Fox
Creek, by William Kent Krueger.
Yet again, I have driven myself mad by starting at the
latest book in a series, instead of at the beginning – I have to say that I
didn’t realise that I had picked up the newest book in the Cork O’Connor
series, BUT!
I am so glad I did.
William Kent Krueger has signposted clearly and concisely for new
readers major events that have gone before in his series, and he is such a fine
writer that ‘Fox Creek’ reads almost like a stand-alone novel, but for his
obvious affection for his characters – and what characters they are: in the main First Nations people who live in
various small reservations or towns in Minnesota, a State that borders Canada
and in this story, the scene of the disappearance of a successful First Nations
lawyer, and the pursuit of his frantic and worried wife by unknown
mercenaries. They have already
approached Cork O’Connor for information as to her whereabouts, for Cork now
operates as a Private Detective – when he’s not flipping burgers.
And he’s astute and experienced enough as an investigator
to know that nothing about these men is likely to benefit the woman if they
find her, and when he discovers that she has visited ancient tribal Healer
Henry Meloux for information and guidance and that Rainy, his own precious
Healer wife is ‘assisting with enquiries’, he knows that this will be a life
and death pursuit, for the mercenaries
have a brilliant tracker guiding them, a man almost as clever as Henry himself. Can Cork track down these mystery pursuers
and find his loved ones before innocent blood is spilled in Minnesota’s
pristine forests, or will the mercenaries find and eliminate them first: for Cork it hardly bears thinking about, and
the reader is right with him, every hard step of the way – and just as
horrified and repulsed when the mercenaries’ real reason for the pursuit is
revealed.
William Kent Krueger is a masterly writer: a master of suspense, and a master wordsmith
for the still-pristine environment of North America – and its underdogs, those
who are still ready to lay down their lives for the Land. SIX STARS
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