I absolutely loved Lo Patrick’s first book, so it pains me to give this one such a low rating. Unfortunately, it felt like the two were written by completely different people. This one started off ok. A woman takes a part-time job at the police department and starts investigating a cold case. However, as more characters were introduced, the plot grew stranger and became increasingly disjointed. There was a central mystery involving the deaths of three boys, but this was overshadowed by so much other unnecessary stuff going on in the plot. Much of the characters’ actions seemed haphazard and, at times, silly. There was an attempted twist towards the end, but I found it to be completely far fetched. I feel like this could have used some serious editing. I really hope Patrick’s next book is more like her first.

✰ 2.25 stars ✰

“I started to cry, but it was a frustrated, abrasive kind of crying, and I found the more I got into it, the more it took on a life of its own.”

Probably the most accurate way to describe my overall feelings after I had completed The Night the River Wept - a title so tragically haunting that tragically failed to live up to the tragedy it encapsulated due to writing that sadly did not seem to take itself as seriously as the very subject matter of which it concerned. Lo Patrick's sophomore novel follows twenty-four-year old Arlene as she tries to overcome the grief of her recent miscarriage by immersing herself as an evidence tech at Faber's local police department. It was like they were trying to make excuses for you. I didn’t need the excuses. I needed a distraction.' While unearthing old forgotten cases, her interest is piqued by the mysterious death of the three Broderick brothers - a death that should have shocked the small town, but somehow has been left quietly buried and unresolved for nearly twenty years - until now.

“Let me track these people down. Let me figure it out. I want to crack the case. I really don’t have anything else to do.”

It pains me even more so at how difficult it was to sympathize with the protagonist, Arlene - a young woman who starts her investigation simply to fill in the free time that she has while her real estate tycoon husband, Tommy, indulges himself in alcohol and the simple pleasures of his newly rich life to the point of increasingly antagonizing her with his less than appealing ways and to not feel the shame and hurt of not having a child to her name - a shame that is also wracked with guilt over her own past grievances that she holds herself accountable for. 🙁 It is in that pursuit of busying herself to stave off her boredom that she becomes obsessed with the unsolved murder that captured her attention entirely - driving her to do everything conceivable in order to figure out what really happened. With the need to put some form of closure to a crime that did not resolve in a fitting manner, with the murders' prime suspect - Mitchell Wright, the boyfriend of the boys' older sister - committing suicide two weeks after that painful tragedy. In her dogged attempts to retrace the past and uncover clues from those parties that were privy to the events of that time which happened when she was very much a child herself, does she start to discover parts of her own personality and bring about changes to her own lifestyle - one that might just be the very thing she needed to not feel as remorseful over the loss of her own child. 😢

“Suffocated,” I said to myself. “And suicide. God, what is this country coming to?”

I shook my head in heavy dismay. Surely nothing like this had happened before my generation got the keys to the car.”

Mainly I think my lack of really empathizing with Arlene was how her character was portrayed - a very ambitious dreamer who never seemed to settle on pretty much anything - hopping from one context to the next, which may feel like it is her way of overcoming her own grief by having the chance to save the memory of the boys' existence to feel marginally better about losing her own. 😕 It was a bit uncomfortable to have that much focus of the story featured on her miscarriage - one that wasn't quite mentioned in detail in the synopsis, itself. It was that completely uncaring way in which she presented herself - or I guess, the writing did - at how she acted and communicated - this very self-centered and opinionated manner that made it feel that she held herself above others - 'I was the one who’d started this ball rolling.' 🙄

It bothered me how she demanded attention in a righteous tone that clearly stated that since it was her own interest in finding out the truth behind their deaths, that entitled her to be lead investigator - start up her own detective agency - derive personality traits from the women connected to the crime - it all seemed so random. 'I know they died—they were murdered!” I announced somewhere between a bellow and a shriek.' 🤨 Especially when at the start, it was only about her continuously mentioning her own loss that she felt made her deserving of sympathy - not to mention, her relationship with her husband, Tommy - one that was so plagued with ups and downs - disgust and understanding - yet clearly feeling that there really is no one else she would rather be with. Even as she traced the history, I could not care about her personally - only caring about whether or not the next reveal would lead to some traceable evidence that would finally bring some peace to those boys. 😟

“A moment is nothing more than a recollection in exactly the amount of time it takes it to pass.”

