The premise of this book sounded so fun and interesting, however I found myself bored from the very beginning of the book. I was just not invested in this book at all.

I would pass on this book.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for my early e-arc copy of this book!

Sometimes books try too hard. That's how I feel about this.

Cold cases, miscarriage, unsolved deaths of three brothers. It's DYING to make you cry. It wants you to feel the feelings that are written on the pages. But, it's fails to make that impact because the main character was....kind of an idiot? Maybe not idiot, but Arlene was too much in her own head, dreaming about things. She wasn't serious enough for these serious topics. It's not a cute 'girl detective', it's a bored woman who has no business digging around in police files.

This one was a dud for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book

Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I ended up DNFing this and I was pretty disappointed by that. I was very intrigued by the concept of this novel, and I was excited to dig in. But the dialogue was so unnatural and forced that I could not get into it. Every time someone spoke it took me out of the story.

3.5 stars rounded up

I love southern fiction, and The Night the River Wept had that kind of feel, with a pretty good mystery wrapped in. I actually enjoyed the book quite a bit; the story is told from mostly the perspective of Arlene, a 24-year-old married woman who is looking for something to keep her busy until she is able to have a child, but it has short chapters that are excerpts from the diary of the sister of an assumed murderer and reflections from the actual murderer.

One theme of the novel is a community's biases about those who struggle financially, and the way people overlook and ignore the atrocities when they happen to 'those people'. When Arlene starts to look into the murders of three children that happened years ago, she runs up against the assumptions repeatedly. It is clear from the start that the story the public was told is not the actual truth, but the real murderer is not named until the end, and it seems that everyone is lying and covering for someone they are close to.

I did not like the main characters, which is usually not an issue for me, but I found Arlene to be almost stupidly immature and naive, her marriage seemed doomed to fail, and Ronna and Alaina's bickering was infuriating. Several scenes in the story felt almost slapstick-y, which made me cringe.

Overall, I think this will appeal to readers of southern mysteries, especially if they enjoy amateur detectives. Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the digital ARC of The Night the River Wept. The opinions in this review are my own.

Though a slow burn, slow starting novel, the cold case that Arlene is looking into is gripping and intense as are the diary entries of Natalie Wright, brother of the main suspect who later committed suicide, and the narration from the ‘condemned man’ which is chilling in its forthright lack of emotion, justification, and buildup to the crime. An easy read, stick with the first part of the story and you’ll find yourself needing to know who the culprit is and wanting justice for the three Broderick brothers whose only crime was living in a derelict area of the community.

I’m not sure I really like the main character, Arlene. She’s a self-involved people pleaser who doesn’t seem to have a filter. But perhaps this is in part due to the miscarriage she suffered before the story begins that results in her taking a job at the police department to sort evidence in an attempt to fill the void. I think she’s insecure about who she is, or maybe questioning who she is, so wants to incorporate parts of other’s personalities and affects as part of who she is to become more likeable.

Thank you to @netgalley and @bookmarked for the digital copy of this book. “The Night the River Wept” will be on shelves July 2, 2024.

#thenighttheriverwept #lopatrick #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booknerd #bookgeek #femaleauthor #femalewriter #bookreview #netgalley #sourcebookslandmark #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #fictionbooks

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Arlene and Tommy have been trying to start a family, but after a miscarriage, Arlene obtains a job at the local police department to focus on something else. During her downtime, she has been going through a cold case of the murder of the Broderick kids many years earlier. She can’t help but think that if she solves the murder she will also find a new footing in her life.

“The Night The River Wept” dives into the fact that we all have some good and bad inside of us. In this multiple viewpoint novel, every developed character struggles with the line between good and bad, which made this an interesting, yet sometimes frustrating read. I found the main character, in particular, the most frustrating as the reasoning behind the good and the bad seem unfounded and almost bully-ish in a naive yet condescending way. The book struggled with a consistent pace dependent on point of view and I felt that the reveals could have been woven together a little better to prolong the suspense. While I do think one of the best things about this book is the cover, it would be an interesting book club read given the struggles between good and bad.

How much you enjoy this will depend on how you feel about Arlene's voice. She's young, she's mourning a miscarriage, her husband drinks- a lot- and she's gotten herself a job bagging evidence at the police station and now she's determined to solve the murder of three young boys. Frankly she comes across as deeply unhinged in spots (I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have hired her) and in need of mental health assistance but you gotta admire her persistence in seeking justice. This switches between Arlene, the diary of Natalie Wright (the sister of Mitchell, who was the presumed murderer) and the actual killer. The diary tells some of the back story but it was also incongruous (if calmer) as is the voice of the condemned man. I almost gave up on this after the dinner party but I wanted to know the identity of the villain and there are some really bright spots and interesting characters. I was a fan of The Floating Girls-Patrick's debut-but this didn't live up to my expectations. That's me though and others might really enjoy it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to Patrick's next one.

