I really enjoyed reading William Kent Krueger’s stand-alone novels such as Ordinary Grace and have always intended to read his Cork O’Connor books and have been collecting them to read in order. Some time ago, I started with #18 in the series as it serves as the prequel for the now 22-volume series. As Krueger continually puts out more books, I realized I’d better get busy.
Iron Lake is is a page-turner with a body count that rises at every turn, action-packed yet much more than crime fiction. The protagonist, Corcoran O’Connor AKA “Cork” moves his lawyer wife and children back to his hometown of Aurora, Minnesota seeking a better life. Aurora is an archetypal American small town akin to Mayberry in the Andy Griffith TV series back in the day. Seemingly innocent, the town hides a dirty underbelly, and author Krueger brings this to the forefront and weaves important social issues into these thrillers as Cork deals with corruption, racism, justice, and inequality. Though he has been recalled as a sheriff due to his actions in a tense standoff between the Anishinaabe and the white locals, Cork takes on the investigation into a series of murders with impunity.
Krueger’s descriptions of the land and his characters are rich and lovely, even poetic at times. His research into the Anishinaabe culture and life on the reservation is impeccable.
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Iron Lake(Atria Books, July 14, 1999) is available through:
Your local independent bookseller | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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You can read my reviews of other William Kent Krueger books here:
Lightning Strike (#18 in the Cork O’Connor series)
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