Only in the last year have I come to know and love the writings of William Kent Krueger, first reading his stand alone novels, then last years Lightning Strike. So I was excited to read Fox Creek although I hadn’t read any of the adult Cork O’Connor series. It didn’t matter. This is the same brilliant, descriptive, character driven novel I’ve come to know and love.

Let me start this review by saying that this is book nineteen (19) in the Cork O’Conner series, but I couldn’t tell. It’s the first book I’ve read by this author, and all the praise I’ve heard of him is true. He gave me everything I needed to understand this story, and did it in a low-key manner, so I didn’t feel like I’d been preached at or lectured. There were no glaring pop ups about characters’ pasts or information dumping. I felt right at home between the pages of this book, not like an outsider.

Cork O’Connor, restaurant owner and sometimes private eye, is approached by a man to help find his wife. But Cork quickly discovers that the woman doesn’t know the man looking for her, doesn’t have any idea who he is. Cork, with the help of his wife Rainy, centenarian Henry Miloux, and his son Stephen, takes on the case to discover the whereabouts of the woman’s real husband.

The book sets the stage and brings the adventure to life. When I put the book down after reading about a surprise snowstorm and then looked out of my window, I was surprised to discover that it wasn’t snowing. That’s how much the author made me believe. The plot will have you turning pages to find out what happens next. Krueger writes with a deft hand, at times almost lyrical, but always with the purpose behind what’s happening in mind.

This book enraptured me; I didn’t want to put it down to eat, sleep, or deal with daily necessities. The plot kept things moving at a swift pace, and kept me flipping pages to find out what would happen next. The twist near the end was totally unexpected. The characters are people you’d like to have in your life. I’d be delighted to have someone like Henry Miloux as a neighbor, a friend, someone who lives a good life and tries to help others do the same. I look forward to leaning more about Stephen and Bella and if they continue on, and I’ll be going back and starting this series from the beginning.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

I have read all the books in this series. Krueger did not disappoint. He develops the characters completely and writes a good story to boot. This is the first book I have "read". All of the others I listened to as BOCD. It was interesting to see the names written and the Indian language words written. I had always listened to the names and Indian words so I enjoyed reading them. My daughter has read all of them and I was telling her how some of the names were pronounced.

FOX CREEK by William Kent Krueger (This Tender Land and Lightning Strike) is the latest Cork O'Connor mystery, once again set near the Boundary Waters area of northern Minnesota. Dolores Morriseau is concerned about her missing husband, Louis, and asks for help from the tribal elder Henry Meloux. Others (including government officials, some ruthless criminals and a tracker named LeLoup) are looking for Morriseau, too. Henry senses the danger and guides Dolores and Cork's wife, Rainy, into the wilderness to avoid capture. Soon, Morriseau's brother, Anton, and Cork team-up to find the hunters and help protect Henry and the women. Meanwhile, Cork's son Stephen meets other Morriseau family members and discovers issues related to tribal rights and environmentalism. Since this mystery is number nineteen in the series, it builds on previous events and character development, but FOX CREEK also works well as a stand-alone. The story is complex and the suspense is palatable as Edgar award-winner Krueger alternates perspective amongst major characters, often slightly shifting in time so as fill in details. On a recent road trip we listed to Recorded Books' audiobook version narrated by David Chandler – it was excellent. FOX CREEK received starred reviews from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly.

I do so love the natural easy way that William Kent Krueger lends to his writing. This is book nineteen in the series and it is still a very decent story that has us once again meeting up with Henry Meloux and his niece, Rainy. Henry is a healer who possess the innate ability to read the air around him.

Cork is Rainy's husband and it is he who is always involved in the tribes, the legends and of course the beloved Henry.

In this installment, a woman, Delores Morriseau, comes to ask both Henry and Rainy, for help with her husband, Lou, who seems to have disappeared. She seeks guidance for she loves him desperately and doesn't understand both his remoteness and his disappearing. While being with Henry and Rainy, Delores is tracked down by men looking for her husband and she, Rainy and Henry escape into the woods surrounding Boundary Waters.

Now a game of cat and mouse ensues, and as the group heads deeper into the forest, they have a very clever Native tractor who pits his wits against those of Henry. Cork is desperate to find the party as he and others have realized the men searching for Delores will stop at nothing to get to her.

It's a trial of the lessons learned over one hundred years by Henry and the innate ability of their pursuer. We do ultimately learn the reason behind the issue of finding Delores as she was to be held as a hostage so that the pursuers could get to her husband,

Most of the characters have Ojibwe and Native American roots and their unison with nature make them admirable and wanting to preserve the beautiful land they reside in.

Will Cork be successful in helping to save the crew of escaping people or will he fall short and lose those two people he loves?

Thank you to William Kent Krueger, Atria Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this story that published in August of 2022.

