Krueger, William Kent – COPPER RIVER

[LJ Roberts]

COPPER RIVER(Police Procedural-Michigan-Cont) – G+ Krueger, William Kent – 7^th in series
Atria Books, 2006- Hardcover

Sheriff Cork O’Conner is wounded and hiding out with his cousin, Jewell, after an attempt on his life by a professional hit man. Jewell’s fourteen year-old son, Ren, has a best friend, Charlie a tomboy whose father is an alcoholic causing her to occasionally stay at a runaway shelter when her father is at his worst. Ren, Charlie and another friend think they see a body in the river one day. After the body turns up and is identified as another girl from the shelter, Ren and Charlie’s friend is struck by a car, Charlie’s father is murdered and Charlie is hiding out for her life. In spite of Cork’s own dangers, he, with the help of Dina, a friend and former FBI agent are determined to protect Charlie and find out what is going on.

Although this was less a story of Cork and more focused on Ren and Charlie, all the strengths of Krueger’s writing were in evidence. The evocative sense of place, strong characters and dialogue, elements of native America mythology and excellent suspense are hallmarks of Krueger. But after the build up of “Mercy Falls” I felt a bit let down by the lack focus on Cork, interaction with his family, and the somewhat anticlimactic ending of that particular story line. Still, this was a very good book and I am already anxious for the next.