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.
Follow Steve on Twitter or contact him via the site.
Purchase The River We Remember
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