William Kent Krueger once again does not disappoint. I started this series with Lightning Strike and have worked my way through all of them since. Cork and his family are like my family.

Told from the beautiful Minnesota woods, Fox Creek, is a mixture of mystery and thriller. It's an atmospheric tale with a cast of complex characters each telling the story from their perspective.

From the author's blurb: Cork O’Connor is in a race against time to save his wife, a mysterious stranger, and an Ojibwe healer from bloodthirsty mercenaries.

One sentence was enough to make me want to pick up this book. Thank goodness I didnt notice it was book #19 of a series I had never picked up before. And thank goodness, this story stands alone and makes you want to reach back into the past to read the previous 18.

The story opens when Cork is approached by a man claiming to be Lou Morriseau, who is said to be in search of his wife, Dolores. According to the stranger, his wife left home about a week prior to find a man by the name of Henry Meloux, but never returned. He also claims that Dolores and Henry Meloux have been having an affair. Now he wants to hire Cork to locate his wife. This book has Cork searching for the truth and using his well-honed instincts to unravel the mystery.

Kreuger introduces us to the stories of faith, protecting the environment, and learning your path. With its quick pacing and multi-layered plot, William Kent Krueger’s Fox Creek dazzles early, sucking readers into an engaging and thrilling mystery.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books and William Kent Kreuger for welcoming me into the beauty of Minnesota’s north country. I truly appreciate that the story is based on actual events which happened in the area and the ongoing efforts of natives to protect the natural environment and resources.

Book Review
Fox Creek
William Kent Krueger
reviewed by Lou Jacobs


readersremains.com | Goodreads


Krueger is certainly more well know after his multi-award winning and highly acclaimed stand-alone novels: Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land. For those few living under a rock, he has masterfully weaved a series of eighteen mystery / thrillers in his Cork O’Connor series.

The debut novel, Iron Lake, won both the Anthony and Barry Awards for Best First Novel. Fox Creek is the nineteenth in the series, but can be enjoyed and revered as a standalone, in as much Krueger skillfully provides any necessary backstory to this riveting tale.

The main protagonist is Cork O’Connor, a highly principled man with a long history of law enforcement, and of mixed ancestry ( of Ojibwe and Irish), along with the story setting locales in his beloved Minnesota environs. Krueger magnifies the richness of his narrative by infusing the narrative with references to the Native culture. Krueger became intrigued with the Ojibwa culture in college and skillfully references the culture in his Cork O’Connor series. A main theme transcends his writings, as he recounts in one of his books: “History was a study in futility, Because people never learn. Century after century, they committed the same atrocities against one another or against the earth, and the only thing that changed was the magnitude of the slaughter.” This thread was to be repeated throughout this amazing series.

We find Cork slingin’ burgers in his burger joint, “Sam’s Place” when he’s approached by a stranger that calls upon his P.I. skills to find his wife, Delores, He identifies himself as Louis Morriseau, her husband. He would just like to talk to her. She has left for another man, reportedly a local Native paramour , named Henry Meloux. Although his curiosity is immediately piqued, he knows this is preposterous. Henry is an Objiwe healer, a Mide, and just happens to be one-hundred-and-five years old, hardly material for a tryst. Cork will “think about it “and surreptitiously takes his picture as he leaves. He later drives out to Henry’s isolated cabin out on Crow Point. Delores is there and has sought out Henry for solace, healing and an understanding of her troubled marriage. She is presently undergoing a “sweat” guided by Cork’s wife, Rainy ( also, grand-niece of Henry and a Mide herself) to cleanse her tortured soul. When shown the photo of “her husband” she denies knowing this man. Her husband has been acting strange for the last six months, and never returned from one of his frequent trips to Canada. She does not know where or why he left. Thus, the earliest inklings of this multilayered mystery presents as a scam. Why would someone pretend to be Louis Morriseau ? Inadvertently, Cork actually leads this pretender and his cadre of mercenaries to Delores’ location through a hidden tracker.

Henry senses the arrival of these “dangerous men” and flees to the sanctuary of the woods with Rainy and Delores. Thus begins a fast paced cat and mouse game, as the mercenaries track Henry and his group, while Cork tracks the mercenaries. Cork’s skill is tested as nightfall occurs along with an approaching snow storm. Cork and Henry are experts in the wilderness, however, the mercenaries are guided by their own Native expert tracker. Tension and suspense are incrementally ratcheted up to almost unbearable limits. Hopefully, this is not Henry’s last journey deep into the woods of the Boundary Waters. Time is running out, as nightfall and the increasing storm forces all parties to momentarily stop for shelter.

