Intriguing and thought-provoking mystery

Spirit Crossing is the 20th book in the Cork O’Connor series and is as good as all the previous entries. In Minnesota's north woods, an oil pipeline is being built through a sacred Ojibwe site. Construction is at a standstill due to Ojibwe/Anishinaabe protests. Nearby Waaboo, Cork’s young grandson, finds the body of a young Indigenous woman. Many law enforcement agencies are also searching for a missing senator’s daughter.

Krueger's sensitive care in the portrayal of the plight of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is admirable. He puts a human face on these women and shines a light on some circumstances that lead to their peril. The extreme measures taken to search for the senator’s daughter are in stark contrast to the indifference shown to the missing Indigenous women.

There are many themes in the novel. The Indigenous community's sorrow and helplessness at the loss of their sisters and daughters. Daniel English is a tribal police officer and Cork's son-in-law. Daniel struggles with despair at his inability to help more members of his community. Cork’s daughter returns from Guatemala and has heartbreaking news. Waaboo becomes the killer's target and the whole family must pull together to keep him safe.

Krueger’s writing is fantastic! I greatly enjoy his descriptions of the north woods and the Anishinaabe traditions. There is joy and warmth in Cork’s family and the light that Waaboo (little Rabbit) brings into their lives. You won’t regret reading Spirit Crossing, and while you are at it, read the rest of the series!

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing a digital review copy!

The disappearance of a local politician’s teenaged daughter is major news in Minnesota. As a huge manhunt is launched to find her, Cork O’Connor’s grandson stumbles across the shallow grave of a young Ojibwe woman—but nobody seems that interested. Nobody, that is, except Cork and the newly formed Iron Lake Ojibwe Tribal Police. As Cork and the tribal officers dig into the circumstances of this mysterious and grim discovery, they uncover a connection to the missing teenager. And soon, it’s clear that Cork’s grandson is in danger of being the killer’s next victim.

Krueger's novels are filled with the lives of our indigenous peoples, and their amazing strength and dignity in the face of the almost casual bigotry and discrimination they face daily. While the FBI is brought in to search for the missing white teenager, they're not much interested in the exhumed body of a native teen. And what about the third girl, missing for months from the reservation? Will her body be discovered too or is she a runaway?

Told against the efforts to stop a pipeline that has the power to destroy the water supply, land, and rice crop of the community, this novel represents Kent Krueger at the top of his game.

This reader is huge fan of William Kent Krueger, and highly recommends his books to all. #SpiritCrossing #NetGalley #SaltMarshAuthorSeries

I love how Kent Krueger keeps churning out book after book, all set in his beloved northern mid-west, many with the continuing story of Cork O'Connor and his family and neighbors, and lately with the same themes, and yet making them fresh and informative. His recurring themes are subjects close to his heart, the mistreatment of indigenous people by their colonizers and most particularly the vulnerability of young women trafficked, many times abused and murdered, and not given the same respect in their deaths as white women suffering the same fate. His rage at the system is placated by his good-guy protagonists.

Many thanks to William Kent Krueger, Atria Books, and Net Galley for providing me an ARC of this novel.

I’m a huge Krueger fan, and I consider his novel Ordinary Grace to be a master class in mystery writing. I had not read any of the Cork O’Connor series until I read Spirit Crossing, but I was immediately captivated by this novel. Indeed, I was so taken with the characters and the setting that I will definitely go back and read the whole series starting with the first book.

While I enjoyed this novel, there were some pacing and repetition issues that caused me to sometimes bog down and lose interest. I’m rounding up my review in part because I’m coming to this series late — those familiar with the series will probably enjoy the book even more than I did.

William Kent Krueger is one of the best writers working today and I can’t wait to see what he writes next.

I have yet to read a book by William Kent Krueger that if I didn't outright love, I truly liked. The latest mystery is timely and sad. Krueger always weaves in the difficulties and beauty of the Indigenous communities around Minnesota and this is no different. The pipeline plot is universal if only more Americana and Canadians could understand that and how it affects us all for now and seven generations to come. The central murder mystery is a duality in how crimes to the rich and powerful (and in this instance white) and the native women are handled although their connection, such as the destruction of our natural world, would showcase that evil isn't as discriminatory as justice is. This isn't a happy book, but it's well written and highlights the lack of attention to murdered and missing indigenous women and the toll it takes on communities.. as always please read the authors note.

Another home run by William Kent Krueger! We continue the tale of Cork and his family as they deal with crime and social issues. Many reviewers talked about all the characters, but if you have read the series, you have come to know and love each and every one. As is typical in his books, there are a number of threads that must be followed, some are a part of the mystery, others are the stories of the characters that make up the fascinating town of Aurora and the O’Conner family. What I appreciate about Krueger, is the authentic way that he weaves his story around many of the social issues facing the indigenous people of America.

