Blood Hollow by William Kent Krueger, Pocket Books, A Cork O'Connor Mystery, February 2004

Maybe it's because I took a break between books three and four in the Cork O'Connor series, but Blood Hollow is my favorite so far of the series (not that I didn't enjoy the other books thoroughly). In this installment Cork finds himself on the wrong side of the sheriff's desk when he's trying to find the answers to a murder. His late friend's nephew, Solemn Winter Moon stands accused of murdering a local white woman and Cork is convinced he's innocent. Cork's wife, Jo, defends him despite never having done a criminal case.

Blood Hollow delves into the race issues between the Native Americans and white man in upper Minnesota as Krueger's books have done in the past. This book takes a look at religion, faith and spirituality as well. Miracles start happening in Aurora, Minnesota after Solemn indicates he saw Jesus. Or do they? Hostility emerges when Cork tries to free a man everyone knows is troubled and has a checkered past.

The characters in Blood Hollow are flushed out and well written. I enjoyed the relationship Cork has with his wife and children. It was also interesting to see Jo's sister, Rose, get more attention in this book than she has in the others. I enjoyed Cork's researching abilities, his desire to get to the truth and he learned some valuable lessons about himself in this book.

Blood Hollow is a good read. I am very glad to have found William Kent Krueger and added him to my auto-buy list.

©Susan Falk and phantomroses.com