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5th out of 23 books
—
7 voters
Purgatory Ridge (Cork O'Connor #3)
Winner of the prestigious Loft-McKnight Fiction Award and the Anthony Award for Best First Novel, William Kent Krueger has established himself as a startlingly original voice in thriller fiction. With Purgatory Ridge he cements his standing as a suspense writer of the highest caliber. Not far from the small town of Aurora (population 3,752) lies an ancient two-hundred-acre...more
Paperback, 400 pages
Published
April 2nd 2002
by Pocket Star
(first published 2001)
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William Kent Krueger's Cork O'OConnor series comprise a series of stories set in Aurora Minnesota, an area of the country of which I'm blatantly ignorant. Frankly, in reading the reviews of this setting I managed to barely stifle a yawn. Small town mysteries set in a frozen wasteland? With boring backgrounds that involve Indian supernatural folklore - I don't stomach mysteries that resort to such subterfuge, avoid beyond this world explanations when the genre is detective/mystery, decry irration...more
The first book was originally a "Free Friday" selection that Barnes & Noble's Nook customers get to enjoy. It helped me to discover a wonderful mystery writer. I am neither a mystery reader nor a series reader, but here I am really enjoying this mystery series! Why do I like this writer? I enjoy books with high quality prose, and mysteries are usually very plot driven, and often the creation of interesting characters and sense of place are not well-developed. But this one does both. Plus thi...more
Sep 24, 2011
Kathleen Hagen
added it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2011-audio-books,
2011-mysteries
Purgatory Ridge, by William Kent Krueger, a-minus, narrated by Jerry Sciarrio, produced by Books in Motion, downloaded from audible.com.
An explosion at a lumber mill kills the traditional chief of the Iron Lake Ojibwe. Cork O'Connor finds himself caught once again in a battle between the two cultures of his heritage: white and Indian. A note is found and someone calling him/herself Eco-Warrior claims responsibility for the bombing, but no one knows for sure who this person is. Many Whites blame...more
An explosion at a lumber mill kills the traditional chief of the Iron Lake Ojibwe. Cork O'Connor finds himself caught once again in a battle between the two cultures of his heritage: white and Indian. A note is found and someone calling him/herself Eco-Warrior claims responsibility for the bombing, but no one knows for sure who this person is. Many Whites blame...more
I picked this one up as an audio book for a 7+ hour drive but we didn’t fit it in. So instead I’ve been listening to it on my drive into work and on the weekends. 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 s...more
Third in the series of William Kent Krueger, Purgatory Ridge continues the story of Cork O'Connor and his family and friends of Aurora, Minnesota. When an explosion kills t;he night watchman at Karl Lindstrom's lumber mill, former sheriff Cork agtrees to help investigate even though he has mixed feelings since he is part Anishinaabe and his wife Jo represents the tribe in legal dealings. When Lindstrom's wife, son,Jo, and his own son Stevie are kidnapped, the suspense ratchets up to an almost un...more
This is the third of the series. His writing continues to get better, and less junk and side issues. You could skip the first two and start here even.
I "figured it out" not long before the book began to resolve. Everything coalesced--meaning all the information was there, no surprise information in the last chapter as some books do. I prefer this.
After "the ending" the ending seemed to drag out a bit, then peak, and then resolve much more emotionally than "the ending" was at.
Although you knew wh...more
I "figured it out" not long before the book began to resolve. Everything coalesced--meaning all the information was there, no surprise information in the last chapter as some books do. I prefer this.
After "the ending" the ending seemed to drag out a bit, then peak, and then resolve much more emotionally than "the ending" was at.
Although you knew wh...more
Still going strong on these books! #3 and as good as the first 2 in series. Kidnapping is the main theme/mystery in this story but again, the writing is pure enjoyment to read. The characters have you hating them, then understanding them more leaving you falling in love with (some of) them. The description of the land and water and Purgatory Ridge itself, had you craving for a visit to this landscape.
