I consider myself a halfhearted fan of William Kent Krueger: I enjoyed both Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land (https://littorallibrarian.org/this-tender-land-by-william-kent-krueger/). But the only one in the beloved Cork O’Connor series I had read was Iron Lake, so when I received a copy of Lightning Strike from Atria Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, I was happy to dive right in. 

In this prequel to the Cork O’Connor series, twelve-year-old Cork is living in Aurora, Minnesota, a small town in the forest near Iron Lake. His father, Liam O’Connor, is the local sheriff, which is handy when Cork and his friend stumble upon a dead body. It LOOKS like the man, a Native American named Big John Moneydeeds (someone Cork revered), has committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree. As Liam begins his official investigation, Cork begins his own effort to figure out what really happened. 

It is a fine mystery, as well as a coming of age novel. Even more, it takes a good hard look at what ilife in general and the justice system in particular were like for Native Americans in the early to mid-1960s. The title refers to the way things can change in an instant…as Cork finds out. A good read. Four stars.