Publication
New York : Atria Books, 2018.
Collection
Call number
Fiction K
Physical description
320 p.; 24 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
"New York Times bestselling author William Kent Krueger delivers yet another "punch-to-the-gut blend of detective story and investigative fiction" (Booklist, starred review) as Cork O'Connor and his son Stephen work together to uncover the truth behind the tragic plane crash of a senator on Desolation Mountain and the mysterious disappearances of several first responders. This is a heart-pounding and devastating mystery the scope and consequences of which go far beyond what father or son could ever have imagined. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. To Stephen O'Connor, Hamlet's dour observation is more than just words. All his life, he has had visions of tragedies to come. When he experiences the vision of a great bird shot from the sky, he knows something terrible is about to happen. The crash of a private plane on Desolation Mountain in a remote part of the Iron Lake Reservation, which kills a United States senator and most of her family, confirms Stephen's worst fears. Stephen joins his father, Cork O'Connor and a few Ojibwe men from the nearby Iron Lake reservation to sift through the smoldering wreckage when the FBI arrives and quickly assumes control of the situation. What seems like the end of the O'Connors' involvement is, however, only the beginning of a harrowing journey to understand the truth behind the Senator's death. As he initiates his own probe, Cork O'Connor stumbles upon a familiar face in Bo Thorson, a private security consultant whose unnamed clients have hired him to look quietly into the cause of the crash. The men agree to join forces in their investigation, but soon Cork begins to wonder if Thorson's loyalties lie elsewhere. In that far north Minnesota County, which is overrun with agents of the FBI, NTSB, DoD, and even members of a rightwing militia, all of whom have their own agendas, Cork, Stephen, and Bo attempt to navigate a perilous course. Roadblocked by lies from the highest levels of government, uncertain who to trust, and facing growing threats the deeper they dig for answers, the three men finally understand that to get to the truth, they will have to face the great menace, a beast of true evil lurking in the woods--a beast with a murderous intent of unimaginable scale"--… (more)
Subjects
Series
Genres
User reviews
LibraryThing member Beamis12
When Cork's son Stephen has a vision, one he doesn't understand he turns to the now ancient midi, Henry. Love his character, though he is now a hundred years old. A senators plane crashes, a senator whose agenda angered many. She was sympathetic to those on the Iron Lake reservation who were
This is another series of that I have read from the beginning, so it feels like a visit to old friends. I love the mix of the Indian culture, mystery, close family relations, and the setting of the amazing boundary Waters. Mans greed knows no bounds, was the plane crashes an accident or something else? Every government agency is on the ground, an old friend makes an appearance, and when some of the natives go missing Cork is determined to find out exactly what happened. The danger will come too close to home, affecting those Cork loves best. Too close for comfort,and it left me holding my breath.
Okay, the ending, I'll just say it left me very emotonal. Such a good series.
ARC from Netgalley.
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against the mines being reopened. The runoff from the mine would pollute the crystal clear water that was depended on by many.This is another series of that I have read from the beginning, so it feels like a visit to old friends. I love the mix of the Indian culture, mystery, close family relations, and the setting of the amazing boundary Waters. Mans greed knows no bounds, was the plane crashes an accident or something else? Every government agency is on the ground, an old friend makes an appearance, and when some of the natives go missing Cork is determined to find out exactly what happened. The danger will come too close to home, affecting those Cork loves best. Too close for comfort,and it left me holding my breath.
Okay, the ending, I'll just say it left me very emotonal. Such a good series.
ARC from Netgalley.
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LibraryThing member diana.hauser
DESOLATION MOUNTAIN by William Kent Krueger is Book 17 in Mr. Krueger’s Cork O’Connor Mystery series.
I have read every title and been impressed with each and every one. This new title is no exception.
Highlights include Visions, specifically a repeated (very troubling) vision experienced by
The writing is fast-paced and character-driven. There is a grand sense of place. We meet many familiar characters and a new character, Bo Thorson, is introduced.
*Note Bo was a main character in an early (stand-alone title by Mr. Krueger). He is very interesting and a conscience-driven character like Cork. I suspect (and hope) that we will see more of him.
I would heartily recommend this title. *****
I have read every title and been impressed with each and every one. This new title is no exception.
Highlights include Visions, specifically a repeated (very troubling) vision experienced by
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Stephen; Ojibwe culture, customs and mythology; a plane crash with a notable US senator on board; right wing militias; a fast-paced detective story; dirty politics; friendship; family and tribal ties.The writing is fast-paced and character-driven. There is a grand sense of place. We meet many familiar characters and a new character, Bo Thorson, is introduced.
*Note Bo was a main character in an early (stand-alone title by Mr. Krueger). He is very interesting and a conscience-driven character like Cork. I suspect (and hope) that we will see more of him.
