Monday, August 30, 2021

Book Review: "Lightning Strike" by William Kent Krueger

The latest from bestselling author William Kent Krueger, Lightning Strike is a beautifully told story, of a small town in the 1960s rocked by a mysterious death and culture clashes, and a boy’s coming of age.

It’s funny, I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction, but give me a well-written book like this and I’m totally hooked. I felt the same about Krueger’s last book, This Tender Land, which was one of the best books I read in 2019.

In this prequel to Krueger’s Cork O’Connor series, it’s 1963 and Cork is 12 years old. His father is the sheriff of their small town of Aurora, Minnesota, which is shaken when Cork and his friend find the body of a town resident hanging from a tree.

The man was a well-known Native American in town, and while every sign points to suicide, his friends and relatives insist otherwise. They quickly become angry that Cork’s father is only interested in the facts he sees, and doesn’t believe it could have been murder. But Cork and his friends feel a responsibility to try and find out what happened, and it’s not long before father and son find themselves in the midst of a mystery with possibly dangerous ramifications.

I eagerly anticipated Lightning Strike and it absolutely lived up to my expectations. I love the way Krueger tells a story, the way he meshes emotion, narrative, and historical details. Even though this is a prequel to a series, it’s fine to read as a standalone, although if you’re like me, you’ll want to dive in to the whole series afterward!

I so loved this.

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