The River We Remember: A Novel

William Kent Krueger

Sept 2023 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this eBook

AN EDGAR AWARD NOMINEE

In 1958, a small Minnesota town is rocked by a shocking murder, pouring fresh fuel on old grievances in this dazzling novel, an instant New York Times bestseller and “a work of art” (The Denver Post).

On Memorial Day in Jewel, Minnesota, the body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast. The investigation falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service. Even before Dern has the results of the autopsy, vicious rumors begin to circulate that the killer must be Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran who has recently returned to Jewel with a Japanese wife. As suspicions and accusations mount and the town teeters on the edge of more violence, Dern struggles not only to find the truth of Quinn’s murder but also put to rest the demons from his own past.

Caught up in the torrent of anger that sweeps through Jewel are a war widow and her adolescent son, the intrepid publisher of the local newspaper, an aging deputy, and a crusading female lawyer, all of whom struggle with their own tragic histories and harbor secrets that Quinn’s death threatens to expose.

Both a complex, spellbinding mystery and a masterful portrait of mid-century American life that is “a novel to cherish” (Star Tribune, Minneapolis), The River We Remember offers an unflinching look at the wounds left by the wars we fight abroad and at home, a moving exploration of the ways in which we seek to heal, and a testament to the enduring power of the stories we tell about the places we call home.

Ratings and reviews

The Alabaster River runs through Jewel, a small Minnesota town. The residents, town and even the river itself holds intertwining secrets. Beautifully written, it's a powerful and mysterious story about a man Jimmy Quinn, who's power and greed had made him into a much disliked, if not hated neighbor, is found dead in the Alabaster. The main suspect is his former employee, recently fired for supposed theft, Native American Noah Bluestone, a WW2 hero who lives on a nearby farm with his Japanese wife. Noah and his family has a long and tragic history in Jewel and with Jimmy Quinn. Investigating the death is Sheriff Dern, who must unravel the mystery of Quinn's killer before the town turns on Noah Bluestone and itself.

An amazing story that slowly unfolds as the secrets held close unravel and lay in a bundle of regrets. The intersection of characters tells stories wrapped around the death of a mean, haunted man which uncovers the racist thoughts of a small Minnesota town. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

such a great read. I had a hard time putting it down to fix dinner. his stories never fall to move me and surprise me. loved it.

About the author

William Kent Krueger is the New York Times bestselling author of The River We Remember, This Tender Land, Ordinary Grace (winner of the Edgar Award for best novel), and the original audio novella The Levee, as well as nineteen acclaimed books in the Cork O’Connor mystery series, including Lightning Strike and Fox Creek. He lives in the Twin Cities with his family. Learn more at WilliamKentKrueger.com.