Fox Creek is the 19th in the Cork O’Connor Mystery Series but it can be read as a standalone. This, like all Krueger’s books, is beautifully written with an intriguing storyline that kept me engaged throughout. The story is set in northern Minnesota on the US/Canada border and his descriptions of the area capture it in all its beauty and wildness. The story also centres around an Anishinaabe family and he writes with great empathy and respect for their culture and touches on their fights to protect the environment, an issue he explores further in his Afterword. Krueger is the master of the literary thriller and his deft hand with character and description make his books always a pleasure to read.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

Another great book by William Kent Krueger. This is such a good series and this book doesn’t disappoint. It is full of suspense. I highly recommend this book.

Fox Creek (Cork O'Connor Mystery Series book 19)
by William Kent Krueger
As a faithful reader of this author, I was once again immersed into the wilderness of northern Minnesota to the point that my husband and I are planning a trip north. I have read all of this series as well as "Ordinary Grace." Sometimes when you read a long series, the author becomes predictable, but that is not the case with these books. I love every adventure and the characters feel real to me. During this installment, the cast explores a bit of Canada and encounter some very bad people. I don't want to give anything away so I'll just say you won't be disappointed!!

William Kent Krueger writes well. His story pulled me in and didn't let me go, but I'm struggling a bit with this one. Does the book cross the line of cultural appropriation? I'm not sure. The majority of the characters are Indigenous, but the author is not. WKK seems sensitive to Indigenous issues, but as a Settler how do I really know? I rate his writing style 4/5, the storyline 4/5, but the question of cultural appropriation says the book gets 1/5. There are so many stories the Indigenous community has to tell, do we really need a white man to tell them?

Is it centenarian Henry Meloux's time to die?

In a dream, Cork O'Connor's son saw the healer lying dead under pine trees.

When private investigator O'Connor trudges into the old healer's camp, he finds his own wife, Henry and the woman he has been hired to find. Within hours the three have disappeared, pursued by armed men with no mercy.

In the first part of William Kent Krueger's latest, Fox Creek, O'Connor tracks the men pursuing the trio through deep forests, rocky mountains and spring snow.

In the second part, action shifts to Canada and a search for the husband of the woman O'Connor was hired to find.

In part three, readers, exhausted from all the action in parts one and two, wait with the O'Connor family and all the other people who love the old healer to see if Meloux is still among the living.

Krueger's respect for Native American culture is evident, as always in his Cork O'Connor series. Readers meeting O'Connor and the other characters for the first time will enjoy Krueger's previous books and look forward to the next in the series.

Not quite up to Krueger's typical books. The chase scene in the forest is a little too formulaic. I was disappointed in that this one didn't seem as original as some of the other Cork O'Connor mysteries.

I discovered this author while we were in lockdown. I read two of his books and loved then both. I.never read any of his Cork O’Connor books. It seem like there was just to many to start. But I was offered a chance to read his new one “Fox Creek and so happy I did. . Once I started this book I couldn’t put in down. They story starts with a wife who leaves her husband, someone comes looking for her, saying he’s her husband, but he’s not. I will be reading more of the Cork O’Connor books.

Absolute must read. No need to read entire series to enjoy this next installment of Cork O’Connor Mystery Series, but I recommend that when you finish this one.

William Kent Krueger is such a great writer and his continuing story of Cork and now Rainy is best yet!

Henry has a star role in this book as many times before, he is a precious one, a real treasure, the author surprises us with a new tracker as we continue to learn more of the details of the Native culture and their beliefs ceremonies and the love of the land. Triple tracking is an interesting storyline! You’ll surely enjoy this series.

Another excellent entry in this always reliable series featuring Cork O’Connor and his family and friends that live in the northern Minnesota town of Aurora.

Cork’s wife, a family friend and a third person have gone missing along the shores of Iron Lake, apparently on the run from unknown assailants. It’s up to Cork to find them before it’s too late.

Always well written, fast paced and full of twists and turns, Mr. Krueger never disappoints. This one great 5 big stars. My thanks to Atria Books, the author and Net Galley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Dox Creek. This reviewer received no additional compensation other than the opportunity to read/review the book for free.

This book was provided to me free from Netgalley. #netgalley

Oh Henry, Cork, Rainy.... It's so good to see you again. This Cork O'Connor book, #19 in the series, kept me reading late into the night. Most of this book involves Henry Meloux guiding Rainy and Dolores Morisseau away from mercenaries who want Dolores to tell them where her husband Lou can be found.

I listened to the first 18 or so Cork O'Connor novels. The narrator of those books kept me riveted to the story. This is the first book that I read on my Kindle. The novel was just as good.

If you've read any of the other books in the series, you know what to expect. You won't be disappointed.

