Boundary Waters (41 page)
Authors: William Kent Krueger
Photo © Tony Nelson
William Kent Krueger
is the award-winning author of eleven Cork O’Connor novels, including the
New York Times
bestsellers
Vermilion Drift
and
Northwest Angle.
All are available from Atria Books. He lives in the Twin Cities with his family.
Atria Books/Simon & Schuster Author Page
authors.simonandschuster.com/William-Kent-Krueger/
Author Website
williamkentkrueger.com
facebook.com/#!/williamkentkrueger
Blog
williamkentkrueger.com/blog
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COVER DESIGN BY JOHN VAIRO JR. • PHOTOGRAPH OF LAKE © JACK HOLLINGSWORTH/PHOTODISC/GETTY IMAGES
PHOTOGRAPH OF MAN © ROY BISHOP/TREVILLION IMAGES
REVIEWERS LOVE WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER’S
AWARD-WINNING CORK O’CONNOR THRILLERS
“The Cork O’Connor mysteries are known for their rich characterizations and their complex stories with deep moral and emotional cores. If you don’t know Cork O’Connor, get to know him now.”
—
Booklist
“William Kent Krueger has one of the most fresh and authentic voices in crime fiction.”
—Edgar Award–winning author S. J. Rozan
“Superior series. Like sweet corn and the state fair, William Kent Krueger’s novels are an annual summer highlight.”
—
Minnesota Monthly
CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR
BOUNDARY WATERS
“Krueger follows up his sure-handed debut with an equally effective second thriller featuring Cork O’Connor and his adventures in the warm-spirited little town of Aurora, Minnesota. . . . Krueger’s writing, strong and bold yet with the mature mark of restraint, pulls this exciting search-and-rescue mission through with a hard yank.”
—
Publishers Weekly
“Cork remains a sprightly, intriguing hero in a world of wolves, portages, heavy weather, and worrisome humans.”
—
Kirkus Reviews
“Krueger is quickly attaining star status with his O’Connor series.”
—
Midwest Book Review
This title is also available as an eBook
“Page-turning. . . . Any reader with an affection for the North Woods will appreciate Krueger’s vivid imagery, which blends Indian culture and lore, backwoods and adventuring, fish-out-of-water outsiders, and hearty locals whose yokel quotient is kept refreshingly in check.”
—
City Pages
(Minneapolis, MN)
MORE PRAISE FOR WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER’S CORK O’CONNOR NOVELS
RED KNIFE
“One of those hometown heroes you rarely see . . . someone so decent and true, he might restore his town’s battered faith in the old values.”
—
The New York Times Book Review
“The atmosphere is as explosive as tinder. . . . A talented writer, Krueger tells his story from wide-ranging viewpoints.”
—
The Boston Globe
“Outstanding. . . . Simply and elegantly told, this sad story of loyalty and honor, corruption and hatred, hauntingly carves utterly convincing characters into the consciousness.”
—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)
“You can smell the north woods in every chapter.”
—
St. Paul Pioneer Press
(MN)
“Krueger keeps readers guessing in this page-turner, and it’s a joy to read his easy prose.”
—
Star Tribune
(Minneapolis, MN)
“Colorful characters, spot-on sense of place.”
—
Kirkus Reviews
THUNDER BAY
“The deftly plotted seventh Cork O’Connor novel represents a return to top form for Anthony-winner Krueger. . . . The action builds to a violent and satisfying denouement.”
—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)
“The cast of characters is vivid, the plotting is strong, and O’Connor’s retirement gets off to the kind of start that usually marks the launching of a career. It’s great fun.”
—
Washington Times
“[Krueger] has a knack for taking us into the woods and losing us in a good story.”
—
Argus Leader
(Sioux Falls, SD)
“Exciting and gripping. . . . You will burn through this book, relishing the twists and turns.”
—Bookreporter.com
“Krueger’s clean writing and deeply felt sense of place make this novel a standout. Read it for the American Indian lore and a trip to the deep woods that requires no mosquito repellent.”
—
Rocky Mountain News
(Denver, CO)
“
Thunder Bay
is William Kent Krueger’s finest work. A strong story with a fast-beating heart, this is the kind of novel that will bring many new readers knocking on Cork O’Connor’s door. Count me as one of them.”
—
New York Times
bestselling author Michael Connelly
Also by William Kent Krueger
Northwest Angle
Vermilion Drift
Heaven’s Keep
Red Knife
Thunder Bay
Mercy Falls
Blood Hollow
The Devil’s Bed
Purgatory Ridge
Boundary Waters
Iron Lake
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ATRIA
PAPERBACK
A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 1999 by William Kent Krueger
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Atria Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
This Atria Paperback edition June 2009
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ISBN 978-1-4391-5777-0
My thanks first and foremost to the Anishinaabeg. In this book, I have relied heavily on their rich storytelling tradition, if not the stories themselves. The Iron Lake Band of Ojibwe is not real. However, I hope that the spirit with which I rendered these people captures respectfully the courage and integrity of the real Anishinaabeg.
As always, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the members of the mystery writing group that calls itself Crème de la Crime: Carl Brookins, Julie Fasciana, Betty James, Michael Kac, Joan Loshek, Jean Miriam Paul, Betsey Rhame, Susan Runholt, and Anne B. Webb. Without their suggestions and their blessing, this book would not be.
In the course of writing this manuscript, I had the very good fortune of stumbling on Steve Masten, an attorney for the state of Minnesota, whose client is the Department of Natural Resources. I’ve never known anyone more knowledgeable in the ways of the wilderness. From knife blades to ballistics, from wolves to the watershed of the Boundary Waters, he has been generous with his expertise. His editorial comments hit the bull’s-eye every time. “Up to Green River,” Steve. And thanks.
For their guidance in the ways of a county sheriff’s office and of search-and-rescue operations in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, I am grateful to Chief Deputy Mark Falk and Judy Sivertson of the Cook County Sheriff’s Department.
Because anonymity was requested, I will refrain from identifying the helpful source of much of the information concerning the reality of the policies and procedures of the FBI.
In that clean, well-lighted place called the St. Clair Broiler, in the early hours before dawn, this book was written. If you’re ever in St. Paul, drop by for a cup of coffee and an earful from the regulars and to say hello to Jimmy Theros and Elena and the staff. They’ll treat you well, I promise, even if you don’t tell them Kent sent you.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12