With The River We Remember, William Kent Krueger once again showcases his breathtakingly brilliant ability to tell a tale that reaches the depths of your soul and touches your heart. He’s the most powerful storyteller in the genre today and this the most exquisite book you’ll read in 2023.

It’s 1958 and Jimmy Quinn is found dead in the Alabaster River in Jewel, Minnesota. Sheriff Brody Dern kicks off an investigation into the demise of the white, wealthy and disliked landowner which ultimately leads to the arrest of Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran with a Japanese wife. With prejudice and anger in the air, the court of public opinion has already convicted Noah of the crime. However, Sheriff Dern’s search for the truth continues while he struggles with demons of his past. As this crime and investigation tears through the small community, several individuals must face their tragic histories and determine how it will shape their lives going forward. And the truth, as horrible as it might be, could be the only thing that sets them free.

The centerpiece of this wonderful story is the beautifully flawed yet perfect characters. There’s a lot of past trauma that haunts these individuals, but most of them strive to be the best versions of themselves even as they take missteps along the way. Which makes them eminently relatable and admirable, people you want to see find peace and happiness. And they’re all put through the ringer of a story filled with juxtapositions – love and heartbreak, justifiable conduct and unfathomable behavior, heroes and miscreants, acceptance and ignorance, honor and disgrace – that test their resilience and moral character. It’s at times overwhelming to witness and hard to process, but stunning to be an observer of this grand journey of personal exploration and healing.

William Kent Krueger is the master at teaching life lessons while building emotional connections between the characters and the reader. And he absolutely knocks it out of the park once again. As a result, The River We Remember is a book you feel more so than read. A beautiful experience unto itself. And if it doesn’t have you contemplating the meaning of life while trying to hold back a flood of tears, then check your pulse.

5+++++ stars

Five years ago I abandoned William Kent Krueger as my favorite all-time author for Fredrik Backman. Well, The River We Remember confirms the fact that I was right the first time. Mr. Backman is a phenomenal writer, but there is just something about WKK that draws me right back to him every time I read one of his books. I believe he is extra special to me because he is one of us. Since his college days he has been a Minnesotan through and through who knows our history, our land, and our people as well as anyone. I feel a spiritual connection to his writings.

The River We Remember drew me in immediately. As always there is mystery to WKK’s stories. This novel revolves around the murder of one miserable man named Jimmy Quinn. The main suspect is Noah Blackstone, a Dakota Native American. The year is 1958. The setting is a fictional town, Jewel, MN, in southeast Minnesota. I strongly suspect Jewel is based on a town not far from where I live-- Blue Earth, MN, in Blue Earth County, through which flows the Blue Earth River. The protagonist is Brody Dern, the local sheriff. Brody is a good man, but he is struggling with demons from his past. Demons that must be dealt with, but how? There are a number of supporting characters, all richly drawn and impossible to confuse. I loved so many of these people, especially Brody, Scott, Angie, Connie, Noah, Marta, and Charlie. The atmosphere and the setting are portrayed beautifully. I was completely drawn in and felt right at home, which is another reason I love this author.

Like his other books, even his crime fiction Cork O’Connor series, this story is so much more than a mystery. Yes, the mystery in River is complex and captivating, and it is difficult to guess the outcome. There are many moments of foreboding, often placed at the end of chapters that made my heart skip beats. But this book is so special as it is as much about the whole of human nature with complex themes such as prejudice (racism, misogyny, xenophobia), PTSD, deep friendships, memories (especially as related to the title of this book) and letting go. I also learned quite a bit, always a goal of mine when I read. I came away with new knowledge about wartime, Dakota/Sioux history, mental health, and Big Bill Broonzy (check him out You Tube).

The epilogue is outstanding.


This is my best book of the year so far. If you have never read WKK, you must, MUST, give him a try. He is author of the 19 (so far)-book Cork O’Connor crime fiction series and three standalones. Mr. Krueger is just a superb award-winning storyteller, and I cannot recommend him more highly.

My thanks go to Net Galley, Atria Books, and the good Lord who put William Kent Krueger on this earth for an advanced readers copy. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

4.5
A river is like the thread of life that carries one down, and one must continue on this river of life as people ebb and flow in and out of our lives. This is the main idea Krueger tries to capture in this small town mystery where the local rich guy/bully winds up dead and found in the Alabaster River. The cause of his death is unclear and Brody, our main character and the sheriff of this small town doesn't seem to care how this man ended up dead...and then the story slowly unravels.

