Purgatory Ridge: A Novel (Cork O'Connor #3) [S0020]

2009 PB in Gift-Worthy condition. Not far from Aurora, Minnesota (population 3,752), lies an ancient expanse of great white pines, sacred to the Anishinaabe tribe. When an explosion kills the night watchman at wealthy industrialist Karl Lindstrom's nearby lumber mill, it's obvious where suspicion will fall. Former sheriff Cork O'Connor agrees to help investigate, but he has mixed feelings about the case. For one thing, he is part Anishinaabe. For another, his wife, a lawyer, represents the tribe. Meanwhile, near Lindstrom's lakeside home, a reclusive shipwreck survivor and his sidekick are harboring their own resentment of the industrialist. And it soon becomes clear to Cork that danger, both at home and in Aurora, lurks around every corner...

From Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "This is a captivating story with lots of twists and turns to keep you wanting more. The characters are complex and very human. Cork is a man of good values, relentlessly seeking truth and justice, with a deep love for his family and close friends. The plot development is well crafted and the momentum builds and at times keeps you holding your breath until the very exciting end. Well worth the read."; "The third book in this excellent series and every bit as good as the first two. Again we are treated to lots of lovely information about the local Native Indians and their customs and beliefs. There are also lots of beautiful descriptions of the local area. Cork O'Connor is one of those book characters who quickly becomes special to the reader. He is honest, likable and trustworthy. In this book he has everything to fight for and no clues to help him at all. The twist at the end surprised me as much as him!"; "Mr. Krueger is a master of atmospheric prose. I always feel pulled into the scene, appreciating it with all my senses. His characters are extremely well-developed, and the lives of the recurring players progress as the series moves along. I have learned a great deal about the Ojibwe (Chippewa) Anishinaabeg people and their culture, a bonus sidelight that infuses all the O'Connor books. Another strong point of Mr. Krueger's writing is that his stories are consistently filled with twists, turns and surprises galore. I have yet to figure out the bad guy in the books I have read thus far. This book gets 5 big stars. And though it can be read as a stand-alone novel, I do advise starting with Iron Lake, book 1 of the set, just so one can fully enjoy the outstanding character-development feature of this series."