William Kent Krueger is best known for the Cork O’Connor mysteries, but his bibliography goes well beyond that one series. If you’re looking for William Kent Krueger books in order, this guide covers his Cork O’Connor novels, standalone books, audio novella, companion books, short fiction, and anthology appearances.
The easiest path depends on what you want to read. Cork O’Connor is the long-running mystery series, so that’s best read in order. Krueger’s standalone novels are separate, so you can read Ordinary Grace, This Tender Land, The River We Remember, or The Devil’s Bed whenever you want.
Jump to:
- Cork O’Connor Series
- William Kent Krueger Standalone Books and Novellas
- William Kent Krueger Companion Books and Non-Fiction
- William Kent Krueger Short Stories and Anthologies
- Do You Need to Read William Kent Krueger Books in Order?
- Who is William Kent Krueger?
- William Kent Krueger Books FAQ
Cork O’Connor Series
The Cork O’Connor books follow a former sheriff and private investigator in northern Minnesota. Cork is part Irish and part Ojibwe, and the series leans heavily into family, community, wilderness, and Ojibwe history. That gives the books a strong sense of place, which is a big part of why this series has lasted so long.
This section gives you the quick publication-order list. For a deeper series-only breakdown, including the chronological order and where Lightning Strike fits, use my Cork O’Connor books in order guide.
- Iron Lake (1998)
- Boundary Waters (1999)
- Purgatory Ridge (2001)
- Blood Hollow (2004)
- Mercy Falls (2005)
- Copper River (2006)
- Thunder Bay (2007)
- Red Knife (2008)
- Heaven’s Keep (2009)
- Vermilion Drift (2010)
- Northwest Angle (2011)
- Trickster’s Point (2012)
- Tamarack County (2013)
- Windigo Island (2014)
- Manitou Canyon (2016)
- Sulfur Springs (2017)
- Desolation Mountain (2018)
- Lightning Strike (2021) (Prequel)
- Fox Creek (2022)
- Spirit Crossing (2024)
- Apostle’s Cove (2025)
- God’s Country (2026)
William Kent Krueger Standalone Books and Novellas
Krueger’s standalone books are separate from Cork O’Connor, and they’re the best place to go if you want his writing without committing to a long series. Ordinary Grace, This Tender Land, and The River We Remember are especially good fits for readers who like literary mystery, family secrets, and small-town stories with emotional weight.
- The Devil’s Bed (2003)
- Ordinary Grace (2013)
- This Tender Land (2019)
- The Levee (2023) (Audio Novella)
- The River We Remember (2023)
William Kent Krueger Companion Books and Non-Fiction
These aren’t novels, so most readers can skip them. They’re here because they show up in Krueger bibliographies, and a completionist may want to know where they fit. The first two are Cork O’Connor companion books. Writing Murder is a multi-author writing guide with Krueger as one of the contributors.
- The William Kent Krueger Reader’s Companion (2012) (Companion)
- Writing Murder: A Basic Guide to Writing Mystery Fiction (2012) (Writing Guide)
- The World of Cork O’Connor (2016) (Companion)
William Kent Krueger Short Stories and Anthologies
Krueger has also written short fiction for magazines, limited collections, and multi-author anthologies. These aren’t required reading for Cork O’Connor or the standalone novels, but they belong in a complete William Kent Krueger bibliography. When a story appears in a collection that’s easy to identify, I’ve listed the story first and linked the book.
