A beautiful fictional account of small town Minnesota during a time in which life should have been simpler. However, the challenges come when people make judgments based on race and heritage instead of the strength of one’s character. Mr Krueger slowly develops the story bringing out the nuances of small town life right down to the gossip train that thrives in small towns and this time almost leads to its downfall. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read.

Another spectacular book by William Kent Krueger! WKK never disappoints. His characters are well-developed, all-too-human and relatable, deep and complex. He descriptions of the area makes you feel you're there, seeing and experiencing it with your own eyes, He's definitely a favorite of mine, and The River We Remember is simply superb.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.

William Kent Krueger is one of the best storytellers writing today. His words are like poetry and descriptions like art. This tale set in 1958 Minnesota is a murder mystery wrapped around family drama topped off by a police procedural and suspenseful manhunt. What more could you ask for? I'm adding this book to my favorites which also includes Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land. My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a galley for review.

Another great historical mystery by William Kent Krueger. The River We Remember had themes of guilt, past trauma, love, forgiveness, and coming of age. The characters were fleshed out, and not always likable at times. I had mixed feelings about the lead character, sheriff Brody Dern. Dern is a man that is haunted by his time in the service in WWII, and makes some very questionable judgement calls early in the novel. All of the characters have issues they are dealing with, and secrets they are trying to keep from the light. I loved the small town feel, and the nuance of the characters lives. William Kent Krueger always involves the native Americans in the life of his small Minnesota town, and depicts the sentiments honestly, which may make you uncomfortable. We did not have a lot to be proud of with our treatment of Native Americans - even when they served in our military. The River We Remember is William Kent Krueger at his best.

What an absolutely brillant novel. This one took me 9 days to get through-very rare for me-but it was beautifully written with characters and a setting that I will remember for a long time.

Positives:
Beautiful writing
Deeply developed and flawed characters, but ones you fall in love with
A bit of murder mystery, a bit of historical fiction, and a big of literary genius
Every chapter ended with thoughtful and rich writing
I was invested in the lives of the characters

Negatives:
A bit of slow pacing at times

This was by far the best book I read in September, and I have shared it with many others. He is an automatic read for me.

A murder mystery full of hidden secrets, family drama, and suspense that kept me captivated. Krueger knows how to not only weave a tale but his writing blows you away! A prominent wealthy man, Jimmy Quinn, is found floating dead in the river and the sheriff, Brody Dern, is left to solve the murder. The sweeping landscapes, the background of the small town of Jewel, Minnesota, and the Alabaster River seem like extra characters brought to life in the story. The story was a bit slow to develop and there were a lot of characters which would be my only criticism. This novel was a bit different from my favorite book of Krueger's, This Tender Land, but it was still solid. I think I wanted a bit more character development but if you like a good crime novel or murder mystery this book is perfect.

I loved this book by William Kent Krueger. Krueger's deliberate and detailed writing style is effective and really suits the subject matter he selects. This Is a murder mystery but so much more. The setting is evocative and eerie. The characters are relatable, multi-dimensional and believable and the town comes to life on the pages. I found myself eager to turn the pages and to see the resolution. This is a heartbreaking novel with characters who will stay with you long after you finish.

There is something about Krueger’s writing that is so beautiful. I had high expectations starting this novel and it did not disappointed in the least. It was very gripping and I had a hard time putting it down.

Small town Jewel, Minnesota is rocked by the murder of Jimmy Quinn and any number of local residents had a reason to kill him but fingers quickly point to Noah Bluestone, a Native American who is married to a Japanese woman. When Noah is arrested, he stays quiet and will not say if he’s guilty or not guilty. There is a lot of tension and racial distrust amongst the local residents especially afree WWII and things eventually come to a head towards the end of the novel. The reader also learns what exactly happened to Jimmy Quinn.

The plot and character development was excellent and we discover that there were many in the story dealing with their own demons. The River We Remember is a literary masterpiece and is a must read.

