Mercy Falls: A Novel (Cork O'Connor) [Paperback]

William Kent Krueger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 11, 2009 | Series: Cork O'Connor

In this "smart and satisfying" (Booklist) Anthony Award-winning novel from William Kent Krueger's stunning Cork O'Connor series, the charismatic detective faces his most dangerous case to date.

Back in the saddle as sheriff of Tamarack County, Cork O'Connor is lured to the nearby Ojibwe reservation on what appears to be a routine call -- only to become the target of sniper fire. Soon after, he's called to investigate a mutilated body found perched above the raging waters of Mercy Falls. The victim is Eddie Jacoby, a Chicago businessman negotiating an unpopular contract between his management firm and the local Indian casino.

Sparks fly when the wealthy Jacoby family hires a beautiful private investigator to consult on the case. But once Cork discovers an old and passionate tie between one of the Jacoby sons and his own wife, Jo, he begins to suspect that dark, personal motives lurk behind recent events. Murder, greed, sex, and jealousy hide around every corner in this maze of danger. But somewhere beneath the turbulent Mercy Falls lies the truth -- and Cork is determined to find it.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this solid, action-packed procedural, an assassin lies in wait for Tamarack County, Minn., sheriff Corcoran "Cork" O'Connor, and even darker threats loom for him and his family. Cork answers a routine domestic violence call on the Iron Lake Reservation. ("It didn't feel right. A man like Eli might get drunk and riled up enough to kill his wife, but he'd never shoot his dogs.") Rifle fire drops Cork's deputy, and as the manhunt escalates, Cork realizes he's been lured into a trap. Part Ojibwe by birth, he must canoe into lake-riddled northern Minnesota in search of a suspect named Stone. ("On the rez, some people call him majimanidoo. A bad spirit. A devil.") The mutilation killing of shady Chicago businessman Eddie Jacoby in the parking lot overlooking Mercy Falls may be connected, and Cork learns his wife once had an affair with Jacoby's brother. The appearance of Dina Willner, a sexy security specialist, further complicates the emotional landscape. Krueger (Blood Hollow, etc.) handles Cork's fifth adventure with complete competence, but this isn't merely police work with a touch of Tony Hillerman. In a powerful finale, he forces Cork, who has earned new enemies, to leave his badge behind, foreshadowing another dynamic entry in this popular series.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In the fifth Cork O'Connor novel, a -domestic-disturbance call on the Ojibwa reservation turns nasty when someone starts taking potshots at Cork. Elsewhere, the body of a Chicago businessman is found on the banks of Mercy Falls. The victim was trying to broker a deal between his casino-management company and the reservation. Could someone on the res have killed him? Throw into the mix a beautiful private investigator and the victim's half brother, who used to be Cork's wife's lover (still with me?), and you have a mystery with enough twists and turns to leave even the hardiest reader dazed and confused. Cork, the sharp-witted small-town sheriff, continues to be an engaging and sympathetic series anchor; likewise, Krueger's depiction of rural America and the cultural differences among its residents remains compassionate and authentic. Not just for fans of the series, the novel is a smart and satisfying mystery on its own. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books; Reprint edition (August 11, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439157804
• ISBN-13: 978-1439157800
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,545 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

For more than two decades, William Kent Krueger has made his home in St. Paul, Minnesota, with his wife and two children. His Cork O'Connor novels, Iron Lake (winner of the 1998 Anthony Award for Best First Novel and the Barry Award), Boundary Waters, Purgatory Ridge, Blood Hollow (winner of the 2004 Anthony Award for Best Novel), Mercy Falls (winner of the 2005 Anthony Award for Best Novel), Copper River (winner of a 2006 Minnesota Book Award) and Thunder Bay (winner of the 2007 Minnesota Book Award for Best Genre Fiction), as well as the political thriller The Devil's Bed, are available from Atria Books. Visit his website at www.williamkentkrueger.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars What a disappointment!, March 18, 2006

By 

Kaye Barlow (Vancouver Island, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mercy Falls (Cork O'Connor Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I have enjoyed previous books by this author but this one was a great disappointment.

The story was somewhat slow moving but held my interest and continued to be gripping. I was all set to enjoy the end of a 4 star read. The roll towards the end was exciting.
And then....

The ending was such a rip off. A blatant effort to segue into his next book.

Talk about feeling manipulated!!

Well, I'll pass on that seguel.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Krueger is one of the few that can get away with this ending., October 28, 2005

By 

L. J. Roberts (Oakland, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mercy Falls (Cork O'Connor Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I love Kreuger's writing. He creates characters about whom you care, a plot that carries you without fault from beginning to end, a sense of place you can see and dialogue you can hear. He even get away with an ending that, from a lesser author, would be a wallbanger for me, but I know I'll read Krueger's next book anyway, so I forgive him but it did cause me to drop from an Excellent to a Very Good rating. If you've not read Krueger, do, but I would start at the beginning.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mercy Falls (Cork O'Conner Mysteries by William Kent Krueger, June 25, 2007

By 

Michael J. Muszynski (Kensington, Connecticut USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mercy Falls (Cork O'Connor Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

I happen to pick up one of Mr. Krueger's books because it seemed like something that I would like to read.
Since then, I have read every book written by William Kent Krueger.

As every one of his books, "Mercy Falls" will captive you and you will not be able to put it down.
His writing makes you feel as if you're living within the story.

Believe me...when you're done, you'll be hunting for more William Kent Krueger's books!!!

Mike