Part of Cork O'Connor
First published 2002
An explosion rocks Karl Lindstrom's lumber mill near Aurora, Minnesota, killing a night watchman. The blast occurs dangerously close to Minishoomisag, a sacred grove of ancient white pines revered by the Anishinaabe tribe. Suspicion immediately falls on tribal members who opposed the wealthy industrialist's operations near their holy ground. Cork O'Connor, the former sheriff trying to rebuild his marriage, gets pulled into the investigation by his successor. The case puts Cork in an impossible position. He shares Anishinaabe heritage himself, and his lawyer wife Jo represents the tribe's interests. Meanwhile, a reclusive shipwreck survivor watches the Lindstrom family from his lakeside hideout, nursing his own grudges against the industrialist. As Cork digs deeper, the investigation threatens to tear apart both his community and his family. The ancient pines stand witness to a conflict between tradition and industry, between justice and loyalty, in the forests of northern Minnesota.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, gritty, suspenseful, tension-filled, thought-provoking
Tropes: community-mystery, conflicted-investigator, divided-loyalties, hidden-antagonist
Setting: Aurora, Minnesota, Minishoomisag, Northern Minnesota
Period: Contemporary
428 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Pocket Star
Content warnings: murder, violence