Red Knife: A Cork O'Connor Mystery (Cork O'Connor Series) [Abridged, Audiobook, CD] [Audio CD]

William Kent Krueger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 28, 2009 | Series: Cork O'Connor Series (Book 8)

When the daughter of a powerful businessman dies as a result of her meth addiction, her father, strong-willed and brutal Buck Reinhardt, vows revenge. His target is the Red Boyz, a gang of Ojibwe youths accused of supplying the girl’s fatal drug dose. When the head of the Red Boyz and his wife are murdered in a way that suggests execution, the Ojibwe gang mobilizes, and the citizens of Tamarack County brace themselves for war, white against red. Both sides look to Cork O’Connor, a man of mixed heritage, to uncover the truth behind the murders. A former sheriff, Cork has lived, fought, and nearly died to keep the small-town streets and his family safe from harm. He knows that violence is never a virtue, but he believes that it’s sometimes a necessary response to the evil that men do. Racing to find answers before the bloodshed spreads, Cork himself becomes involved in the darkest of deeds. As the unspeakable unfolds in the remote and beautiful place he calls home, Cork is forced to confront the horrific truth: Violence is a beast that cannot be contained. In Red Knife, Krueger gives his readers a vivid picture of racial conflict in small-town America, as well as a sensitive look at the secrets we keep from even those closest to us and the destructive nature of all that is left unsaid between fathers and sons, husbands and wives, friends and lovers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Racial tensions fuel Krueger's outstanding ninth Cork O'Connor mystery, which delivers everything its predecessors like Thunder Bay have promised—and more. Threats from all sides assail former sheriff and part-time PI Cork O'Connor, who's part Ojibwa, in his efforts to mediate the smoldering feud between Tamarack County's whites and the recently formed Red Boyz: threats from Buck Reinhardt, brutal father of a girl destroyed by drugs dealt by Lonnie Thunder; from the Red Boyz after the gang-style execution of their leader, Alex Kingbird, and his wife; from the Latin Lords, expanding their drug trade into northern Minnesota. Simply and elegantly told, this sad story of loyalty and honor, corruption and hatred, hauntingly carves utterly convincing characters, both red and white, into the consciousness. Krueger mourns the death of ideals and celebrates true old values. As Cork tells an Ojibwa friend, Maybe you can't alter the human heart... but you can remove the weapons—the first step, perhaps, in blazing a trail toward sanity and hope. (Sept.)
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.

Review

"If you don't know Cork O'Connor, get to know him now." -- Booklist

"Cork O'Connor...is one of those hometown heroes you rarely see...someone so decent and true, he might restore his town's battered faith in the old values." -- The New York Times Book Review

"William Kent Krueger is one of the best mystery writers out there. Any reader who has yet to pick up one of his Cork O'Connor suspense novels is in for a rare treat." -- Vince Flynn --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio on CD Value Priced (August 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423341821
• ISBN-13: 978-1423341826
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5 x 1.4 inches
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,068,707 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

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Krueger writes a darn good myst ery, November 24, 2008

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Red Knife: A Cork O'Connor Mystery (Cork O'Connor Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I am a mystery junkie. And I think my list of favorite male mystery writers is topnotch: James Lee Burke, Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, and Lee Child. But included in that list is Minnesota's own William Kent Krueger. His Cork O'Connor novels _are Minnesota at her best and worst. Krueger's knowledge of the Ojibwe is deep and respectful and his beliefs about violence are thoughtful, if not naïve in some respects. But it is the story, the characters that reach out and grab you and compel you to keep turning the pages.

"It was not yet dawn and already he could smell death." The reader is thrust immediately into the story with Krueger's first sentence-and it's a wild ride to the conclusion.

Kristi Reinhardt died as a result of a meth overdose. Her father, Buck Reinhardt, wants revenge. He believes Lonnie Thunder is responsible for his daughter's death, and he's going after him and the Red Boyz, a gang of Ojibwe, whom he believes shares in the responsibility.

The head of the Red Boyz, Alexander Kingbird, requests that former sheriff, Cork O'Connor (who is part Ojibwe), arrange a meeting with Buck. He wants to give Buck justice. Before the meeting can be set up, Alexander and his wife, Rayette, are brutally murdered at their home. Their young daughter is left alive and found crying in her crib. But a message was left at the scene and the murder itself suggests the Kingbirds were executed.

When another murder occurs, tensions heat up further between the Native Americans and the white folks living in Tamarack County. It's up to Cork to mitigate the building tension and avoid the bloodshed that is bound to occur. The toll on Cork changes him forever.

Violence, secrets, alienation, fear, hopelessness, honor, redemption and justice are all a part of Red Knife. It's a thoughtful and compelling novel. You won't be able to close the covers of Red Knife without examining your own beliefs about violence.

Armchair Interviews says: A must read.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Red Warrior, November 27, 2008

By 

Ted Feit (Long Beach, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Red Knife: A Cork O'Connor Mystery (Cork O'Connor Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Cork O'Connor, in this latest chapter in the series, is torn between his Indian and White heritages amidst violence in the rural Minnesota landscape. What sets it off is the death of a drugged young girl, pitting various elements against each other with Cork in the middle.

At the heart of the problem are some young Indians known as the Red Boyz. When their leader and his wife are found murdered, Cork understands that a powder keg of racially inspired conflict is at hand. Cork, the ex-sheriff, is drawn into the investigation, placing him in jeopardy as well. The novel is said to be based on a real story, and portrays the racial conflicts and drug violence of the present day.

As usual, the author shows his deep knowledge of the North Country landscape and Indian history and culture. Written simply but forcefully, the novel continues to enthrall the reader as have the past entries in the series. Recommended.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars This one can go either way, January 10, 2009

By 

Rod M. Holland "rodholland" (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Red Knife: A Cork O'Connor Mystery (Cork O'Connor Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Note: All my recent "reading" is done via audio book.

I spent a lot of summers up in the area of Minnesota where Krueger's books takes place. He's pegged the people characteristics of the area so well its amazing. I'd be laughing well listening....cause I knew that guy....no, that wasn't his name....but I was sure it was him just the same.

Pros: A good basic story line. It keeps you interested from beginning to end, and you can't easily see where its going.

Cons: The last part didn't have to happen. I thought the ending got too "Soap Opera"-ish. Had he stopped it short of the last "episode" I think it would have been 4 stars. I'm not sure what point Krueger was trying to make at the end. He also locked himself into some futures for his characters. Not a good idea I think.