Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Northwest Angle by William Kent Krueger Narrator: David Chandler
Series: Cork O'Connor #11
Published by Recorded Books on August 31, 2021
Genres: Mystery, Suspense
Length: 12 hours, 20 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon,Ā Audible,Ā Libro.fm,Ā Barnes & Noble,Ā Apple
During a houseboat vacation on the remote Lake of the Woods, a violent gale sweeps through unexpectedly, stranding Cork and his daughter, Jenny, on a devastated island where the wind has ushered in a force far darker and more deadly than any storm.
Amid the wreckage, Cork and Jenny discover an old trapperās cabin where they find the body of a teenage girl. She wasnāt killed by the storm, however; sheād been bound and tortured before she died. Whimpering sounds coming from outside the cabin lead them to a tangle of branches toppled by the vicious winds. Underneath the debris, they find a baby boy, hungry and dehydrated, but still very much alive. Powerful forces intent on securing the child pursue them to the isolated Northwest Angle, where itās impossible to tell who among the residents is in league with the devil. Cork understands that to save his family he must solve the puzzle of this mysterious child whom death follows like a shadow.
I have been waiting for the few without David Chandler narrating in the Cork O’Connor series to be rerecorded by him.Ā Ā I had read in the series to this point and had been waiting for this one!Ā When Northwest Angle arrived from the publisher, I stopped my current listen and immediately started it.Ā I listened to half yet that day and the rest the following day.Ā Ā There are so many amazing things about these books.Ā Ā It is better to read them in order because of all the changes with the characters personal lives and careers.
Cork is the patriarch and was a cop in Chicago and then in northern Minnesota he was sheriff, then became a private investigator.Ā He is half Anishinaabe Indian and half Irish.Ā His wife Jo was a lawyer.Ā They have three children: Jenny, Anne and Stephen.Ā The family is Catholic and quite religious, but they also learn and honor the Indian rituals and culture.Ā Ā Cork is often the liaison between the Indians and those who aren’t.Ā He is trusted by many groups which help him serve this role.
I love the rich development in these books.Ā The characters are a diverse bunch with these different cultures. The Minnesota setting is familiar to me and I enjoy hearing about these places I know.Ā There is the great beauty of the Minnesota lakes and forests in the Boundary Waters.Ā There is also a layered plot with fast paced action and real danger.
Cork has brought together his scattered family for a vacation over the 4th of July week.Ā He just wants them to relax and have fun together.Ā But when the weather turns deadly,Ā they all have struggles to survive. In these efforts, they discover horrendous acts and a whacko religious cult who will threaten all their lives.Ā It takes all of Cork’s experience and effort to try to save his family.
Narration:
I am beyond thrilled to have another book rerecorded by David Chandler.Ā He IS the voice of the series and who I hear in my head.Ā The Minnesota locations and Indian words were pronounced as I expected.Ā I appreciate his handling of all the voices of both genders, with the primary character being Cork.Ā I was able to listen comfortably at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:Ā Ā HERE
About William Kent Krueger
Raised in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, William Kent Krueger briefly attended Stanford Universityābefore being kicked out for radical activities. After that, he logged timber, worked construction, tried his hand at freelance journalism, and eventually ended up researching child development at the University of Minnesota. He currently makes his living as a full-time author. Heās been married for over 40 years to a marvelous woman who is an attorney. He makes his home in St. Paul, a city he dearly loves.
Krueger writes a mystery series set in the north woods of Minnesota. His protagonist is Cork OāConnor, the former sheriff of Tamarack County and a man of mixed heritageāpart Irish and part Ojibwe. His work has received a number of awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Dilys Award, and the Friends of American Writers Prize. His last five novels were all New York Times bestsellers.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- C21-Summer
This sounds really good. Even though this is book 11, I could see myself possibly starting this series from the beginning.
Every book in this series is amazing. It would be worth the effort. Try the first one, Iron Lake and see how you like it.
This sounds like a good series to get into. Glad you enjoyed this one, especially the narration. The setting sounds nice also.
This series is incredible, every book is so well-written
A long series but it looks good!!
Yes, every book is a great one.
There are a few series that are excellent, but I have to have a specific narrator. Glad you got re-recordings. I like the sound of all the extra elements you described about the main character.
Yes there were only about 3 or 4 in this series by different narrators and I’m so glad they are all going to be David Chandler now! It’s really such a great series.
Iām SO envious that you got to listen to this with David Chandler for your first time. He makes such a difference and this is an outstanding story. Your excitement about it shines through, Anne?
Well I did have to wait a couple years to get it but well worth it since I had so much else to read. But I’m collecting them now. Buying them even though I can get them at the library. It’s getting to be a long series but I’d love to do it for a Read-along as the quality is exceptional.
This sounds like a great read! I love that there are different cultures in this story.
Glad to read you’ve enjoyed this one so much. Great review!
Thank you Maureen. Every book in this series is a favorite.
I actually just read my first William Kent Krueger book a week or so ago. It was This Tender Land and I absolutely loved it so I’m thrilled to see your five-star rating for this one. I definitely want to read more from him.
I really love them, every single one. I haven’t read a bad book yet.
Wow, five stars across the board! I need to get started on this series! Wonderful review, Anne!
The first one is Iron Lake and this whole series is exceptional.
I need to see if my library has the series. Fantastic review Anne.
Start with the first one, Iron Lake . They are all amazing and I have read them all on audio with David Chandler.