I just finished reading this book. While the story is pertinent to current events, although drug smuggling and illegal immigration are not new) it was disappointing to see the author inject his personal political views so frequently. It did not add to the book, in fact was just the opposite.

I enjoyed this Cork O'Connor novel. Instead of the North Country we get the desert of Southern Arizona, but the plot moves quickly, wherever the setting. Some of Cork's melancholic Catholic musings seem to lack the gravitas of the Minnesota woods, and in place of Uncle Henry we get a watered down version from Cork and Rainy. But all the elements of a Cork novel are intact, and even as he reaches old age, I look forward to the next novel.

An ordinary story without any surprises. Too long for what's it worth. It's full of incorehences (illegals, drugs left in a mine somewhere). A patchwork for a story that isn't very original.

Another great book by William Kent Krueger starring Cork O'Conner. You could say that about all his Cork O'Conner books, but this one is especially unique. Most of what happens is in far southern Arizona, way out of Cork's comfort zone of northern Minnesota. Krueger weaves a great tale that involves a lot of running around the Arizona countryside and throughout the book you see Cork struggling because he "doesn't understand this land". Complicating this is that the reason he is in Arizona is that Rainy's (his new wife) son, Peter, is in trouble and missing. As he and Rainy try to find him and understand why he has disappeared, Cork finds himself increasingly uncomfortable with figuring out who to trust among the many locals he comes in contact with. These 'new' things that make Cork uncomfortable (along with being threatened and shot at repeatedly), are skillfully woven together in a really fine novel. I don't know if this 'field trip' to Arizona is a one-off idea of Krueger or if he plans on future field trips as well. Either way, I look forward to his next Cork O'Conner novel. Enjoy!

Hard to put down, since several of the chapters end on cliff-hangers and make you read into the next chapter to see what the heck just happened. Lots of characters to keep straight, so a few times I had to jump back and remember who someone was, relative to the story and the various small towns involved. I was also pleasantly surprised and moved by the pro-refugee sub-theme (many pro-humanitarian comments and sentiments between the 3 main characters). Overall, a good read. Lots of hints dropped along the way, as well as a lot of foreshadowing (storms and vultures).

Good book. Entertaining and exciting from start to finish.