With Fox Creek, author William Kent Krueger returns to a more traditional mystery/thriller format with a little something extra, wherein a skilled tracker and probable killer is tracking Henry Meloux and two women who are trying to get away from the tracker. Cork is tracking the men following Henry, and Cork himself may be being followed.
At the heart of this is a woman, Dolores, who's come to visit Henry and seek some inner peace. Dolores' husband shows up in town, looking for her, and Cork heads into the woods to find Henry and lets Dolores know about her husband needing to connect. Except it's not her husband and Cork has unwittingly led the man to her (and Henry) and doesn't know what the man's intentions are.

Cork knows that Henry knows the wilderness and should be able to outsmart the mysterious man and his associates. But among the small group now looking for Dolores, is an expert tracker. Both Henry (ahead of the hunters) and Cork (behind them) will have to stay alert.

The hunt for Dolores turns out not to be about Dolores specifically, but what she might know about her husband's disappearance and the cryptic message to KillCatie.

This book drops us into the plot and action quite quickly, but the development of the visiting characters grows with each chapter, making this a really enjoyable mystery thriller.

There are a couple of plot points that feel a bit 'easy'. The meeting between Henry and the tracker following them is not what one expects up to that point and really does change the narrative completely. The result of this is a character turn-around, which is needed to survive.

The other bit that doesn't quite ring true is the complete and total ignorance over the phrase KillCatie (which is heard and not read). Everyone has the same reaction to it and only considers one possibility. At one moment other possibilities are discussed but they are quickly dismissed. As a reader, while I didn't figure out the direction of the mysterious quote precisely (we didn't really have all the information until later in the book), I did get the general idea.

Overall, I really liked this Cork O'Connor book.

Looking for a good book? Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger is a Cork O'Connor book which was a bit more action oriented, while still giving us some really great information on some shady political practices.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger is the latest installment of the Cork O’Connor series due out this summer 2022. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Atria books for the ARC provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Although this is part of a series it also is adaptable as a stand-alone read. As with the other mysteries in the Cork O’Connor series, it is set in beautiful Minnesota (mostly northern), and along the scenic boundary waters and nearby neighboring Canadian communities; much of which lies within Native Indian Reservation lands. Krueger is an expert at painting nature descriptions for the reader along with his easy-to-follow tutelage of Native Indian traditions/customs, language, and lifestyle which add interest & intrigue to his artful storytelling.

Fox Creek has Cork & his community trying to crack the case of missing Realtor Lou Morriseau. As the gang tries to unravel what the missing Realtor got involved in & whether or not they will find him alive, they are doggedly pursued by a group of hired mercenaries. This story has trackers, medicine men, former military, deputies, and private investigators (among others) bracing against harsh conditions with little gear as good versus evil wage a battle in the woods.

This author has provided me with so many good reads. When I saw that Fox Creek was soon to be published, I was instantly interested and ready to read another book about the PI, Cork O’Connor. This new book was no exception. Cook is once again involved in an investigation and a dangerous mission. Cork’s wife and son are also drawn into this case. The suspense is there and the story line is believable. I like how the stories about Cork also involved the Native American culture and their traditions and beliefs.
Netgalley provided an advanced readers copy. My review is totally unbiased.

PI Cork O’Connor is asked by a stranger in Aurora, Minnesota to find his wife who is supposedly exploring her Indian side with medicine man Henry Meloux. Surreptitiously Cork takes the man’s photo and takes it out to Crow Point where Henry lives at the edge of the Boundary Waters where he meets the woman in question, Delores Morriseau. She doesn’t know the man, so Cork heads back to investigate why Delores is being sought only to be unable to find the man claiming to be her husband anywhere. The seeds of suspicion have been sown and very quickly we are in the chase.

Cork returns to Crow Point but finds it vacant this time with the earth carefully groomed to cover footprints yet he observes several paths converging on Crow Point. Cork’s wife Rainy had also been there, and fear flutters inside him. He takes seriously his role as ogichidaa, or protector of his people. He waits, and in the morning, Anton Morriseau arrives looking for Delores. He is her brother-in-law who brought her to Henry in the first place. The two men determine there are three or four men following Henry and the women, and they must pursue their trail.

Rainy had foreseen trouble at the door during her sweat with Delores the previous day, and Henry’s sixth sense for trouble was also alerted, so when Cork had left the night before, the three of them also left and headed north to the Boundary Waters. They waited at the edge of the forest and watched three big men approach and search Crow Point and then head in their direction. Henry worked to lead the women so their trail would be hard to follow, but dark came. They stopped for the night, as did the three men.

The story splits into four parts, one following Henry, Rainy, and Delores as they flee the men; one following the three men searching for them; one following Cork and Anton; and a fourth following Stephen, Cork’s son, who has been sent to gather information on Delores’s husband Lou. Each is slightly off from each other time wise which makes the journey even more intense. We watch Henry and the women flee while the men pursue them and Cork and Anton follow them. Stephen travels to visit Lou’s family on the reservation who can only offer that he is a real estate attorney in both the US and in Canada. Stephen travels to Lou’s home near the Twin Cities with Lou’s sister where they find trouble.

