in 2013, received the Edgar Award, given by the Mystery Writers of America in recognition for the best novel published in that year. "Windigo Island," number fourteen in his Cork O’Connor series, was released in August 2014.
Krueger writes a mystery series set in the north woods of Minnesota. His protagonist is Cork O’Connor, the former sheriff of Tamarack County and a man of mixed heritage—part Irish and part Ojibwe. His work has received a number of awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Dilys Award, and the Friends of American Writers Prize. His last five novels were all New York Times bestsellers.
"Ordinary Grace," his stand-alone novel published in 2013, received the Edgar Award, given by the Mystery Writers of America in recognition for the best novel published in that year. "Windigo Island," number fourteen in his Cork O’Connor series, was released in August 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,417 reviews
May 23, 2021
Iron Lake (Cork O'Connor #1) by William Kent Krueger (Goodreads Author), David Chandler (Narrator)
Cork O'Connor's life seems to be at rock bottom but he's going to find that things can sink even deeper. He shot a man in the course of doing his job as sheriff and then lost his job as sheriff. He lost his friend and mentor, Sam. His wife has kicked him out of the family home. His oldest daughter has picked Sylvia Plath as her guide in life. He smokes too much, sleeps too little, and he's worried about how much the breakup of his marriage is hurting his children.
When a teenage paper boy goes missing, Cork checks the last place on his delivery route and finds a man who has been shot in the head. It's not Cork's place to investigate and no one wants his help with anything but Cork can see that a lot is getting missed, whether due to incompetence or something else. As Cork starts sticking his nose where it's not wanted he discovers corruption runs deep and wide in his tiny town. Things get more dangerous and deadly but Cork isn't going to let go of the threads that he unravels, no matter how close to home things get. I have never seen a town so ripe for blackmail!
Published May 21, 2010 by Recorded Books (first published August 1998)
Cork O'Connor's life seems to be at rock bottom but he's going to find that things can sink even deeper. He shot a man in the course of doing his job as sheriff and then lost his job as sheriff. He lost his friend and mentor, Sam. His wife has kicked him out of the family home. His oldest daughter has picked Sylvia Plath as her guide in life. He smokes too much, sleeps too little, and he's worried about how much the breakup of his marriage is hurting his children.
When a teenage paper boy goes missing, Cork checks the last place on his delivery route and finds a man who has been shot in the head. It's not Cork's place to investigate and no one wants his help with anything but Cork can see that a lot is getting missed, whether due to incompetence or something else. As Cork starts sticking his nose where it's not wanted he discovers corruption runs deep and wide in his tiny town. Things get more dangerous and deadly but Cork isn't going to let go of the threads that he unravels, no matter how close to home things get. I have never seen a town so ripe for blackmail!
Published May 21, 2010 by Recorded Books (first published August 1998)
December 7, 2019
So it took me some time to start on the Cork O'Connor series of William Kent Krueger, had this book on my shelves for years... I know this author of Ordinary Grace, a book I found beautiful. And several of us are awaiting the sequel This Tender Land (available here beginning Sept.). I like the main character Cork O'Connor, ex sheriff with a history, rugged and emotional, and the lovely writing of Krueger, as well as the snowy wilderness setting. I'm 'a bit behind' on this series, this book from 1998 and as I believe it I have a good 16 books to go! I am going to love this series I think. Great book, excellent writing, beautiful nature, interesting Indian features, great characters. Yes, four stars!
July 24, 2017
3.5*
This is book 1 in the series. The series was recommended to me by GR friend Skye, and I am glad that she did. I enjoyed reading this book. Corcoran "Cork" O'Connor is part Irish American and part Anishinaabe Indian. He is now the ex Sheriff of Tamarack County, northern Minnesota. He was voted out in a recall election. A friend, Darla LeBeau, calls him and asks him to look for her son Paul, who has not returned from his paper route. Cork goes to Darla's house and gets a copy of his customer list. He goes to the last customer on the list, ex Judge Robert Parrant, one the architects of Cork's recall election. Cork finds the Judge's body. The Sheriff, Wally Schanno, and the coroner, classify the death as suicide. But Cork suspects otherwise and starts digging. More people are killed and Cork is attacked and beaten.
Cork gets help from Anishinaabe friends and a deputy who owes him a favor in his investigation. Cork is also dealing with the breakup of his marriage. The suspense builds and Cork does solve the case, with very little help from Schanno.
One thing bothered me. Cork has been without a job for a year or so and doesn't have any income. Yet he is able to investigate and support himself without any income.
This was a library book and I plan to read more of the series.
This is book 1 in the series. The series was recommended to me by GR friend Skye, and I am glad that she did. I enjoyed reading this book. Corcoran "Cork" O'Connor is part Irish American and part Anishinaabe Indian. He is now the ex Sheriff of Tamarack County, northern Minnesota. He was voted out in a recall election. A friend, Darla LeBeau, calls him and asks him to look for her son Paul, who has not returned from his paper route. Cork goes to Darla's house and gets a copy of his customer list. He goes to the last customer on the list, ex Judge Robert Parrant, one the architects of Cork's recall election. Cork finds the Judge's body. The Sheriff, Wally Schanno, and the coroner, classify the death as suicide. But Cork suspects otherwise and starts digging. More people are killed and Cork is attacked and beaten.
Cork gets help from Anishinaabe friends and a deputy who owes him a favor in his investigation. Cork is also dealing with the breakup of his marriage. The suspense builds and Cork does solve the case, with very little help from Schanno.
One thing bothered me. Cork has been without a job for a year or so and doesn't have any income. Yet he is able to investigate and support himself without any income.
This was a library book and I plan to read more of the series.
January 5, 2017
A very interesting introduction to a new to me author and series. I really enjoyed the setting with the cold, the snow, snowmobiles, skis and driving on the frozen lake. An alien way of life to me as a resident of a very temperate part of Australia!
The story was excellent and the body count was huge. Actually the author maybe overdid that part of it but once I suspended belief I found it all very entertaining. I liked Cork O'Connor straight away and was rather disappointed by the ending when he loses something important to him. I am looking forward to seeing his character develop over the rest of the series.
The story was excellent and the body count was huge. Actually the author maybe overdid that part of it but once I suspended belief I found it all very entertaining. I liked Cork O'Connor straight away and was rather disappointed by the ending when he loses something important to him. I am looking forward to seeing his character develop over the rest of the series.
February 7, 2017
3.5 stars
I think that I am going to love this series. This is the first book and I did enjoy it. I did find it very slow in the beginning. I think the books will be getting better and better. I will be reading the second book next month.
Cork O'Connor is my kind of detective. In this introduction to his character, we see a disgraced sheriff, whose marriage is on the rocks, who adores his children, and who suspects that an apparent suicide of a local magistrate is really a murder. He has no jurisdicational authority to investigate but pushes ahead anyway. So far that sounds like a straight forward police story.
What sets the book apart is the setting, and the people. O'Connor is half-Irish Caucasian and half Anishinaabe Indian, who owns land on the reservation in up north Minnesota, and who is trusted by the tribal council whose members are wary of talking to the local sheriff about the whereabouts of a missing Indian boy. Cork sets out to find the missing teen, and tries at the same time to revive his all but over marriage by disentangling himself from his affair with a local diner waitress. As a lakeside blizzard buries Aurora, Cork must dig out the truth among town officials who seem dead-set on stopping his investigation in its tracks. But even freezes up when faced with the harshest enemy of all: a small-town secret that hits painfully close to home.
