Free Audiobook : The River We Remember, By William Kent Krueger

On Memorial Day, as the people of Jewel, Minnesota, gather to remember and honor the sacrifice of countless sons in the wars of the past, they are confronted with a chilling discovery. The half-clothed body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, a victim of a fatal shotgun blast. The task of unraveling this murder falls upon Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero bearing both the physical and emotional scars of his military service.

Even before the autopsy results arrive, malicious rumors begin to circulate, suggesting that the killer must be none other than Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran who has recently returned to Jewel with his Japanese wife. Suspicion and accusations mount, pushing the town perilously close to the brink of further violence. Dern grapples not only with the pursuit of truth in Quinn's murder but also with the personal demons from his own past.

Ensnared in the whirlwind of anger sweeping through Jewel are a war widow and her adolescent son, the fearless publisher of the local newspaper, an aging deputy, and a tenacious female lawyer. Each of them wrestles with tragic histories and harbors secrets that Quinn's death threatens to unveil.

The River We Remember is a multifaceted, enthralling mystery and a deftly drawn portrayal of midcentury American life. Its author, celebrated for novels "as big-hearted as they come" (Parade), delivers a narrative that delves deep into the wounds left by wars, both foreign and domestic. This moving exploration highlights our relentless quest for healing and underscores the enduring power of the stories that define the places we call home.