The story is complex and yet it is simple. The tension ramps up with each switch of venue and time. The entirety is riveting and compelling. Each layer is added upon, as if an onion. All the while we are privy to the gorgeous beauty of the Boundary Waters and the author’s lyrical way of describing it. So much of the story takes place in the natural world; the reader is treated to the warmth of the sun. the chill of snow, and the stars above in a black sky. It is the intrusion of man into nature that is the cause of the problem Lou Morriseau sought to solve. But Cork and crew must find him first in this excellent 19th entry of the Cork O’Connor mysteries.

Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger
Rating (4/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publishing Date - August 23rd 2022

Huge thank you to Atria books as well as Netgalley! This is the first book I’ve read by Krueger. While this is a series , this one can still be read as a stand alone. I enjoyed this one and look forward to checking out more of the books in this series! The characters felt so real and the plot was very interesting!

Fox Creek is the latest installment of Cork O’ Connor mystery series written by William Kent Krueger. Main character and private investigator O’Connor is pulled into a cat and mouse manhunt in the middle of the wilderness after attempting to assist in locating an estranged wife.

I read this book as a stand-alone, having only read This Tender Night by Krueger. While I’m sure the previous books in this series are just as good and would enhance your reading experience, this book can easily stand alone. The initial set up for this book immediately hooks the reader. I did find the pacing eventually slowed down, however, I can confidently state that the ending was more than worth the wait.

This book was James Bond, where I was expecting a simple, predictable, and satisfying ending to the seeming harmless mystery. I was instead treated to a large scale plot that was impossible to predict. The plot twist was truly belonged in a James Bond movie. I fully appreciated what this book did and Kruegers effortless writing made it so easy to fall into the story.

This was my first Cork O'Connor story. I was interested in the Ojibwe background to the characters and the story.. I know very little about Native culture in the Upper Midwest, and the author was good about weaving two cultures together.

I felt the story dragged a little, and was dialogue-heavy in parts, but I enjoyed it and was glad I read it.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I own the entire Cork O’Conner mystery series….
…..a 70th birthday gift.

The first book I read (and liked very much) was
“Lightning Strike”…. book 18 …
considered a prequel…. and a stand alone read.
It gave a full background to the ways Cork grew up-his family - dad (a sheriff he admired)…. and Cork’s ‘first’ day on the job as a sheriff himself.
There was also a mystery about a local death which was considered a suicide, but the victims Native American family was certain something else happened involving issues between the tribal leaders and the town elites.
Cork, his mother, and grandmother are First Peoples.

So…. when I was very sweetly offered an advance copy of this 19th book — I asked … “can I read it at my own pace?” I didn’t want to rush-cram-binge read 17 prior books —
I debated to read this 19th book before starting back with the books in order that I own.
I finally decided either way would be fine.

I have not read a book by William Kent Krueger (a natural born storyteller) that I haven’t liked. “Ordinary Grace” was one of my favorites.
So…
I did some skim reading of this book for now — meeting Ojibwe healer Henry Meloux (almost 100 years old) ….
who had visions of his death.
We learned that he was trying to prepare himself peacefully for the end of his long life— until…. he also learns a stranger -woman- named Dolores Morriseau who came seeking help from Henry. She needed shelter and the gift of his wisdom.

Meanwhile, in Aurora, Cork was working hard to identify the hunters and killers in the Northwoods.
With a race against time….and Cork’s limited information and hunting skills — we know Cork is scared. His self doubt to save everyone he knows falls on him. I think Cork was praying for a miracle.

I will return to read this book closer -
but first I want to read the prior books in the series.
If I could take a ‘Cork O’Conner sabbatical’ -for nothing but binge-reading the entire series — I would.

For now - the skim reading gave me a great taster: “Sam’s Special, large fries and a chocolate shake”, to boot!

…I look forward to being transported back into Cork O’Connor’s world … when I return to “Fox Creek”…
…his twenty-one year old son: Stephen’s world too —
…Cork’s private investigations….
…the gang of other locals …
…the mysteries, thrills, adventures….
…the challenges between the Indians and whites…
…the love…
…the funnies ..
…the charm …
…the important depth…
AND
…the Ojibwe cultural and heritage experiences!!

MANY THANKS to Atria Books and Netgalley for this advance copy —
Kuegar is one of the most loving -compassionate mystery thrilling storytellers of our day!!

I only wish I could read faster!!!

I'm a big fan of this series, so I was excited to read this latest addition to it. It did not disappoint. It seemed to start off slowly, but I quickly became immersed in the story and once again, could not put it down until I had finished. Now, I can't wait for the next one!
I felt like this addition was a good chance for us to dig in even deeper to the characters' lives and personalities. There were many journeys and that's really what it is all about.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the copy of Fox Creek. This is the first book I have read in a long-running series, but it can be read as stand alone, even though now I want to know everyone’s backstories. I loved the complex characters and their relationships with each other. The story kept me on the edge of my seat, even though what Lou was doing, while probable, was kind of a letdown for me. The writing and storytelling was great and I will be looking for more books by this author.