Readers' Comments for Tamarack County
In August, a select group of readers who participated in one of our Mystery Mayhem Author Spotlight contests won copies of TAMARACK COUNTY, the 15th book in the Cork O’Connor series by William Kent Krueger. The book opens just days before Christmas in the titular county, where the car belonging to the wife of a retired local judge is discovered abandoned on a rural road. When the beloved pet dog of a friend is found decapitated, private investigator Cork O’Connor begins to detect a startling pattern of ominous incidents throughout the area. When the threats start to get personal, Cork must work fast to untangle the deadly web someone is spinning in Tamarack County. Take a look at some of the readers' comments to give you more insight into this thrilling, yet surprisingly tender mystery.
Jack
One of his best and I'm sure there will be another soon! William Kent Krueger is one of the best writers I have found! I started by reading his fourth book, got hooked and have read them all.
This particular book, TAMARACK COUNTY, is the best one by far! His main character, Cork O'Connor, has his hands full on several fronts as the case unfolds. He is asked to help the sheriff with a missing person as part of the local "Search and Rescue” team, and one thing leads to another as things unfold in this fast-paced book. You aren't very far into the book when you find yourself on a rollercoaster ride of intrigue and murder. Members of O'Connor's family are threatened, as well as one daughter who has problems of her own, to add to the load he has to carry as the ride gets really bumpy and life-threatening. Not only is his life threatened, but other family members are targets of the killer. If you get caught up in this one like I did then you might also want a box of tissues before you get to the end of the book with questions still in your head
Robert
TAMARACK COUNTY is the perfect blend of mystery, police procedural, Native American mysticism and family dynamic. The O’Connor family would be welcome neighbors. After finishing this marvelous story, I tracked down the first book in the series and intend to get to know the O’Connors better.
Estella
The book jacket describes it as full of riveting suspense and fascinating characters. I wholeheartedly agree. It was a page-turner. I read it in two days!
I liked the way the chapters ended --- the succeeding chapter went to something else happening in the story and then the reader was taken back to the cliffhanger in the next. The novel had good character analysis. I had not read any of Mr. Krueger’s other books and this was my first introduction to them. I sympathized with the characters and found their resilience remarkable --- a bit like the “Human Spirit” attitude of: “When things get tough, the tough get going.”
Unthinkable things happened in Stella, Stephen and Anne’s lives. However, they persevered, went on and found strength on which to hold. I liked Anne’s comment about happiness: “If you spend your life looking for it, you’ll probably be disappointed. It comes on its own." And Stephen understood that life was part of the “Great Mystery.”
I belong to a book club and one member of the club is our mystery lover. She will enjoy TAMARACK COUNTY, and I also plan to share this book with a neighbor who enjoys crime novels.
Tom
I loved TAMARACK COUNTY, as I do all Mr. Krueger's books. One of the reasons I like his books is I grew up going to the Boundary Waters. I also love the Native American characters, spirituality and issues. I find Mr. Krueger's books to be about much more than just solving a mystery --- having read the rest of the series, I am involved in the characters and love their development.
One of the reasons I enjoy reading these books is to find out how the characters react and grow. I particularly have enjoyed watching the kids grow up. Up until now, I have read them all in order, but I have yet to start TRICKSTER’S POINT, so I am hoping there have not been too many spoilers. One of the other things I enjoyed about TAMARACK COUNTY is the foundation the author has laid with Stephen and Anne, one moving more into Native American spirituality and the other into Catholicism --- “White Man's” religion. I also liked Anne's relationship with Skye and the conflict that caused and how the characters moved through that. We definitely need more authors to intertwine such issues into their storytelling without making it the central focus. Being a gay man myself, I appreciate how Mr. Krueger dealt with the issue of Anne wrestling with that and her faith.
Karen
I have been a faithful reader of the Cork O'Connor series since the late ‘90s when I was introduced to his first book. I have been hooked and continue to look forward to more adventures in northern Minnesota.
I was able to finish this entire book while on a drive from my hometown in Michigan to Forest Lake, Minnesota for the Labor Day weekend. I believe it was the fastest trip back to Minnesota ever, since I was so caught up in the story. My husband and I have explored Minnesota together and have been to many of the sites mentioned in the series --- knowing the Minnesota beauty adds to my enjoyment of Krueger's books.
The characters have become a family to me that I am sad to leave until the next book is published. Krueger writes with ease and his story comes alive with twists and turns that keep the pages turning.
