I enjoyed this book, although the detective novel isn't a favorite genre of mine. Good passages about the north country, the weather, the ice, the small town, that all rang true and were well crafted. Indigenous characters and perspectives integrated in a respectful way. The plot felt a bit forced at times, but makes for a tidy book. ( )

Having read several of William Kent Krueger's newer books, I decided I've been cheating myself of some great reading, and decided, I'm going to read them all, in order, and just enjoy.

This is book 1. We meet Cork O'Connor, living in Aurora, MN. Until recently he was the Sheriff, now he helps out when needed or when he realizes he's needed. Cork has separated from his wife, and he's living in the back of Sam's Place, a seasonal restaurant, his friend left him. A judge in town is found dead, it seems and open and shut case of suicide, shortly later a paper boy disappears, some think his father took him. No one wants to look at either case more closely, except for Cork. As he begins to nose around, it becomes obvious that neither of these are open and shut cases.
Also in this story, we learn the back story of how Cork lost his Sheriff job and more about his friend, Sam. There also is a lot of Native American lore which is woven into the story.
Great, interesting and fast read. ( )

A few too many words. Some sections I felt I was reading filler. Should thrillers be believable? This one wasn't, but was good enough for a quick read. It was a disappointment after reading Ordinary Grace. ( )

I "discovered" William Kent Krueger via a much later book he wrote, This Tender Land, which is one of my favorite books of the 21st century. Someone then loaned me his book Ordinary Grace, which is also beautiful. Someone else mentioned that she was a huge fan of his Cork O'Connor series. And that is how I eventually got here. Crime drama is not my ordinary go-to genre. It is not that I don't like it, it is just that with so many books to choose from, there are other genres that appeal more to me. I kept thinking I might check out the first book, but I kept putting it off. This year, I signed up for the PopSugar Reading Challenge (which to me, is like a joyful literary scavenger hunt), and one of the prompts is "a book with a gem, mineral, or rock in the title." I immediately thought of Iron Lake. Glad I did. I already knew Krueger writes compelling fiction, and this book, published almost 23 years ago, is no exception. Dimensional, flawed characters set against an unforgiving winter landscape; throw in a bit about Minnesota Native American culture; add a pinch of broken relationships; tangle it up in a web of blackmail, embezzlement, intimidation, and murder -- and what you get is page-turning, elevated crime drama.

Merged review:

I "discovered" William Kent Krueger via a much later book he wrote, This Tender Land, which is one of my favorite books of the 21st century. Someone then loaned me his book Ordinary Grace, which is also beautiful. Someone else mentioned that she was a huge fan of his Cork O'Connor series. And that is how I eventually got here. Crime drama is not my ordinary go-to genre. It is not that I don't like it, it is just that with so many books to choose from, there are other genres that appeal more to me. I kept thinking I might check out the first book, but I kept putting it off. This year, I signed up for the PopSugar Reading Challenge (which to me, is like a joyful literary scavenger hunt), and one of the prompts is "a book with a gem, mineral, or rock in the title." I immediately thought of Iron Lake. Glad I did. I already knew Krueger writes compelling fiction, and this book, published almost 23 years ago, is no exception. Dimensional, flawed characters set against an unforgiving winter landscape; throw in a bit about Minnesota Native American culture; add a pinch of broken relationships; tangle it up in a web of blackmail, embezzlement, intimidation, and murder -- and what you get is page-turning, elevated crime drama. ( )

1st in series about Cork O?Connor, a troubled man who lost his job as sheriff in the town of Aurora, MN. He dives into the death of Judge Parrant and finds himself embroiled in the ?underworld? of the town that many want to stay hidden. Enjoyed alot.Kirkus: Cork O?Connor is a man beset with troubles, some of them of his own making. But he?s a bend-not-break man: an admirable man. And he needs to be, for it?s winter in hardscrabble Aurora, Minnesota. The blizzard that buries the small lakeside town also buries some ugly things with it. Like nasty secrets¥and brutal murder. So here?s Cork, who used to be sheriff, who used to have a wife who loved him, who used to have a purpose to his life, sort of stumbling into situations that bewilder him to the nth. There?s the apparent suicide of Judge Parrant. Suicide? Judge Parrant? Not that cantankerous old misogynist. There?s also a missing boy, a good and responsible boy, with no reason in the world for him to have run away. Then there are the murky goings-on over at the casino, where gambling is producing so much wealth for the Native American population that they?ve begun calling it ?the new buffalo.? And finally, there?s the windigo, a spirit so malevolent that it can unnerve even those who don?t actually believe in it. Almost despite himself, Cork is soon behaving like the lawman he no longer is, looking for answers that are very hard to find. And yet he does find some. Some of those he discovers, though, he soon wishes he hadn?t. Minnesotan Krueger has a sense of place he?s plainly honed firsthand in below-zero prairie. His characters, too, sport charm and dimension, although things start to get a bit shaky toward book?s end. Still, this first-timer?s stamina and self-assurance suggest that O?Connor?s got staying power.