God's Country

Cork O'Connor #21

by William Kent Krueger

From the New York Times bestselling author of The River We Remember, a new mystery in the wildly popular Cork O’Connor series.

Cork O’Connor, preparing for a family trip into the Boundary Waters, is troubled by ominous visions about his future. Ignoring the warnings, he uncovers signs of violence while searching for his missing friend, Cordell Bishop. Soon, he is forced to negotiate with dangerous criminals, the Kennedy brothers, who are seeking their late father’s hidden stash.

Facing escalating danger and difficult choices, Cork grapples with his darkest instincts as he helps others escape and eventually takes justice into his own hands. God’s Country is an action-packed thrill ride that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller

256 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 18, 2026

About the author

Raised in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, William Kent Krueger briefly attended Stanford University—before being kicked out for radical activities. After that, he logged timber, worked construction, tried his hand at freelance journalism, and eventually ended up researching child development at the University of Minnesota. He currently makes his living as a full-time author. He’s been married for over 40 years to a marvelous woman who is an attorney. He makes his home in St. Paul, a city he dearly loves.

Krueger writes a mystery series set in the north woods of Minnesota. His protagonist is Cork O’Connor, the former sheriff of Tamarack County and a man of mixed heritage—part Irish and part Ojibwe. His work has received a number of awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Dilys Award, and the Friends of American Writers Prize. His last five novels were all New York Times bestsellers.

"Ordinary Grace," his stand-alone novel published in 2013, received the Edgar Award, given by the Mystery Writers of America in recognition for the best novel published in that year. "Windigo Island," number fourteen in his Cork O’Connor series, was released in August 2014.

Reviews

[Linden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cork is going on a trip with some family members to the Boundary Waters area, despite dire premonitions. He learns that his friend has been asked to guide some men through the area, but that they are not just tourists, they are criminals who will stop at nothing to get what they want. Cork refuses to go back with the other men and boys, determined to find his friend. What he finds are two murderous brothers who will stop at nothing in their search for a treasure. Cork wrestles with his desire to give them what they deserve for their evil conduct and the desire to help like a good person he believes himself to be. Even though I have not read the whole series, I was able to read this as a standalone. As the atmosphere darkens, so do Cork's thoughts. Can a good man kill someone and relish doing it? Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the opportunity to review this advance copy.