There are many characters in this book, I recommend book reading it for that reason. For awhile I was unclear why the introduction of such a massive list of people in this town but then realized this was almost a character study of this small town. A look at men who served in wars and how those times have affected their lives and the people around them. This book showed that everyone has a past, everyone has a history that may seem shameful, skeletons in the closet or a hidden past one tried to keep hidden. Those pasts create who we are today, who we become. But, there is still a choice in how we behave.

Beautiful writing, compelling storytelling, and thought provoking, this story was enchanting, much like his others. That said, I liked This Tender Land and Ordinary Grace better, and I think it's perhaps because of the large cast this one offers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the advance e-copy of this book.

Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for this advance copy.
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I was beyond thrilled to get to read this upcoming release from one of my favorite authors. Krueger’s newest novel is set in small town Minnesota in 1958. It is part police procedural and part murder mystery, but it really shines as an examination of the community and the characters as they try to move forward carrying their unique past traumas. This book has a big cast of characters and ambitiously tackles many tough topics (racism, alcoholism, ptsd, grief, domestic violence), so I would recommend the physical or ebook version over the audiobook. It took a little time to get into the story, but by the 30% mark I couldn’t put it down. I think it’s Krueger’s most propulsive book yet.
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The River We Remember publishes September 5th.

I've read and loved this author's work a couple of times. His books THIS TENDER LAND and ORDINARY GRACE stole my breath. Both are so well written and captivating. This one is also.

When you start this book you won't want to put it down. It's setting is 1958 in a small town called Jewel in Minnesota. It takes you through a summer that you will find heartbreaking and possibly full of hope. New love and horrific death. Feelings that will take your breath away.

As in the other books I've read by this author this one is beautifully written and captivating. It's one that will hold you in it's grasp until the very end. Lots of emotion and pain also. I did a lot of crying while reading this book. It's so good.

This summer is about the people who live in Jewel, MN. What happens is unjust in many ways. How the people who grew up here treat outsiders is awful in many respects and so very true for most all of this era. Even today it's happening to many.

A man is found dead. Murdered most likely and catfish are eating away at his remains. He was not a very nice man. Many in this town really hated him. But when an Indian is accused of killing him they turn on him. Noah Bluestone has lived here most of his life. He served in two wars and came back home to settle down and live out his life with his Japanese wife. The people in this town were never really accepting of Noah and certainly now with a Japanese wife they are not.

Noah refuses to say anything in his defense and thus the secrets start to follow. The people in this town are somewhat hateful. They don't accept a Japanese woman into their church even. The widow of the dead man is German and they barely accepted her.

This book is about many things. Murder, prejudices, rape, incest, forgiveness, love, tolerance. Many things. But mostly it's about the way this man is treated when believed to have murdered a man that most all disliked. There are only a few people in this book that I actually disliked immensely. One was the murdered man. He deserved it in my opinion. But that is neither here nor there. What happened the night Jimmy Quinn was killed? Who had a reason to do it? Many people actually but there are a few that I thought may have.

The story tells about many of the characters. What happened to them growing up or as they were serving in the military or whatever. The questions I had were answered and for that I am truly glad. I was not left wondering about anything. This author can write like you won't believe. His prose is beautiful and hits you in the heart. It takes you to that time and the feelings that are happening during that era. You'll feel a lot. Or at least I did.

I loved how Mr Krueger wrapped up everything at the end. What happened to many of the characters. That always makes me feel good about a book. No loose ends. This book is one you won't forget.
My favorite word in this book was said by two young teen boys... "Fuggin." It just seemed appropriate for the time.

My favorite two quotes are:
1) "Our lives and the lives of those we love merge to create a river whose current carries us forward from out beginning to our end. Because we are only one part of the whole, the river each of us remembers is different, and there are many versions of the stories we tell about our past."
2: "We all die, but some of us-those who are blessed or maybe just lucky-have the opportunity before that end to be redeemed. We can let go, forgive others, and also forgive outselves for the worst of what we are or have been."

Thank you #NetGalley, #WilliamKentKrueger, #AtriaBooks

Five huge stars for this book and the highest recommendation possible. Grab a few kleenex as you will need them for sure.