I would heartily recommend this title. *****
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LibraryThing member cmt100
Such a good series. The further adventures of Cork O'Connor and his family and friends. If you haven't read William Kent Krueger, I hope you do. This one isn't his best, perhaps, but even his "not best" is a very good read.
LibraryThing member jamespurcell
This series continues to be excellent and each new installment is worth waiting for. The death of a US Senator in a plane crash on the Ojibway Reservation starts a cascade of violence with neonasties and other covert military types into causes and coverups.
LibraryThing member jwrudn
This is the 17th in this excellent series about Cork O’Conner. I have read and enjoyed them all from the beginning: Great writing, a wonderful sense of place, Native American Ojibwe culture, a bit of mysticism, evolving family dynamics, and good plots.
When a plane carrying a senator crashes on
I found the ending a little unsatisfying (although it does have an emotional kicker that is a harbinger of a good story to come) but this remains one of my favorite series.
When a plane carrying a senator crashes on
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Desolation Mountain, several groups come to search for the flight recorder. Some are from the government, some are not and it is not clear who some of them are. One is Cork’s old acquaintance, Bo Thorsen. When Cork’s Ojibwe neighbors begin to disappear, Cork decides to investigate and forms an uneasy alliance with Bo. Cork’s son Stephen, who wants to become a mide, has a vision that seemed to presage the crash. With the help of Henry, a centenarian Ojibwe healer, he struggles to understand the vision in the hope that it will yield some clues about the crash. I found the ending a little unsatisfying (although it does have an emotional kicker that is a harbinger of a good story to come) but this remains one of my favorite series.
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LibraryThing member jfe16
Stephen O’Connor’s vision is a frightening one of an eagle shot from the sky, an egg dropped, and horrific, menacing danger. Troubled by his inability to understand the vision, Stephen seeks out Henry Meloux, an Ojibwe elder and healer.
When a plane crash on Desolation Mountain kills a senator
The seventeenth Cork O’Connor story in the series brings together many of the expected familiar characters. With its strong sense of place, its intriguing plot, and characters so real they seem ready to jump off the page, readers will find much to appreciate in this tale of intrigue and mystery. The unfolding story builds suspense; the unexpected twists keep the pages turning.
Highly recommended.
When a plane crash on Desolation Mountain kills a senator
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and her family, it’s not long before several of the first responders to the crash mysteriously vanish. Stephen joins his father, Cork O’Connor, and several others in a search for answers. Thwarted at every turn by government investigators who seem to have their own agendas . . . ones not necessarily related to discovering the truth . . . they soon discover that nothing, even Cork’s old friend Bo Thorson, is as it seems.The seventeenth Cork O’Connor story in the series brings together many of the expected familiar characters. With its strong sense of place, its intriguing plot, and characters so real they seem ready to jump off the page, readers will find much to appreciate in this tale of intrigue and mystery. The unfolding story builds suspense; the unexpected twists keep the pages turning.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member beckyhaase
DESOLATION MOUNTAIN by William Kent Krueger
I have not read any of Krueger’s Cork O’Conner mysteries, but I am a huge fan or Ordinary Grace. DESOLATION MOUNTAIN did not disappoint. The characters were refined and true to character as the book progressed. The area of Minnesota was so clearly
The plight of the Ojibway Indians and their reservation was clear even though really not a pivotal part of the plot. The mystery leaked out slowly, just enough to keep my interest and the menacing terror growing. Although there were many deaths, this was not a gruesome book. There is minimal foul language. The plot and all its permutations were neatly concluded in a satisfying way.
A very good mystery by a very good writer.
5 of 5 stars
I have not read any of Krueger’s Cork O’Conner mysteries, but I am a huge fan or Ordinary Grace. DESOLATION MOUNTAIN did not disappoint. The characters were refined and true to character as the book progressed. The area of Minnesota was so clearly
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utilized it was almost a character.The plight of the Ojibway Indians and their reservation was clear even though really not a pivotal part of the plot. The mystery leaked out slowly, just enough to keep my interest and the menacing terror growing. Although there were many deaths, this was not a gruesome book. There is minimal foul language. The plot and all its permutations were neatly concluded in a satisfying way.
A very good mystery by a very good writer.
5 of 5 stars
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LibraryThing member nbmars
This is the seventeenth book in the series involving Cork O’Connor, the part-Irish, part-Anishinaabe Indian ex-sheriff of the small town of Aurora, Minnesota. While no longer formally serving in law enforcement, Cork is now a private investigator.