Krueger uses Anishinaabe folklore, outstanding plotting, and a spectacular setting to weave his story. I read this during one of the coldest weeks of the year here in Ohio. It was easy for me to visualize the frozen lake, the treks through the drifts, the ice buried vehicles. But it was just as easy for me to close my eyes and visualize the black bears, the blizzards, and the tribe's traditional buildings and transportation.
I think that I am going to love this series. This is the first book and I did enjoy it. I did find it very slow in the beginning. I think the books will be getting better and better. I will be reading the second book next month.
Cork O'Connor is my kind of detective. In this introduction to his character, we see a disgraced sheriff, whose marriage is on the rocks, who adores his children, and who suspects that an apparent suicide of a local magistrate is really a murder. He has no jurisdicational authority to investigate but pushes ahead anyway. So far that sounds like a straight forward police story.
What sets the book apart is the setting, and the people. O'Connor is half-Irish Caucasian and half Anishinaabe Indian, who owns land on the reservation in up north Minnesota, and who is trusted by the tribal council whose members are wary of talking to the local sheriff about the whereabouts of a missing Indian boy. Cork sets out to find the missing teen, and tries at the same time to revive his all but over marriage by disentangling himself from his affair with a local diner waitress. As a lakeside blizzard buries Aurora, Cork must dig out the truth among town officials who seem dead-set on stopping his investigation in its tracks. But even freezes up when faced with the harshest enemy of all: a small-town secret that hits painfully close to home.
Krueger uses Anishinaabe folklore, outstanding plotting, and a spectacular setting to weave his story. I read this during one of the coldest weeks of the year here in Ohio. It was easy for me to visualize the frozen lake, the treks through the drifts, the ice buried vehicles. But it was just as easy for me to close my eyes and visualize the black bears, the blizzards, and the tribe's traditional buildings and transportation.
August 16, 2019
Read it when it came out. Liked it a great deal. Good character development. Story did unravel a little slowly. Ordinary Grace by this author is in my favorites and I highly recommend Ordinary Grace.
David Putnam author of The Bruno Johnson series.
David Putnam author of The Bruno Johnson series.
April 17, 2024
William Kent Krueger is one of my favorite authors. I thoroughly enjoyed Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land. Similar to those two books, Iron Lake grabbed me from the very beginning and captivated me until the end.
A murder mystery thriller set in a rural town in Minnesota near Christmas roars along like a fast charging locomotive with many hairpin turns.
A murder mystery thriller set in a rural town in Minnesota near Christmas roars along like a fast charging locomotive with many hairpin turns.
July 4, 2021
Wow that's all i can say about Iron Lake by the very talented William Kent Krueger it was atmospheric a bit of a slow burn in the beginning but it certainly was a page turner i could not put this down, the characters were well written & complex, i loved Cork as he wasn't the best father but he was always there when they needed him. Molly his partner she was so in love with Cork it made me melt, she loved him no matter what.
, BUT ALL IS NOT AS IT SEEMS
Corcoran O'Connor was a former sheriff he was in the middle of a bitter divorce with his ex wife JO, he was a heavy smoker, drinker who gets caught up in the disappearance of a paper boy Paul Lebeau his mother Darla rang him she was panic stricken as he hadn't returned home.
Then he is investigating a murder of Parrant he was found bloodied in his home BUT ALL IS NOT AS IT SEEMS!!
WE find secrets, Lies Extortion & blackmail are rampant in the town of Aurora & its up to Cork to find the answers. This was Mr Kent Krueger's first book written i can't believe how good this was & Kudos to the author for putting in a bit of history about the Windago a myth Or is it true ? The writing was impeccable & i loved the history also of the Annnishabee Indians, all in all i loved this novel will be reading more.
, BUT ALL IS NOT AS IT SEEMS
Corcoran O'Connor was a former sheriff he was in the middle of a bitter divorce with his ex wife JO, he was a heavy smoker, drinker who gets caught up in the disappearance of a paper boy Paul Lebeau his mother Darla rang him she was panic stricken as he hadn't returned home.
Then he is investigating a murder of Parrant he was found bloodied in his home BUT ALL IS NOT AS IT SEEMS!!
WE find secrets, Lies Extortion & blackmail are rampant in the town of Aurora & its up to Cork to find the answers. This was Mr Kent Krueger's first book written i can't believe how good this was & Kudos to the author for putting in a bit of history about the Windago a myth Or is it true ? The writing was impeccable & i loved the history also of the Annnishabee Indians, all in all i loved this novel will be reading more.
September 15, 2014
After working a number of years as a Chicago cop, Corcoran "Cork" O'Connor moves his wife and children back to Auora, Minnesota, his tiny home town in the northern part of the state. His objective is to provide his family with a better quality of life, but those dreams go up in smoke very early on, both in his professional and personal lives.
Aurora borders the Anishinaabe Indian reservation, which is enjoying a newfound prosperity as a result of the casino that has just been built on the reservation and which is practically minting money. O'Connor is part Anishinaabe himself and would seem to be the ideal bridge between the two societies. But when things take a decidedly bad turn, O'Connor is forced to stand in a recall election and is booted out of office. As the book opens, he's reduced to eking out a living running a seasonal hamburger stand. Meanwhile, his wife has become a very successful attorney and the two are now estranged.
When the town's most prominent citizen, a political boss named Judge Parrant, is found dead from a shotgun blast, the new sheriff declares it a suicide, but O'Connor isn't so sure. On the same evening that the judge dies, a young Indian boy goes missing from his paper route in a huge blizzard. Is there a possible connection between the two events?
Though no longer having any legal authority to do so, O'Connor begins investigating both developments. This will inevitably get him in hot water with a lot of people, and in the meantime, his family situation continues to deteriorate. O'Connor is also feeling guilty because, in the wake of the separation from his wife, he has secretly begun seeing a beautiful waitress with a hot sauna and a bad reputation.
The strength of the book lies principally in Krueger's description of the brutal winter landscape in which the story plays out. He's also carefully researched this history of the Anishinaabe and describes their culture and society sympathetically and knowledgeably. It's a complex story with lots of twists and turns, and a reader would be well-advised to have a hot toddy or two close at hand as a remedy for the freezing Minnesota winter.
If I have a concern about the book it lies principally with the whole idea of Cork O'Connor conducting this investigation with no legal authority to do so. This involves him meddling in crime scenes and breaking and entering into several buildings in search of evidence, legal niceties be damned. The new sheriff is something of a Casper Milquetoast, who occasionally warns O'Connor off, but who at other times works with him. It's hard to imaging this scenario ever playing out in real life, and virtually all of the evidence that O'Connor gathers would be inadmissible in any court, given that it was obtained illegally and without the benefit of warrants, proper chain of custody and other such minor matters. But if one can suspend disbelief long enough to overlook these issues, this is a very solid start to the Cork O'Connor series.
Aurora borders the Anishinaabe Indian reservation, which is enjoying a newfound prosperity as a result of the casino that has just been built on the reservation and which is practically minting money. O'Connor is part Anishinaabe himself and would seem to be the ideal bridge between the two societies. But when things take a decidedly bad turn, O'Connor is forced to stand in a recall election and is booted out of office. As the book opens, he's reduced to eking out a living running a seasonal hamburger stand. Meanwhile, his wife has become a very successful attorney and the two are now estranged.
