Trickster's Point

A Cork O'Connor Mystery, Book 12

By: William Kent Krueger

Narrated by: David Chandler

Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author William Kent Krueger has won numerous accolades for his books, including the Anthony Award for Best First Novel. In Trickster’s Point, the 12th suspenseful installment in Krueger’s Cork O’Connor series, Cork is framed for the murder of Minnesota’s first Native American governor-elect, Jubal Little. As Cork fights to clear his name and uncover the truth, he discovers that events from his own past may hold the key to the real killer’s identity.

©2012 William Kent Krueger (P)2012 Recorded Books

I'm Just Saying...

Although I enjoyed this book in general, I believe that William Kent Krueger has committed a real author's no-no here. Regular fans of this series (and I am definitely one) will wonder why, if Cork O'Connor has been such a close friend of his Congressman for all these years, he didn't call on him to help when his wife Jo was missing - when he was so desperately looking for anyone who could exert influence in finding a missing airplane.
Why is such a prominent man who was evidently a big part of Cork's youth (and a continuing hunting buddy) a totally new character to us in the 12th book?

This glaring problem aside, "Trickster's Point" is a pretty solid entry in the series. It lacks the blazing action that has opened the last few O'Connor adventures, but the mystery here is an intriguing one. Although I believe most of us will have the who-done-it figured out before the reveal, it's still a riveting story. Cork's strong family values are still front and center, and he continues to present Ojibwe characters and culture in interesting ways. The narrator is terrific.

loved it, but...

What made the experience of listening to Trickster's Point the most enjoyable?

I love WKK and this series. But...it took some getting used to David Chandler in the beginning with the first few books. Then as soon as I've come to terms with him, Buck Schirmer is thrown in there and changing the pronunciations of the Ojibwe words. Then David comes back and more changes in pronunciations! Is Henry Meloux pronounced melloo or mello (long o sound)? Is he a Mide with a short I sound or long I sound as David Chandler re-pronounces it in the book Chapter 1? If I were narrating this book, I would feel compelled to contact a member of the Ojibwe tribe and get the correct pronunciations before committing text to tape. Just saying.

Did David Chandler do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

See comments above.

The Cork O'connor books never disappoint. This is

This is the 12th in the Cork O’Connor series. Cork goes hunting with a former friend of his four days before the election which might bring him the governorship of Minnesota, the first NativeAmerican governor. But while they are hunting on the most dangerous spot, Trickster’s Point, Cork comes upon his friend with an arrow shot to his heart. His friend asks him not to go for help but to stay with him, so he sits with his friend for three hours while he is dying. Because he didn’t try to go for help in that three-hour time, and because the arrow that was shot into his friend is made exactly the way he makes his own arrows, Cork is the prime suspect for the murder. So, in order to make sure he isn’t arrested for the crime, and because this man was a friend from his past, he begins his own investigation to find the murderer. These books just keep getting better. It will be one of my top mysteries of the year with many twists and turns and surprises, and a visit with his friend, Henry, the medicine man. Very good.

Tiresome

All the flashbacks got tiresome. Very little of the story is set in the "present". If you've read the entire series (which we have) probably a 1/4 of the story was redundebt. Another 1/2 were stories from his boyhood or being in high school. The present story line was good but there wasn't enough. It was a small part of the story but having one of the characters being from my hometown (Red Wing, MN) was interesting.

Good to have Chandler back as Narrator!

It’s really good to have David Chandler back as Narrator! He is the voice of Cork O’Connor, in my opinion!

With that said, this is not one of my favorite Cork O’Connor Mysteries.

Good author and story

I enjoyed this book and always like this narrator. I only gave 3 stars for his reading of Willy. I do not like how he reads in a regular voice and than tries to read it with a speak impediment. I understand it isn’t meant to be mocking but just comes off bad.

Great storyteller!

I love this series of stories! WKK is one of the best and one of my favorites! David Chandler is the perfect narrator for these stories. Anyone else would never do these stories justice!

Kept me interested all the way through.

After the previous book I thought WKK had run out of good material but decided to try again. I was not disappointed and now I cannot wait to read the next one. Loved the characters in this one.

Not so good

Not sure if I am just tired of Cork or if this time he was particularly obnoxious. I hated the attempt to show the speech defect by reading it twice. So I will hold off on listening to others at least for a while.

Good Series

Really like David Chandler also. Perfect voice for this author. The problem...WKK just can't write them fast enough for me.