I loved this one! The way it went back to look at an older mystery while at the same time looking at something in the present.
The way that Cork's grandson was feeling during this one.
The way that Cork's kids are all grown up and part of the story.
The mystery was engaging and kept me turning pages late into the night!

2.5 stars I have thoroughly enjoyed two of Mr Kruegers’ stand alone novels and wanted to give the Cork series a try. This was not captivating or interesting to me and I hoped that it would make a turn by the end. I will stick with Mr. Kruegers stand alone novels, but I am appreciative to have read this story. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books.

William Kent Krueger's Cork O'Connor series always delivers beautifully written, thought out mysteries and the latest is no exception.

In Apostle's Cove, Cork is faced with what was a closed case, but his son Stephen pushes him to reinvestigate - Cork sent a man to jail for murder, but did he get it wrong?

Krueger handles this world he has built (and the very real native people that he is inspired by) with such grace and dignity, and it's always a pleasure to read his work..

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books.

William Kent Krueger's "Apostle's Cove" brings us a Cork O'Connor haunted by something far more persistent than the Windigo – his own conscience. Approaching sixty, Cork finds himself reopening a twenty-year-old murder case after his son suggests he may have imprisoned an innocent Ojibwe man. The moral weight of this possibility transforms this mystery into something profoundly moving.

The dual timeline structure brilliantly juxtaposes Cork's rookie sheriff days against his current, more seasoned perspective. Watching him reexamine evidence through wiser eyes reveals how time shapes our judgment and moral compass. As he uncovers inconsistencies in the original investigation, the pages practically turn themselves.

What begins as a quiet reinvestigation quickly escalates when powerful figures in Tamarack County make it clear they'll do anything to keep old secrets buried. The tension builds relentlessly as Cork realizes someone is willing to kill again to protect the truth. The revelation of the actual culprit left me genuinely shocked – a rare feat in a genre where I often spot the killer early.

Meanwhile, Cork's seven-year-old grandson becomes convinced the mythical Windigo is stalking Tamarack County, creating an eerie supernatural undercurrent that beautifully complements the main mystery. This folklore element adds rich cultural texture without overwhelming the core story.

The warm exchanges between Cork and his daughter provide perfect moments of levity amid growing danger. Their witty banter showcases Krueger's gift for authentic dialogue and family dynamics.

Having only read one previous Cork O'Connor novel, I'm now convinced I need to devour the entire series. Krueger crafts mysteries that are equally about the human heart as they are about crime, making "Apostle's Cove" a book I highly recommend to anyone who appreciates thoughtful, character-driven mysteries.

Special thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for my advance copy. As always, the thoughts shared here are completely my own.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Another page-turning, fun read in the Cork O’Conner series. I enjoyed the dual timeline - it will be a good entry point for people who haven’t read the entire series and nostalgia for people who’ve read the entire series. It was fun to revisit the early days…

The second half of the book set in present day had a much faster pace than the first half. I really hoped for more character development of Jenny - she still feels like a pretty flat character.

I did feel a little bit like the Cork of present day was in the past - he was a smoker early on and less contemplative - which made the section set 25 years prior feel a bit off. He was grittier and more cavalier when he was 25 years younger.

Also since this is an ARC there was a scene that started out with Rose and Cork and then all of a sudden it was Jo and Cork… an editing error?

Overall still a fun read. Recommend if you’ve enjoyed the other books in the series. I still think Kruger’s stand alone novels are much better books. But I will read every book in the Cork O’Conner series because they’re enjoyable and I love the characters so much!

William Kent Krueger books are just so special to me living in Minnesota. Seeing Apostle Coves cover just reminds me of my favorite place, the North Shore. That's about the only peace that involves this book because Cork O'Connor is back again and this time he is taken back to his past when his son calls to tell him Cork put an innocent man in jail for murder, his first case as Sheriff. Cork agrees to relook at the case and it brings him down a rabbit hole of betrayal, corruption, and deceit.

The writing is flawless, the plot is thrilling. It will have you sacrificing sleep to figure out who actually killed the victim. William Kent Krueger has done it again. I would say this is his best one yet. It captures everything about being human. I give this 5 stars! It will be released September 2nd, 2025.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first Cork O’Connor book (I’ve read Ordinary Grace, The River We Remember, and This Tender Land and liked them!) I mostly enjoyed this story, more mystery than thriller. One nice thing was I didn’t feel like I had to have read the previous Cork O’Connor books to enjoy it.