Mystery enthusiasts will discover TAMARACK COUNTY is a thrilling read. Even if the entire series is not familiar, the book is solid satisfaction. With the setting in pristine northern Minnesota, the novel weaves mystery in a small town with residents that come to life through Krueger's expressive style. TAMARACK COUNTY could also get readers of any genre hooked on Krueger mysteries.
Beatrice
TAMRACK COUNTY is one in a long line of Cork O'Connor mysteries I have read over the last few years. Each book is another chance to visit the O'Connor family at their home on Gooseberry Lane.
I am as involved with Anne, Jenny, Stephen and little Waaboo as I am with Cork and the cases he gets involved in. I enjoy visiting and seeing the changes in their lives. Each book draws the reader further into the lives of Cork's children and chronicles their growth.
I was pulled into TAMARACK COUNTY with the blizzard that masked the killing of Evelyn Carter. From then on, I was hooked and hated to put the book down even to sleep. It was a fun mystery to try to figure out, and I can honestly say that I couldn't guess how it would end and who the bad guy was.
Bill
Once again, Mr. Krueger does not disappoint. I have read most of his books and they are very entertaining. I have had people ask me, Why read fiction if you don't learn anything? But that is not true with this series. You actually learn a bit about Indian customs, language and beliefs. Reading this book makes you think you are in northern Minnesota. Ex-Sheriff Cork is a very real character. I don't want to give the story away, but Cork has to deal with being stuck between two women he thinks he loves, while at the same time still grieving for his deceased wife. He has a murder of an old woman and a horribly slain dog to deal with, plus his son was run off the road and something is going on with his daughter, Annie. I like the fact that women have some major roles in the story. It sounds like there is a lot going on in the story, but Mr. Krueger makes this an easy, fast and exciting read with an ending you think is over, but isn't. Not just yet!
Barry
I have just finished readingTAMARACK COUNTY. I found the many plots and twists and turns in the storyline intriguing. I have not read any of the other books in the series and I will now look for them. A few things in the book were confusing because I had not read any of the other books. The characters were mostly well-introduced so that they were easy to follow in the storyline.
I think that I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read mystery books and light reading. I think I would describe it as a murder mystery that is about the closeness and importance of family and small town people. If someone likes getting involved with the people in a book, this is a good book for them.
Steve
What an incredible read --- William Kent Krueger never disappoints. I enjoyed this one especially as it shows Stephen's development of his visions. Annie is dealing with her own struggles --- with two equal forces pulling from both sides: Love or her faith? Multiple storylines merge to create one powerful ending.
Amanda
This latest installment of the Cork O'Connor series was written beautifully. William Kent Krueger has a way of bringing the characters (good or bad) humanity that any reader can identify with. The writing is down-to-earth and leaves you wanting more.
Alice
Mystery has been my genre since my early years reading Nancy Drew. I was very excited when I was chosen to review TAMARACK COUNTY by William Kent Krueger. It is the first book I’ve read by him and now that I know it is one of a series about Cork O’Connor --- former sheriff of Tamarack County, private investigator, burger joint owner, family man and Ojibwe Indian --- I can’t wait to go back and read the others. The tension that Mr. Krueger builds makes you keep turning the pages and the book is very hard to put down. That’s a big compliment. He gives the background of the characters so that I never felt lost and could read this as a stand-alone book. His interspersing of the Ojibwa culture, the climate and the terrain of northern Minnesota were done in such a way that they were part of the story –-- an extremely interesting and important part. I liked the fact that the author showed the different sides to Cork –-- gentle, generous family man and friend, but also ruthless when necessary to confront the evil he comes upon. The fact that Mr. Krueger could weave in several story lines --- separate mysteries --- and keep them interesting and not confusing and then tie everything up in a believable way is a credit to him. Nothing seemed forced, and everything just flowed so easily. I will be passing this book on to my grown daughter, my best friend and one daughter-in-law. We all love mysteries and I know that this one will be winner with them. I believe that male and female readers will enjoy this book equally.
Margit
I really liked the book and had a hard time putting it down. I have already told a bunch of people about it and it's already being passed around. I told people that it was a really quick, absorbing read, and I liked it so much that I'm going to go back and find more of Krueger's books to read.
Cynde
I have read all of the Cork series and love them; however, I was just a little let down with this one. I saw no need to bring the gay issue into the story, as we have grown up with his daughter and there was never any indication of it. I feel it was just used because it is a hot-button issue today and it spoiled it for me. I have no problem with the gay community, but just saw no reason for it. Other than that, the book veered a little from the usual Cork books. I look forward to the next one just the same. The stories went back and forth a bit too much for me, and I would have preferred one story throughout. I did very much enjoy getting to know Cork's son better and look forward to more about him in the future.