When the town's most prominent citizen, a political boss named Judge Parrant, is found dead from a shotgun blast, the new sheriff declares it a suicide, but O'Connor isn't so sure. On the same evening that the judge dies, a young Indian boy goes missing from his paper route in a huge blizzard. Is there a possible connection between the two events?
Though no longer having any legal authority to do so, O'Connor begins investigating both developments. This will inevitably get him in hot water with a lot of people, and in the meantime, his family situation continues to deteriorate. O'Connor is also feeling guilty because, in the wake of the separation from his wife, he has secretly begun seeing a beautiful waitress with a hot sauna and a bad reputation.
The strength of the book lies principally in Krueger's description of the brutal winter landscape in which the story plays out. He's also carefully researched this history of the Anishinaabe and describes their culture and society sympathetically and knowledgeably. It's a complex story with lots of twists and turns, and a reader would be well-advised to have a hot toddy or two close at hand as a remedy for the freezing Minnesota winter.
If I have a concern about the book it lies principally with the whole idea of Cork O'Connor conducting this investigation with no legal authority to do so. This involves him meddling in crime scenes and breaking and entering into several buildings in search of evidence, legal niceties be damned. The new sheriff is something of a Casper Milquetoast, who occasionally warns O'Connor off, but who at other times works with him. It's hard to imaging this scenario ever playing out in real life, and virtually all of the evidence that O'Connor gathers would be inadmissible in any court, given that it was obtained illegally and without the benefit of warrants, proper chain of custody and other such minor matters. But if one can suspend disbelief long enough to overlook these issues, this is a very solid start to the Cork O'Connor series.
June 16, 2020
When a Minnesota reader mentioned that Krueger may be just the ticket for Louise Penny fans waiting for the next Gamache novel, I immediately downloaded the series' first book from my library.
This procedural set in rural Minnesota features a strong sense of place, long-running grudges, and an ousted sheriff seeking justice where the authorities will not. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series.
Recommended for Louise Penny fans, yes, and also those who enjoyed Snow Falling on Cedars and The Current.
This procedural set in rural Minnesota features a strong sense of place, long-running grudges, and an ousted sheriff seeking justice where the authorities will not. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series.
Recommended for Louise Penny fans, yes, and also those who enjoyed Snow Falling on Cedars and The Current.
December 5, 2015
This was the book selected by my Mystery & Suspense group for discussion this month. I’d never heard of the author or this series and my group came through yet again in selecting a really good story.
Corcoran “Cork” O’Connor is the former sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota. He’s separated from his wife, has three children and is secretly seeing someone. His life is definitely off balance but he’s very much grounded in his Indian heritage. He inadvertently stumbles upon the dead body of the most powerful man in the county and the new sheriff quickly rules it a suicide. Of course, Cork believes differently.
Even though he hasn’t been the sheriff for at least six months, the town still sees that as Cork’s identity and allows his intrusion in the case. The tension between the Indian community and whites is a constant and Cork’s mixed race gives him the ability to operate in both worlds. He bears the Irish physical characteristics and the instincts and temperament of the Anishinaabe.
The story is rich in Indian lore and mysticism, adding another element of mystery to the already complicated case. Cork’s personal issues don’t help matters either and he’s by no means the perfect hero, even though he’s well meaning and pretty honorable. I liked him, quite a lot, with all of his flaws and self-torture, because at his center, he wants to do the right thing and be a good father to his children. He’s proud of his Indian heritage but walks a fine line between both races.
Solving the case was a major challenge as there were many potential suspects and motives were rampant. While this case was solved, there is much unresolved in Cork’s life and I’m dying to start the next book. I really enjoyed the story and how the Indian culture was interwoven throughout. It was pretty fascinating and I got my mystery on top of it all.
Corcoran “Cork” O’Connor is the former sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota. He’s separated from his wife, has three children and is secretly seeing someone. His life is definitely off balance but he’s very much grounded in his Indian heritage. He inadvertently stumbles upon the dead body of the most powerful man in the county and the new sheriff quickly rules it a suicide. Of course, Cork believes differently.
Even though he hasn’t been the sheriff for at least six months, the town still sees that as Cork’s identity and allows his intrusion in the case. The tension between the Indian community and whites is a constant and Cork’s mixed race gives him the ability to operate in both worlds. He bears the Irish physical characteristics and the instincts and temperament of the Anishinaabe.
The story is rich in Indian lore and mysticism, adding another element of mystery to the already complicated case. Cork’s personal issues don’t help matters either and he’s by no means the perfect hero, even though he’s well meaning and pretty honorable. I liked him, quite a lot, with all of his flaws and self-torture, because at his center, he wants to do the right thing and be a good father to his children. He’s proud of his Indian heritage but walks a fine line between both races.
Solving the case was a major challenge as there were many potential suspects and motives were rampant. While this case was solved, there is much unresolved in Cork’s life and I’m dying to start the next book. I really enjoyed the story and how the Indian culture was interwoven throughout. It was pretty fascinating and I got my mystery on top of it all.
October 16, 2019
I've been meaning to start this series for some time and am glad that I finally have as this first in the series was very enjoyable and the rest of the series looks promising.
Cork O'Connor is a very interesting main character. Part Irish American and part Anishinaabe Indian, he lives in a small town in Minnesota but is also respected by the native Americans who live on the reservation. He lost his job as Sheriff six months ago when an unfortunate event left two men dead, one of them shot by Cork. His marriage has also failed and he is living apart from his family, lawyer wife Jo and his three children and has recently started seeing a lovely waitress Molly Nurmi.
When judge Robert Parrant is found dead in his study, the new Sheriff, Wally Schanno, appears to accept that his death was a result of suicide but Cork is sure he has been murdered and can't help but look into the case. What he finds leads him to uncover a major fraud involving corruption, blackmail and secret files and photos. Along the way there are more murders and Cork himself is given some warnings to back off by some nasty characters.
Although the plot is quite complex and multilayered, it was well written and easy to follow. The Minnesota winter was very much a feature of this novel with heavy snowfalls, freezing conditions and a partially frozen lake hampering everyone's movements and adding to the darkness of the plot. I'm now looking forward to reading the next book in the series to find out what happens next for Cork and his family.
Cork O'Connor is a very interesting main character. Part Irish American and part Anishinaabe Indian, he lives in a small town in Minnesota but is also respected by the native Americans who live on the reservation. He lost his job as Sheriff six months ago when an unfortunate event left two men dead, one of them shot by Cork. His marriage has also failed and he is living apart from his family, lawyer wife Jo and his three children and has recently started seeing a lovely waitress Molly Nurmi.
When judge Robert Parrant is found dead in his study, the new Sheriff, Wally Schanno, appears to accept that his death was a result of suicide but Cork is sure he has been murdered and can't help but look into the case. What he finds leads him to uncover a major fraud involving corruption, blackmail and secret files and photos. Along the way there are more murders and Cork himself is given some warnings to back off by some nasty characters.
Although the plot is quite complex and multilayered, it was well written and easy to follow. The Minnesota winter was very much a feature of this novel with heavy snowfalls, freezing conditions and a partially frozen lake hampering everyone's movements and adding to the darkness of the plot. I'm now looking forward to reading the next book in the series to find out what happens next for Cork and his family.
December 24, 2015
A good crime novel is not simply an intellectual exercise to determine whodunit, or just a way to experience danger at a remote from the safety of your favorite armchair. What I am often looking for is to explore the way people deal with extreme situations and the way their environment (urban jungle or out of the woods small community) is shaping their personality.