Cork, who was previously sheriff, is looking back on a murder case solved 20 years ago that never sat right with him—Axel Boshey, an Ojibwe man, pled guilty to violently murdering his wife, Chastity. Cork just knew the wrong man was sent to jail. A series of events jumpstarts the reopening of this case and eventually he finds out what really happened and finds justice for Axel. This book is in two parts: Part One is a flashback to the original case and Part Two is present time.

Although the story was very readable and I wanted to keep reading to know how it ended, it just wasn’t as engaging as I would have hoped. Definitely more talking and less action. Some of the pacing was a bit slower and some of it was a bit repetitive. Some of the tropes, especially involving women, ended up not being for me. But I liked and appreciated the indigenous representation and culture interwoven throughout the whole story and with the characters and addressing the racism apparent in history and still present today.

Not sure if I’ll read more Cork O’Connor, but I’ll be reading more by William Kent Krueger! Recommended for anyone who likes a good mystery!

*Thanks NetGalley and Atria Books for the early eARC!*

Cork O'Connor #20
Apostle's Cove by William Kent Krueger

I love when William Kent Krueger takes us back in time so we get to see characters we'd not get to see otherwise. In Apostle's Cover, he takes us back twenty years to a disturbing murder which Cork O’Connor investigated. Now, in the present day, Cork's son Stephen is working for a nonprofit dedicated to securing freedom for unjustly incarcerated inmates. When Stephen lets Cork know that an Ojibwe man named Axel Boshey, who was sent to prison for that grisly murder all those years ago, is withdrawing his confession, Cork is not going to let this situation go without looking into it. After all, if Axel is innocent than there could still be a murderer on the loose, living among the people in his community.

In the earlier timeline we get to see Cork's first wife, Jo, working as a lawyer, a job that often put her in opposition to her husband's work. Cork's work was made harder because his possible suspect was an Ojibwe man, which means he'd be interviewing people who would see him for his whiteness rather than for the blood he has in common with them. I enjoyed this first part of the book and a look at the past and seeing people who are long gone now.

In the present day, someone does not want the past dredged up and they will do drastic things to keep the past tamped down. Cork has his daughter, Jenny, help him out with the case, his Holmes to her Watson although even Cork got tired of the Holmes/Watson jokes when he was feeling tired and grumpy. It's always comforting to see Cork's homelife and the familiar family home and old cookie jar, when sitting around the table is a great way to think through a tough case with family members. And we can count on both old Henry and young Waaboo, so alike for their difference in age, giving us some wisdom and comic relief along the way.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

I have read and loved all the Cork O’Connor books, one of my favorite mystery series. I have always liked the way WKK allows his characters to be flawed, to learn, to grow. I also appreciate how respectful he is with the indigenous people and their cultural beliefs. This latest in the series was good, a bit slow to get into the mystery for me, a bit lacking in tension, but I still loved being with these characters, tho I did want more time with Henry Meloux, my favorite.

Cork O’Connor is a detective series. Cork O’Connor Series.

Stephen O'Connor is Cork O'Conner's son who works for a company in Minnesota that attempts to free the wrongly accused. Stephen finds himself examining one his father's old cases.

Chastity Boshey was found dead, twenty years ago and there were quite a few suspects. . Axel Boshey was finally arrested and jailed for the crime. His confession sealed his fate. Did he do it? Or did one of the other suspects in the case commit the murder.

I enjoyed the dual narratives and timeline in this book. One of my favorites. I also appreciated the completeness of the author's research around the indigenous community.

I do wish I had not read this as a standalone. I feel I would have gotten more out of it had I been invested in the series and characters going in. I will definitely read more from this author.

Thank you @atriabooks and @netgalley for a complimentary copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I love the author so much, and his book This Tender Land is one of my all time favorites. I haven't read any of this series, but I thought I would jump in and give this one a try.

The book starts off with Cork's son, while working on the Innocence Project, calling him to let him know that as sheriff, he was responsible for wrongfully committing Alex Boshey for murder 29 years ago. The narrative is broken in two parts - first, retracing the original murder investigation and then the re-investigation 29 years later. I was interested from the start!

There's a lot of writing on the indigenous people, their traditions, their relationships with the police. There are lots of interesting characters with things to hide. Unfortunately, the narrative had a bit of a stilted feel to it for me, and didn't really get me emotionally invested in the story. It read more like a basic retelling of actions "this happened, then that happened", etc. It just fell a little flat.

