What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedClouded Waters
Dianna Hunter · Book · 2023
If you loved Clouded Waters, start with Dark Waters (Todd Haynes, 2019) — a film on the same thread. Below: 2 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Clouded Waters across media.
What hooked you in Clouded Waters was the way investigative journalism peels back the layers of corruption hidden beneath small-town surfaces.
Films on the same thread
Dark Waters
Todd Haynes · Film · 2019
Shares a thread with Clouded Waters: Environmental Thriller.
If the environmental activism in Clouded Waters kept you engaged, you will appreciate how this film mirrors that same relentless pursuit of truth against powerful corporate malfeasance.
Clown in a Cornfield
Eli Craig · Film · 2025
Explores: Small Town Secrets, Coming of Age, Toxic Nostalgia.
Much like the fractured community in Clouded Waters, this story captures the tension of a town struggling with its industrial past and the secrets buried deep within.
Series on the same thread
The Expanse
Mark Fergus · Series · 2015
Shares a thread with Clouded Waters: Political Thriller.
The vast corporate conspiracies found in Clouded Waters are echoed here on a larger scale, following investigators as they fight to expose systemic corruption across the system.
R.J. Decker
Carl Hiaasen · Series · 2026
Explores: eccentric underworld, redemption arc, unconventional investigation.
Fans of the journalist perspective in Clouded Waters will enjoy this look at a photographer turned investigator who navigates a complex web of past secrets and crime.
Twin Peaks
Mark Frost · Series · 1990
Explores: Small Town Secrets, Doppelgangers, Good vs Evil.
This show shares the atmospheric mystery of Clouded Waters, grounding a sprawling conspiracy within the claustrophobic and secretive confines of a small, insular mountain community.
Your Friends & Neighbors
Jonathan Tropper · Series · 2025
Explores: wealth inequality, midlife crisis, moral decay.
Just as Clouded Waters explores the moral decay of a town, this series examines the consequences of greed and social stratification when a man turns against his neighbors.
Podcasts on the same thread
CounterClock
Audiochuck · Podcast · 2025
Explores: unsolved homicide, seeking justice, historical mystery.
The dedication to investigative reporting seen in Clouded Waters is the heart of this podcast, which meticulously turns back time to uncover the truth behind cold cases.
In The Dark
Podcast
Explores: Wrongful Conviction, Criminal Justice System, Accountability.
This podcast mirrors the rural Minnesota setting of Clouded Waters while maintaining the same commitment to holding institutions accountable through rigorous and exhaustive investigative journalism.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Clouded Waters based on real-world geography?
Yes, Clouded Waters is set near Iron, Minnesota, where the Laurentian Divide causes water to flow toward Hudson Bay, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico. The narrative centers on the environmental and political conflicts occurring at this specific geographic junction.
What is the primary conflict in Clouded Waters?
The central conflict in Clouded Waters involves a clash between water defenders and pro-mining forces. Amidst this tension, the publisher of a struggling newspaper, Susan B. Ellingson, discovers a corrupt conspiracy that threatens the region.
Who is the protagonist of Clouded Waters?
The protagonist of Clouded Waters is Susan B. Ellingson, often referred to as SB. She is the publisher of a small, struggling newspaper who works alongside her best friend to uncover a conspiracy tied to the mining tensions in northern Minnesota.
When was Clouded Waters published?
Clouded Waters was written by Dianna Hunter and published in 2023. The book explores the intersection of environmental activism and investigative journalism against the backdrop of the Laurentian Divide.