Huff and puff and blow your house down.
Those are three things a fairy tale wolf does. He also terrifies girls in red hoods, steals from farmers, and attacks children in the woods. In fairy tales, the wolf is always on the outside of goodness. But, as in the new novel “God’s Country” by William Kent Krueger, what about the wolf inside?
The dream-visions were identical. And concerning.
Cork O’Connor’s son and grandson were both blessed with the gift of prophecy, but they rarely had the same dream. When they did, the family took notice: did Waaboo and Stephen both “see” Cork encountering a vicious, bloodthirsty wolf?
Cork wasn’t as worried. Waaboo and Cork’s nephew, Luke, were eagerly anticipating a canoe trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota, near the Anishinaabe reservation, and the BWCA was always good for what ailed a man.
But this camping trip was anything but relaxing.
Upon arriving, Cork noted that his friend, Cordell Bishop, a wilderness guide, left his truck at the entry point and he’d allowed the three “city folks” in his group to be careless with their trash. Carry out what you carry in is an outdoorman’s rule, and finding plastic in the pristine wilderness truly angered Cork.
But a dead man hidden beneath brush was no litter.
Instantly, Cork became worried about his friend. Cordell’s wife knew little about the men in Cordell’s group, but their presence seemed a lot like another case that Cork had solved when he was Tamarack County’s sheriff.
After discussing the danger and watching his own group safely leave, Cork set out to find Cordell — and he did. Cordell was badly injured and tied to a tree, the hostage of two Glock-toting men in search of a landmark that didn’t exist which, after his own capture, made Cork uncharacteristically angrier.
Several times, he had a chance to escape.
Several times, he gave the chance to someone else.
And the vicious wolf inside him grew larger…
Be prepared to snarl.
That’s going to happen quite often when you read “God’s Country.” Many times here, you’ll realize that you’re you holding your breath, squinching your shoulders, and growling.
But really, that tension, that need to remind yourself that it’s only a book and it’ll all be fine, isn’t that exactly what you want in a thriller? A smart former cop, unique danger, a splash of blood, and an author like William Kent Krueger who keeps the squirms as unrelenting as possible?
Yep, and this book is perfectly satisfying in that respect. Krueger also gives fans their favorite characters again, but with a twist: O’Connor isn’t our balanced, Zen-like retired cop anymore. He’s edgier, more willing to take risks, harder, seething, and you’ll like that. You’ll be ready for the next installment, for sure.
If you’re new to this series, you could commence with this book but you’ll be happier if you start closer to the beginning. If you’re a fan, though, “God’s Country” is a novel you’ll wolf right down.
“God’s Country: A Novel” by William Kent Krueger c.2026, Atria $28 248 pages