Amazing, phenomenal, lush, intense, overwhelming, enduring, dramatic…The River We Remember is the best book I’ve read in ages. The setting, characters, community, situations, and story all combine together in a richly imagined saga that I didn’t want to end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the opportunity to read this stunning ARC.

This is a heavier, slower paced read because of the content. I highly recommend going in blind and letting the story develop as you go. I really appreciate William Kent Krueger’s books and the way they make you think as well as learn. Just know this is not a quick summer binge going in :)

Thank you Atria for the ARC! Pub date: 9/5/23

William Kent Krueger's "This Tender Land" was my favorite novel of 2019. I then read "Ordinary Grace" and loved it as well. So I was extremely excited to read "The River We Remember" and worried it would disappoint me.

I needn't have.

Krueger's stories have the perfect balance of rich atmosphere, layered and flawed characters that you can't help but love, beautiful and funny dialogue and they are just heartbreaking and tender all at once. And this one is no exception.

On its surface it's a book about murder and solving the mystery behind it. But, of course, it's about so much more. It's about family and love and a small town, and rights, and repressing others, and immigration and assimilation, about hatred and bigotry. It's about coming together to save each other.

It's stunning and it will stay with me for a long time as all his stories do.

with gratitude to netgalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦."*

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝗪𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 (Pub 09.05) begins on Memorial Day 1958 in the small town of Jewel, Minnesota when the body of Jimmy Quinn is found in the Alabaster River. Sheriff Brody Dern, a WWII vet, is tasked with

I loved this book. The writing was purposeful and dynamic. The pacing was brisk but never unrelentless.

This book is many things: a police procedural, a mystery, a historical look at the fallout from WWII on the Japanese and Indigenous communities and intolerance. But at its core it's a story of families and small towns; the people and places we call home. The good and bad. The way they remember the wounds of the past while holding tight to deep seeded love.

𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒:
-CW- Krueger doesn't shy away from the realities of this time period. Sexual abuse, rape, violence, incest, and beatings.
- There are 20+ named characters. Once I took some notes it was easy to keep track of who was who.

"𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴—𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺—𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥. 𝘞𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘨𝘰, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯."*

(If you're looking for more William Kent Kreuger- I recommend both This Tender Land and Ordinary Grace)

*From ARC not final copy. Thank you to @atriabooks for the early copy.

I'm a great fan of William Kent Krueger's writing, but this latest work really outdoes them all. It's absolutely phenomenal in every way, be it the setting, the characters, the writing, or the plot. This is going to appeal to a whole new class of readers in both the message and the storyline. Can't wait to see it shoot up to the top of the best sellers list!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It's truly marvelous.

In 1958, the small town of Jewell has many veterans and families that have been impacted by wars. One of them is Sheriff Brody Dern, who is alerted to the suspicious death of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn. Some folks in Jewell would like to blame Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran. Quinn stole Bluestone’s land and recently accused Noah of stealing from him and then fired Noah. In addition to getting to the truth, Brody Dern and his deputies need to keep Noah’s wife safe. She’s Japanese, and some citizens are not forgiving about what happened during World War II.

This novel was different than the other standalone books I’ve read by this author, but it ended up being an enjoyable murder mystery.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES SEPTEMBER 5, 2023.

William Kent Krueger is a writer with such a specific style that I love. His writing is quiet yet so effective and concise in each sentence. This is a slower burn police procedural following WW2 in a small town in the mid west. I loved getting to know the characters and took my time with the book. It wasnt a page turner at least in the beginning but that was ok. Just a beautiful look at a small town, how racism, war and community can tear each other apart or come together. Highly recommend.

It's a few years after World War 2, and the town in Jewel, Minnesota is about to commemorate Memorial Day to honor those who were lost and fought in the wars. A body of a wealthy landowner, Jimmy Quinn, is found shot and assumed murdered by many. His body is found floating half naked in the Alabaster River. The investigation is thrown into the lap of Brody Dern, a returned honored veteran, the sheriff, who bears many internal and external scars from the war.

Suspicion falls on Noah Bluestone a Sioux Indian, who is also a veteran, but as prejudices run deep, he is the one where the fingers point to as he also is married to a Japanese woman, another unforgivable sin according to many.

Within this storm of hate, Mr Krueger unveils the things that war brings upon those who fought and those who stayed home. There are a lot of emotional and personal hardships suffered among the characters, a war widow, her son, a deputy who remembers many things, and a lawyer who triumphs the cases of the underdog.