I am an outlier once again but this time on the positive side, I enjoyed this book. I loved Lo Patrick’s first book The Floating Girls so when I saw this on NEtgally I jumped at the chance to read it and am I ever glad I did. I love Southern fiction, especially the historical variety. This one takes place in the very early oughts (historical?) but the case being looked at happened in 1983. Most of the timeline is from twenty years ago, but we get journal entries, investigation details, and discussions about what happened back then.

I found the main character, Arlene, a little annoying. She was very immature at times and her thoughts seemed to ramble. The entire book is from her perspective and there is a lot of internal dialogue. I liked this because I felt like I got to know Arlene a little better. The unsolved case gives her something to do while she mourns a lost pregnancy and deals with her husband’s alcoholism.

The crime itself evoked a lot of feelings in me, the death of children is hard on the psyche. Lo Patrick writes beautiful engaging stories and she makes the setting an atmospheric part of it all, whether it be tensions between characters or the temperature I felt like I was there. I was so disturbed by how different people are treated from the other side of the tracks and so was Alrlene. If you’re looking for a haunting mystery, look no further.

I loved the Floating Girls so I was excited for this one but it just did not do it for me. The main character was very odd. I did not understand her at all. She felt much younger than she was; so naive and immature and just said very strange things. While I could appreciate the mystery itself, how was this random woman off the street allowed to work as a detective and open a cold case.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I just struggled with this one and could not get into it. The characters were so unlikeable, it started off okay but it was so slow, and the plot just seemed so disjointed. I wanted to love it, but I just did not.

The Night The River Wept by Lo Patrick is a story of the unsolved mystery in a small town of Georgia.

Arlene is going through a loss and decides to join the police force. But Faber is a town where nothing much happens. To get rid of her boredom, she starts going through old unsolved cases. She comes across unsolved cases of three boys and takes it upon herself to get them justice.

I am not yet sure of what I feel about this book. The premise is extremely interesting, and though I kind of knew what was coming, I was invested in the story. However, the writing itself was a little difficult for me to get into. I just couldn't feel the intensity of the story with the sarcastic humor and Arlene's character portrayal. The reason I am giving 3 stars is due to the fact that I managed to read the book, and some of the story made me feel something.

Thank you, Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley, for this book.

CW: This book has some major triggers.

This is a dark and gritty Southern fiction read with an interesting storyline.

Arlene has lived in this small town in Georgia her whole life. Married to her high school sweetheart Tommy, the couple is dealing with a lot: a miscarriage, Tommy's increasing drinking, and Arlene's post-partum depression to mention a few. Feeling that she has to do something/anything to take her mind off of things, she takes a part-time job at the police department bagging and recording evidence. Since it's a small town with little evidence to process, she spends her extra time browsing through cold case files. One in particular captures her heart - the murder of three young brothers found dead on the riverbank side by side. The prime suspect in the case committed suicide soon afterwards, and the town seemed content to let that be the end of it. Arlene makes it her mission to find out what really happened to the children and make sure they get long denied justice.

Her investigation uncovers long kept secrets and some truly disturbing things. While seeking answers and resolution about the murders, Arlene comes to terms with her life and what she wants out of it.

I liked the storyline though it had some uneven pacing throughout which reduced my rating.

There are a lot of potential triggers in this book, and I urge readers to consider that before reading (miscarriage, child abuse, murder, alcohol abuse).

My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to access an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given. Publication of this edition is 7/2/24.

The Night the River Wept by Lo Patrick is a very highly recommended small town Southern murder mystery with a very unlikely investigator.

Arlene, 24, is married to her high school sweetheart, Tommy, and longs to be a mother. The two live in Faber, a small town in Georgia, where Tommy, is in commercial real estate, but does well enough that he is often called a real estate tycoon in town. Tommy loves Arlene and wants the best for her but he also has a drinking problem. After a miscarriage she needs to find a way to keep busy so she applies for a job at the police station and is offered a part time position bagging evidence. Since the job only takes about 20 minutes of work a day, Arlene begins to read the old case files.

One case in particular, the murder of three young brothers on Deck River, an area populated by those with little hope, captures her attention. The murder was followed by the suicide of the main suspect, Mitchell Wright. Arlene gets permission to look into the case and soon believes she could solve the case. Tommy is getting on her nerves with his drinking anyway and the cold case becomes an obsession. She sets out to discover the truth with help from Allaina, who was on the police force at that time, and Ronna, the police department's receptionist.

I really enjoyed The Night the River Wept and I realize I'm a bit of an outlier in how much I enjoyed it. It is a beautifully written novel and captures both a unique, charming Southern setting as the characters deal with personal struggles,loss, growth and redemption while uncovering the truth. The narrative unfolds through the point-of-view of Arlene, diary entries written by Mitchell's sister, and the murderer. Arlene is the main, dominant voice.

I appreciated the humorous dialog and observations throughout the novel. The bulk of the novel is full of grim insightful and poignant moments in the narrative, but interspersed are gems that left me laughing several times while reading. Patrick captured the dialect of her characters in the dialogue and I could hear them talking as I read. And the stories... like the daughter who left the lineman she was married to, which disappointed her mother because she is a Glen Campbell fan.

