Mercy Falls

August 1, 2005
In this solid, action-packed procedural, an assassin lies in wait for Tamarack County, Minn., sheriff Corcoran "Cork" O'Connor, and even darker threats loom for him and his family. Cork answers a routine domestic violence call on the Iron Lake Reservation. ("It didn't feel right. A man like Eli might get drunk and riled up enough to kill his wife, but he'd never shoot his dogs.") Rifle fire drops Cork's deputy, and as the manhunt escalates, Cork realizes he's been lured into a trap. Part Ojibwe by birth, he must canoe into lake-riddled northern Minnesota in search of a suspect named Stone. ("On the rez, some people call him majimanidoo. A bad spirit. A devil.") The mutilation killing of shady Chicago businessman Eddie Jacoby in the parking lot overlooking Mercy Falls may be connected, and Cork learns his wife once had an affair with Jacoby's brother. The appearance of Dina Willner, a sexy security specialist, further complicates the emotional landscape. Krueger (Blood Hollow, etc.) handles Cork's fifth adventure with complete competence, but this isn't merely police work with a touch of Tony Hillerman. In a powerful finale, he forces Cork, who has earned new enemies, to leave his badge behind, foreshadowing another dynamic entry in this popular series.

July 25, 2005
In this solid, action-packed procedural, an assassin lies in wait for Tamarack County, Minn., sheriff Corcoran "Cork" O'Connor, and even darker threats loom for him and his family. Cork answers a routine domestic violence call on the Iron Lake Reservation. ("It didn't feel right. A man like Eli might get drunk and riled up enough to kill his wife, but he'd never shoot his dogs.") Rifle fire drops Cork's deputy, and as the manhunt escalates, Cork realizes he's been lured into a trap. Part Ojibwe by birth, he must canoe into lake-riddled northern Minnesota in search of a suspect named Stone. ("On the rez, some people call him majimanidoo. A bad spirit. A devil.") The mutilation killing of shady Chicago businessman Eddie Jacoby in the parking lot overlooking Mercy Falls may be connected, and Cork learns his wife once had an affair with Jacoby's brother. The appearance of Dina Willner, a sexy security specialist, further complicates the emotional landscape. Krueger (Blood Hollow, etc.) handles Cork's fifth adventure with complete competence, but this isn't merely police work with a touch of Tony Hillerman. In a powerful finale, he forces Cork, who has earned new enemies, to leave his badge behind, foreshadowing another dynamic entry in this popular series.

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2005
In the fifth Cork O'Connor novel, a -domestic-disturbance call on the Ojibwa reservation turns nasty when someone starts taking potshots at Cork. Elsewhere, the body of a Chicago businessman is found on the banks of Mercy Falls. The victim was trying to broker a deal between his casino-management company and the reservation. Could someone on the res have killed him? Throw into the mix a beautiful private investigator and the victim's half brother, who used to be Cork's wife's lover (still with me?), and you have a mystery with enough twists and turns to leave even the hardiest reader dazed and confused. Cork, the sharp-witted small-town sheriff, continues to be an engaging and sympathetic series anchor; likewise, Krueger's depiction of rural America and the cultural differences among its residents remains compassionate and authentic. Not just for fans of the series, the novel is a smart and satisfying mystery on its own.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)