Purgatory Ridge

A Cork O'Connor Mystery, Book 3

By: William Kent Krueger

Narrated by: David Chandler

William Kent Krueger is the award-winning author of the popular Cork O’Connor mysteries. In Purgatory Ridge, Krueger crafts a riveting tale that has ex-sheriff O’Connor on the case after a heated town debate turns deadly.

The local Anishinaabe Indian tribe is furious to discover that Karl Lindstrom’s lumber mill is after a grove of trees sacred to tribal lore. So when the mill gets bombed, killing a man, the tribe is blamed. But O’Connor has a different theory.

Solve another case with Cork O'Connor.©2001 William Kent Krueger (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC

Absorbing mystery, lyrically told

In Cork O’Connor’s third adventure, author Kent Krueger brings us back to Iron Lake, the Boundary Waters, and the town of Aurora, Minnesota next to the Indian reservation. Once sheriff of Tamarack County, Cork finds himself involved in a local dispute to save a treasured stand of trees the Anishinaabe call Our Grandfathers. Eco-warriors from around the country have joined local native men to fight the timber and logging industries from cutting down this magnificent stand of pines. An explosion at the Lindstrom mill kills a man, pointing suspicion toward local tribal members, but the clues simply do not piece together easily.

Across Grace Cove from Karl Lindstrom’s home lives John LePere, alone after losing his family to the waters of Lake Superior. As a young man, he was the sole survivor of the sinking of the Alfred M. Teasdale, which went down on its final voyage along with John’s younger brother Billy. The scar of that journey has left John deeply wounded. A stranger who read LePere’s story in a magazine comes to town with tales of possible sabotage and bankrolls LePere’s dives to the wreckage of the ship.

Suddenly Cork is thrown into a much more immediate disaster: the kidnapping of his wife and son along with Lindstrom’s wife and son. Local law enforcement and the FBI search for connections between the threats of the Eco-Warrior and the claims of the kidnapper with little success. Cork isn’t sheriff any more, but his instincts and knowledge of the land and the people guide him.

Through this journey, Kent Krueger treats us to descriptions of the land and the reservation that are lyrical. He introduces us to characters such as Henry Meloux, the Midewiwin to whom Cork turns in times of trouble; to Hell Hanover, blackmailing newspaperman; to Wally Shanno, who inherited Cork’s job as sheriff after an incident years before forced a recall election; to the Anishinaabe people, of whom Cork is part. Alongside the beauty, Krueger describes the anger, the bitterness, and the dark forces that drive men to perform acts of rage, which seem so much more despicable next to the magnificence of nature.

As questions swirled like the smoke plaguing Aurora during the dry summer, the tension ramped up. When flames engulfed the kidnapped victims, I sat on the edge of my seat and stayed there. I audibly gasped at that moment when the certain realization hit that brought the entire book together. It was a surprise, and I did not put the book down until the very end when beauty once again poked its nose from the charred earth.

This is my second reading of the book, this time on audio. Narrator David Chandler does not hurry his way through either the quiet passages or the tense descriptions of nature’s fury nor the anger of men. He is a strong, steady voice recanting Cork O’Connor’s story and the wider tale of the Anishinaabe people. Definitely recommended.

Lovely story and performance.

Lovely story and performance. I would recommend it to anyone, especially Minnesotans. Very good reading.

So Much Suspense

I should have given this story five stars, but the suspense all through the ending was too much for me. I had to f f a lot to get through. However, don’t listen to me. Some readers might love the tension. This is my second William Kent Krueger book. An outstanding author.

recommended story

I've come to enjoy this series, the characters, the plots, and the not-so-obvious endings. now, time for the next book! :)

Great book

Enjoyed from start to end would recommend to all audible book listeners . Author Kent Krueger has a wonderful style of story telling I have listen to many of his books and can tell you once you start it impossible to stop. Thank you 👍👍

another winning addition to the series

so far I've given five stars to every book in this series. the author is able to build a story around characters you care about and who's thoughts and actions are very real and not fantastical. the best part is his ability to craft an ending that is emotionally moving and perfectly consistent with the story. highly recommended

Thoroughly Enjoying this book series

This author’s story lines keep me guessing and surprised. The narration is well done and I particularly like the tone used for Cork’s voice. Excuse me, but I’ve gotta get back to Aurora now!

Haunting, but beautiful story

This is one of those stories that stay with you long after you finish the book. William Kent Krueger’s characters are flawed, tender, good and evil, and believable. After a plot that makes multiple twists and turns, he leaves you wanting more.

Definitely appeals to me as a midwesterner.

Small town guy with a flawed but loving family & community. He isn’t perfect, but Cork has a way of looking at things & thinking, & the tenacious approach to problems that often gets him in trouble, but causes the culprit to trip up & get caught/receive justice. I just stumbled across this series this week (Jan 2025). I have listened to the 1st 3 books in 4 days. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series & plan to acquire them all! David Chandler is a great narrator. I only had 1 or 2 issues discerning who was speaking. He does a great job presenting WK Kreuger’s story, emotions & suspense. I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good yarn!

Kept me in suspense up to the end!

Can’t wait to read the next one. I love every book I’ve read by Krueger.