Arlene is certainly a flawed character, but, bless her heart, I like her. She's young and she's blaming herself for her miscarriage. Her dream of being a mother has been shattered and seems unobtainable. Arlene is insecure and searching for an adult role model/friend. It is funny and a bit heartbreaking when she attaches herself to Ronna, a woman who has her own issues, and closely follows her behavior in an attempt to be an adult. This includes bringing leftover meatloaf for lunch. She's also dealing with a husband who's frequently drunk by noon. Looking into the cold case gives her a purpose and confidence in herself.

The novel is populated with unique, memorable characters. Arlene is earnest in her role as detective as she looks into the cold case. The investigation into the murder mystery is serious. The small town never really dug deep and tried to truly solve the case. People kept secrets.Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion

The review will be published on BookBrowse, Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon..

Arlene is a fascinating character and seems very real. She has to face a lot - past and present - and her story is compelling. I enjoyed the small town ethos which added an extra layer of grimness to a plot already full of dark topics.

Thank you @netgalley @bookmarked #partner for the free copy of this eARC!

Set in a small middle of nowhere town in Georgia this story picks up with a high school romance and relationship between Arlene and Tommy. Arlene is looking for something to fulfill her soul and fill her time as she increasingly gets a little frustrated with the changes she’s seeing in her husband Tommy. His drinking is starting to become a problem and she looks for something else. She finds a job working at the police department bagging evidence and since there isn’t a lot to do it leaves her with spare time to poke around in those rooms. She starts to look into a cold case that left three brother laying next to each other on a riverbank nearby. To top it off a suicide followed soon thereafter of the main suspect. Arlene becomes obsessed with this case and with the help of some other small town sleuths she sets out to uncover the truth of what happened.

I say this was written by the same author as The Floating Girls which has been on my TBR for a while so I jumped at the chance to start this one! I thought this was a solid small town cold case whodunnit. The mystery and history behind these poor boys deaths were hard to stomach at times given their background was already so hard! I also enjoyed the fact that Arlene dug into this crime in her spare time. Hey, if the police aren’t going to do it, someone has to! 😅 I did feel at times this story was a little slow with pacing but overall felt like if you are a fan of small town mysteries mixed with local gossip and relationship struggles this book is for you!

The unlikely heroine of the story relentlessly pursues a long-ago cold case until she brings it to resolution meanwhile dealing with marriage and family drama. For a book with several very sad themes (child murders, miscarriage, alcoholism, suicide and child molestation), I thought it was extremely well-written, poignant and quirky.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this ARC.

As a southern woman from a small town, I think I was able to empathize with Arlene. I cried. I laughed. I read. The dialogue, the descriptions of the characters and surroundings just simply drew me in and put me in the story. The marital relationship between Arlene and Tommy is way to common in my neck of the woods, so this really hit home This novel is intense, disturbing, and chilling as a cold case is reopened about the death of three little boys on the banks of the river.

This was my first novel my Lo Patrick. I did read that a lot of other reviewers liked her first book better, so I am headed there next.

I’m going to go slow with this review as I had to go slow with reading.

I felt it all.

The content of this book touches into so many deep emotions

I cried

( a lot )

A long since buried murder.
So many questions

No Answers

Until now

Arlene is going to get to the bottom of this unsolved murder mystery that has plagued a small town in Georgia.

Honestly, I’m at a loss of words. I didn’t expect this and it was a huge shock . This book easily slid into my number one spot for book of the year

I’ve already reached out to many of my “bookish” friends to encourage them to purchase this book. This is a book that needs to be read by all no matter the preferred genre.

The amount of time and research that went into this book shines on each page . I was always a fan of Lo Patrick, but this book right here exceeds all expectations.

Lo Patrick, has entered the bookish circuit. if you haven’t heard or her just yet, you must . She’s not going anywhere, not if I can help it.

This book surpasses any star rating but it’s an obvious 5 star, plus.

Check out this teaser :

Everybody's got good and bad in them. In the end, it just depends which side wins out.

Arlene has lived in a small town on the edge of nowhere Georgia her whole life. Now married to her long-time high school sweetheart, Tommy, Arlene is itching to start a family and become the mother she always dreamed of being. But that's proving more difficult than she thought, and Arlene is desperate to find something to do to keep her mind off things. And get some distance from her husband, who is increasingly getting on her nerves.

As the summer gives way to a chilly, lonesome fall up in the mountains of northern Georgia, she takes a part-time job bagging evidence at the local police department, which involves about twenty minutes of actual work, and the rest of her shift she reads over old cold cases. One in particular fascinates her: the mysterious deaths of three young brothers murdered on Deck River, followed by the suicide of Mitchell Wright, the prime suspect in the murders.

Arlene becomes obsessed with the case, and with the help of the police department's receptionist and a family friend of the Wrights, she sets out on discovering the truth. She can't help but feel that if she solves the case of the Broderick boys' deaths, she'll find her footing in her young marriage and maybe find what she's been looking for all along.

I did not enjoy this book at all. I actually dnf at about 30%. It was just so slow and uninteresting I didn’t even want to continue.