William Kent Krueger is the author of a long-running series featuring ex-Sheriff, private investigator, husband, and father Cork O’Connor of Tamarack County, Minnesota.
The first book I read in the series was Purgatory Ridge. I thought it was one of the best books I had ever read. I quickly went back to the beginning and read Iron Lake and Boundary Waters. From that point on, I have kept up religiously with each new release. At the time of writing, Heaven’s Keep was the most recent — and perhaps the best yet.
What stands out in these books are the rich, believable characters — from Cork and his wife Jo to their kids and my personal favorite, Henry Meloux. Krueger’s writing is exceptional, and each book operates on several levels: gripping mysteries, personal relationships, and thoughtful exploration of Cork’s Ojibwe heritage.
Two of my favorites in the series are Mercy Falls and Copper River, where the storyline flows seamlessly across both novels. Krueger is easily an 11 on a scale of 1 to 10.
In praise of Red Knife:
“The Cork O’Connor mysteries are known for their rich characterizations and their complex stories with deep moral and emotional cores. This one is no exception… If you don’t know Cork O’Connor, get to know him now.” — Booklist
đź“š William Kent Krueger: My Journey with Cork O’Connor & Beyond
I discovered William Kent Krueger back in 2010 when I picked up Purgatory Ridge — the third book in his Cork O’Connor series. It hit me hard: one of the best books I’d ever read. I quickly backtracked and read the first two, Iron Lake and Boundary Waters, and from then on, I was all in.
I’ve since read every single Cork O’Connor novel. Each one has continued to build on the rich landscape of northern Minnesota, the layered relationships within Cork’s family, and his ongoing dialogue between two worlds — law and justice, Irish and Ojibwe, past and future. The character of Henry Meloux remains a personal favorite.
Among my favorites are Mercy Falls and Copper River, which form a continuous arc — a rare and welcome feature in crime fiction. And at the time I wrote my first post about Krueger, I thought Heaven’s Keep might have been the best yet. It turns out there were many more just as good still to come.
For years, I put off reading Krueger’s standalone novels, unsure if they could live up to the series. But eventually, I gave in — and of course, I loved them. Ordinary Grace and The River We Remember are powerful, moving stories, told with the same grace and heart that defines his best Cork novels.
“The Cork O’Connor mysteries are known for their rich characterizations and their complex stories with deep moral and emotional cores. This one is no exception… If you don’t know Cork O’Connor, get to know him now.” — Booklist