- “Herring Choker” (Boys’ Life, 2002)
- “The Windigo” (Boys’ Life, 2004)
- “The Far Side of the River” (found in Meeting Across the River: Stories Inspired by the Haunting Bruce Springsteen Song) (2005)
- “Before Swine” (found in Silence of the Loons: Thirteen Tales of Mystery by Minnesota’s Premier Crime Writers) (2005)
- “Bums” (found in Twin Cities Noir) (2006)
- “Heat Lightning” (found in Mystery Writers of America Presents Death Do Us Part) (2006)
- “Absolution” (found in These Guns for Hire) (2006)
- “Hills Like White Rabbits” (found in Resort to Murder: Thirteen More Tales of Mystery by Minnesota’s Premier Writers) (2007)
- “Contender” (found in Once Upon a Crime: An Anthology of Murder, Mayhem, and Suspense) (2009)
- “Hixton” (found in Crimes by Moonlight: Mysteries from the Dark Side) (2010)
- “Woman in Ice” (found in Fifteen Tales of Murder, Mayhem, and Malice: From the Land of Minnesota Nice) (2012)
- “Luck” (found in Writes of Spring: Stories and Prose) (2012)
- “The Man Who Cried Wolf” (found in 10,000 Lakes: Tales from the North Country) (2016)
- “The Painted Smile” (found in Echoes of Sherlock Holmes: Stories Inspired by the Holmes Canon) (2016)
- “Corpus Delicti” (A.S.A.P. Publishing, 2018)
- “Just Another Cold Case” (found in Blood Work: Remembering Gary Shulze) (2018)
- “Nature of the Beast” (found in Mystery Writers of America Presents Odd Partners) (2019)
Do You Need to Read William Kent Krueger Books in Order?
You only need to be strict with the Cork O’Connor books. That series follows Cork, his family, and the people around him over many years, so the character arcs work better in publication order.
The standalone books are different. The Devil’s Bed, Ordinary Grace, This Tender Land, The Levee, and The River We Remember are separate stories. You can read those based on whichever premise interests you most.
For most readers, I’d start with Iron Lake for the mystery series. Start with Ordinary Grace if you want one of Krueger’s standalone novels first.
Who is William Kent Krueger?
William Kent Krueger is an American mystery and literary fiction writer best known for the Cork O’Connor series, which is set in the north woods of Minnesota. Cork is a former sheriff of Tamarack County, and the books often bring together crime, family, wilderness, and Ojibwe culture.
Krueger grew up in Oregon and eventually made his home in St. Paul, Minnesota. Before becoming a full-time novelist, he worked a long mix of jobs, including timber logging, construction, freelance journalism, and child-development research at the University of Minnesota.
His standalone novels widened his audience beyond series mystery readers. Ordinary Grace won the Edgar Award for Best Novel, while This Tender Land and The River We Remember brought more historical fiction and literary suspense readers into his work.
That’s why his bibliography is a little more varied than it may look at first. Cork O’Connor is the backbone, but Krueger’s standalone books are a major part of his reputation too.
William Kent Krueger Books FAQ
Are William Kent Krueger’s standalone books connected?
Krueger’s standalone books are separate stories. You don’t need to read one before another, and you don’t need any series background before starting them.
Is Ordinary Grace part of a series?
Ordinary Grace is a standalone novel. It isn’t part of a mystery series, and you can read it without reading any of Krueger’s other books.
Is This Tender Land connected to Ordinary Grace?
This Tender Land is often described as a companion novel to Ordinary Grace, but it isn’t a sequel. You can read either book first without being confused.
Is The Levee a regular novel?
The Levee is an audio-original novella. It stands alone, so you can listen to it anytime, but it’s different from Krueger’s full-length novels.
Does William Kent Krueger write only mystery books?
No. Mystery is a major part of Krueger’s career, but his standalone novels often lean more toward literary fiction, historical fiction, family drama, and suspense. That’s why readers who don’t usually follow long mystery series still often connect with books like Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land.
Looking for similar books in order?
If you want more mystery authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Mystery Books in Order index.
One thought on “William Kent Krueger Books in Order: Complete Guide”
I just finished Fox Creek. I came upon it at Barnes & Noble. I loved it and now I want to go back and read them all starting with Iron Creek. I hope there is a follow-up to Fox Creek, although it won’t be anytime soon. God bless.