The late Howard Thurman compared pity and compassion when he wrote: “There is already a vast abundance of room for pity … [including] self-pity, that sticky substance that ruins everything it touches…. There is pity in me—pity for others. But there is something in it that cannot be trusted; it is mixed with pride, arrogance, cunning. I see this only when I expose myself to the eyes of God in the quiet time. It is now that I see what my pity really is and the sources from which it springs.

God is making room in my heart for compassion: the awareness that where my life begins is where your life begins; the awareness that … your needs cannot be separated from … my needs; the awareness that the joys of my heart are never mine alone—nor are my sorrows. I struggle against the work of God in my heart; I want to be let alone. I want my boundaries to remain fixed, that I may be at rest. But even now, as I turn to [God] in the quietness, [God’s] work in me is ever the same.

God is at work enlarging the boundaries of my heart.” (Howard Thurman, Meditations of the Heart)

That is what a William Kent Krueger book does, it enlarges our heart, not so that we develop pity, but that the seed of compassion can begin to grow.

I thank the publisher Atria books and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for an unbiased review.

This is an author I’ll always read, and I was thrilled when NetGalley approved the ARC for this book. His storytelling is truly captivating. In this particular book, I was especially impressed by the exploration of Native American culture, which was done with depth and respect.

The characters are well-developed, and the plot is engaging and kept me hooked from start to finish. The way he weaves cultural elements into the narrative adds a rich layer to the story, making it both informative and entertaining.

What stands out to me is his ability to create vivid, immersive worlds that draw you in completely. His writing style is fluid and evocative, painting clear pictures in your mind as you read.

This author is a master storyteller who never disappoints, and I know I'll always come back for more of his work. I'm already looking forward to his next book!

This is a solid, well-written addition to the Cork O'Connor series, set in Northern Minnesota, with an emphasis on family and Ojibwe beliefs and values. Quite interesting, focusing more on young Waaboo and Cork's daughter Annie. up visiting from Guatemala. I love the intermingling of Native worlds, and customs, and feel it adds a richness to the prose.

No huge shocks here for me -- just a good, enjoyable book..

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

Cork O’Connor’s males (family) have gone blueberry picking only to find that their usual spot has been trampled and no blueberries. Cork tells them he knows another blueberry patch that probably still has blueberries as it is a well hidden spot. At the blueberry patch, Cork O’Connor’s grandson speaks to a ghost of a young Ojibwe woman.. Nobody seems to care, except Cork and the newly formed Iron Lake Ojibwe Tribal Police. As Cork and the tribal officers dig into the circumstances of this death, they find a connection to the missing teenager. At the same time, there is a disappearance of a local politician’s teenaged daughter. It is major news in Minnesota. A manhunt is launched to find her but no one finds her. Cork’s grandson is in danger of being killed. The killer may noy want the grandson to continue on having visions or talking to the dead for fear of being found out.

The author has written an excellent mystery novel with Native Americans. It is a stunning novel that capitivated me. I stayed up all night to read this novel. It makes me seriously think about going back to the first book of this series. I have never read this series. I didn’t have any problem reading it as a stand-alone novel.

Kent Kreuger is a national treasure. This latest Cork O’Connor mystery shows that this series is not running out of steam. Cork investigates the mystery of indigenous women in the area along with threats to his growing family’s safety. Full of supernatural mystery and a deep sadness, this booked touched me (as his books tend to do).

I've read This Tender Land and The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger, but never any of the Cork O'Connor series. So when Spirit Crossing became available, I had noticed that it was #20 in the series. As an advance reader, I thought I would see whether I would be lost (or not) when starting in with book #20. There were a lot of characters, but I didn't feel lost at any time in the story. I do feel that there are "back stories" that I had missed, but I do feel that Spirit Crossing was very well done and can stand on its own.

Often when I'm reading, I will have several books "in progress" at the same time. Not so with Spirit Crossing. I was fully engaged and wanted to know what was going to happen next.... and finished reading within a couple days.

Young women are disappearing. The disappearance of a white woman gets more attention than the disappearance of native American women. Heartbreaking.

A young boy about 7 is an endearing soul. (Loved him!) and has just realized that he has the ability to sense spirits.

I've been meaning to read more books by William Kent Krueger; reading Spirit Crossing has definitely caught my attention and I plan to start filling in the blanks.

Many thanks to William Kent Krueger for writing this novel to bring the disturbing situation of women who disappear without much communication between agencies. So sad that falling between the cracks is such a real problem; but for the most part it is going unnoticed. Kudos to William Kent Krueger for recognizing this issue and trying to open society's eyes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for approving my request to read the advance read copy of Spirit Crossing in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is Aug 20, 2024. Approx 336 pages. Highly recommended.