I was left wondering if I missed too much not having read the prior books. But, at the end of the day, it was just okay for me. I still love this author and will continue to read his books.

The newest in the Cork O’Connor series.

In this one, Stephen, Cork’s son, is working for a non-profit that attempts to free innocent criminals serving time in the Minnesota prison system. Stephen is working on a case that his father had been involved with twenty years earlier.

Since it is a closed case, it is difficult for Cork to re-open the investigation and it doesn’t help that Axel Boshey, the prisoner, refuses to help.

When Chastity Boshey was found dead, twenty years ago, there are plenty of suspects. Axel evaded arrest at first but eventually when caught, he confessed. Cork never believed that he’d killed her. There were plenty of suspects at the time.

Aphrodite, the victim’s mother, lives in a home on Apostle’s Cove so that is where the title comes from. She’d lived there from the time she was a girl, and she was known for her wild sex and drug orgies. She introduced Chastity to that lifestyle. Aphrodite managed to outlive a wealthy husband leaving her well off. She seemed like an outcast in the community except with the men, most had slept with her. I got the impression she didn’t have any women friends because she slept with too many husbands.

When Chastity became a mother, she tried to distance herself from her mother. She even banned her from seeing her grandchildren causing a huge rift between them.

As Cork investigates, he finds out all the ugly details and the suspect list grows.

The story is told in two timelines. In the past when the murder happened and the present around Halloween when Cork is about to celebrate his 60th birthday. He follows the leads with a few surprising twists to the truth and a satisfying ending.

I loved the storyline that followed the native American characters and how they fit in the community.

I have read a couple of Krueger’s books in the past and I don’t know why I haven’t read more. His stories are well written with characters that could walk off the page. This was an enjoyable read for me. I think I need to go back and read this series in order. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good laid back police procedural. The series is set in Minnesota and Cork is part native American. It reminded me a little bit of Tony Hillerman’s books though that series is set in the southwest.

I do plan to read more by this author.

Expected release date is September 2nd.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advance reader copy with my honest review.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

William Kent Krueger never disappoints! I have been a fan of the Cork O'Connor series for a while now and am glad I was able to read this upcoming new mystery. The plot revisits a closed case that occurred 25 years prior and the former sheriff Cork O'Connor is wondering if he indeed caught the right person for the gruesome murder that happened decades ago. Consistent with Krueger's other books, this book is rich in detailing character development as it relates to Native American history and its impact on racial tensions and stereotypes against crime. I would highly recommend this book for mystery fans!

I’ve been a fan of the Cork O’Connor series for a long time, and Apostle’s Cove reminded me exactly why I keep coming back. There’s something so comforting about returning to these characters, like catching up with old friends, but this book also hit surprisingly deep and emotional notes.

The story unfolds in two timelines, and I thought that worked really well. I was immediately drawn into the original murder case and how it haunted Cork even decades later. When Stephen, Cork’s son, now grown and working to free wrongfully convicted people,calls him to say he believes Axel Boshey was innocent, I felt that familiar rush of “uh oh, here we go.” And I was hooked.

Cork, Stephen, Jenny - they all felt so fully human. I loved seeing the generational dynamics play out, especially between Cork and his grandson, who believes the Windigo is behind it all. That eerie, mythic thread gave the story an extra layer that I wasn’t expecting but really enjoyed.

Krueger’s respect for Ojibwe culture shines through, as always. He doesn’t just add it for atmosphere, it’s part of the fabric of the story, and I appreciate that so much.

This wasn’t the fastest-paced book in the series, but the emotional weight, the themes of guilt and justice, and the way the mystery slowly unraveled made it a really satisfying read. I finished it feeling both thoughtful and a little haunted.

If you love the Cork O’Connor books, you’ll probably love this one too. And if you’re new, this might not be a bad place to jump in.

My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Atria Books for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed getting to read this book, it had that mystery element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. I was engaged from start to finish and enjoyed this as a entry in the series. The characters were everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel into this case. William Kent Krueger has a strong writing style and left me wanting to read more in this universe.

Apostles Cove delivers what fans have come to expect from William Kent Krueger: a suspenseful, emotionally rich mystery with real stakes and a powerful sense of place. Whether you’re a longtime follower of Cork O’Connor or a newcomer, this is a novel that both exercises the mind and stirs the heart.