The narrative is told in multiple perspectives in short and tight chapters, resulting in a riveting page-turner. Told not only through the eyes of Cork, Rainy, Henry, the Mercenaries, but also Cork’s son, Stephen. He independently uncovers the presence of a Canadian map with multiple interconnecting lines all over the country–representing an unknown–perhaps pipelines? And on the back in Sharpie, the message: KILLCATIE and underneath the numbers: 5110. He’s certain this cryptic message is related to the motivation for the mercenaries’ tracking of Delores.

Krueger masterfully weaves a complex and twisted narrative with multiple unexpected reveals. His precise and lyrical prose and character building are essential to the complexities of the developing plot and soon to be discovered unscrupulous motivations behind this complex mystery. The story is enhanced by the fleshed-out locales, and the underlying theme of injustice. This immersive and gripping story will appeal to those who love the prose and settings of James Lee Burke and Michael Connelly. There are many side characters and relevant groups who heighten the enjoyment and complexities of this convoluted tale. I was truly amazed at how fast I turned these pages to obtain closure.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

Cork O’Connor is a wonderful protagonist. This is the latest entry into this Indigenous mystery series. It’s timely, political, and true to what’s happening to Native communities. Highly recommended.

This was my first book by William Kent Krueger, and it definitely will NOT be my last. HIs writing is one of a kind, and I truly could not get enough of this novel I had not heard too much about this book before, but I had heard about him as an author which is why I requested this one. This book follows Henry Meloux, who is very old now and he is spending his last days in the Northwoods until he is called home. He is typically alone, but one day a women finds herself on his doorstep who needs saving from a bunch of dangerous people who are looking for her. Luckily, no one knows how these woods better than Henry, and he uses that to his advantage to try to help this woman continue to hide. I loved the suspense throughout where I was constantly wondering if Henry, his niece and the missing girl would survive. Definitely love if you love a slow burn suspense novel.

One of Krueger’s many strengths, creating characters we care about, shone strong in his latest, Fox Creek. Cork O’Conner, his wife and son, his ancient mentor Henry Meloux, and a family from a neighboring tribe- all are fleshed out enough for the reader to anxiously follow their dangerous involvements and hope for their safety. This cast, along with a large group of bad guys and impostors, made for a busy plot. A personal epiphany, Native traditions and practices, multiple missing persons, cat and mouse chases through deep woods, and a high-stakes legal battle based on actual events— kept my head spinning as I kept turning pages. I would have been content with a bit less to focus on, but the story still held interest and worth.

This book immerses the reader into the story set in Minnesota and the wild that plays a character as well in this book. This is part of series but I have not read any of the previous books (but I will be looking them up for sure) and can be a stand alone book as well. The author has a way of delving into Native philosophies and mysticisms that educates the reader. Henry Meloux, an ancient Ojibwa healer, has had a vision of his death, as he prepares, mercenaries enter the woods looking for Delores Morriseau, a woman who sought him out seeking wisdom. Now Henry, Delores and his niece Rainey go on a journey of survival in the woods. Cork O’Connor, a private investigator was approached about Delores previously by a man claiming to be her husband, is now searching for Rainy (his wife), Henry and Delores, hoping to find them before the mercenaries do. if you like to learn about nature, tracking, wilderness and American Indians while being engaged in a thriller this book will resonate with you for sure. Pick this one up and start a new series!

This book is now available and everyone should be looking this book up to dive into the Minnesota wilderness and the Native American Reservation.

My thanks go to Net Galley, the author and Atria Books.

So I think because this is the first book I have read in the Cork O'Conner series (there are 18 other books?!?!?) the dynamics of the characters were lost on me.
I enjoyed the story and also his way of writing, but something for me was lacking.

PI Cork O’Connor of Tamarack County, Minnesota is grilling hamburgers at his burger joint when he is approached by a stranger (white man) who identifies himself as Lou Morriseau. Lou wants Cork to find his wife, Dolores who he believes is having an affair with Henry Meloux. Cork knows this isn’t true because Henry is his friend, an Ojibwe healer who is over 100 years old. Henry is with Dolores who’s having a cleansing sweat under the guidance of Cork’s wife, Rainy. Rainy is Henry’s great niece. Dolores looks at the picture Cork took of Lou. She tells him that she doesn’t know him and definitely not her husband who has been missing. Henry takes Dolores and Rainy deep into the Boundary Waters to escape three killers pursuing Dolores. Cork and Anton, a tribal cop (Dolores’s brother-in-law) follow the killers. Will Dolores be killed? Where is her missing husband?

The mystery goes back and forth among the different searchers and their prey. I love the detailed, fast paced action of this story. Fables, myths and wisdom that Henry knows are represented in the story. Even though this is the 19th volume of the author’s series, this can be read without reading any of the previous volumes. I enjoyed this book so much that I will be looking forward to reading the other novels in this series.

Rounded up to 3.5 stars

WKK is one of my most recent favorite authors. And it all started with Ordinary Grace. After finishing that I have since read Lightning Strike, This Tender Land and now Fox Creek. This last three are all part of the Cork O'Connor series. I still have a ways to go until I finish all of them. Regardless, I have a familiar sense of the characters and how they are intertwined.

