Lighting Strike is a prequel to the Cork O’Connor Series (22 books).   It is set in the northern Minnesota town of Aurora,  adjacent to an Anishinaabe Reserve, on the edge of the the wilderness.    Cork is 12 years old and his father is the sheriff of Tamarack County who investigates the death of a First Nations man in what looks like a suicide.    Tensions run high between the Rez and the town, as his father looks for clues, and tries to uncover well-guarded secrets, but Cork also gets involved in following the “crumbs.”

The book has an ongoing tension, with themes of family bonds, racism, spiritual vs factual beliefs, cultural differences, and justice.    It moves slowly but comes to a satisfying ending.    It stands alone on its own as a fine book, but it may also hook readers to go on to more books in the series.

Recommended – 4.5 stars/5