Part police/detective, part small town America, part 1950s nostalgia, total well-written fiction. After the mostly eaten body of Jimmy Quinn is pulled from the Alabaster River, the question of what then who killed him takes over rural 1950s America takes over. With a population of farmers, WWI and WWII vets, plus those who escaped war from Japan and Germany, and the local native tribe this story is as much a detective story as it is about the effects on f war and racial prejudice. It’s truly a great story.

Themes: 🚜🇺🇸↩️🕵️‍♂️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

My feelings: 🥸🤓🫡🤔🙂

#netgalley
@netgalley
@bookofthemonth
#bookofthemonth
#readmorebooks
#goodreads
#mybookishlife
#readersofinstagram
#bookstagram
#bookstagrammer

This continues to be one of my absolute favorite authors. How he gets me in my feels every book, I don’t know. This one started off kind of slow but eventually gatherer steam. He really dives into tough subject but in a relatable and teachable way. He has such a connection to the human spirit and his sensitivities really shine through in his characters. They are fully flexed, immersive characters with robust stories. I loved this book!

A good old fashion novel with a beginning and an end. Krueger's novels build up slowly but he always comes up with a surprising and satisfying ending. I enjoyed it!

What Worked for Me

Excellent plotting

My favorite part of "The River We Remember" is that we are reading the story from many unique perspectives, mainly: Brody, the town sheriff, Scott, a local teenager, and Charlie, a lawyer hired to represent Noah Bluestone.

It is incredibly common for an author to use this approach but have the same information repeated, just from different perspectives. Instead, Kruger made sure each perspective felt fresh and interesting. While not straying too far from the main plot, because each character's perspective had their own part to play in uncovering the truth about the case!


What I Struggled With

Neatly tied ending

I loved so much about Kruger's writing, until the very end of the novel. This book had a similar ending to, "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens. The mystery is solved, check - and the totally unnecessary, in my opinion, are the rest of the lives of the characters. How they lived out their days after and in many cases how each of those characters died. I'd rather just imagine them all riding off into the sunset. Finding out how the town sheriff died felt anticlimactic and really took away from the mystery and ambience of the characters.

The author is a master storyteller and doesn't disappoint in his new stand alone historical novel. When the richest man around is found dead in the river, the locals start to talk. As the sheriff investigates this unusual death and determines it murder, racial tensions start to rise when a Native American is taken into custody. The author masterly makes a murder mystery more than just a who dun it, bringing out the biases of race and the trauma reactions of a country that has just started its recovery of the WWII era. If you are looking for a character-driven murder mystery that weaves through you like a folk song then I recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-copy of the book for an honest review.

The River We Remember
By William Kent Krueger

Genre:
Fiction, Mystery/Thriller

Red Flags:
Sexual abuse, Sexual assault, Affair, PTSD

Favorite Quotes:
“She intends to lie down in peace.”

“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.”

Summary:
It's 1958, in small town Jewel, Minnesota. While the town is commemorating the recent fallen soldiers, the body of Jimmy Quinn is seen on the Alabaster river, with a gunshot wound in his head. War hero and sheriff Brody Dern begins his investigation into the death of Jimmy Quinn. The investigation process becomes complicated as the secrets and lies of Jewel, Minnesota come to life.

Review:
I have read a few of William Kent Kruegar's novels, but this particular novel had a very different tone for me. The author has a talent for writing small town life in a way that brings small farming communities and rural areas appealing. His talent for creating a vivid picturesque setting, rich characters, and an unforgettable rich plot, remind the readers of the beauty that lies in not only our surroundings and nature, but also human nature itself.

Thank you to William Kent Kruegar, Simon and Schuster, Atria Books, and Netgalley for the Advanced Readers Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

@williamkentkruegar
#williamkenykruegar
#reluctantreaderreads
#theriverweremember
#simonandschuster
#atriabooks
#netgalleyarc
#advancedreadereditions

Kent Krueger’s new novel The River We Remember is a love story to the post WWII era. Men have returned from war with physical injuries the mental pain of what is now known as post traumatic stress disorder. The war touched everyone from veterans to the woman who were left alone to raise children and maintain a full time job.

The town of Black Earth is filled with salt of the earth Americans in southern Minnesota. The town isn’t without it’s faults. The mean-spirited Irish-American, Jimmy Quinn is no friend to anyone in the town. Krueger opens the book with Jimmy floating face down in the Alabaster River with a fresh gunshot wound and half his face eaten away by fish.

The murder in Black Earth leaves the town folk fearful with an implicit bias towards Native Dakota man, Noah Blackstone and his Japanese wife Kyoko.

Over the course of the book Kent Krueger creates characters that are heartwarming, loathsome, broken and later repaired. Wounds, both physical and mental are stitched together. The murder of Jimmy Quinn is solved but it’s the relationships of the town’s residents that having you reading the last page and sighing with peace and contentment.

This tale brought to mind the saying from Faulkner, "The past is never dead. It's not even past."

As usual, Mr. Krueger provides another compelling story. I was all in from beginning to end. A consummate storyteller, he gives the reader just what she's looking for. . .great characters, big questions, and the twisty-ist answers. Reading his books put me in my happy place.

If you haven't read his books, you can start here, and you've got a lot to look forward to.

