Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger

Not a lot of scifi books lately!  I picked this one up as an audio book for the drive to Door County, WI, but we didn’t fit it in. So instead I’ve been listening to it on my drive into work and on the weekends while sitting out on the porch knitting. At first I was…dubious, at best, about the topic. I know Aurora, MN. I know logging. I know old growth white pines. I’m quite familiar with the landscape of Northern MN and the North Shore. But, even forgiving the reader for mispronouncing Little Marais (the ‘s’ is silent – Mar-ay. Not Mar-ay-ass) I found myself being pulled into the story.

This is the third book in the Cork O'Connor series.  The premise is (from Goodreads.com): Not far from the small town of Aurora (population 3,752) lies an ancient two-hundred-acre expanse of great white pines, sacred to the Anishinaabe and known to them as Minishoomisag (Our Grandfathers).

Wealthy industrialist Karl Lindstrom does not have a reputation as a sensitive environmentalist, and some members of the Anishinaabe tribe are concerned about the proximity of the trees to his lumber mill. So when an explosion at the mill results in the death of a night watchman, it's obvious whom suspicion will fall upon.

Cork O'Connor, in the throes of straightening out his life and repairing his marriage, is asked by his successor as sheriff to help with the investigation. His sense of community obliges him to accept, but Cork has distinctly mixed feelings about the case. For one thing, he is part Anishinaabe himself. For another, his lawyer wife, Jo, represents the tribe.


Meanwhile, in a secluded house that overlooks the lakeside home of the Lindstrom family, a reclusive shipwreck survivor and his sidekick also seem to be harboring some resentment of their own against the industrialist. And it soon becomes clear to Cork that harmony, both at home and in the town, will be on the back burner for some time.


First, it wasn’t a night watchman who was blown-up. It was a town local. Second, Cork I don't recall Cork being asked to help with the investigation. He just tagged along. I hate blurbs that falsely embellish. Anyway, what we end up with is a three way mystery: Who killed the local in the bomb blast and who was responsible for the bomb blast? Who is Eco-Warrior and are they responsible for the bombings and attempts on Karl Lindstrom’s life? And lastly, who would kidnap Karl’s wife, inadvertently taking Corks wife and son as well?


Now some of the logging/environmental aspects had me rolling my eyes. It made the logging industry in N MN look callous and really, between the Industry, County, State and Fed’s, trust me – old growth white pine would not be clear cut. In addition Kruger kept referring to the Anishinaabe reservation outside of Aurora. There is no reservation outside of Aurora. I’ve looked at the maps, I know the area, I’m fairly certain there is no Indian reservation there. I don’t mind fiction taking some liberties, but that one bothered me. Perhaps that is a downside of knowing the setting of the book.


I guess what I am trying to say is I enjoyed the book, with reservations based upon setting more so than plot. The plot was good and kept me guessing right up until the “Wow - coool!” moment when everything clicked. I've noticed it takes me longer to figure out the "who done it" when I'm listening as opposed to reading ti.  I’ll probably see if the library has the next one in the series in audio. A nice way to spend my tedious morning commute.