In 1958, Sheriff Brody Dern investigates the murder of a disliked wealthy landowner in a small Minnesota town. The rumor mill is quickly ablaze, accusing the murder on Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII vet who just returned to town with his new Japanese bride. As Brody tries to find the truth, the physical and emotional wounds from World War II bring up old grievances in the community.

Just as with his acclaimed coming-of-age dramas Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land, Krueger presents a masterclass in developing complex nuanced characters in this beautifully written historical fiction novel. Sheriff Brody Dern and the citizens of Jewell, Minnesota, are complicated and messy and, for the most part, doing the best they can. Krueger makes the small town come alive while hitting on deep themes and expertly painting human nature in all its flaws. The River We Remember is a must-read for any fall reading list.