Lo Patrick weaves a haunting and evocative tale in The Night the River Wept, blending Southern charm with the chilling undertones of a cold case mystery. Set against the backdrop of a small town in northern Georgia, this novel explores the complexities of longing, identity, and the secrets that ripple through a community like echoes on a river.

Arlene, our relatable and flawed protagonist, is caught between the life she’s always known and her yearning for something more. Her growing obsession with the unsolved murders of three young brothers—and the alleged suicide of the man accused—propels the story forward, offering a gripping mix of suspense and emotional depth.

What I Loved:

The Setting: Patrick’s vivid descriptions of northern Georgia create an atmospheric backdrop that is as much a character as the people in the story. The small-town quirks and rugged beauty of the mountains are masterfully rendered.
The Cold Case: The mystery of the Broderick boys and Mitchell Wright’s tragic story is deeply engaging. As Arlene digs deeper, the twists and turns kept me eagerly flipping pages.
Character Depth: Arlene’s internal struggle is portrayed with sensitivity, making her journey as compelling as the case she’s investigating. Supporting characters, like the police receptionist and the Wright family friend, are richly drawn and add layers to the narrative.
Southern Gothic Vibes: The novel strikes a perfect balance between charm and eeriness, with a touch of heartbreak that lingers long after the final page.
What Could Be Better:
While the mystery is gripping, the pacing occasionally slows during Arlene’s introspective moments. Additionally, a few secondary characters felt underdeveloped, and I would have loved to see their arcs explored further.

Final Thoughts:
The Night the River Wept is a beautifully written and atmospheric novel that will resonate with fans of Southern fiction and true crime mysteries alike. Lo Patrick has delivered a story brimming with heart, intrigue, and unforgettable characters.

A solid 4-star read—this one will stay with you. Perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing and The Scent of Rain and Lightning.

I really had fun with this read!

I loved the idea of Arlene looking for something to do and getting a job at the police station and then becoming fascinated with solving the local unsolved crime. I loved the contrast of all the characters and their individual personalities. I loved the accurate portrayal of a small town with the "good and bad" parts of town and how everyone keeps secrets ...or tries to. It is a quick read by a new to me author but I will be checking out the author's first book!!

This book just wasn't for me. I struggled to connect to the characters and felt that this book
was longer than it needed to be.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Net Galley for the ARC!

There is just something about Southern fiction that I am just drawn to. I really enjoyed Floating Girls and was excited to get my hands on this one.

The story was gripping & managed to keep my attention the whole time. Although The Night the River Wept is Southern fiction it feels like such a blend of so many genres. Mystery, historical fiction, crime, and coming of age. All of which worked well together! 3.5 stars rounded up.

Got this one In a physical copy also and read it a while ago. I flew through this one and thought it was different.

It’s true crime with a little mystery as a premise and I dug that part. It’s a slow burn and if you like that, this is a fun mystery with a dash of life.

Def will be reading this author as I did enjoy the atmospheric writing.

Thanks for my early copy!
3.5 ✨

This was really hard for me to get through. It was really depressing in the beginning - so much grief and sadness for this one woman! I love that she found herself a job to distract herself from the grief and threw herself into solving a cold case.

The Night the River Wept is set in a small, rural town in Georgia and follows the life of Arlene, a young woman seeking purpose and solace after a significant loss. Amidst the haunting and atmospheric backdrop of northern Georgia, Arlene takes a part-time job at the local police department, where she becomes involved in a mystery that has haunted the town for years—the murder of three young boys found lined up side by side.

: The Night the River Wept stands out as a haunting and evocative novel that masterfully combines mystery, personal struggle, and the charm of Southern fiction. The strengths of the book lie in its well-developed characters, atmospheric setting, and the seamless integration of complex themes. However, some readers might find the protagonist’s immaturity and rambling thoughts a bit frustrating at times.