All the stars for this one! And, if you are keeping track Mr. K, this fan would love to read more of the adventures of the rough and tumble Sheriff Brody Dern. Keep 'em comin'!

*A sincere thank you to William Kent Krueger, Atria Books, and NetGalley for a free ARC to read and review.*

“The land feeds us, then we feed the land.”

Sheriff Brody Dern investigates the death of a prominent citizen whose body is found floating and eaten by catfish in the Alabaster River. Quinn was a bully and generally unliked by most of the town’s citizens. Soon a Native American and his Japanese wife become prime suspects. But the sheriff knows there’s more to the story.

A lyrically written story that is hard to put down.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book that I've read by William Kent Krueger and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author is a great story-teller and I look forward to reading more of his work.

There’s a certain empathy, a certain warmth and kindness, that comes through William Kent Krueger’s writing. I first noticed it earlier this year when I listened to his audio-only novella, "The Levee," but it hit me full on while reading "The River We Remember." I suspect it’s one reason why he’s such a beloved author.

Another reason being, he knows how to write an engrossing mystery. His latest novel takes place in small-town Minnesota in 1958, a time when men and women are scarred from WWII and racial hatred is flying around. So it’s in this setting, and on Memorial Day no less, when the body of a White predominant landowner is found floating in the Alabaster River.

Immediately, Sheriff Brody Dern has a mess to straighten out. Because before the autopsy is even conducted, fingers are pointed at Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran who is married to a Japanese woman. And regardless of whether the finger pointing is accurate, Brody must solve the murder before the whole town implodes from the tension of it all.

Krueger’s story is complicated in that he effectively stretches the definition of right and wrong. He forces us to acknowledge that not all crimes are criminal and sometimes the greater good must be considered when deciding if a person is in the wrong.

And he gives us a slew of intricate characters to further illustrate this point. No one in the story is straightforward, neither wholly good nor wholly bad. There are compelling reasons for all the actions the characters take, whether it be understandable reasons for bad behavior or poor reasons for good behavior, and he makes us feel sympathy for some of the most despicable characters in the book and disdain for some of the most admirable.

There’s a point where Krueger takes it too far, though. A rape occurs off the page near the end, and it just feels so unnecessary. It doesn’t fit with the perpetrator’s earlier behavior, and I really wish it hadn’t been included in the story.

But I’m willing to overlook it because Krueger makes up for it in other ways.


My sincerest appreciation to William Kent Krueger, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

Absolutely beautiful story about life in a small Minnesota town in the late 1950s after the wealthiest man in town is found murdered. Jewel, MN is an idyllic place to live, but as the story unfurls itself, secrets about the townspeople are slowly revealed. As usual, Mr. Krueger does a masterful job with his narrative and characters...his stories are so memorable they stay with me for days after I finish the book. Highly recommend.

This was such a beautifully written story full of complexities. While the story moves slowly, the pace never feels slow. I enjoyed settling into this book each day, getting to know the town, its characters, and their secrets while also following along with the murder investigation.

There were a few elements of the story that seemed unnecessary but I also understood how those elements added to the complexities and richness of the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

This was my first book by this author and I look forward to reading his previous books.

THE RIVER WE REMEMBER by William Kent Krueger is a beautifully written murder mystery set in a small town in Minnesota in 1958. The book shines with its complex and imperfect characters while also addressing important themes of racism and post-war trauma. Highly recommended for those who appreciate both compelling storytelling and social commentary.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Wowwowwow. This was such a beautiful novel. I loved This Tender Land by the same author, and wasn't expecting to enjoy this one just as much. The midwest is underappreciated in novels; even the novelists tend to avoid flyover states. Krueger embraces and brings out the country, with all of its contradictions and difficulties. The novel itself is a murder mystery - the ending was pretty predictable rather than shocking, but this one was definitely more about the journey than the destination.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read The River We Remember.
William Kent Kreuger has a lyrical way of weaving nature with his words. This story was beautiful. I loved it.

Another memorable book by William Kent Krueger. The characters were complex and relatable and the narrative is so descriptive that you can't help but feel you are right there beside the characters. I did feel that the beginning of the book was. a little slow but I was so happy that I kept going because this will be a book that sticks with me for a long time.

If you love slow burn, character rich stories with elements of mystery and historical fiction and that are set in small Midwestern towns, William Kent Krueger is an author you need to try immediately.

Steeped in the most gorgeous prose, with nature and the land itself a character, the story explores heavy hitting topics, such as racism, post war trauma, and deeply held family secrets, while also setting out to unravel a mystery at it’s core.

This is a longer book and given the intense character focus, it is on the slower side. However, there is a lot to love here, including some really interesting twists. Read if you like slow burn stories, historical fiction, mysteries, complex characters, small town settings

Everything I've come to expect from WKK: vividly described settings and a realistic dynamics of a small town. A rich and complex novel where you fall in love with the characters, and come to truly know them. Beautifully written, insightful, and gripping. HIs books are like a warm hug- even when the subject matter is complex and raw.

I loved this book. William Kent Krueger's books always move at a steady pace. I can just picture the author telling the story and imagine him doing so in a calm and quiet manner. He touched on so many topics, immigrants, bullies, relationships between people. All very well done. My favorite Krueger book to date.