William Kent Krueger (known to his friends as “Kent”) is an American novelist of crime fiction. Kent is best known for writing novels featuring Cork O’Connor, who is half-Irish, half-Ojibwe. His novels are set in Minnesota, where Krueger himself lives. The setting of these novels is of great importance to the series.

Krueger’s first novel was Iron Lake, the first Cork O’Connor novel, and was published in 1998. Since then, his entire bibliography consists of Cork O’Connor books and are published at the rate of about once a year. Below is a list of William Kent Krueger’s books in order of when they were originally released:

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Publication Order of Cork O'Connor Books

Iron Lake (1998)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Boundary Waters (1999)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Purgatory Ridge (2001)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Blood Hollow (2004)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Mercy Falls (2005)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Copper River (2006)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Thunder Bay (2007)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Red Knife (2008)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Heaven's Keep (2009)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Vermilion Drift (2010)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Northwest Angle (2011)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Trickster's Point (2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Tamarack County (2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Windigo Island (2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Manitou Canyon (2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Sulfur Springs (2017)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Desolation Mountain (2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Lightning Strike (2021)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Fox Creek (2022)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Spirit Crossing (2024)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Lightning Strike is a prequel to the series.

Publication Order of Cork O'Connor Companion Books

The World of Cork O'Connor (2016)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

The Devil's Bed (2003)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Ordinary Grace (2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
This Tender Land (2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The River We Remember (2023)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

The William Kent Krueger Reader's Companion (2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Anthologies

Twin Cities Noir(2006)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Death Do Us Part(2006)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
These Guns for Hire(2006)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Resort to Murder(2007)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Once Upon a Crime: An Anthology of Murder, Mayhem and Suspense(2009)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Crimes by Moonlight(2010)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Writes of Spring(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Writing Murder: A Basic Guide to Writing Mystery Fiction(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
USA Noir(2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Bullets and Other Hurting Things: A Tribute to Bill Crider(2021)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Note: Writing Murder: A Basic Guide to Writing Mystery Novels was written with 14 other authors.

If You Like William Kent Krueger Books, You’ll Love…

Order of Books » Authors » Order of William Kent Krueger Books

8 Responses to “Order of William Kent Krueger Books”

  1. Barbara Vascukynas: 2 years ago

    I just finished reading ” The Devil’s Bed”. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

    I am wondering if there will be a sequel to this story line with Bo Thorsen’s character.

    I hope so.

    Barbara

    Reply

  2. Lyn Glenn: 2 years ago

    In Mercy Falls Connor leaves quickly, alone with price on his head. Which book follows, resolving his need to hide?

    Reply

    • Graeme: 2 years ago

      As per the list above, Copper River is the next book in that series.

      Reply

  3. Bette Jane Bessey: 3 years ago

    I am leading a book discussion in my town in Maine for “This Tender Land”.
    There is quite a theme of forgiveness and Christian values.
    I was wondering if Mr Krueger is a Christian? Or if his faith is important to him.
    Any other insights you could share would be appreciated for the March 26th discussion.
    Sincerely,
    BJB

    Reply

    • Graeme: 3 years ago

      Your best bet would be to search for interviews featuring him. Here is one example from Shots Magazine where he comments on it:

      Ali: One theme in your work is religion and rituals and how the past affects the present and the future. Why do these themes interest you?
      Kent: The spiritual life is a significant concern for me – what it is, what impact it has on our lives, how to stay in touch with it. When I created the character of Cork O’Connor, I made him a man who’d turned his back on God, and who believes that God has turned his back as well. I liked that because I think we’re all struggling with spiritual questions and often feel abandoned and alone. Cork is Catholic, a religious tradition with a complicated history and a lot of ritual. He is also part Ojibwe, a culture with a rich spiritual tradition tied very much to nature. Put these elements together and you have a wonderful complexity of character and theme to deal with, rich territory to mine as an author.

      Reply

  4. Lou N Jackie Johnson: 3 years ago

    Has Kreuger stopped writing Cork O’Connor books?

    Reply

  5. Linda: 9 years ago

    When will there be a new cork oconner book?????

    Reply

    • Bodhi Kannon: 7 years ago

      there is, as of 2017

      Reply

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