Lightning Strike

Written by William Kent Krueger

Narrated by David Chandler

The New York Times bestselling author of This Tender Land returns with a powerful prequel to his acclaimed Cork O’Connor series—a book about fathers and sons, long-smoldering conflicts in a small Minnesota town, and the events
that echo through youth and shape our lives forever.

Aurora is a small town nestled in the ancient forest alongside the shores of Minnesota’s Iron Lake. In the summer of 1963, it is the whole world to twelveyear-old Cork O’Connor, its rhythms as familiar as his own heartbeat. But when
Cork stumbles upon the body of a man he revered hanging from a tree in an abandoned logging camp, it is the first in a series of events that will cause him to question everything he took for granted about his hometown, his family, and himself.

Cork’s father, Liam O’Connor, is Aurora’s sheriff, and it is his job to confirm that the man’s death was the result of suicide, as all the evidence suggests. In the shadow of his father’s official investigation, Cork begins to look for answers on his
own. Together, father and son face the ultimate test of choosing between what their heads tell them is true and what their hearts know is right.

In this masterful story of a young man and a town on the cusp of change, beloved novelist William Kent Krueger shows that some mysteries can be solved even as others surpass our understanding.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781980034384

William Kent Krueger

William Kent Krueger is the New York Times bestselling author of The River We Remember, This Tender Land, Ordinary Grace (winner of the Edgar Award for best novel), and the original audio novella The Levee, as well as nineteen acclaimed books in the Cork O’Connor mystery series, including Lightning Strike and Fox Creek. He lives in the Twin Cities with his family. Learn more at WilliamKentKrueger.com.

Reviews for Lightning Strike

[waldhaus1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A reflection on life and where it is taking CorkA reflection on life and where it is taking Cork. Not yet a teenager Cork inserts himself into the investigation of a death. The story has many of the hallmarks to be found in the other O;Connor novels: a murder, complex connections with his anishinabe background, Henry, spiritualism, and an exciting conclusion. Perhaps a case of the man being father to the boy.

[drmom62 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Excellent storyteller

[John Wolcott · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I believe the author is one of the best. Love his books.

[Jane Richman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brilliant story narrated by the perfect voice for Krueger's stories.
Thank you!

[lewilliams-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the back story behind the William Kent Krueger Cork O'Connor series. The story takes place when Cork was 12 years old in the summer of 1963 and his father Liam is the Sheriff of Tamarack County Minnesota. Cork and two friends discover the body of an Ojibwe Big John Manydeeds hanging from a tree at Lightning Strike. Was it a suicide as all appearances make it out to be? The more questions Liam asks and the more clues turned up make Liam thing there's more to the hanging of Big John than meets the eye. With and sometimes without his father's approval, Cork go in search of what happened to Big John and why. Lightning Strike is a well written addition to a great series.

[romonko · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love Cork O'Connor and have been reading my way through The Cork O'Connor series. This prequel came out last year and I wanted to read it in order to become more familiar with Cork's earlier life before he becomes Sheriff Cork O'Connor. I love the settings of these books - in and around Aurora, Minnesota. I love the native lore, and the people that live in this beautiful area. The geographical names are so familiar to me now - Boundary Waters, Iron Lake and the forests and parklands all around the area. This is a book about father's and sons, life-lessons learned the hard way, and illustrates so clearly the responsibility that we all have to take care of our families. The book is set in the summer of 1963, when Cork is 12 years of age. His father, Sheriff Liam O'Connor is the person responsible for maintaining law and order in this vast land that is peopled by both whites and natives alike. In most cases they live beside each other fairly peacefully, but sometimes an event occurs that is a lightning rod that ignited long-buried secrets and animosities. A well-respected member of the Anishinabee community is found hanging from a tree in the back country, and a young Cork O'Connor and his friend were the ones to find the body. Cork joins forces with his father in order to find the killer. A tangled web of deceit and deception is unearthed and brought into the light as the investigation continues. Cork learns so much during this summer about life and brotherhood. I can see the older Cork O'Connor in this young 12-year-old version, and that is William Kent Krueger's genius. He brings to life every single character that he creates. That is what makes all of his books so special and why he is one of my favourite authors. I cannot recommend his books enough,.

[juju2cat · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's always such a pleasure to read such beautiful prose. There is so much humanity written here in spite of the fact that this is a murder mystery while we ponder how/why racism still exists in our time. A well written book, loved it!

[shazjhb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good book. He writes well but it is only interesting if you have read the series.

[diana.hauser · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

LIGHTNING STRIKE is written by William Kent Krueger.It is Book 18 in Mr. Krueger’s Cork O’Connor Mystery series.This story is a ‘prequel’ and details the events in 1963 in the small town of Aurora “ nestled in the ancient forest alongside the shores of Minnesota’s Iron Lake”.It is a ‘coming of age’ story. The summer and succession of events that occur will forever change 12 year-old Cork O’Connor. These events, these relationships work to develop young Cork into the man he will become.The writing is excellent; the characters, the settings, the plot - all are very well-developed and detailed. The locations - the O’Connor home; Lightning Strike (a place); the reservation; the town of Aurora; the forest; the waters; the sky - all characters in their own right.I have read and enjoyed every book in this series and would recommend every title without question. The books have a dramatic, almost mystical feel to them. *****

[hubblegal-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It looks like I’ll be spending the winter with the Cork O’Connor series. This prequel was excellent so I’m going to keep reading starting at #1. I may read other books in between but hope to get to the entire series. Lots of books ahead!

[jepeters333 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Aurora is a small town nestled in the ancient forest alongside the shores of Minnesota’s Iron Lake. In the summer of 1963, it is the whole world to 12-year-old Cork O’Connor, its rhythms as familiar as his own heartbeat. But when Cork stumbles upon the body of a man he revered hanging from a tree in an abandoned logging camp, it is the first in a series of events that will cause him to question everything he took for granted about his hometown, his family, and himself.Cork’s father, Liam O’Connor, is Aurora’s sheriff, and it is his job to confirm that the man’s death was the result of suicide, as all the evidence suggests. In the shadow of his father’s official investigation, Cork begins to look for answers on his own. Together, father and son face the ultimate test of choosing between what their heads tell them is true and what their hearts know is right.In this masterful story of a young man and a town on the cusp of change, beloved novelist William Kent Krueger shows that some mysteries can be solved even as others surpass our understanding.

[josephking6602 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very good novel by one of my favorite authors!

[jamespurcell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An excellent entry and intro for this fine series. Cork is 12 and his life is about to change for ever. As always, wonderful insights into the world of the Ojibway, their lives, and struggles in a white man's world.

[kimkimkim-7 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is where it all begins, the backstory, the childhood of Cork O’Connor. 1963, The year he tries to make sense of his father, Liam O’Connor.If you have no knowledge of The Indian Relocation Act of 1956 this book incorporates all the chilling horrors of the United States government’s attempt to destroy Native American culture within a murder mystery. Krueger offers no apologies for outing a blind, corrupt system that stole everything from the indigenous people of North America. That he is able to do this while creating an intelligent coming of age story is nothing short of intense and profound. As in all of Krueger’s books the descriptions are jaw dropping; “ The sun was a melt of yellow in an aster blue sky”. He makes blueberry picking interesting. The dialogue, whether adult or involving twelve year old boys, was authentic and persuasive. Great writing, great story.