Some nights, Corcoran O'Connor dreams his father's death. William Kent Krueger's gripping tale of suspense begins with a recurring nightmare, a gun, and a wound in the earth so deep and horrific that it has a name: Vermilion Drift. When the Department of Energy puts an underground iron mine on its short list of potential sites for storage of nuclear waste, a barrage of protest erupts in Tamarack County, Minnesota, and Cork is hired as a security consultant. Deep in the mine during his first day on the job, Cork stumbles across a secret room that contains the remains of six murder victims. Five appear to be nearly half a century old-connected to what the media once dubbed "The Vanishings," a series of unsolved disappearances in the summer of 1964, when Cork's father was sheriff in Tamarack County. But the sixth has been dead less than a week. What's worse, two of the bodies-including the most recent victim-were killed using Cork's own gun, one handed down to him from his father. As Cork searches for answers, he must dig into his own past and that of his father, a well-respected man who harbored a ghastly truth. Time is running out, however. New threats surface, and unless Cork can unravel the tangled thread of clues quickly, more death is sure to come. Vermilion Drift is a powerful novel, filled with all the mystery and suspense for which Krueger has won so many awards. A poignant portrayal of the complexities of family life, it's also a sobering reminder that even those closest to our hearts can house the darkest-and deadliest-of secrets.
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"#10 in Wm Kent Krueger's CorkO'Connor series. Have loved reading them all. This one finds Cork entangled in old family haunts of his own and links to The Vanishings. This story is filled with Native American culture and spiritualism. You will enjoy it more if you've read other books in the series."
— Susan (5 out of 5 stars)
" Just recently discovered that Krueger was still adding to this series. I like the way he writes, and the mystery storyline usually leaves me guessing through most of it, but seems like the last few books are getting a little too sociopathic for me. Maybe that's a definite influence of how society is getting... or wanting... ?? I don't sleep well when my mind is filled with scary people... "
— Summers, 2/18/2014" Another awesome book from William Kent Krueger. "
— Jacque, 2/16/2014" Clunky writing + gruesome murders of young women. "
— Joanne, 2/12/2014" Moves along quickly. Interesting and informative as well. "
— Judy, 2/7/2014" Excellent book and Cork O'Connor after the death of Jo. It explores his relationship with his dad in a surprising twist. hope there is more to come with this series. "
— Barbara, 1/26/2014" Another masterful story by Krueger. It has all his usual elements of suspense, intrigue, Ojibwe (Native American) influences, and underlying emotional conflicts. You never know what is going to happen in a Krueger novel. I always enjoy the time spent in Cork O'Connor's world. "
— Kathryn, 1/21/2014" Great read. I did not want to put the book down. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. "
— Joe, 1/13/2014" LIKE! Very much "
— Jean, 1/11/2014" One of the best of Corcoran O'Connor series. "
— Peggy, 1/8/2014" A good mystery, sprinkled with a mix of Ojibwa culture and mysticism. The author left me with a desire to read some of the earlier O'Connor books to see how he developed into the man he is today. "
— Andrea, 1/4/2014" he writes a good mystery series that takes place in Minnesota, main character Cork O'Connor is part Indian so interesting Indian lore in his stories "
— Chris, 12/31/2013" I've only read one other book in this series, set in Northern Minnesota, with a detective who is part Ojibwe and part Irish. It's a very good read, somewhere between a 3 and a 4-star. I definitely need to check out some of the earlier episodes. "
— Kay, 12/2/2013" ehhhhh "
— Hank, 11/27/2013" This was the first book I've read from William Kent Krueger and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A little mystery and Indian superstitions keeps you reading. "
— Linda, 9/4/2013" Snother Cork O'Conner story......harder to follow on pain medication. Post-surgery reads should be a new classification of literature! "
— Perri, 12/25/2012" murder mystery in MN Range mine "
— Jackie, 11/28/2012" Decent murder mystery. Descriptions of the mine were too long (in my opinion). "
— Laura, 2/27/2012" Overall a good read with many twists and turns--similiar to when Cork drives to the bottom of the open-pit mine. Like the road, there are exciting sections and sections that must be passed through to get to the end. "
— Jay, 1/4/2012" I'm looking forward to reading this novel as it is my first by author William Kent Krueger. "
— Ken, 11/27/2011" A Cork O'Connor mystery which takes place in the Iron Range of Minnesota. His mysteries are becoming quite formulaic, but I love his descriptions of the area, I also enjoy how he blends Native American legends and customs into his stories. "
— Bookman8, 6/2/2011" A 40+ year serial murder, topped by a current tie in murder. What folks due to protect their own. "
— April, 5/19/2011" This author never disappoints. His characters are complex, his sense of place beautifully drawn, and his plots both believable and twisting. This, in my opinion, is one of his best. "
— Karen, 4/20/2011" I love this series. Cork O'Connor is my hero. Krueger should get a stipend from the Minnesota Chambers of Commerce for writing so about the area with such love. "
— Pamela, 3/30/2011" Cork O'Connor searches for answers to his father's/family's past after discovering bodies of women hidden in an abandoned mine. Good narrator. <br/> "
— Ken, 3/25/2011" This one is starting out slow... "
— Legustafson, 3/25/2011" Weakest of the Cork O'Connor mysteries. I have really enjoyed plowing through the previous nine and I still liked the story. But Cork's repressed memories seemed too contrived and I missed the rest of his family. I still feel it was a mistake killing off Jo in the last novel, Heaven's Keep. "
— Paul, 3/23/2011" mn author...it got rave reviews...so I slogged through the entire thing. conclusion: so-so mystery, lovely primer on "The Range" mining processes (if you wanted that sort of thing) and historical information on the MN Indian tribes. None of which interested me in the least. "
— Christa, 2/11/2011" This book was a lot more melancholy than his previous novels. The story was fascinating, and disturbing. But I miss the family setting and complications that were a part of his other books. I look forward to the next one, and I wonder how Cork will fill his life. It felt so empty in this one. "
— Megan, 2/10/2011" Very interesting and compelling read. I will look up his others. "
— Genie, 2/9/2011" Krueger manages to keep the reader interested in the characters after lengthy exposure of long series. This is not an easy task. "
— Dorinda, 2/7/2011" he writes a good mystery series that takes place in Minnesota, main character Cork O'Connor is part Indian so interesting Indian lore in his stories "
— Chris, 1/21/2011William 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.