I was thrilled to receive the Spirit Crossing ARC from Netgalley. I have eagerly followed WMK's Iron Lake series. The Iron Lake Crew is back and to me, this book's threads focuses more on Little Waboo and Cork's daughter Annie. I was thrilled to see my favorite character Henry Meloux play an integral part to this story. Especially touching is the relationship between Annie and her partner Maria.

Trigger warnings: The plight of missing, abused, and murdered indigenous girls and women.

I enjoyed this book so much that I'm considering rereading the entire series again, just to see the growth and development of all the characters.

Thanks, Netgalley

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC of Spirit Crossing by William Kent Krueger. This was the 20th book in the Cork O’Conner series. It can be read as a standalone. I haven’t read any of the other books in the series and although I missed some of the backstory of the characters, it did not impact the mystery. This was a well done story that describes the discrimination that Native Americans go through when a crime is committed against a member of their tribe compared to a white person. It also calls to attention the dangers that are still prevalent to women in the community such as trafficking. I also liked the incorporation of the spirituality as part of the culture. The author’s note is important to read at the end of the book.

I want to begin by saying I did not realize this book was part of a series. I saw William Kent Krueger and a historical fiction novel and got very excited. That being said, I was mostly okay and able to enjoy this novel. A few times I did have to do some research (Google-ing) to find out if there was something in a previous book I missed. There was a lot of characters and it took me a minute to keep them straight! This was completely my fault, however, starting this series at book TWENTY.

The Good: I love historical mysteries and this did not disappoint. This story touches on indigenous people, trafficking, and spirituality. I learned a lot reading this novel and I really appreciate how Krueger seamlessly incorporated education into this novel, without the reader realizing it. The plot moved at a good pace and the characters were well-developed.

The Not-So-Great: The fact that I started this on novel 20 made things a bit confusing at times. The main storyline I was fine with, but the peripheral storylines were mostly lost to me. Again, completely my fault.

William Kent Krueger is an author I automatically know I want to read. His words, his story, his way of telling is what brings me back to anything he writes.

This is the twentieth book in the Cork O'Connor series and each one I have read have proved to be winners.

In this outing, We see that a young woman, daughter of a politician, has gone missing, but there seems to be no trace of her. Many police organizations have been searching to no avail. Then Cork's young grandson, a boy who can perceive things, while searching for a blueberry patch, stumbles upon a grave of an Ojibwe woman, but the same agencies that are so interested in the politician's daughter, show little interest in this Ojibwe girl. Cork's grandson, perceives evil revolving around a deserted cabin near by and from that point on his little life is in danger.

As Cork and the tribal officials investigate, it becomes a very sinister place and the very people Cork loves are in danger of death.

Thank you to William Kent Krueger, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an early copy of this mesmerizing story due out this August.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC.

The foundation of this story focuses on the different ways media and law enforcement respond to missing white teenagers versus missing Native American teenagers. Content includes sexual exploitation, trafficking, misogyny, and physical abuse.

I have read all of the Cork O’Conner series and William Kent Krueger’s other standalone novels. Most of the other books in the series are told from Cork’s perspective, I always enjoy his inner monologue and how he investigates crime. This book was told from multiple points of view and because of that the tone was disjointed and at times the plot was hard to follow. Characters that play a large role in Cork’s life in most of the previous books felt like background characters. To some extent even Cork felt like a less important character in this book.

One of the other things I love about Krueger‘s writing are the vivid and detailed descriptions of the natural environment in rural Minnesota. His writing gives me the ability to have a clear mental picture of the landscape; this book lacked those descriptions and was much more gritty and “just the facts.” A lot of driving to this place and that and calling people to give updates…

On the whole this was a middling book in the series, one of my least favorite. As a fan of the series it was still worth reading and I will still read the next.

This is the 20th book in the series featuring Cork O’Connor. Set in northern Minnesota, these are mysteries that bring to light the issues facing the interplay between the white population and the Ojibwe. Cork, half white and half Ojibwe, always finds himself negotiating the two worlds. I have read about ten of these books and although I missed many leading up to this story, the previous books also stand alone. The similarity in them all is the murder mystery, the terrain of the state, and the lives of the Ojibwe tribe in the present.

This book is no different. Front and center is an exploration of Ojibwe culture and tradition in a hostile environment. In this story, an oil pipeline is being built through sacred Ojibwe land and two young women are missing. One is a senator’s daughter, widely investigated; the other is a young Ojibwe teenager who is forgotten. I am concerned about writers who are maligned if they write outside their culture and identity (i.e. Jeanine Cummins who wrote American Dirt after years of research). Gratefully, this hasn’t happened to Krueger. Part of this may be his close association, friendship, and resources in this community as described in his acknowledgement. These books open the door to new cultural experiences while reading a good old fashioned murder mystery.