In conclusion, Lo Patrick has crafted a compelling story that is both emotionally resonant and deeply engaging. For readers who enjoy Southern fiction with a touch of mystery and a focus on personal growth and redemption, The Night the River Wept is a highly recommended read.

I found this one hard to get through though I persevered til the end. A slow moving, trying to be humorous story of a nobody trying to solve a cold case that meandered through suspects, too much discusssing, too many flashbacks moments, that I stopped caring by trying end.

This one was so well written but unsettled me. Perhaps it was because of her being a young wife and the problems that arise with trying to conceive and be patient and also witnessing the struggles that existed between husband and wife as they grow into their new roles. As is usually always the case, there is a good mystery (or a couple) at the heart of this book and if you are up for it you will be glad that you see this one through because it is so worth it.

A bored housewife trying to get through a personal grief and a struggling marriage minds fulfillment investigating a triple murder and the suspect’s subsequent suicide. After the debut of The Floating Girls and my recent interest in Southern Fiction, I was keen to pick up the latest release from Lo Patrick. While something of a different animal when it comes to story, The Night the River Wept reprised the author’s wry style of writing, a full immersion for the reader into the setting, an engagement of senses and emotions, and a twisting path to the reveal.

The Night the River Wept exercised a push-pull on me from the get-go. I didn’t fully warm to the story, but at the same time, I was aware the writing was really good.

The reason for my struggle was the main protagonist, Arlene. I got used to her and was settled into acceptance by the end. In the beginning, however, Arlene danced on my nerves. I felt guilty about this because the woman had lost her child and lost her way as a result. She’s a bored housewife and wants a job as a detective to stave off boredom (she ends up getting hired part-time to tag and store evidence). She married her high school sweetheart, Tommy, who drinks heavily, golfs, and yearns for the country club life.

Tommy and Arlene are small potatoes in the big wide world outside their Northern Georgia town, but Tommy is recently wealthy real estate developer (this comes in all capital letters and a big shining marquee in his own mind). He wants in on the area high society group and Arlene just won’t get with the program which causes contention.

Instead, she’s content to work for the local police in a low-paid position with grandiose ideas of being the detective who solves a twenty year old cold case once she realizes the office gal has a connection to the deceased suspect. And, her coworker is unconvinced to this day that Mitchell had it in him to murder three young boys. Reading through reports, papers, and sifting evidence keeps Arlene busy, but is she also stirring up the dark shadows where the true murderer might lurk if Mitchell was innocent?

There are several complex elements addressed in this one and some not always handled in a way I was comfortable. I will say that I get that everyone processes grief differently. In Arlene and Tommy’s case, they get almost flippant about their miscarriage though I suspect this was meant for a defense mechanism. Arlene gets lost in her head a lot and I was okay with it, but sometimes just wanted things to move along. There’s a class difference ‘wrong side of the tracks’ side to the murder investigation that was sad. And, of course a marriage that was rocky, but Arlene wanted to work at it.

The story is a split timeline piece with Arlene’s narration anchoring the contemporary end and her investigation including the diary of the suspect, Mitchell Wright’s sister Natalie’s diary having some narration that shows the 1983 time frame. And, then there are little forays into the murder’s point of view. The past murder was dark and tragic and those ominous atmospheric overtones the author is great at writing just added to the tension as the cold case mystery developed and revealed.

In the end, I had mixed feelings. I was glad to have read The Night the River Wept, but I like The Floating Girls better. Lo Patrick has found her niche writing Southern Fiction and making her book a full-sensory reading experience. Those who can read a story with flawed character protagonists and a cross between women’s fiction and mystery should give this a try.

I really enjoyed Lo Patrick's debut The Floating Girls and was very intrigued by the synopsis of The Night the River Wept. Her covers sucked me in both times, and I loved the southern small-town feel to the story. Arlene is the main viewpoint of the book along with chapters titled 'A Condemned Man', and I liked the variety these 2 POVs gave us though I would have been just fine with only Arlene's. I was torn on how much I liked any of the characters, but I did quite love Arlene's sass and her no-nonsense attitude.