Even though this genuine book is fiction, it could have been in my own small town. This is a powerful look at how a town can be so divisive and point fingers from behind a blurred line.
In 1958, in Jewel, Minnesota, several WWII heroes were honored by the community on Memorial Day. Then one of their own is found shot to death and floating in the Alabaster River. Jimmy Quinn made several enemies so to distinguish who killed him would be a challenge and even harder to find a person who liked him.
Sheriff Brody deals with his own PTSD, but works diligently to find the killer. This is not only a well-written police procedural, but more a look at the struggles to fit in with a torrent of prejudice and mob mentality to convict Noah, also a WWII Veteran and a Native American married to a Japanese wife.
The author builds the story around the tragedy of war, rumors, and violence and how the town's divide over its racial fear. As we are reading to solve this mystery, we peel back layers of lies, secrets and pain that run deeper than the surface scars. An amazing author that has talent and insight to the human soul!
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This standalone police procedural opens on Memorial Day, 1958, in the small town of Jewel MN. While the citizens are gathering to honor those who died in the wars, a body is pulled out of the Alabaster River. Krueger does a great job of weaving together the threads of all those impacted by a bloody history.

As I read William Kent Krueger’s newest book, The River We Remember, I found myself getting lost in his descriptions of time and place. I felt transported. If nothing else, Krueger’s work feels like a love story to a beautiful river in rural Minnesota.

The River We Remember tells the story of James Quinn’s death and its aftermath in the small town of Jewel. Sheriff Dern and his deputies are called in to investigate the death of Quinn-- an important, but hated man, and they are forced to make choices about the true meaning of justice. The story not only follows Dern’s investigation, but also the intertwining lives of the citizens of Jewel—the sheriff’s family; the local newspaperman; the owner of the local diner; teenagers Scott and Del; Quinn’s wife and children; and the enigmatic Noah and Kyoko Bluestone. Because in a town this small, everyone is connected.

This book touches on a lot of important themes, like racial prejudice in the aftermath of World War II, the personal impact of war, the appropriation of indigenous lands, and the choices good people are forced to make in impossible circumstances. Krueger makes his characters very human. Nobody here is flawless.

The book is a beautifully written portrait of a quaint but wounded hometown where no one is left untouched by the tragedies of their neighbors.

Sensitive readers should know this book contains references to suicide, sexual assault, child abuse, drug use, and racism.

Stunning. Filled with complex and realistic characters. Krueger is definitely a word artist.
Many thanks to Atria and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Loved this book! 4.5 stars for me!!
William Kent Krueger has always been a favorite of mine. This book did not disappoint. Thank you Net Galley!!

THE RIVER WE REMEMBER by William Kent Krueger is a very reflective piece of writing. Just like a river flowing, there is often a calm leisurely pace interspersed with swift action. Krueger says, "I love this story... My heart and soul are in [it]." Set in rural Jewel, Minnesota during 1958, Krueger crafts a puzzling whodunit complete with strong character development and a definite feeling for the time. Attitudes toward "the other," including women, Native Americans, and immigrants, are explored when an unpopular landowner is found dead and the sheriff, ex-soldier Brody Dern, seeks to find the cause. Kruger relays traumatic life experiences of a former prostitute and of soldiers having returned from World War II; all the while, the local prejudices are simmering in the background. The overall tone of this stand-alone mystery is definitely melancholy and there are multiple subplots with themes of sexual abuse and racial discrimination. THE RIVER WE REMEMBER received a starred review from Booklist ("recognition that postwar America was filled with shattered veterans and war widows"). Another well-written adventure (e.g., see Fox Creek, Lightning Strike, This Tender Land,) from a prolific, talented writer. 4.5 stars

It is 1958, southern Minnesota, and the body of prominent (and hated) citizen Jimmy Quinn is found in the Alabaster River. Despite Sheriff Brody Dunn hoping it was an accident or suicide, it appears to be foul play.

Everyone in town instantly looks at Noah Bluestone, a Native American, that Quinn had fired for stealing gasoline. As Dunn looks more into the potential murder, dark secrets are uncovered in this tranquil town.

This is another hit from William Kent Krueger. Of course I am biased and love the southern MN setting, but he is such a good author. There were a few twists in this book that I didn't see coming (or hoped were not true!!). Excellent book.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

So quotable and love the depth of the characters WKK creates. The racism depicted was tough to read but I know it was reality. Otherwise really enjoyed.

The aftermath of trauma, especially war trauma, is the prevailing theme in William Kent Krueger’s latest book. I was eager to see how one of my favorite authors handled this difficult topic, particularly as there are combat veterans in my family.

The book opens with a Memorial Day parade in a small Minnesota town in 1958. Many of the local men served in WWII or Korea and participate in the parade. However, Sheriff Brody Dern stays behind to mind the office and jail. A report comes in that Jimmy Quinn, the wealthiest and least-liked man in the county, is floating in the Alabaster River. Was it suicide? An accident? Or murder?