The set up:
Cork is no longer a sheriff but after years in law enforcement has solid connections. A lot is happening in the O’Connor household. His son, Stephen, and his civil rights attorney fiancé are getting married. In the weeks before the wedding, they spend their days at the building site of an oil pipeline destined to damage Ojibwe land, their water, and general way of life. Daughter Anne and her partner Maria have come home from Guatemala for the wedding. She is withholding a secret.

Cork takes his seven year old grandson, Waaboo, blueberry picking in an abandoned spot and Waaboo hears a girl’s spirit call to him. This is a gift also experienced by Stephen. This is the way into the mystery. One girl’s body is found in that spot. Cork and law enforcement authorities slowly uncover a more widespread problem, that lead to suspicions of human trafficking. Henry Meloux, a tribal elder and recurring character in all the books tries to protect Waaboo, and other members of the O’Connor from danger through wisdom and calm.

This book excels in its quick pace. While many relevant issues are raised, it is at its heart a murder mystery.
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.

www.jantramontano.com/readerscafe

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this novel.

This is the twentieth in Krueger’s Corcoran (Cork) O’Connor mystery series. I have not read all the earlier ones, but enough to feel a certain fondness for the now-retired former Chicago cop and former sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota. Or sort of retired—he still maintains a private investigating business, run out of Doug’s Shack, the fast food hut he inherited and keeps open to provide employment for local Indigenous youth. He also spends the better part of his time as an unofficial but appreciated assistant to the Tribal Police Force and its many and varied related bodies, all of which play a part in the manhunt, or manhunts, at the centre of this episode.

For those new to the series, which involves his community and his sprawling extended family, Cork is part Irish American, part Annishinaabe (Ojibwa), his first wife Jo passed on many years prior, his second wife, Rainy, is a nurse and community activist. He has three adult children, Jenny, Stephen and Annie. Jenny is married to Daniel Young, also Ojibwa and formerly a resource commissioner, seconded to work for the local security force in charge of missing persons. Their son, called Waaboo (Little Rabbit), was adopted after being found ´under a rock.’ Also reprising their roles from previous novels are tribal healer and sage Henry Meloux and his enigmatic, and seemingly untouchable, protector, known only as Prophet.

Krueger’s stories are characteristically an interweaving of police procedural and domestic drama, and this one ups the ante by introducing a number of family-based subplots. One concerns his son Stephen’s forthcoming marriage to lawyer and activist Belle. Daughter Annie has returned after a long stay in Guatemala, with her lover, a Mayan nurse named Maria, and a much more troubling secret. Grandson Waaboo reveals a new and, to his parents, often frightening ability to see visions and communicate with the dead, like the elder, Henry. There is an often dangerous fight going on between activists from across the country and the powerful oil companies and their massively disruptive pipeline project at Spirit Crossing. Add to this the violent, predatory, misogynistic
nature of the heavy-drinking pipeline workers, and the disappearance of young Indigenous women that has plagued the U.S. and Canada for years. And, add again, the bureaucratic nightmare of federal, state, municipal and tribal jurisdictions for social welfare, public health, and law enforcement.

In the midst of all this is Waaboo’s sense, while blueberry picking with his grandfather and father in a secluded patch, that someone is buried there, and that this person is sad; soon he hears another voice, in the proximity of the first. Because the teenaged daughter of an oil tycoon has gone missing, the FBI take over. The fact that several Native girls are also missing does not interest them, and that is how, directed by the little boy, himself gently ‘taught’ by Henry, the case is left to Cork and the Tribal Police to solve.

It is at times quite a challenge to keep the agents, the agencies, the family members, the community members, the different tribes, the missing girls, and the crooks, entirely straight. To his credit, by painting this larger picture, Krueger gives us a glimpse into the very real racist oppression that has traumatized Indigenous communities for generations, and continues to do so. The key mystery, and the smaller ones, are compelling to read about. His sensitive attention to Ojibwe culture and rituals is interesting and informative. I think the Annie subplot could easily have been cut; Maria seems blissfully one-dimensional, and the story doesn’t relate to the disappearances or the pipeline battle. Nonetheless, if a bit rambling, this volume of the series is definitely worth reading, with or without previous exposure.

So relevant for today, This book based in Minnesota covers family, illness, white vs Native Indian, trafficing and murder to name a few. The master story teller publishes his 20th book on the Cork O'Connor series, but this stands alone. I have not read the series but had no trouble following this book and the love of the O'Connor family. While uncovering a missing white girl of a senator, Native girls go missing or murdered and there is no media coverage and that point is driven home in this book. There are several twists and murders in this crafted story which keep your interest. The insertion of the Native Indian ways and philosophies brings a calming effect to all the chaos which surrounds it. The reader learns many things about Native Indians which only enhances the story.

I have recently discovered William Kent Krueger and have enjoyed his books this was a really good mystery. highly recommend