In this first installment of a new series, the man who is both caught in a web of deceit and the product of his upbringing in Tamarack County, Minnesota, is Corcoran ‘Cork’ O’Connor. Half Irish, half Anishinaabe Indian, Cork is the former Sheriff of smalltown Aurora, Minnesota. He’s got problems enough in his own life (mostly depression in the aftermath of a fatal conflict between white supremacists and Native Indians that not only cost him his job but also broke his marriage), yet he is still ready and willing to help a neighbour whose teenage son goes missing in a snowstorm. This freelance investigation leads Cork to the site of a suspect suicide: the wealthiest and most influential man in town, Judge Parrant, has just blown his brains with a shotgun on the night of the storm. The bodycount will soon increase as the death of the ruthless Parrant is bringing out in the open many unpleasant truths about the Tamarack County inhabitants, both in the town of Aurora and in the Indian Reservation. Greed, corruption, politics, racism, adultery, graft and incompetence are all on the menu as Cork gets dragged in deeper and deeper into the criminal underworld, with both his and his loved ones lives put in peril.
Krueger is excellent in keeping control of this complex plot and admirable in his action set pieces, most of them involving chases over ice in SUV’s, snowbikes or skis, but I have read a ton of competently written murder thrillers. What really sets this new series apart is the attention to detail that gives authenticity to the people and to their frozen environment. Krueger has also found a good balance between keeping a fast pace for the action and building up convincing and fallible characters. The dynamic between Cork and his enstranged wife and children, the dividing of his loyalties between his white and his redskin heritage, the difficulties of reaching out to his children and the tentative attempts to restart his life after wallowing for years in guilt and misery are all reasons to consider Corcoran O’Connor a strong enough personality to carry on his shoulders a multi-volume series. The same can be said for Aurora and the Tamarack County, whose oddball inhabitants still hide a lot of secrets behind their closed doors.
By mentioning the frozen county, the small town crime spree, the lone wolf Sheriff with family troubles and the Native American angle, I suppose it is obvious there are similarities between this series and the Walt Longmire books by Craig Johnson. The best example I can give is that both writers are using a supernatural occurence to add spice and mystery to the proceedings. Longmire communicates with the ghosts of ancient Crow and Cheyenne Indians. Cork is chased by a creature of myth, that may or may not be just an expression of him fighting his inner demons:
“You don’t know about the Windigo? You’ve lived in this country all your life and you don’t know about the Windigo? He shook his head as if that were a dreadful thing.”
I have greatly enjoyed the Longmire adventures in Wyoming and look forward to going back to Absaroka County in 2016, but right now I believe Krueger makes a stronger argument for staying in Tamarack County.
Here are a couple of quotes that I believe illustrate the appeal. The first is about the cross-cultural approach and the native animist worldview:
Traditionally the Anishinaabe were a quiet people. Before the whites came, they lived in the silence of great woods and more often than not, the voices they heard were not human. The wind spoke. The water sang. All sounds had purpose. When an Anishinaabe approached the wigwam of another, he respectfully made noise to announce his coming. Thunder, therefore, was the respectful way of the storm in announcing its approach. Spirit and purpose in all things. For all creation, respect.
The second is about the importance of the private life of the actors in any criminal investigation:
It was time for Cork to return to the bed in the guest room. But he lingered beside this son who trusted him, lay awake knowing there were monsters in the wind outside, that his son’s fear was not unjustified, and that Stevie would have to face them alone someday. There were people out there so cruel they would wound him for the pleasure of it, dreadful circumstances no man in his worst imaginings could conjure, disappointments so overwhelming they would crush his dreams like eggshells. For a child like Stevie, a child of special graces, there would be such pain that Cork nearly wept in anticipation of it. Against those monsters, a father was powerless. But against the simple terrors of the night, he would do his best.
As for why I didn’t splurge on all five stars :
March 17, 2017
So I finally met Cork O’Conner. I put it like that because I read Krueger’s stand-alone book, Ordinary Grace, shortly after it came out, and although I had meant to start his Cork O’Conner series many times, I just hadn’t. Plus, I had wondered how and if Krueger could possibly match what he’d accomplished in Ordinary Grace. Needless to say, I loved many things about that one. Shout-out to a friend for giving me the push needed to pick up Iron Lake.
First off, Cork is worth reading because Krueger is talented. He proved that to me in the other book I read. He does it again here by doing something similar, yet in a different manner: He manages to run the gamut of emotions. I think that’s unusual for a “whodunit” story, but one that did not surprise me at all. The depth of those emotions ran deeper in Ordinary Grace, probably because the protagonist was a young boy, and Krueger has had more time since Iron Lake to work on his craft. Here’s what did surprise me: the believability and likeability of Cork O’Conner as a character. He feels real – with troubles in his personal life that bleed into his working life. I like the inclusion of the Anishinaabe Indian history and folklore. Some whodunits make stories completely implausible with too many tricks and diversions meant to keep you guessing. Not so here. Satisfying ending too. Cased solved. No stinking cliffhangers. Totally want to check out book 2.
First off, Cork is worth reading because Krueger is talented. He proved that to me in the other book I read. He does it again here by doing something similar, yet in a different manner: He manages to run the gamut of emotions. I think that’s unusual for a “whodunit” story, but one that did not surprise me at all. The depth of those emotions ran deeper in Ordinary Grace, probably because the protagonist was a young boy, and Krueger has had more time since Iron Lake to work on his craft. Here’s what did surprise me: the believability and likeability of Cork O’Conner as a character. He feels real – with troubles in his personal life that bleed into his working life. I like the inclusion of the Anishinaabe Indian history and folklore. Some whodunits make stories completely implausible with too many tricks and diversions meant to keep you guessing. Not so here. Satisfying ending too. Cased solved. No stinking cliffhangers. Totally want to check out book 2.
December 16, 2020
I am a huge fan of William Kent Kruger. I have read two of his stand alone novels and loved them both. I am also a fan of mysteries so it was only natural that I would try his Cork O’Connor mysteries. I love his voice, character development, and his pacing.
Native Americans’ culture and experience play a prominent role in the narrative, and my guess many other books in the series. William Kent Kruger writes with authority and has done extensive research. It is evident that he respects and honors their culture and history while recognizing their current reality.
Iron Lake is set on Lake Superior and the action kicks off with the introduction of the Windigo(a mythical creature). I am knowledgeable of the Windigo and loved the way the myth was woven throughout the narrative. Cork has this knowledge as he is part Native American. He is the former sheriff recovering from several traumas in his life.
The story is multilayered with a vast cast of characters: a judge, a politician vying for the White House, the new sheriff, an armed militia, a missionary priest (loved him!), a missing teen, and a recluse with a killer dog. The bodies pile up and the danger is eminent. It is an emotional, and at times heart wrenching, story. I cannot recommend this author and series enough.
Native Americans’ culture and experience play a prominent role in the narrative, and my guess many other books in the series. William Kent Kruger writes with authority and has done extensive research. It is evident that he respects and honors their culture and history while recognizing their current reality.
Iron Lake is set on Lake Superior and the action kicks off with the introduction of the Windigo(a mythical creature). I am knowledgeable of the Windigo and loved the way the myth was woven throughout the narrative. Cork has this knowledge as he is part Native American. He is the former sheriff recovering from several traumas in his life.
The story is multilayered with a vast cast of characters: a judge, a politician vying for the White House, the new sheriff, an armed militia, a missionary priest (loved him!), a missing teen, and a recluse with a killer dog. The bodies pile up and the danger is eminent. It is an emotional, and at times heart wrenching, story. I cannot recommend this author and series enough.
December 28, 2023
I’ve become a big fan of Mr Krueger in the past year, and although this wasn’t a perfect read, it was a great read!!
Our hero, slightly broken and adrift — no longer the Sheriff, no longer happily married, and yet, not able to move on.
As the bodies pile up, Cork O’Connor can’t help himself. He knows something is wrong and he just can’t stop investigating until he discovers the ugly truth behind a prominent family always choosing greed over good. Add a new casino operated for the local
Indian tribe and you’ve got a great setting for murder.
An added plus is the role of the Native American reservation, nearby. Part of this book is about setting the scene for what will be a longstanding series. I enjoyed learning the Indian mythology and the call of the elusive, death bringing, mythic Windigo only adds tension to a story roiling with cultural inequities.
As always, the language is lush and Krueger never fails to paint a scenic images with his own words. I’m looking forward to getting to know Cork and his neighbors better in this new to me series!!
(Reviewed 3/7/23)
Our hero, slightly broken and adrift — no longer the Sheriff, no longer happily married, and yet, not able to move on.
As the bodies pile up, Cork O’Connor can’t help himself. He knows something is wrong and he just can’t stop investigating until he discovers the ugly truth behind a prominent family always choosing greed over good. Add a new casino operated for the local
Indian tribe and you’ve got a great setting for murder.
An added plus is the role of the Native American reservation, nearby. Part of this book is about setting the scene for what will be a longstanding series. I enjoyed learning the Indian mythology and the call of the elusive, death bringing, mythic Windigo only adds tension to a story roiling with cultural inequities.
As always, the language is lush and Krueger never fails to paint a scenic images with his own words. I’m looking forward to getting to know Cork and his neighbors better in this new to me series!!
(Reviewed 3/7/23)
September 18, 2019
I loved the atmosphere in the book and I liked Cork O'Connor as a character.
It means I have a new series to look forward to!
It means I have a new series to look forward to!
March 25, 2024
4/4.5 stars
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book along with how fast I read it. I’ve been wanting to read something by William Kent Krueger and I thought I would start with the series that gave him recognition.
Iron Lake is the first book in the Cork O’Connor series and when I start any series that has an excess number of books, I’ve got to decide if the main character is someone that I like or at least find interesting.
In this case, the main character of Cork O’Conner was enigmatic and complicated, and I liked him from the start.
He’s a former sheriff of Aurora, a small town in northern Minnesota. Not only is Cork half Irish but he’s Anishinaabe Indian as well. He struggles with fitting into both cultures, and he’s also separated from his wife and children.
Yes, an interesting character with many layers. Those are the best!
The atmosphere in Iron Lake is not only rugged but beautiful. I felt I was there while reading about the dark forest, freezing temperatures and icy lakes. I can tell that Krueger lives in Minnesota because he gets the setting right from the start, from the environment to the people that live there.
The book starts off with the death of a prominent judge. Cork is drawn into the circumstances of the death since his intuition is telling him this is more than just an apparent suicide. As he starts following pieces to the mystery, he’s met with family drama, politics and long-buried secrets in Aurora and the reservation outside of the town limits.
Iron Lake has it all!
Compelling characters, great plot twists and excellent storytelling make this a great novel for fans of mystery, thrillers, and literary fiction!
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book along with how fast I read it. I’ve been wanting to read something by William Kent Krueger and I thought I would start with the series that gave him recognition.
Iron Lake is the first book in the Cork O’Connor series and when I start any series that has an excess number of books, I’ve got to decide if the main character is someone that I like or at least find interesting.
In this case, the main character of Cork O’Conner was enigmatic and complicated, and I liked him from the start.
He’s a former sheriff of Aurora, a small town in northern Minnesota. Not only is Cork half Irish but he’s Anishinaabe Indian as well. He struggles with fitting into both cultures, and he’s also separated from his wife and children.
Yes, an interesting character with many layers. Those are the best!
The atmosphere in Iron Lake is not only rugged but beautiful. I felt I was there while reading about the dark forest, freezing temperatures and icy lakes. I can tell that Krueger lives in Minnesota because he gets the setting right from the start, from the environment to the people that live there.
The book starts off with the death of a prominent judge. Cork is drawn into the circumstances of the death since his intuition is telling him this is more than just an apparent suicide. As he starts following pieces to the mystery, he’s met with family drama, politics and long-buried secrets in Aurora and the reservation outside of the town limits.
Iron Lake has it all!
Compelling characters, great plot twists and excellent storytelling make this a great novel for fans of mystery, thrillers, and literary fiction!
February 15, 2023
There's nothing like reading or listening to a story about a strong man, a man who has met adversity in life and still manages to survive. This is the first story of Cork O'Connor in a series written by the talented author William Kent Krueger. I read these out of order and decided I needed to fins out how Cork made his debut into the writing world.
As always Krueger's characters are real down to earth people and a story with enough grit and reality that one becomes immersed in the story of a marriage that is failing, is bearing guilt because he fears for his children, he has lost his friend, Sam, as well as his job as sheriff.
However, Cork becomes involved in what seems like a case of greed, embezzlement, and corruption. The people in this small town have secrets and are often entwined in the illicit goings on in town.
This was an intriguing story that I had to ability to listen to with a narration by David Chandler that was great. Only eleven more to go in this series!
As always Krueger's characters are real down to earth people and a story with enough grit and reality that one becomes immersed in the story of a marriage that is failing, is bearing guilt because he fears for his children, he has lost his friend, Sam, as well as his job as sheriff.
However, Cork becomes involved in what seems like a case of greed, embezzlement, and corruption. The people in this small town have secrets and are often entwined in the illicit goings on in town.
This was an intriguing story that I had to ability to listen to with a narration by David Chandler that was great. Only eleven more to go in this series!
June 15, 2020
What life gives us, good or bad, we seldom deserve.
I’m not usually a fan of the atmospheric, give me too much description and I’m wandering the aisles of my mind, but in this book it worked. The harsh Minnesota landscape, small town peculiarities and characters with dimension made for a welcome introduction to the world of Cork O’Connor.
With a questionable suicide, a missing boy, casino shenanigans and a wicked evil spirit lurking, the elements were all here for a page-turning read and it was all of that. But the plotting became a little flimsy the deeper we went and the explosive ending felt a bit expedient.
Always on the hunt for a straight-forward mystery, I felt I should give this long-running series a try. I loved both Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land, and while this didn’t have the depth or lyricism of these standalones, this is only the first in a series with 17 books to its credit so I’m happy to see where we go from here.
I’m not usually a fan of the atmospheric, give me too much description and I’m wandering the aisles of my mind, but in this book it worked. The harsh Minnesota landscape, small town peculiarities and characters with dimension made for a welcome introduction to the world of Cork O’Connor.
With a questionable suicide, a missing boy, casino shenanigans and a wicked evil spirit lurking, the elements were all here for a page-turning read and it was all of that. But the plotting became a little flimsy the deeper we went and the explosive ending felt a bit expedient.
Always on the hunt for a straight-forward mystery, I felt I should give this long-running series a try. I loved both Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land, and while this didn’t have the depth or lyricism of these standalones, this is only the first in a series with 17 books to its credit so I’m happy to see where we go from here.
December 4, 2019
Review to follow, loved this audiobook!!
June 25, 2020
This is an unabashed contemporary thriller set in the northern reaches of Minnesota. It was written in 1999 and reviewing it over twenty years later, you and I know a few things that were not evident in 1999:
Krueger wrote more than a dozen Cork O’Connor books, so that no matter how dire the circumstances seem, Cork will prevail;
The book has won a number of “important” awards;
The situation involving the "Anishinaabe" has changed little since then.
I like mysteries (and even thriller-mysteries) that are grounded in time and place. I have particularly enjoyed the authors (including Tony Hillerman, Craig Johnson and Peter Bowen) who have written about the boundaries between the Native Americans and white American communities. Krueger can hold his own in this company. The following quotations should give you a sense of the plot and what he brings to this genre:
"The judge was dead. Paul LeBeau had vanished—onto the reservation, Cork would bet—with his father. The Windigo had called Lytton’s name. And someone had broken into Sam’s Place. On the surface, there was nothing, really, to connect any of these things. Still, they were extraordinary in a place like Aurora, and they’d happened within an extraordinarily short time."
"“Cork, promise me something.” “What?” “You won’t do anything that’ll get you hurt.” “I’m not what you’d call a brave man,” he assured her. She sighed, her breath making the hair at the back of his neck shiver. “Maybe not, but you’re stubborn, and that’s just as bad.”"
Cork is Corcoran O'Connor. He is the recent sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota, a small town in the northern hinterlands right near an Anishinaabe reservation. He made a mistake as sheriff and it cost him his job and his self-respect and he has been on a downward spiral for several years that has resulted in him being separated from his wife, a prominent local lawyer, and his children. He is part Native American and has some of that lore and culture from his grandmother. He also has had close relationships in the community.
"Cork had no business looking at the body, no business thinking about the case at all. But an Ojibwe boy was missing and Henry Meloux was sure that a Windigo was about," You will learn about the Windigo and how the case changes his life. “(H)e uncovered the box he’d put there over a year ago. It was the size of a large dictionary and nearly as heavy. He lifted the lid. Inside was a Smith & Wesson .38 Police Special, a belt and holster, and a box of cartridges. He put them away after he’d killed Arnold Stanley. He’d believed he would never use them again. But like so much about his life, it appeared he might be wrong."
But in doing so he has a lot to overcome: "“Do you believe in God?”
(the priest) St. Kawasaki looked amused. “Hell of a question to ask a priest.”
Cork carefully watched the end of his rod, a spring device that acted as a bobber. It hadn’t moved at all in the time he’d been there.
“I’m asking because I’ve been a cop most of my life, but I don’t believe in justice anymore. I just wondered if the same was true in your work.”"
I am trying to avoid any spoilers, so I will end here by saying I am “into” Cork and the town of Aurora and northern Minnesota sufficiently that I will be devoting time to this series in the future.
Krueger wrote more than a dozen Cork O’Connor books, so that no matter how dire the circumstances seem, Cork will prevail;
The book has won a number of “important” awards;
The situation involving the "Anishinaabe" has changed little since then.
I like mysteries (and even thriller-mysteries) that are grounded in time and place. I have particularly enjoyed the authors (including Tony Hillerman, Craig Johnson and Peter Bowen) who have written about the boundaries between the Native Americans and white American communities. Krueger can hold his own in this company. The following quotations should give you a sense of the plot and what he brings to this genre:
"The judge was dead. Paul LeBeau had vanished—onto the reservation, Cork would bet—with his father. The Windigo had called Lytton’s name. And someone had broken into Sam’s Place. On the surface, there was nothing, really, to connect any of these things. Still, they were extraordinary in a place like Aurora, and they’d happened within an extraordinarily short time."
"“Cork, promise me something.” “What?” “You won’t do anything that’ll get you hurt.” “I’m not what you’d call a brave man,” he assured her. She sighed, her breath making the hair at the back of his neck shiver. “Maybe not, but you’re stubborn, and that’s just as bad.”"
Cork is Corcoran O'Connor. He is the recent sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota, a small town in the northern hinterlands right near an Anishinaabe reservation. He made a mistake as sheriff and it cost him his job and his self-respect and he has been on a downward spiral for several years that has resulted in him being separated from his wife, a prominent local lawyer, and his children. He is part Native American and has some of that lore and culture from his grandmother. He also has had close relationships in the community.
"Cork had no business looking at the body, no business thinking about the case at all. But an Ojibwe boy was missing and Henry Meloux was sure that a Windigo was about," You will learn about the Windigo and how the case changes his life. “(H)e uncovered the box he’d put there over a year ago. It was the size of a large dictionary and nearly as heavy. He lifted the lid. Inside was a Smith & Wesson .38 Police Special, a belt and holster, and a box of cartridges. He put them away after he’d killed Arnold Stanley. He’d believed he would never use them again. But like so much about his life, it appeared he might be wrong."
But in doing so he has a lot to overcome: "“Do you believe in God?”
(the priest) St. Kawasaki looked amused. “Hell of a question to ask a priest.”
Cork carefully watched the end of his rod, a spring device that acted as a bobber. It hadn’t moved at all in the time he’d been there.
“I’m asking because I’ve been a cop most of my life, but I don’t believe in justice anymore. I just wondered if the same was true in your work.”"
I am trying to avoid any spoilers, so I will end here by saying I am “into” Cork and the town of Aurora and northern Minnesota sufficiently that I will be devoting time to this series in the future.
April 20, 2022
I finally started the series so often highly praised by my GR Friends, and enjoyed what I read. The plot is interesting but I think it'is Minnesota and the Native American ways that will hold my attention in the next books.
January 12, 2018
I was immediately captured by the quality of the prose here. There are so many wonderful passages throughout the book. The characters in the book are interesting and fully alive, as is our damaged Hero and his damaged marriage. This is not cliché, though.
The Greek tragedy of detectives in literature is that the pursuit of the truth and justice usually wrecks the lives around them, far more than if they'd just left things alone. You see this in most good detective-noir books these days. You always wonder "who would still be alive, who would be whole, if not for the detective's journey to truth" ....
"He looked at his hands. Big hands. How useless a man’s hands were, he thought, when it came to fixing the important things."
The presentation of Native American culture and life is wonderfully and sensitively done. I remember how much I enjoyed it in John Sandford's "Shadow Prey". Both these books open up a world I had not known before.
The pacing is very good throughout, with real dialogue and situations. Poor Cork and his life are so damaged from a past event, so unfairly, and even while he was being a good sheriff. His struggle is frustrating, especially in the first half of the book, but he does overcome most of these impediments to fulfil the hero inside (which is good for the subsequent books!)
The book is full of beautiful descriptions of the Anishinaabe culture, and the wilderness area around the town of Aurora, Minnesota
Higher quality version of the above pic HERE
1% ....
They fasted the rest of the day and breathed in the smoke of a cedar fire. At first light next morning, they blackened their faces with the cedar ash, a sign to the spirits of the deep woods that they had purified themselves. Sam tied back his long black-and-gray hair with a leather cord ornamented with a single eagle feather. They smoked tobacco and red willow leaves mixed with powdered aster root as a hunting charm, then covered themselves with tallow made of various animal fats to disguise their scent from the bear.
The supernatural elements here are left mostly in the minds of the characters. The "paranormal" is not presented as "fact" or a "method of solution" to the mystery. I would probably have stopped if that were the case. Be assured, these elements enrich the story without taking it over.
There are many lovely passages throughout.... Beautiful....
She’d almost told him she loved him. So many times, she’d been on the edge of letting the words spill out, but her past had kept her cautious. And now she was glad, very glad, she hadn’t. Let him go back to a woman who didn’t care. [She] didn’t care either. What ran down her cheeks and tasted of salt wasn’t tears but good cleansing sweat. It poured from every part of her body. When she finally stood and ran outside, she trailed steam like a thing that had been through fire. As she dropped into the hole she’d cleared of ice, the bitterly cold water of the lake squeezed her hard, wrung her out, and left her wonderfully empty.
The ending is dragged out a bit too long, and is often confusing. Editing the culmination action into half as many pages would have helped a lot, but the final satisfying resolution is both painful and hopeful.
Notes:
26.0% .... this is the real thing. Wonderful prose, living characters, a poignant past and The Hero's journey unfolding. I miss Joseph Campbell.
27.0% ... as long as the Supernatural stays in people's heads here, I'm okay. As soon as there's paranormal "as fact", I say f'ck you Krueger.
29.0% ... the Greek tragedy of the detective is that his pursuit of the truth or justice usually wrecks the lives around him. Usually far more than if he'd just left things alone.
36.0% ... I'm feeling uneasy reading this and I stopped to think why... It's the implied danger for Cork's family here. I just like the mystery and tracking down the villain, not he bits where the Hero's family are at risk.
52.0% ...
"He looked at his hands. Big hands. How useless a man’s hands were, he thought, when it came to fixing the important things."
.
The Greek tragedy of detectives in literature is that the pursuit of the truth and justice usually wrecks the lives around them, far more than if they'd just left things alone. You see this in most good detective-noir books these days. You always wonder "who would still be alive, who would be whole, if not for the detective's journey to truth" ....
"He looked at his hands. Big hands. How useless a man’s hands were, he thought, when it came to fixing the important things."
The presentation of Native American culture and life is wonderfully and sensitively done. I remember how much I enjoyed it in John Sandford's "Shadow Prey". Both these books open up a world I had not known before.
The pacing is very good throughout, with real dialogue and situations. Poor Cork and his life are so damaged from a past event, so unfairly, and even while he was being a good sheriff. His struggle is frustrating, especially in the first half of the book, but he does overcome most of these impediments to fulfil the hero inside (which is good for the subsequent books!)
The book is full of beautiful descriptions of the Anishinaabe culture, and the wilderness area around the town of Aurora, Minnesota
Higher quality version of the above pic HERE
1% ....
They fasted the rest of the day and breathed in the smoke of a cedar fire. At first light next morning, they blackened their faces with the cedar ash, a sign to the spirits of the deep woods that they had purified themselves. Sam tied back his long black-and-gray hair with a leather cord ornamented with a single eagle feather. They smoked tobacco and red willow leaves mixed with powdered aster root as a hunting charm, then covered themselves with tallow made of various animal fats to disguise their scent from the bear.
The supernatural elements here are left mostly in the minds of the characters. The "paranormal" is not presented as "fact" or a "method of solution" to the mystery. I would probably have stopped if that were the case. Be assured, these elements enrich the story without taking it over.
There are many lovely passages throughout.... Beautiful....
She’d almost told him she loved him. So many times, she’d been on the edge of letting the words spill out, but her past had kept her cautious. And now she was glad, very glad, she hadn’t. Let him go back to a woman who didn’t care. [She] didn’t care either. What ran down her cheeks and tasted of salt wasn’t tears but good cleansing sweat. It poured from every part of her body. When she finally stood and ran outside, she trailed steam like a thing that had been through fire. As she dropped into the hole she’d cleared of ice, the bitterly cold water of the lake squeezed her hard, wrung her out, and left her wonderfully empty.
The ending is dragged out a bit too long, and is often confusing. Editing the culmination action into half as many pages would have helped a lot, but the final satisfying resolution is both painful and hopeful.
Notes:
26.0% .... this is the real thing. Wonderful prose, living characters, a poignant past and The Hero's journey unfolding. I miss Joseph Campbell.
27.0% ... as long as the Supernatural stays in people's heads here, I'm okay. As soon as there's paranormal "as fact", I say f'ck you Krueger.
29.0% ... the Greek tragedy of the detective is that his pursuit of the truth or justice usually wrecks the lives around him. Usually far more than if he'd just left things alone.
36.0% ... I'm feeling uneasy reading this and I stopped to think why... It's the implied danger for Cork's family here. I just like the mystery and tracking down the villain, not he bits where the Hero's family are at risk.
52.0% ...
"He looked at his hands. Big hands. How useless a man’s hands were, he thought, when it came to fixing the important things."
.
July 14, 2024
This first book in the 'Cork O'Connor mystery series' was first published in 1998, before cell phones were ubiquitous. Thus the characters have to use landlines and pay phones, and can't just snap a photo in two seconds. I mention this because, while listening to the audiobook, I kept thinking, "Why doesn't Cork just call up real quick" or "Why doesn't Cork just take a picture real quick." Of course I always remembered, but it just shows how different things are now.
*****
Corcoran (Cork) O'Connor, whose ancestry is Irish and Anishinaabe Indian, resides in the rear living quarters of a hamburger shack in Aurora, Minnesota. The shack is currently closed for the winter, and Cork is at loose ends.
Cork was the county sheriff until a year ago, when a clash between Anishinaabe Indians and local resort owners - over fishing rights on Aurora's 'Iron Lake' - exploded into violence.
During the scuffle over fishing rights, Cork's long-time friend Sam Winter Moon was killed, and the perpetrator was shot. In the aftermath of the tragedy Cork lost his job, and a new sheriff, Wally Schanno, was elected.
The loss of his friend and job caused Cork to retreat into silence and isolation. Thus Cork's wife Jo asked him to leave the family home, where Jo still lives with the couple's children, Anne, Jenny, and Stevie.
As it happens, Sam Winter Moon left his hamburger shack, with a small apartment in back, to Cork.....so the ex-lawman lives there and broods.
Cork thinks about bear-hunting with Sam, and about Sam's tale of the Windigo, an evil spirit who speaks the name of those about to die. Cork doesn't exactly believe in the Windigo, but he takes notice when an Indian medicine man named Henry Meloux says the Windigo has been hovering around his house.
There may be something to the Windigo legend, because Judge Robert Parrant, a tyrant hated by everyone, is found dead in his home. Parrant was a powerful man who had his thumb on everything that happened in Aurora.
Among other things, Judge Parrant and his son Sandy owned a development corporation, and were instrumental in the Anishinaabe Indians getting a casino on their land, a casino that's raking in a fortune.
The local coroner, who's really just a mortician, rules Judge Parrant's death a suicide, and Sheriff Wally Schanno is willing to let it go at that. But Cork isn't buying it. To add to the mystery, a teenage boy named Paul LeBeau, who delivers newspapers, has vanished. Moreover, Paul's last delivery, in heavy snow, was to Judge Parrant's house.
Cork knows he has no authority to investigate, but he forges ahead, looking into Judge Parrant's death, and searching for Paul LeBeau. It's soon clear Cork is on the right track, because he's beat up, threatened, and told to back off. Thus Cork gets out his gun, which he thought he'd given up for good.
In the meantime, there's a lot going on in Cork's personal life. After being ejected from the family home, Cork became involved with a waitress named Molly Nurmi, who helped pull Cork out of his funk.