Fox Creek takes place when Cork O'Connor, former sheriff has turned Private Investigator from time to time. Taking place in the small town of Aurora, Minnesota and sitting close to the boundary waters. Once again, Cork will donn his PI hat when he is approached by a man claiming to be looking for his wife. Cork will soon find out that this mans wife, Delores has come to speak to Henry Meloux, a local healer. Upon learning that the man who came to speak with Cork, is not Delores' husband, Henry, Delores and Cork's wife Rainey take to the Northwoods as they run from mercenaries.

In a race against time and weather can Cork find the answers they seek and save the people he loves?

There is a lot going on this book. Told from different perspectives, this book is about so much more than the search at the forefront. Henry Meloux, the aging healer in the story is over 100 years in age. The wisdom, love, patience and forgiveness in this man was beautiful.

About halfway through, the pace takes a turn and slows down a bit, but picks up just in time for the ending that you have waited for.

While not my favorite of what I have read of the series, if you love WKK like I do, you are sure to enjoy this one!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for my gift E-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is out now!

Run for your life!

⏰ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫: Delores Morriseau shows up in Aurora seeking the assistance of native healers Henry Meloux and Rainy O’Connor, but now they are all running for their lives from mercenaries in the rugged Boundary Waters of Minnesota. But why is someone after them and who is behind it? Former cop and current PI Cork O’Conner is chasing after his wife and her companions all while seeking these same answers.

💡𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: The book brings up some political and environmental issues of the moment but since that’s a bit of a spoiler, sorry but I’m not gonna ruin it! Lol… (but I love that in novels!)

I’ve read alllll of the “Cork” books and this is a solid installment. My only issue is it’s a little “been there” as far as Cork, the setting, and running from something in the Minnesota wilderness, but it’s also why I enjoy Krueger’s books so how can I complain? It’s how Aurora wound up on my bucket list.

𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆𝗠𝗮𝗴𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

📚𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Mystery

😍𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: I didn’t read the Cork books in order and this one would be fine to read as a stand-alone. All the Cork fans will like this one!

🙅‍♀️ 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: Can’t think of any one group.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Atria Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review and for making me miss the North a little more every day.

As always, this series continues to excel at the genre and is one of the most highly underrated and under appreciated out there. Characters, atmophere, plotting, pacing, clues, dialogue are all show casing the author at the pinnacle of his art.

One of my favorite series back for more. In this one some bad dudes show up looking for a woman who is spending time with Henry and Rainy (the local medicine (wo)men) so they take off into the forest with bad dudes not far behind. Discovering that his wife, Rainy, and long-time friend are missing along with this woman, Cork and the woman's brother are the next group to go tracking through the forest. Being the sort of person that loves when the great outdoors plays a significant role in a novel: in this book I was not disappointed. Good foot chase scenes and action, a mystery as to why this bizarre parade is going through the forest, and all my favorite characters as always. I continue to highly recommend this series, and as always, I recommend starting from the beginning because this series is that good! This book is yet more proof that this series is a winner.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2022/08/30/%f0%9f%8e%a7-fox-creek-by-william-kent-krueger/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

I waited awhile for the few audio books without David Chandler narrating in the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/55695-cork-o-connor" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Cork O'Connor</strong></em></a> series to be rerecorded by him.   I caught up to current this year since that happened and was ready for more.   I would read these books in order as the personal and career changes happen as we go along.

The O'Connor family is a family of caring, faith and compassion.  These stories are set in the beauty of Minnesota's north country and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.   There are many native people here. The stories are ones of faith, protecting the environment, and learning your path.   The mysteries are engaging and thrilling.

Cork, and oftentimes his family, are in danger as he seeks answers.  In Fox Creek, he looks for missing persons and the reasons why they are missing.  Henry and Rainey save one of the missing from kidnapping, but are still tracked into the Northwoods by the mercenaries.   Stephen takes a different route to find out more about why this is happening.   They all face danger and have some physical harm.  Everyone, including me, is worried about Henry as Stephen had a vision of what might be his death.

I won't spoil the reasons or what happens to everyone, that's to be read and enjoyed.  This author never disappoints.  The author's note points out that the story is based on actual events which happened in the area and the ongoing efforts of natives to protect the natural environment and resources.

Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger
A very timely story in a long running excellent series. I appreciated the fact that this addition to the series focused as much on the female characters as it did on the men. It’s a bit of a tearjerker and very suspenseful but the ending is good. I wonder if there will be an additional main character or if he will disappear into the wilds of Canada never to be heard from again. Only time will tell.
Maybe next time Daniel will get to do something more than stay at the homefront.
Very enjoyable, I spent the whole day with this one and was sorry when it was over.