In William Kent Krueger's "finest work" (Michael Connelly), detective Cork O'Connor unravels a mystery for his old friend Henry Meloux, only to get caught in the blistering crossfire of jealousy and revenge. The promise, as I remember it, happened this way. Happy and content in his hometown of Aurora, Minnesota, Cork O'Connor has left his badge behind and is ready for a life of relative peace, setting up shop as a private investigator. But his newfound state of calm is soon interrupted when Henry Meloux, an Ojibwe medicine man and Cork's spiritual adviser, makes a request: Will Cork find the son that Henry fathered long ago? With little to go on, Cork uses his investigative skills to locate Henry Wellington, a wealthy and reclusive industrialist living in Thunder Bay, Ontario. When a murder attempt is made on old Meloux's life, all clues point north across the border. But why would Wellington want his father dead? This question takes Cork on a journey through time as he unravels the story of Meloux's 1920s adventure in the ore-rich wilderness of Canada, where his love for a beautiful woman, far outside his culture, led him into a trap of treachery, greed, and murder. The past and present collide along the rocky shores of Thunder Bay, where a father's unconditional love is tested by a son's deeply felt resentment, and where jealousy and revenge remain the code among men. As Cork hastens to uncover the truth and save his friend, he soon discovers that his own life is in danger and is reminded that the promises we keep-even for the best of friends-can sometimes place us in the hands of our worst enemies.
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"Henry Meloux is a great character in the stories, and it is nice to have him be the motivation behind this one. As a former resident of a small lakeside Minnesota town (and what town isn't lakeside there-HA!) he has nailed the description of Aurora perfectly. "
— JoDee (4 out of 5 stars)
" This one had all the elements that I like about this series--the evocation of the northwoods area, the native American traditions, and the tensions in the main character's family life. "
— Ann, 2/18/2014" Still a very good story on second reading (2011). "
— Eunys, 2/14/2014" Mystery set in northern Minnesota. "
— Carol, 2/10/2014" Loved this one - got it for Christmas and didn't expect to like it as much as I did. After reading it, I'm reluctant to start a new book just yet - it's like I'm still savoring this one. "
— Jen, 2/1/2014" If you are a fan of the Henry Meloux character in the Cork O'Connor mystery series, this book is a must-read! A very rich story of the tangled and unexpected life of Henry Meloux', the wise Mide, from the cormorant tribe of the Ojibwe. "
— Susan, 1/25/2014" hmmm....not my favorite in the series. I was excited to read Henry's back story, but it really failed to live up to the former books. The story was kinda dumb and very thin and see through. I was like really??? these people can't figure this out?? really? "
— Kim, 1/21/2014" Think this one was the best...so far. "
— Janet, 1/4/2014" One of the best in an outstanding series. "
— Craig, 12/17/2013" I haven't read any others in this series, but was able to enjoy it anyway. The characters were memorable and it was well-written. "
— Amanda, 12/15/2013" My favorite Cork O'Connor novel to date. A beautiful story with just enough mystery and mayhem - all set in the beautiful north country of Minnesota and Canada. "
— Kay, 6/21/2013" Awesome book. Went out and purchased all of the books in this series. "
— Debbie, 2/24/2013" Good easy reading. Interesting plot twists, as well as internal family dilemmas. Good depictions of Thunder Bay and environs. "
— Karen, 1/2/2013" A powerful, moving story about an old Indian's search for his son. "
— CT, 12/11/2012" I'm working my way through this series and found that this one gave me reason to continue. I'm engaged with Cork and the people in his life and want to keep reading to see how they handle the next inevitable challenge. "
— Kathy, 9/22/2012" Awesome book in the series. "
— Carol, 6/11/2012" Henry Meloux, Cork O'Connors friend needs to find his son. This story takes place in Thunder Bay. We learn the history of the region, Henry's backstory and the relationships between father's and their children. "
— Laura, 5/7/2012" Another great one in this series! this one answered the questions about Henry Meleoux the Ojibwi midiwin from previous novels. Some of Corks family drama thrown in the mix as a bonus. "
— Ellen, 3/14/2012" I decided to read a few Mysteries this summer. So I decided to read the books by Minnesota native William Kent Krueger. Never been a big fan of mysteries . But I have to say I have enjoyed reading these. "
— Kimberly, 10/17/2011" This book seemed to take forever to read. It was a long book, but there were two stories being told, the past and the present. There wasn't much of a mystery and the end was fairly predictable. Good book, but not a really special book. "
— Judith, 10/7/2011" I liked this book, even though it is obviously an ongoing series. Even though I really would like to go back to the first book and read them all, I do not have to. This book was great. I like to read books about Minnesota. "
— Kathy, 9/17/2011" Recommended by a friend this Minnesota Book Award winner was an okay mystery. The writing carried me through although I would consider it an average read. "
— Connie, 7/13/2011" Love this guy! Cork O'Conner is the Minnesota version of Chuck Norris - I totally have a crush on him. Keep 'em coming, Krueger! "
— Amy, 5/7/2011" it was good but i wanted more of a happier ending.... "
— Jenny, 4/4/2011" This book seemed to take forever to read. It was a long book, but there were two stories being told, the past and the present. There wasn't much of a mystery and the end was fairly predictable. Good book, but not a really special book. "
— Judith, 5/4/2010" I listened to this on CD. If you like mysteries, drama, and the boundary waters, this is for you. The writing style is pretty basic, but the story was entertaining. Nothing deep, but a nice easy listen. "
— Elaine, 4/6/2009" This book is the middle of one of the legion of mystery series that my Mom is following. She thought this one stood out from the rest of the series and she loaned it to me. I thought it was ok. The mystery itself did very little for me, but I liked the characters a lot. "
— Valerie, 12/31/2008William Kent Krueger is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including nineteen acclaimed books in the Cork O’Conner mystery series that have won the Anthony and Dilys awards. His stand-alone novel, Ordinary Grace, won the Edgar, Anthony, Dilys, Barry, and Macavity awards. Learn more at WilliamKentKrueger.com.
David Chandler is an Earphones Award–winning narrator who has read numerous titles for New York Times bestselling authors William Kent Krueger and C. J. Box, among others.