Book Review: Thunder Bay by William Kent Krueger

Thunder Bay by William Kent Krueger
Simon and Schuster Pocket Books
390 Pages
Copyright 2007

Corcoran ‘Cork’ O’Connor is back. He’s resigned his position as sheriff in favor of being present in the lives of his children and his wife, without putting them in danger. Things, as always, don’t always work out the way Cork wants him to.

Henry Meloux – the Ojibwe medicine man who is Cork’s spiritual adviser and father-figure falls ill. When Cork goes to visit him, Henry tells him that there is a weight on his heart that has to do with the son he has never seen; a son who is now in his 70’s and has no idea Meloux is his father. He asks Cork to locate the son, which he does. Unfortunately, the son turns out to be a Howard Hughes wanna-be; rich, isolated, and germaphobic, who wants nothing to do with Cork or Meloux.

Upon Cork’s return to his small town in Minnesota, however, Meloux is attacked by a man who may or may not be working for the old man’s son. But, why? What is there about an old medicine man that would prompt such violence? Meloux informs Cork that they must return to Thunder Bay and Manitou Island in order for Meloux to help the son he has never seen.

Cork, who is having problems of his own involving his oldest daughter, can do little but agree to go. It turns out to be an adventure that will put their lives in danger as old, bitter jealousies and rivalries come festering to the surface.

This is the seventh in the series and so far, so good. Krueger hasn’t hit a sour note yet. I enjoy his writing style and there’s always a twist or two in the story that I didn’t see coming. Here’s my favorite passage in the book:

The biggest world in the human vocabulary has only four letters and no definition that’s ever been adequate. We love our dogs. We love our children. We love God and chocolate cake. We fall in love and fall out of love. We die for love and we kill for love. We can’t spend it. We can’t eat it when we’re starving or drink it when we’re dying of thirst. It’s no good against the bitter cold of winter, and even a cheap electric fan will do more for you on hot summer day. But ask most human beings what they value above all else in this life and five’ll get you ten, it’s love.

Recommendation: If you’re a fan of suspense and thrillers, this one is worth checking out. It kept me turning pages long after I should’ve been asleep and it will probably do the same for you.