Ordinary Grace

Ordinary Grace is a mystery and coming-of-age novel written by William Kent Krueger. Published in 2013, the novel is narrated from the perspective of Frank Drum. Like many of Krueger’s other works, including Iron Lake and the rest of the Cork O’Connor series, Ordinary Grace is set in Minnesota. The plot centers on a series of deaths that strike the fictional town of New Bremen in 1961, and the book is a bildungsroman for both Frank and his small hometown. With its religious overtones, the text also seeks to illustrate both the power and limits of faith. The novel won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2014 and also won the Midwest Booksellers Choice Award in 2013.

Plot Summary

The book follows two timelines. The present-day timeline is set in 2001, when Frank is 53 years old and living in St. Paul, Minnesota. However, most of the narrative focuses on Frank’s recollections from 1961. At that time, Frank’s father, Nathan, is a Methodist minister for three area churches. Frank’s mother, Ruth, leads choir for church services. After college, Nathan planned to be a lawyer but served in World War II; he came back a changed and devout man.