Cork is thought of as ogichidaa - the Ojibwe word
As this book begins, Stephen has had another vision, and it upsets him. The local Anishinaabe Mide - a spiritual guide and Stephen’s mentor, Henry Meloux - is unable to help him, but Henry agrees he can feel there is evil coming. The family not only respects Henry, but has a number of ties to him. Cork recently married Henry’s niece, Rainy Bisonette, and Cork’s daughter Jenny married Rainy’s nephew Daniel, an officer with the Iron Lake Ojibwe Department of Conservation Enforcement. Jenny and Daniel have a five-year-old boy they call Waaboozoons, shortened to Waaboo, Ojibwe for “little rabbit.” They are beginning to suspect that Waaboo has a second sight similar to Stephen’s.
But their sometimes idyllic life is threatened by proposed sulfide mining. The Minnesota Senator, Olympia McCarthy, opposed the mine, and was flying out to address a town meeting on the issue. Tragedy struck, however, when the small plane she was in crashed over the Iron Lake Reservation, killing all on board. Soon the town was filled with all kinds of government agents trying to find out what happened, including NTSB, FBI, and Homeland Security, as well as some scary players no one is able to identify.
Exactly how or why the plane went down is a mystery. Was it downed intentionally, and if so, why? What were the perpetrators trying to prevent? - something in the Senator’s agenda, such as her opposition to the mine? Could it have been the anti-assault rifle legislation the Senator was about to introduce? What about her opposition to the proposed Manila Accord, favored by the alt-right, the rejection of which would affect the profits of arms merchants? Or was this an action by the Lexington Brigade, a radical anti-government militia group?
Nothing is clear, and when members of the reservation who were around to see the plane crash go missing one by one, the stakes become huge. Cork gets involved because it is in his nature that he can’t stop trying to help and protect people; Stephen because his vision drives him, and because he is still fighting to be ogichidaa instead of Mide; and Daniel because he is in law enforcement and wants to make sure he protects his family. There is another person who joins their side, or seems to, at any rate: Bo Thorson, a former secret service agent who worked with Cork years ago, and who has been hired by a private client to get the facts about the plane crash.
Before long, all of them are fighting for their lives.
Evaluation: Although this is part of a series, it is quite possible to read this one without feeling lost. On the contrary, Krueger manages to pull you into the O’Connor family immediately. Krueger is a good writer, and I love how he integrates Native American culture and an appreciation for the landscape into his stories. He is especially good at finding ways to advocate for the Native American respect for the land, as in this passage from a woman attending the town hall:
“The earth isn’t just rock and dirt and trees and water. It’s one thing, one heart, one spirit. It offers us life and beauty and, if we listen, wisdom. And it asks nothing in return, not even gratitude, because giving is the whole reason for its creation.”
This particular entry in the Cork O’Connor books is probably best described as a political thriller. Although the story is tied up at the end, there are nevertheless hints of changes to the O'Connor family that ensure fans will want to continue the series.
Cork is thought of as ogichidaa - the Ojibwe word
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for someone who stands between evil and the people he loves. His 20-year-old son Stephen wishes he were ogichidaa too, but his talent (or curse, as he considers it) is that he sees visions. He can’t always explain them, not even to himself, but generally they portend something evil that is coming.As this book begins, Stephen has had another vision, and it upsets him. The local Anishinaabe Mide - a spiritual guide and Stephen’s mentor, Henry Meloux - is unable to help him, but Henry agrees he can feel there is evil coming. The family not only respects Henry, but has a number of ties to him. Cork recently married Henry’s niece, Rainy Bisonette, and Cork’s daughter Jenny married Rainy’s nephew Daniel, an officer with the Iron Lake Ojibwe Department of Conservation Enforcement. Jenny and Daniel have a five-year-old boy they call Waaboozoons, shortened to Waaboo, Ojibwe for “little rabbit.” They are beginning to suspect that Waaboo has a second sight similar to Stephen’s.
But their sometimes idyllic life is threatened by proposed sulfide mining. The Minnesota Senator, Olympia McCarthy, opposed the mine, and was flying out to address a town meeting on the issue. Tragedy struck, however, when the small plane she was in crashed over the Iron Lake Reservation, killing all on board. Soon the town was filled with all kinds of government agents trying to find out what happened, including NTSB, FBI, and Homeland Security, as well as some scary players no one is able to identify.
Exactly how or why the plane went down is a mystery. Was it downed intentionally, and if so, why? What were the perpetrators trying to prevent? - something in the Senator’s agenda, such as her opposition to the mine? Could it have been the anti-assault rifle legislation the Senator was about to introduce? What about her opposition to the proposed Manila Accord, favored by the alt-right, the rejection of which would affect the profits of arms merchants? Or was this an action by the Lexington Brigade, a radical anti-government militia group?
Nothing is clear, and when members of the reservation who were around to see the plane crash go missing one by one, the stakes become huge. Cork gets involved because it is in his nature that he can’t stop trying to help and protect people; Stephen because his vision drives him, and because he is still fighting to be ogichidaa instead of Mide; and Daniel because he is in law enforcement and wants to make sure he protects his family. There is another person who joins their side, or seems to, at any rate: Bo Thorson, a former secret service agent who worked with Cork years ago, and who has been hired by a private client to get the facts about the plane crash.
Before long, all of them are fighting for their lives.
Evaluation: Although this is part of a series, it is quite possible to read this one without feeling lost. On the contrary, Krueger manages to pull you into the O’Connor family immediately. Krueger is a good writer, and I love how he integrates Native American culture and an appreciation for the landscape into his stories. He is especially good at finding ways to advocate for the Native American respect for the land, as in this passage from a woman attending the town hall:
“The earth isn’t just rock and dirt and trees and water. It’s one thing, one heart, one spirit. It offers us life and beauty and, if we listen, wisdom. And it asks nothing in return, not even gratitude, because giving is the whole reason for its creation.”
This particular entry in the Cork O’Connor books is probably best described as a political thriller. Although the story is tied up at the end, there are nevertheless hints of changes to the O'Connor family that ensure fans will want to continue the series.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Andy_DiMartino
Another great tale!!
LibraryThing member DrApple
A Good Solid Mystery - Another mystery featuring Native Americans and outside bad guys, as with the previous work I read, the characters are compelling and make you want to keep reading. In this story, a plane crash has killed a politician and her family. Sinister forces seem to be involved in
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keeping the investigation into the cause of the crash from taking place. Show Less
LibraryThing member lewilliams
A good edition to the Cork O'Conner series. This book is mostly about political intrigue and his son Stephan looking for answers to his vision.
LibraryThing member jepeters333
To Stephen O’Connor, Hamlet’s dour observation is more than just words. All his life, he has had visions of tragedies to come. When he experiences the vision of a great bird shot from the sky, he knows something terrible is about to happen. The crash of a private plane on Desolation Mountain in
Stephen joins his father, Cork O’Connor and a few Ojibwe men from the nearby Iron Lake reservation to sift through the smoldering wreckage when the FBI arrives and quickly assumes control of the situation. What seems like the end of the O’Connors’ involvement is, however, only the beginning of a harrowing journey to understand the truth behind the Senator’s death. As he initiates his own probe, Cork O’Connor stumbles upon a familiar face in Bo Thorson, a private security consultant whose unnamed clients have hired him to look quietly into the cause of the crash. The men agree to join forces in their investigation, but soon Cork begins to wonder if Thorson’s loyalties lie elsewhere.
In that far north Minnesota County, which is overrun with agents of the FBI, NTSB, DoD, and even members of a rightwing militia, all of whom have their own agendas, Cork, Stephen, and Bo attempt to navigate a perilous course. Roadblocked by lies from the highest levels of government, uncertain who to trust, and facing growing threats the deeper they dig for answers, the three men finally understand that to get to the truth, they will have to face the great menace, a beast of true evil lurking in the woods—a beast with a murderous intent of unimaginable scale.
Show More
a remote part of the Iron Lake Reservation, which kills a United States senator and most of her family, confirms Stephen’s worst fears.Stephen joins his father, Cork O’Connor and a few Ojibwe men from the nearby Iron Lake reservation to sift through the smoldering wreckage when the FBI arrives and quickly assumes control of the situation. What seems like the end of the O’Connors’ involvement is, however, only the beginning of a harrowing journey to understand the truth behind the Senator’s death. As he initiates his own probe, Cork O’Connor stumbles upon a familiar face in Bo Thorson, a private security consultant whose unnamed clients have hired him to look quietly into the cause of the crash. The men agree to join forces in their investigation, but soon Cork begins to wonder if Thorson’s loyalties lie elsewhere.
In that far north Minnesota County, which is overrun with agents of the FBI, NTSB, DoD, and even members of a rightwing militia, all of whom have their own agendas, Cork, Stephen, and Bo attempt to navigate a perilous course. Roadblocked by lies from the highest levels of government, uncertain who to trust, and facing growing threats the deeper they dig for answers, the three men finally understand that to get to the truth, they will have to face the great menace, a beast of true evil lurking in the woods—a beast with a murderous intent of unimaginable scale.
Show Less
LibraryThing member waldhaus1
Asense of the profound wrapped in a good story.
Many threads dxtending from the death of Minnesota’s US Senator in a plane crash. Cork, Stephen and the whole family get involved in untangling the threads. New characters are brought in some I expect to stick around. Stephen and Henry continue to
Many threads dxtending from the death of Minnesota’s US Senator in a plane crash. Cork, Stephen and the whole family get involved in untangling the threads. New characters are brought in some I expect to stick around. Stephen and Henry continue to
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bond as Stephen struggles to work out ahd understand his vision which is at the center of the story. Show Less
Language
Original publication date
2018
ISBN
9781501147463