Northwest Angle

I can't believe how fast this summer flew by! The days felt neverending, but when I look book, it just all zipped by! I apologize for the lack of posts over the summer. The new pain patch has been a real blessing to me, because it's allowed me to live a semi-normal life for the first time in seven years. I still have some terrible days that leave me bedridden, but this summer we were able to take our first real family vacation in a long time. I got my house completely cleaned, top to bottom, and that has kept me very busy. I'm hoping with Mia back in school, my days will be a little less busy, and I'll be getting back to a more regular blogging schedule. Today's picture is Mia in her first day of school outfit. I can't believe how much she's grown in the past year! She's shot up about six inches and outgrew every single piece of clothing she owned, including shoes.

Tomorrow I'm off the the semi-annual Amish Quilt Auction with my mom and Mia. This is just Mia's second time, my first to go with her, and I'm looking forward to the day. I hope you have a wonderful Labor Day weekend, and if you're looking for a fantastic read to enjoy the three day weekend, today's review is perfect.

Northwest Angle by William Kent Krueger is the eleventh book in the Cork O'Connor series. Cork has taken his family of sister-in-law Rose and her husband, Mal, and three kids: Anne, Jenny, and Stephen, away up north to the Lake of the Woods on vacation, to help them all recover from the events of the past few books. He wants to spend some time alone with Jenny and talk with her about her growing relationship with boyfriend, Aaron, but all of his plans are shaken when a huge storm called a derecho blows up, separating Cork and Jenny from the rest of the family. The pair discover a murdered woman's body and upon hearing some strange noises from the forest, find her weeks old baby boy. They soon find themselves hunted by a mysterious man who may have killed the woman, and Cork is disturbed by Jenny's growing bond with the infant. When the family is finally united they find themselves cut off from the rest of the world and facing an unexpected enemy. Krueger writes thrilling crime novels that are less about the crime and more about the characters. He wants to know how people would react to the horror of murder, and his stories are almost psychological profiles. By focusing on how each character is feeling and reacting, the reader is pulled deeply into the story. Unlike many series that have sequels into the double digits, Krueger's characters still feel very fresh because they grow personally with each story. Revisiting the O'Connor family in this book felt like catching up with good friends, so every twist and turn feels very personal and real.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with a copy of this book for review!