Rating: 4 out of 5.

This is book 21 in the Cork O’Connor series but can be read as a standalone. There are issues from previous books that are referenced, but won’t impact a first time reader’s enjoyment of the book. This book has plenty of action and suspense that will keep you glued to it. Cork also goes through a lot of self-reflection in this book. He tries to come to terms with his capacity for peace and forgiveness but also for rage and vengeance.

Cork and the men and boys in his family plan to take a several day canoe trip in the Boundary Waters, but before they go, his son and grandson both have the same dream of a wolf eating his heart. Cork tries to reason out what these visions could mean, but they decide to take the trip anyway and set off. They learn that one of Cork’s long-time friends is leading a canoe trip for several men that took off a little bit before them. As the trip progresses, they find evidence of violence and Cork goes in search of his missing friend. He runs across the Kennedy brothers, who are seeking their late father’s hidden stash. They will do anything, and kill anyone, that gets in their path. Cork negotiates a deal with the brothers to help them achieve their goal, provided they not hurt anyone else they may come across. You can imagine how well that turns out.

The book is violent and tense and unpredictable. Cork is a wily, cunning man trying to outsmart and outmaneuver predators. It’s a fight of good against evil, and evil is close to winning. As Cork travels with the brothers he examines his relationship with the people in his life, events that occurred and the choices that he made. He tries to temper his desire for vengeance against his sense of justice and is unsure which side of him will win. It’s captivating watching Cork go through this battle and the ending is a bit unsettling and ends on a tiny bit of a cliffhanger. I am really looking forward to the next book in the series to see what happens.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Atria and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.