Brody’s investigation forms the mystery of the novel. But woven throughout are the issues of racism (a Sioux WWII veteran who married a Japanese woman is immediately a suspect), war scars, and many, many secrets.

I loved the rich cast of characters, who were simultaneously saints and sinners. I appreciate the insight into how trauma influences decisions. And with much of Krueger’s writing, the setting is beautifully depicted and full of nostalgia.

Yes, the book is a mystery and readers want to know what happened to Jimmy Quinn. But it’s so much more: a haunting atmosphere and memorable characters, some of whom I am missing already.

Master Storyteller William Kent Krueger gives us another unputdownable stand alone novel.
On Memorial Day in 1958 a small Minnesota town is shocked by the murder of one of it's most powerful citizens. Vicious rumors begin to spread that the killer must be a Native American WWII veteran who has recently returned to town with a Japanese wife.
As violence escalates it is up to Sheriff Brody Dern to investigate this vicious crime while trying to put to rest the demons of his own past.
An amazing cast of characters you feel as if you know and a picturesque setting that makes you feel as if you are there.
Highly Recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Back in 2019, when reviewing William Kent Krueger’s This Tender Land, I called it “…a terrific adventure story on its own,” plus a story of “…orphans’ search for family and home and the history of Native American exploitation.” Quite a lot going on in my first experience reading Krueger. Then, in 2021, I read and reviewed Lightning Strike, the prequel to Krueger’s Cork O’Connor series, calling it “ a fine mystery, as well as a coming of age novel.” It also included “… a good hard look at what life in general and the justice system in particular were like for Native Americans in the early to mid-1960s.” Both were solid four-star books for me, so I was happy to receive Krueger’s latest, The River We Remember, described in the publisher’s blurb as a “complex, spellbinding mystery and a masterful portrait of midcentury American life.”

Set again in Minnesota in the 1950s, this terrific standalone mystery once again tells a great story as well as bringing out the reality about how Native Americans have been treated. The story begins with the discovery of a half-naked body floating in the Alabaster River. As Sheriff Brody Dern examines the scene, for some unknown reason (to be revealed later), he removes all the fingerprints and any other obvious evidence that might reveal the source of the shotgun blast that killed what turns out to be the very wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn.

“In life, Quinn was a man Brody had never much cared for. In death, he was a man Brody was beginning to hate.” Later, Brody admits he “felt like a coward for not having taken Quinn down himself.” Brody returned to Minnesota a war hero who is clearly a loner: referring to his Deputy, “…Brody didn’t think of him as a friend. In truth, Brody had few of those…Brody felt empty most of the time.”

The people of the town are quick to come to conclusions: before Quinn’s autopsy is done, rumors are flying about Noah Bluestone, who has two strikes against him: not only is local Native American, he returned from the war with a Japanese wife. Noah is charged with Quinn’s murder, but refuses to defend himself. He recognizes he is a total outsider as he begins to have chats in his cell with local newspaperman Wicklow: “I’m Dakota. Sioux, yes, but Dakota Sioux. Other Sioux are Lakota or Nakota. There are differences, but to white people it’s all the same…what happens when you show you’re Indian? You get called all kind of names. You get beat up maybe. Hell, you even get arrested for murder. There’s hatred in a lot of hearts here.””

This is beautifully written, and is one of my favorite types of books: there is a mystery that keeps the reader turning pages, wanting to know WTF happened, and at the same time, as the story unfolds there is a boatload of history (not always pleasant) that reminds the reader of the sad reality of what has been done to good people throughout the growth of the U.S.

I’m recommending this to my book clubs, friends who love mysteries, friends who love any good story, and…well pretty much everyone. I had a suspicion about who killed Quinn and why, but as usual I didn’t see several of the twists coming. I love when that happens. Five stars.

Complex characters with deep dark secrets are what makes this story riveting and gritty. Some of the subject matter is difficult to read about, rape and brutal beatings,racism, murder, but they are well managed in the hands of the author. The Naked and the Dead and Catcher in the Rye are referenced frequently and there are some parallels here. The setting and era shape the actions of the players while subtly providing the historical significance if both. Well written down to the Epilogue. A lot to think about with many nuances to identify. A top five read for 2023.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley