William Kent Krueger's Iron Lake

William Kent Krueger Iron Lake

Plot:

Part Irish, part Anishinaable Indian, Corcoran "Cork" O'Conner is the former sheriff of Aurora Minnesota. Embittered by his "former" status, and the marital meltdown that has separated him from his children, Cork gets by on heavy doses of caffeine, nicotine, and guilt. Once a cop on Chicago's South Side, there's not much that can shock him. But when the town's judge is brutally murdered, and a young Eagle Scout is reported missing, Cork takes on a mind-jolting case of conspiracy, corruption, and scandal. As a lakeside blizzard buries Aurora, Cork must dig out the truth among town officials who seem dead set on stopping his investigation in its tracks. But even Cork freezes up when faced with the harshest enemy of all: a small-town secret that hits painfully close to home.

My Review and Thoughts:

Do you need a good reality check in finding a good book, look no further than this thriller mystery. I love to use the term compelling and awesome. This is what great crime writing is all about. This is a pure crime fiction at it's best, a powerful in your face murder mystery. A true modern classic of murder fiction.

The best part of the book is not only the story but the main players. Cork is a true one of kind character that stands out perfect for the reader. He is basically your everyday down in the luck person that the reader can relate to. I think his character is one to remember, one that goes up there with the classics like Jesse Stone, Ellery Queen, Philip Marlowe, and many others. 

I think this book is a plot driven tour-de-force of the human soul. A haunting cat and mouse game that's creepy at times in the secrets and lies and cover-up department of reality. This is a book of powerful descriptions, twisted word play and perfect for the crime fiction buff. 

Dare I say this plays out like a great boogieman horror story, yet this is not a mythical horror movie monster, this is a killer or killer's that are real and yet stands out as that boogieman monster. A great mystery, a hidden truth mixed with countless lies is what this amazing story is about. 

This book is a stand out thriller with a massive multi-layered story-line. A story written in thick character development. A who-dunnit story that keeps you guessing on just what is happening.

A little twisted story that William Kent Krueger weaves together for the reader in great fictional crime detail. Thick crime mystery fiction, thick drama, thick suspense and most of all an underlining terror of a small town with secrets and actions that cloud the peaceful reality. 

I enjoyed the simple tone at times to this multi-layered fictional story that felt real. A murder of a judge, a missing boy, a winter storm, a town of secrets all come full blast to create a one of kind atmosphere. This mixes the beauty of a small town with the horror's that can happen in a big city type setting. A peaceful place at least thought of that way, until truths come out to lay there foundation of corruption and most of all murder.

A wonderful plotted story, it feels like a complete image of a small town and it's inhabitants. The story leaves nothing out. Each character is thick plotted and you know there story. Cork is so well written and developed you are his kin, you feel like a brother or sister. His emotions you become apart of. 

This is a storyteller lover's dream. If you love good written fictional characters, a town setting filled with secrets and a glossary of actions and situations look no further, I can not say this enough it's a true tour-de-force of writing. Everything you could want in a story makes itself known in this book, drama, love, mystery, suspense, hate, laughter, horror, violence, murder, lies, secrets, temptation, lust, myths and legends. This is a mixed bag of a perfect fictional book.

If I was describing this book as a movie or a TV show it would be a mix of Fargo with Northern Exposure and a slice of Twin Peaks with a spoonful of Murder She Wrote and a dab of Law & Order all the while splashing in the likes of drama induced dilemmas of a soap opera. I love this book and the writing is gorgeous, stunning and easy to consume. 

A brilliant mind is William Kent Krueger. This book not only gives you a satisfying read from an amazing story teller it gives you much in the history department of Indians and also in philosophy induced moments of great saying to understand and live by.

There are so many thought provoking sayings in this book. One of my all time favorite lines from the book is: 

(This is after someone says they are not sorry for killing someone)

"Once someone’s dead, being sorry doesn't cut it. If you hit a man you can apologize. If you destroy his property you can pay him back, but if you take his life there's nothing you can ever do to make that right."

If only people understand that before acting. This is an awe inspiring mystery that gives a thick plot that lingers and stays with you long after the book is over. I became apart of Iron Lake. I became a town citizen, I lived inside the legends, I became apart of this book, and now I want to stay.