One part of this installment that reinforces the enjoyment of following a central character, i....more
One part of this installment that reinforces the enjoyment of following a central character, i....more
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#3 in the Cork O'Connor series, and Mr. Krueger is certainly getting better. The book contains two different mysteries and jumps between them - you know they have something to do with each other, but there's no rush to show the reader the connection. It's a plot device that adds to moving things forward. Mr. Krueger writes well, and it's always a pleasure to read a good mystery series starting with the first one, and then to watch the writer do nothing but improve. My husband and I - he gets the...more
With precise and atmospheric prose, award-winning author William Kent Krueger "prolongs suspense to the very end" ( Publishers Weekly ) of this impossible-to-put-down thriller when he unleashes spine-tingling mayhem on a tiny logging town and sends hardscrabble former sheriff Cork O'Connor to investigate.... 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 indust...more
Okay, remind me NEVER to move to Aurora, MN.. LOL, cuz this town is TROUBLE! For a small town, there sure is a lot of murder & mayhem! But suspending disbelief that all this drama would happen in such a tiny town, I'm totally in love with the Cork O'Conneran series now... (sigh)... these are honestly my favorite mystery/thriller novels now. I like Krueger's quick, easy style and the Minnesota backdrop that reminds me of my own Michigan heritage. Loved this book - I can see how Krueger really...more
One of the ladies in my little mystery group mentioned that she'd like to read this author. This is my first (but by no means the last) experience with William Kent Krueger and DAMN. He writes one hell of a good mystery. The plot is like Mohammed Ali at the top of his boxing career. It ducks, it weaves, it entertains and then it packs a wallop that knocks you off your feet and leaves you seeing stars and gasping for breath. The twists and turns in this story were masterful. The characters are re...more
The pulse is barely audible then quickens as the book devolops, finally turns into a full charge of adrenaline as we race to the end. This is my third book I have read that Krueger has penned, and he has solidified himself as one of my favorite authors, this book was no exception. Purgatory Ridge at first I thought was going to be different as the book was slow to develop, but necessary as Krueger lays the foundation and develops his story and its wonderful characters. As usual the story envelop...more
Set in Northern Minnesota, this book is the third in the series that features Cork O'Connor, part Irish, part Anishinaabe. He is a complex character who seeks to balance his life and the demands of family and community.
This story is filled with suspense and intrigue, a great page-turner. O'Connor tries to solve the bombing of a local lumber mill where a member of the Anishinaabe tribe was killed. There are Eco-warriors and revenge seekers and others motivated by greed all mixed in. A good, well-...more
This story is filled with suspense and intrigue, a great page-turner. O'Connor tries to solve the bombing of a local lumber mill where a member of the Anishinaabe tribe was killed. There are Eco-warriors and revenge seekers and others motivated by greed all mixed in. A good, well-...more
Oct 22, 2012
Deb
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mystery-thriller,
mn-authors
I have really grown fond of Cork O'Connor and his family, as this is the 4th book I've read in the series. They keep getting better, but I'm glad I started at the beginning. While each story builds on the others, they can/ do stand alone.
Obviously, in a series, you know the main character(s) will probably survive. (That's logic, not a spoiler.) However, Purgatory Ridge keeps you reading to see how it all comes together. It focuses quite a bit on Jo and Stevie, Cork's wife and son. There are 2 b...more
Obviously, in a series, you know the main character(s) will probably survive. (That's logic, not a spoiler.) However, Purgatory Ridge keeps you reading to see how it all comes together. It focuses quite a bit on Jo and Stevie, Cork's wife and son. There are 2 b...more
Jun 30, 2012
Ed
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Crime Fiction and thriller fans
Shelves:
crime-fiction,
reviewed
I enjoy Krueger's Cork O'Connor series because of the venue, Northern Minnesota and the characters. The plots aren't bad either, although this one dragged a bit.
As the ex-sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota, O'Connor gets involved in an investigation of a suspicious explosion at a lumber mill set up next to a large stand of white pines, sacred to the Anishinaabe tribe: partly because he is half-Anishinaabe and the tribe members are immediate suspects and partly because the current sheriff needs the hel...more
As the ex-sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota, O'Connor gets involved in an investigation of a suspicious explosion at a lumber mill set up next to a large stand of white pines, sacred to the Anishinaabe tribe: partly because he is half-Anishinaabe and the tribe members are immediate suspects and partly because the current sheriff needs the hel...more
Purgatory Ridge is the third in his series starring Corcoran "Cork" O'Connor, half white, half Ojibwe, who is the sometime sheriff of Aurora, a small town in the North Woods of Minnesota. As the story begins, Cork is no longer sheriff, but just has to help investigate when a bomb explodes at the lumber mill run by wealthy industrialist Karl Lindstrom. The bomb kills an Ojibwe Indian who, like many of that nation, objects to the tearing down of the trees in that area, especially those considered...more
PURGATORY RIDGE - Ex
Krueger, William Kent - 3rd in series
Not far from Cork O'Connor's small hometown of Aurora, Minnesota, lies an ancient 200 acre expanse of great white pines, sacred to the Anishinaabe tribe and known to them as Minishoomisag (Our Grandfathers). And just a stone's throw from these prized trees, too close for comfort for many members of the Anishinaabe, lies the lumber mill of Karl Lindstrom, a wealthy industrialist hardly known for his sensitive environmentalism. So when an ex...more
Krueger, William Kent - 3rd in series
Not far from Cork O'Connor's small hometown of Aurora, Minnesota, lies an ancient 200 acre expanse of great white pines, sacred to the Anishinaabe tribe and known to them as Minishoomisag (Our Grandfathers). And just a stone's throw from these prized trees, too close for comfort for many members of the Anishinaabe, lies the lumber mill of Karl Lindstrom, a wealthy industrialist hardly known for his sensitive environmentalism. So when an ex...more
Excellent. Again, hints of who it might be in the beginning. It starts with two arcs and you know there has to be a connection. But how it all comes around full circle is just wonderful. Another late night read.
