Part of Cork O'Connor
First published 2006
Cork O'Connor returns to his role as sheriff of Tamarack County when a seemingly routine call to the nearby Ojibwe reservation turns deadly. Someone opens sniper fire on him during what should have been standard police work. The violence escalates when Cork discovers the mutilated corpse of Eddie Jacoby positioned above the churning waters of Mercy Falls. Jacoby was a Chicago businessman working to finalize a controversial contract between his management company and the local Indian casino. The wealthy Jacoby family brings in an attractive private investigator to work the case. Cork's investigation takes a personal turn when he uncovers a romantic history between one of Jacoby's sons and his own wife Jo. This discovery forces Cork to question whether the recent violence stems from business disputes or personal vendettas. Cork must navigate the dangerous intersection of murder, greed, and sexual betrayal while the truth remains hidden somewhere beneath the rushing waters of Mercy Falls.
Genres: american-fiction, suspense, mystery, crime, adult, thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, gritty, suspenseful, tense
Tropes: conflicted-protagonist, murder-investigation, personal-vendetta, romantic-betrayal
Setting: Tamarack County, Ojibwe Reservation, Mercy Falls, Chicago
Period: 21st-century, contemporary
464 pages · Audiobook · Pocket Books
Content warnings: death, murder, violence