Part of Cork O'Connor
First published 1999
Cork O'Connor carries mixed blood and mixed feelings through the small Minnesota town he now calls home. Part Irish, part Anishinaabe, he struggles with a failed marriage that keeps his children at arm's length. Coffee, cigarettes, and self-blame fuel his days. His past as a Chicago cop on the South Side taught him about violence, but nothing prepared him for what unfolds in his quiet adopted town. A respected judge dies in brutal fashion. An Eagle Scout vanishes without explanation. Cork finds himself pulled into an investigation that reveals conspiracy and corruption beneath the surface of small-town life. The case grows more complex as he uncovers secrets that strike at the heart of his community. Each revelation brings the danger closer to his own doorstep, forcing him to confront not just the criminals he pursues but the personal demons that haunt his daily existence.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, gritty, introspective, suspenseful
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, investigation-spiral, redemption-arc
Setting: Minnesota, Chicago, South Side
Period: Contemporary
464 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Pocket Star
Content warnings: murder, violence