The novel explores themes of justice, redemption, and the long shadow of past mistakes.

I am a huge fan of William Kent Krueger. His 2024 and 2023 novels were 5 star reviews for me, so I was anxious to pick this one up.

I didn't realize this one was part of a series with one common character and not at all like his others I had read more recently. Still enjoyable overall, but not what I was looking for with a WKK book.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Apostle's Cove by William Kent Krueger

Cork O'Connor returns in the latest of William Kent Krueger's long-running series, with a brutal murder investigation that will captivate you and take you back in time with the O'Connor family. It is a beautifully written, intriguing story that will keep you locked in until it's over. A cold case from years ago is revitalized, sending Cork O'Connor back down memory lane, as he tries to uncover a decades-old murder case, when Axel Boshey was imprisoned for the murder of his girlfriend.

Apostle's Cove jumps back and forth to a handful of decades earlier, when Cork O'Connor is the newly elected sheriff of Tamarack County. During this time, he picks up the Boshey case, and although the case gets closed, O'Connor has always felt a nagging feeling that something wasn't right. In present time, his son Stephen takes up Boshey's incarceration, as it seems like a 't' was left uncrossed and an 'i' left undotted.

With this novel stepping back into the past, we get to be reunited with some of the others in the O'Connor universe that have since left us. It was beautiful seeing them again. One of the best parts of a William Kent Krueger novel is the way it connects you to these characters. After 21 books in Aurora and Tamarack County, you feel very connected to the people of this county, and Kent knows how to make you feel like you know each and every one of them. It makes you yearn when they're gone, and the novel feels so real, almost like you could reach out and touch them.

An expertly written novel, Apostle's Cove is poetic in its prose, each word like a kiss from the pen. One of the best times of year is when a new O'Connor book is released, and this one will not disappoint.

Apostle's Cove
by William Kent Krueger
Sept. 2, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Krueger is a pleasure to read and this book is so engaging and educational.
The style Krueger uses is very readable and the characters are well developed.
The New York Times bestselling Cork O’Connor Mystery series—a “master class in suspense and atmospheric storytelling” (The Real Book Spy)—continues with Cork O’Connor revisiting a case from his past and confronting mysterious deaths in the present.

A few nights before Halloween, as Cork O’Connor gloomily ruminates on his upcoming birthday, he receives a call from his son, Stephen, who is working for a nonprofit dedicated to securing freedom for unjustly incarcerated inmates. Stephen tells his father that decades ago, as the newly elected sheriff of Tamarack County, Cork was responsible for sending an Ojibwe man named Axel Boshey to prison for a brutal murder that Stephen is certain he did not commit.

Thank you, Artia Books and Net Gallery, for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published on September 2nd, 2025.

This is my first time reading work from William Kurt Krueger, and it did not disappoint. This is the 21st installment of the Cork O’ Connor mystery series. Cork O’Connor is informed by his son Stephen about the Murder of Chasity Boshey. Cork, while he was sheriff, appointed an Ojibwe male named Axel Boshey as the killer, and he was sent to prison. Stephen informs Cork that there was a mistake and had allowed Cork to dive back into this case to figure out who murdered Chasity Boshey. Given that this case is twenty-five years old, cracking the code would be challenging, but we've learned that anyone in Tarameck County will employ any tactic to keep the truth hidden beneath the surface.

William Kurt Krueger’s writing style was incredible to read. He is very descriptive, which helps readers follow the story more easily. I found the mystery plot engaging throughout the story. The character developments throughout the novel were also very well written. I also appreciated the conversation about the Ojibwe culture and their relationship with society. It was a compelling element within the storyline of Apostle’s Cove.

I give this book a rating of 4.5 stars. I was intrigued by the story from the beginning. I liked how the book maintained a consistent pace, keeping readers engaged. There were a few moments that felt drawn out in part one. I appreciated having the full context of the original murder case, but by the end of the first part, I was ready for it to move on to the second part, which displays the case in the present day. I also appreciated the seamless introduction to new characters in the second half of the book, as well as how it connected back to the characters that were previously introduced in the first half. The story was incredible to read. The reveal was unexpected, but as it was being told, the pieces were being put together, which was appreciated. The ending of this book was my favorite part, as it neatly wrapped up the storyline. Overall, I had a great experience reading his work, and I look forward to reading more books from the Cork O’ Connor mystery series.