This is a study of life after war and tragedy, how those very tragedies determine the path one often takes in the face of loss and adversity, and the ways in which some fight against those inner demons. As always, Mr Krueger presents us with vivid characters, those we really get to know, and those who we feel deserve a fate that they seem destined to have.

Thank you to William Kent Krueger, who always provides me with a fascinating story, Atria Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this outstanding story that will publish in September 2023.

An outstanding standalone book that is truly outstanding!

I haven’t read a WKK novel that I haven’t loved and this is no exception! Loved the setting, the characters, the plot…such a rich storyline with a twist I didn’t see coming. Highly recommend!

As the citizens of Jewel, MN are celebrating Memorial Day in 1958, the body of the town's wealthy citizen Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River. Accidental death or murder? As Sheriff Brody Dern investigates, many in the town are convinced the killer is Noah Bluestone, a Native American and veteran who had recently been fired by Quinn. Another strike against Bluestone is his wife who
is Japanese. Bluestone is arrested and refuses to defend himself, but Brody is convinced that there's more to the killing than old grievances. As Brody continues the investigations, secrets long hidden come to light. The more that is learned about the people involved, the more questions arise.
An emotional read with rich characters.
#TheRiverWeRemember #NetGalley

William is so incredible at what he does between This tender Land and Ordinary Grace I'm in love with his writing. This novel is a police procedural as well as a look into small town life in 1950’s Minnesota. As always Krueger’s characters are well described, unique yet highly relatable. This novel describes in depth how the scars from WW ll still affect the people of this small town. With little evidence, rumors start to paint Noah Bluestone, a Native American, as the likely killer. He is a WWII veteran but when he returned with a Japanese wife he is never truly accepted back into the community. We will watch as a town is torn apart by anger and mistrust. There are many characters to discover, a local newspaper man who desperately wants to uncover the truth, an aging deputy and a female lawyer who all struggle with their own personal histories. I always appreciate Krueger’s honest look at the beauty but also the hardship of life in these small farming communities in Minnesota. His characters ring true, and their actions are believable considering the post-WWll trauma that still hung heavy in this town. This is another winner from this powerful writer, and I can recommend this book to everyone.

Only my second William Kent Krueger book. Which rock have I been living under?

Great story. Really enjoyed the characters the author brought to life. What happens in a (tangled web of a) small town when an unlikeable man is found in a river?

Not from Minnesota, but from the Midwest. Love books with a Midwest setting and WKK does an awesome job describing the terrain.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review The River We Remember in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author and publisher (Atria Books) for approving my request to review the advance read copy. Publication date is Sept 5, 2023.

Highly recommended!

My apologies in regards to taking so long to finish. Overcommitted with my ARC/Advance Read Copies and a little behind.

Memorial Day 1958, Jewel, Minnesota. The discovery of the body of the most hated landowner in the area, killed by shotgun blast, and dumped in the river. Sheriff Brody Dern, a decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his service in WWII, is shocked to find the town rumor mill targeting Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran who has recently returned to Jewel with a Japanese wife.

Outwardly a crime mystery, Kent Krueger elevates this novel into an exploration of the emotional wounds of war, and the legacy of prejudice. Each character, even the minor ones, are fully-fleshed and interesting in their own right. Krueger keeps the reader glued to the page until the last final reveal. As a writer, he is an American treasure, and should be on everyone's must-read list. Highly recommended. #NetGalley #TheRiverWeRemember #SaltMarshAuthors

William Kent Krueger pens another great story, this time it is descriptively set in small-town Minnesota in the 1950s. He has become a favorite author of mine, and this book drew me in from the beginning, and kept me involved in the story until the very last word. Not every author can write a good mystery, especially one with well developed and interesting suspects and players, that keeps you guessing until the end. Sadly, though appropriate to the story, you can almost feel the prejudice pouring out through the pages and you wonder, can justice ever prevail? I dove headfirst into this book and don’t think I even came up for air until the very end, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance read copy.

This was definitely a slow crawl of a book and it did take me a fair amount of time to really become interested in the story and to be able to grasp who the characters were and how they related to the main event of the book. There was a lot of suspense and underlying activity that really made this feel dangerous and ominous in many ways. Once the pacing picked up and more is known, the book was really good. The author really does a good job of capturing small town 50's rural which is a gift. The atmospheric nature of the book really made this one shine for me. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.