Bibliography:
Krueger, William Kent. 1998. Iron Lake. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN: 9780671016968
When I started learning about reader’s advisory, the service of suggesting books to readers based on their likes and dislikes, I was very interested to learn about what are called appeal factors. Appeal factors take recommendations beyond the genre or favorite author level to find books that they will really enjoy. It interested me because I realized that while it seems that I read widely and disparately, some of the mysteries I enjoy most have a common appeal factor: a protagionist that has a strong moral compass that guides their actions, so much so that they might lose their jobs or put their families or themselves in danger.
Cork O’Connor is one of those types. Part Native American, part Irish American, former Chicago cop, Cork moves his family back to his hometown in Minnesota to give his family a better life, only to lose his position as sheriff when a conflict with Native Americans and his wife leaves him. He finds himself working as a short order cook but when a politican is murdered on the same night that a Native American boy goes missing, he finds himself caught up corruption, conspiracy, and scandal that also involves his wife. Cork is a fascinating character, and somehow Krueger makes it work. Cork visits an older Anishinaabe medicine man for insight and advice, he has a great respect for the outdoors and for other people, and over the course of the novel, tries to come to terms with what he sees as his shortcomings and guilt over past events. The same themes carry over throughout the series, and I bet if you pick up this first one, you will find yourself seeking out all of them.
If, like me, these types of stories appeal to you, I also recommend C.J. Box, Dana Stabenow, Kate Flora, Reed Farrel Coleman, Chris Knopf, Michael McGarrity, and Craig Johnson.