I highly recommend this author's Cork O'Connor series for those who like this type of murder mystery. BTW for local folk... it seems he writes all his books at the St. Clair Broiler. Goes there every morning and they keep his coffee cup full for him. Considering going to his book reading...more
I highly recommend this author's Cork O'Connor series for those who like this type of murder mystery. BTW for local folk... it seems he writes all his books at the St. Clair Broiler. Goes there every morning and they keep his coffee cup full for him. Considering going to his book reading...more
Not his best but a thriller to the end. His descriptions makes you yearn for Lake Superior. Best line of book; "conscience was a devil that plagued the individual. Collectively, a people squashed it as easily as stepping on a daisy. Then the mystery unravels several characters that either ignore their devils, and one who ignores and then does what is right and the strong who stick with their conscience. I love Krueger's writing! Great Read!
Purgatory Ridge is the third book about Cork O'Connor. This was the best book yet. Krueger has tightened up his writing, and the stakes are much higher for the characters this time around, specifically because the characters at risk are Cork's own family. I read this book fairly quickly, and only figured it out moments before Krueger revealed all. So, I wasn't disappointed! A good mystery, and the Minnesotan setting still makes the story feel fresh.
Another entertaining thriller in the Cork O'Connor series. I like the rural Minnesota setting and the Native American themes in this series. This book's central issues are the eco-terrorism bombing of a local lumbermill, and a man's obsession with a Lake Superior shipwreck that he barely survived a decade ago. It turns into a fast-paced kidnap/murder story by the end.
William Kent Krueger is an elegant writer; his descriptive phrasing is fantastic. While I often feel Krueger keeps his characters a bit at arm's length, he's adept at giving readers a sense of place, which in this case is a small town in Northern Minnesota. Ethnic and social roots run deep here, while also setting the stage for frequent conflict. Krueger's plots are also richly detailed, giving readers tough knots to untie as they get swept away in the action.
Cork O'Connor and family live in Northern Minnesota, he's the small town sheriff who is half Ojibewa. there is a series of books with this character so if you start with the first one you can follow their development. There's always a good murder mystery that Cork solves and the author weaves in contemoprary American Indian life as well - a pleasure.
An explosion at Karl Lindstrom's mill leaved one dead. Cork O'Connor helps in the investigation. When the mill owners wife, son, Jo and Stevie O'Connor are kidnapped this novel becomes very suspense filled. Again some interesting history of this Lake Superior/Northern Mn region.
William Kent Krueger's Cork O'Connor series, of which PURGATORY RIDGE is the third, is well worth your investment in time and dollars. Set in northern Minnesota in the Iron Mountain range, Krueger peoples his books with living, breathing people, people the reader comes to care about. Add to this plots filled with excitement, suspense, mystery and thrills, and the books please on every level.
In PURGATORY RIDGE, O'Connor, former sheriff of Tamarack County, is getting his life together after person...more
In PURGATORY RIDGE, O'Connor, former sheriff of Tamarack County, is getting his life together after person...more
I enjoyed this mystery because so many of the places listed--Beaver Bay, Shovel Point, Silver Bay--are near the cabin where we go every summer on the North Shore. I'm looking forward to talking with William Kent Kruger when he visits our library this evening.
Lots of layers and fascinating characters and double-dealing and danger in this book. (And only a tiny bit of the religious element that didn't work for me in a later novel.) Although I figured out early what and who was driving the case, I kept turning pages.
Great mystery. I love WKK's use of layering and revealing bits of information through out the investigation by Cork O'Connor. I love the Indian culture and folklore that weaves throught the tapestry. This was my first one even though it is not the first in the series.
I like every book in this series but this one was not one of my favorites. There are a lot of Canadian settings, heavy on the outdoorsman skills, and a good mystery but relationship factors are not as strong as some of the others I think.
Have enjoyed every Wm Kent Krueger book. MN author. If you have an affinity for northern MN, you will love his characters, the controversial issues he tackles and the settings. He's great fun to meet in person as well.
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William Kent Krueger is a multi award-winning American author and crime writer, best known for his Cork O'Connor series of books, which is mainly set in Minnesota. USA.[1:] In 2005 and 2006, he won back to back Anthony Awards for best novel - a feat only matched by one other writer since the award's inception.[2:]
William Kent Krueger has stated that he dates his desire to be a writer back to the t...more
More about William Kent Krueger...
William Kent Krueger has stated that he dates his desire to be a writer back to the t...more
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Jul 11, 2012 05:01pm