Sioux City Reads 2026 Nominee: The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger

Now through November 30, cast your vote to help select the next Sioux City Reads title at SiouxCityLibrary.org/siouxcityreads.  

This year the Library selected books from the mystery genre. The chosen book will serve as inspiration for events, discussions, and challenges throughout the upcoming 2026 Sioux City Reads initiative.  

2026 Sioux City Reads Nominee: The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger is set in 1958 in a small Minnesota town. On Memorial Day, as the people of Jewel, Minnesota gather to remember and honor the sacrifice of so many sons in the wars of the past, the half-clothed body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast. Investigation of the murder falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service.  

Both a complex, spellbinding mystery and a masterful portrait of midcentury American life, The River We Remember is a moving exploration of the ways in which we seek to heal, and a testament to the enduring power of the stories we tell about the places we call home. 

“ [Krueger] is a fine storyteller, but it is his understanding of his characters and his sense of the past that make The River We Remember more than just a story. As novels go, this one is a work of art.”—The Denver Post 

“Irresistible…Book clubs, here’s your next pick. Find The River We Remember, take it home and shut the door.”—Macro Eagle 

The winner will be announced in January. Visit SiouxCityLibrary.org/siouxcityreads, the Library’s Facebook page, or sign-up for the Library’s e-newsletter at SiouxCityLibrary.org/news to get all the latest updates.