Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger

 

First Sentence:  It’s after the lunch rush, and the man at the window orders a Sam’s Special, large fries, and a chocolate shake, a pretty standard request.

Henry Meloux, an ancient Ojibway healer, has had visions of his own death.  Dolores Morriseau has come to Henry for solace and advice.  Cork O’Connor’s wife, and Henry’s niece, Rainy, agree to assist Henry and Dolores. All is well until three men, one of whom tricked Cork into leading them to Henry’s, show up intent on killing Dolores.  The only choice Henry has is to lead the two women into the woods and head for the Boundary Waters to keep the three of them safe.  Anton Morriseau, Dolores’ brother-in-law, hunter, and cop with the Leech Lake Tribal Police, arrives and proves to Cork the man claiming to be related to Dolores is an imposter. He and Cork head off to find Henry, Dolores, and Rainy, not knowing the danger they will all be in.

There is a prologue, but it works, providing the perspective of one of the principal characters.  The story is told in present tense from three points of view with the transitions indicated by the chapter heading. This prevents any confusion on the part of the reader.

Krueger has created an excellent ensemble of characters in Cork, Rainy, and Henry. Cork’s son, Stephen, and Rainy’s nephew, Daniel, also play a significant role. However, none of them are perfect and Cork’s realization of a failure is one that can be felt and understood. 

One can’t help but admire Henry’s philosophy toward death—“He understands his death is an experience neither to fear nor to welcome.  It is simply a place toward which he has been walking since the moment of his birth.” I was also taken by Henry always referring to the Native Indians as “The People,” which conveys dignity and rightfulness. There are no weak characters here, all the supporting characters are significant to the story and well-defined.

What is particularly interesting about this book is the character LaLoup, the tracker hired by the villain, and witnessing the change he undergoes as the story unfolds.  This is a character one hopes may return in future books.

There is a mysterious message saying “Kill Catie” which adds to the complexity of the plot. It’s not unusual to have a story focused on the hunted and the hunters.  Krueger takes it one step further by adding another layer, and then the weather on top of it all, making it particularly exciting. Kruger’s writing is visual due to his strong sense of place, and ability to convey emotions.  Any time both the protagonists and the villains are up against a deadline, the tension and suspense are heightened.  In this case, each side knows they will experience serious consequences if they fail.

Krueger is a wonderful writer and reading the Author Notes is strongly recommended. Although this book can be read as a standalone, reading the entire series is a special treat. 

FOX CREEK is an excellent and exciting read. This is not a book one will put down and come back to later. The theme is timely and important. The characters are excellent.  In a review by John Purcell, he noted—"Cork is the center, but Henry is the heart.” I couldn’t have put it better.  The ending is reassuring, but only if we pay attention. There are some good lessons to be learned. 

FOX CREEK (PI- Cork O’Connor-Boundary Waters, MN-Contemp)
William Kent Krueger – 19^th in series
Atria Books, Aug 2022, 400 pp.
RATING: Ex / A+

Shifty's Boys by Chris Offutt

First Sentence:  At age eight, Albin decided to be a race-car driver when he grew up.

Mick Hardin’s life isn’t going well.  He is on medical leave from the Army CID, dealing with the end of his marriage, and living in his late mother’s house now owned by his sister, Linda, who is running for re-election as the sheriff of Rocksalt. Things are even worse for Barney Kissick, known as “Fuckin’ Barney,” a known drug dealer who was found shot to death in the parking lot of Western Auto.  At Mick’s last conversation with Shifty Kissick, Barney’s mother, they were both armed. Now she wants him to find Barney’s killer.

Offutt’s descriptions often have a lyrical quality to them—“There was a palpable energy in the hills from the trees still in flower, the opening leaves of softwoods, and the infant animals.” 

The book is built on strong, yet very human, characters.  Mick is recovering from an IED injury and dealing with the betrayal of his soon-to-be ex-wife, trying to get off a dependency on drugs and alcohol to dull his pain.  Linda wants to prove herself as sheriff by winning the election even if it means rescuing a dog from a tree. Deputy Johnny Boy Tolliver may have a weak stomach and a fear of ghosts, but he loves his job and is observant, organized, and resourceful. Shifty Kissick wants to know who killed her son.  He may have been a drug dealer, but he was her first boy, although not the first she has lost or will lose.  

Mick is a wonderfully atypical protagonist.  From his experience in the military, he knows the value of life—“Fuckin’ Barney got shot down like a dog.  The guy might kill somebody else.  There’s never just one.  If I can stop it, I will. I had enough of people dying to last a lifetime.”  Even Linda, is aware of it—“Despite being capable of violence, he operated from a base of compassion that surprised her.” Even his stature is unexpected—“Shorter than everyone, including Linda, he exuded a sense of restrained power.”

There are wonderful idioms that reflect the speech of the region, such as describing someone as—“Keen as a briar.  Crazy as a soup sandwich.” 

 SHIFTY’S BOYS is darker, and more violent than Offutt’s first book “The Killing Hills.” Of Mitch, Offutt writes--“He’d become what he despised—a retribution killer.” However, it’s a very good read with great characters, and excellent dialogue, including thought-provoking, backcountry wisdom.  “He wondered how often people tried to convince themselves that homicide was acceptable in service to the greater good.” This seems to be a common theme these days and an interesting one to ponder.

 
SHIFTY’S BOYS (Noir-Mick Hardin-Rocksalt, Kentucky-Contemp)
by Chris Offutt – 2^nd in series
Grove Press, Jun 2022, 282 pp.
RATING:  VG+/A

 

Three Pines: The television series

IIPMO - LJ's Review: "THREE PINES, an Amazon Prime television series based on the books by Louise Penny.

From the opening scene where we see Gamache reprimand a young officer, to where he gives the indigenous family a ride home, Alfred Molina is excellent as Gamache, capturing his compassion, his sense of justice, and later, his occasional humor. His face is expressive, often conveying more emotion than could words.

The casting of the Three Pines residents is excellent, and the inclusion of Tantoo Cardinal's character is one I can see Louise incorporating into a future book. I did always envision Jean-Guy as somewhat younger and clean-shaven, but I can deal with that.

The story of the missing indigenous women is an important part of Canada's sad story that needs to be told. I appreciated that the principal photography occurred between August and early December of 2021. No fake winter here. The winter scenes made one feel the cold.

This is no Cabot Cove. The story had a darkness to it as befits a murder investigation. The inclusion of the bluejay and Gamache's dreams only enhanced the atmosphere and seriousness of the plot. And serious it is with significant hits to the heart.

THREE PINES, Season 1 has eight episodes and is a series I highly recommend. Not only am I looking forward to the next 6 episodes, but very much hope for Seasons 2, 3, 4, ...

THREE PINES Produced by Left Bank Pictures

Released December 1, 2022 Rating: Ex