Daniela Acitelli narrates the audiobook as Arlene while Paul Brion narrates the condemned man chapters and I really enjoyed both of them. I thought Acitelli was exceptionally great as the voice of Arlene and she made my listening experience a very happy one. This is a really slow burn, but I loved the atmosphere in the book and the plot was interesting enough that it kept me going. While this is about the mystery of who killed the 3 brothers, it is also about Arlene and her life with her husband. There was a nice touch of humor that was helpful with the heavier storyline, and while the ending didn't blow me away, I was satisfied with how everything wrapped up. If you are looking for a character-driven, slow-burn mystery with a headstrong FMC, I would recommend giving The Night the River Wept a shot.

I love dark southern gothic novels, and this one did not disappoint. The main character Arlene tries to solve the past mysterious deaths of three young brothers. I found the teamwork between Arlene and the receptionist very interesting. I loved the mystery especially told from multiple point of views. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the old southern gothic setting.

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC

In the mood for a gripping southern crime novel? Then The Night the River Wept by Lo Patrick should be your next read.

Arlene, 24 years old and still reeling from an unexpected miscarriage, distracts herself by taking a new, part-time job as an evidence tagger at her rural Georgia town's police department. She begins looking into old files held at the precinct and becomes obsessed with the town's most tragic cold case: the murder of the three young Broderick boys.

Click here to check out the book today.

After a devastating loss of her unborn baby, Arlene is at loose ends. Her husband, Tommy, makes plenty of money, but she needs something to do with her time. Securing a job bagging evidence at the local police station there wasn’t much to keep her busy in her part time hours. Her interests are turned toward the cold cases filled in boxes in the basement and one case in particular has her pulling out her sleuthing tendencies. She’s determined to solve the mystery of three young brothers that were murdered and the suicide of Mitchell Wright, the prime suspect. With the reluctant help of the station’s receptionist and a friend of the Wrights, the unlikely trio delves deep into the case. Secrets have been kept all these years, secrets that would have blown the case wide open twenty years ago, but will Arlene be able to solve the cold case or will her theories be dismissed? This was a good, entertaining read with a cast of eccentric characters. When all was said and done, it left me hoping to see Arlene again in future books! Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This book was just… odd. The characters, the town, the plot… just odd. I tried so hard to get into it but I just never could. I couldn’t relate to any of the characters and had a hard time following the storyline. This one didn’t really work for me, unfortunately. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I picked The Night the River Wept because of its gorgeous cover. While I really enjoyed the actual storyline, I hated pretty much all the characters. The three main women were atrocious and don't even get me started on her husband. I did enjoy the murder/mystery, it kept me guessing enough that i wanted to finish anyway.

The early 80s small town Georgia cold case murder investigation that managed to highlight exactly what it means for children to grow up on the wrong side of the tracks. It’s a slow paced tale that digs deep into the heart of the class divide and just how far some people will go to protect the ones they love. This one hits different and I encourage you to give it a chance.

# The Night the River Wept
# 7/25/2024 ~ 7/26/2024
# 4.0 / 5.0

The cover of this book is beautiful. The premise of the story sounded very interesting. Unfortunately the story was very slow for me and I just couldn’t warm to the characters.

Thank you Netgalley and sourcebooks for the chance to read and review this book.

This was my 2nd book by Lo Patrick and it definitely didn’t disappoint. I was hooked from the first page. The writing style really flowed and was easy to follow along. The story and plot was wonderful. A great southern mystery and thriller. Highly recommend.

I agree with some other comments; it was slow, and I couldn't warm to the lead character. It seems to mix the trauma of a miscarriage with an improbable storyline of getting a job where she can become an amateur sleuth to solve a cold case. It just didn't work for me.