Nevertheless, Cork feels compelled to try to repair his marriage, for the sake of the kids. Cork's oldest daughter Jenny is becoming a morose resentful teenager, and the younger children want their dad around. Cork's wife Jo has her own plans, however. Jo is a smart, successful lawyer who's doing very well with her career.
Jo's clients include the Indian casino as well as Sandy Parrant. Besides having a development company with his (now deceased father), Sandy has just been elected to the United States Senate, and he has his eye on the White House.
An additional homicide, perhaps foreshadowed by the Windigo, reveals all manner of wrongdoing and corruption in Aurora. Cork makes it his business to unravel all this, at a real risk to his life.
The book is a page turner that's full of surprises. In addition, Aurora, with its winter blizzards and treacherous ice covered lake, adds a welcome shivery dimension to the story.
This is an excellent thriller, and a fine beginning to the Cork O'Connor series. Highly recommended.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by David Chandler, who does an excellent job.
(FYI: I read that the Cork O'Connor series is being adapted into a TV series, so I'm looking forward to that.)
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
August 22, 2017
I could not put this book down. An excellent story set in Minnesota - an area I know next to nothing about. The scenery, landscape and climate was evocative and almost a character in its own right. It was fascinating to read about the politics and dynamics between the white and Native American communities.
I loved Cork and as has been said by other reviewers, his family life is as fascinating as the plot itself.
I'm so excited to have discovered another new series. Recommended.
I loved Cork and as has been said by other reviewers, his family life is as fascinating as the plot itself.
I'm so excited to have discovered another new series. Recommended.
February 19, 2016
After a moderately ho-hum beginning this first volume of the Cork O'Connor mystery series takes off like gangbusters with bodies piling up faster than you can say 'yassir, you betcha'. I particularly liked William Kent Krueger's character building ability as by the end there were very few characters that I didn't have strong feelings for one way or the other. I look forward to reading future volumes in this series.
I wish to thank my good friend Christine for recommending this book to me. Some day I hope to return the favor.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star - The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
I wish to thank my good friend Christine for recommending this book to me. Some day I hope to return the favor.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
*5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
*3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered great or memorable.
*2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
*1 Star - The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
September 22, 2021
I have read a couple of Krueger stand alone novels--Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land--and loved them so I thought I would try the first in the Cork O'Connor series. Excellent decision. This is a terrific book by a great writer. I am looking forward to continuing this series.
November 29, 2018
I laughed. I cried. I was happy. I was mad. But mostly I cried. Wow what an emotional ride. The author did a great job of introducing all the characters, so much so, you loved or hated them and their roles in the story.
The author even threw in some educational items into the story, Indian lore and stories.
I would recommend giving this book and author a read.
The author even threw in some educational items into the story, Indian lore and stories.
I would recommend giving this book and author a read.
May 10, 2022
Review originally published August 2007
Oftentimes, we library staff are asked for recommendations of a good author or title, but the reverse is true too. I get so many recommendations that I will probably never get to all of them in a lifetime.
I took the advice of a regular patron who suggested the book Boundary Waters, but she also said to start with the first one. So I did. I liked the idea of reading an author I had never heard of. So often we all get in a rut reading the same authors.
William Kent Krueger’s books, starting with Iron Lake, take place in northern Minnesota, which alone is of interest to many readers because of its close proximity. I would agree with that for a couple of reasons. You are getting somewhat of a history lesson or it might peak your interest enough to want to take a road trip to that region.
In Iron Lake, the main character is Corcoran “Cork” O’Connor. His heritage is part-Irish and part-Anishinaabe Indian. Anishinaabe means “the people” in that language, and is the plural form of more than one Indian tribe in North America.
Cork is the former sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota, due to an unfortunate accident resulting in the death of his friend and mentor, Sam Winter Moon, who teaches him about the story of the Windigo.
Since Cork has time on his hands dealing with a troubled marriage and not being sheriff, he delves into an investigation of his own regarding the murder of a local judge and the disappearance of a young Eagle Scout. Not much can shock Cork, who is a former South Side Chicago cop, so he makes the decision to take on the conspiracy, corruption, and scandal of this small town.
This story has many characters, which include Cork’s girlfriend, his wife Jo’s boyfriend, a power-hungry and dishonest senator who is the son of the murdered judge, the Anishinaabe, the local priest, Tom Griffin nicknamed "Father Kawasaki" for his motorcycle and snowmobile, and many others who come under suspicion. For that reason, it is hard to become bored with this story!
I also enjoyed the description of the physical beauty of that region that included the Northern Lights and the many pine trees, lakes, and the frigid beautiful winters that always promise snow. You have to appreciate winter as I do to fully enjoy the setting of this book.
Iron Lake does not have the typical, feel-good ending either as a lot of other books do. But, it doesn’t leave you in tears or disappointed either. You will just have to find out by reading it!
William Kent Krueger knows how to write mystery stories well. Iron Lake is a page-turner and a deeply felt character study according to the views of another author. Since mystery is a very popular genre, I think many people would enjoy his books.
I plan on reading his next book, Boundary Waters, soon. If you decide to give him a try, please let me know what you think. Please continue to share your recommendations with us and keep them coming!
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
Oftentimes, we library staff are asked for recommendations of a good author or title, but the reverse is true too. I get so many recommendations that I will probably never get to all of them in a lifetime.
I took the advice of a regular patron who suggested the book Boundary Waters, but she also said to start with the first one. So I did. I liked the idea of reading an author I had never heard of. So often we all get in a rut reading the same authors.
William Kent Krueger’s books, starting with Iron Lake, take place in northern Minnesota, which alone is of interest to many readers because of its close proximity. I would agree with that for a couple of reasons. You are getting somewhat of a history lesson or it might peak your interest enough to want to take a road trip to that region.
In Iron Lake, the main character is Corcoran “Cork” O’Connor. His heritage is part-Irish and part-Anishinaabe Indian. Anishinaabe means “the people” in that language, and is the plural form of more than one Indian tribe in North America.
Cork is the former sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota, due to an unfortunate accident resulting in the death of his friend and mentor, Sam Winter Moon, who teaches him about the story of the Windigo.
Since Cork has time on his hands dealing with a troubled marriage and not being sheriff, he delves into an investigation of his own regarding the murder of a local judge and the disappearance of a young Eagle Scout. Not much can shock Cork, who is a former South Side Chicago cop, so he makes the decision to take on the conspiracy, corruption, and scandal of this small town.
This story has many characters, which include Cork’s girlfriend, his wife Jo’s boyfriend, a power-hungry and dishonest senator who is the son of the murdered judge, the Anishinaabe, the local priest, Tom Griffin nicknamed "Father Kawasaki" for his motorcycle and snowmobile, and many others who come under suspicion. For that reason, it is hard to become bored with this story!
I also enjoyed the description of the physical beauty of that region that included the Northern Lights and the many pine trees, lakes, and the frigid beautiful winters that always promise snow. You have to appreciate winter as I do to fully enjoy the setting of this book.
Iron Lake does not have the typical, feel-good ending either as a lot of other books do. But, it doesn’t leave you in tears or disappointed either. You will just have to find out by reading it!
William Kent Krueger knows how to write mystery stories well. Iron Lake is a page-turner and a deeply felt character study according to the views of another author. Since mystery is a very popular genre, I think many people would enjoy his books.
I plan on reading his next book, Boundary Waters, soon. If you decide to give him a try, please let me know what you think. Please continue to share your recommendations with us and keep them coming!
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
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