Be that as it may - I have to admit that this read was not an easy one; it has me divided on how can I explain my reasoning for disappointment, when I can even argue with myself that there is a justification for the portrayal of how the characters' behaved and treated one another - simply because it is a reflection of the backward area that they are depicting. Does that make sense? 😮‍💨 How can you fault the writer for writing the characters the way that they were, when they're simply being who they are - coarse and unpleasant to the point where their very actions makes them as unbearable as the way they felt about each other. The tone of the writing did not do justice to the subject; a serious matter that had very unserious writing that felt at times very jarring and disjointed.

Coupled with unlikable characters who didn't generate an iota of sympathy or compassion for what happened to those young boys, nor did it genuinely seem like they cared enough about Arlene to help her - a horrific death brushed away that mirrored the lazy and ineffectual stupor that clung to its residents. 😮‍💨 How do I explain my frustration over what had the potential to be a riveting murder mystery that failed to emanate the full feeling of a truly heartbreaking tragedy that had been buried for twenty years, simply because the denizens of a practically crimeless small town on the edge of nowhere, Georgia' failed to see how tantamount it was not to fully let their souls rest? It was to the point where there were certain questionable writing choices that did nothing to amplify the seriousness of the situation rather was a flagrant disrespect to it, instead. 🙍🏻‍♀️

“People’s tragedies are not for shits and giggles, that’s for sure,” Tommy said with an inappropriate lightness, which he quickly followed up with a belly laugh. “HaHA!”

See, what I mean? 😩 There were other examples that left me stunned and severely disappointed that had the writing been more effective in making it more serious, rather than having it feel like it was a mockery of the situation. Like, I said, it could be just to show how backward-minded this area is - and how the crime is befitting of their nature - but, I just couldn't appreciate it for what it was, considering how it all comes down to trying to bring justice to these boys whose lives were tragically stolen from them. 😔

“This was the kind of place where people kept their valuables in lunch boxes and angry family friends could become cops whenever they wanted.”

The story is told through three distinctive perspectives - Arlene, the diary entries of Mitchell's sister, and the murderer, himself. Getting a first hand account from the murderer's point of view was chilling and morbid; how it lacked any source of feeling or compassion or even remorse for their actions. I have expressed my concerns over how comical the writing was that made it difficult to really get involved with the mystery, which sadly was the most compelling part of the story. I wanted to know what really happened - I wanted to learn the truth about what happened to them. 😥 And it was in the perspective of which I was not expecting to have a surprising twist to it that left me stunned for how it wasn't something that I thought even possible, but oddly enough, it was fitting. And for that, I was glad I did not abandon it, despite how many times I was annoyed at other points. 😒

It was the ending that I started to tear up - that the story truly lives up to its name. 😢 I teared up at the senseless loss of innocence, the betrayal of trust, the vindication that lacked any remorse, the silence that cost so much, the secrets that outweighed the morality of justice, the pain that the characters felt no grief, the idea that this story could have been so much more impactful had it not been riddled by writing that failed to capture how achingly tragic the whole situation was. ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 It also showed how sometimes even the right thing can be done by doing wrong - how we tend to overlook what is right in front of us, simply in order for us to cope with the past we wished we could forget. A memory that ceases to be one, once it is brought to light and one that only serves to hurt and harm more, despite how helpful it really could have been.

And yet, my mind argues that it, in fact, is such a perfect depiction of how it is that very mindset that makes it so easy to believe that this is the behavior that would befall them. 🤷🏻‍♀️ How society failed to help those of the poor white trash, simply because of who they were - that nobody cared enough to help them; and that was a saddening if not heartbreaking truth that made me want to weep, and applaud how tragically fitting the title was. For when all was said and done, I just felt so defeated at that realization - that even if justice is served, it did not feel like a fulfilling one. 😞

*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After reading The Floating Girls by Lo Patrick, I was happy to be given the opportunity to read an arc of The Night the River Wept. It’s set to release on July 2, 2024 by Sourcebooks Landmark. The stories genre is both southern fiction and crime fiction. The storyline centers around Arlene, a young woman who desperately wants to have children, but can’t. She is happily married to Tommy, who is a drunk but yet a very successful real estate tycoon who makes a boatload of money. Arlene, who doesn’t feel she has a purpose, goes to work part-time at the local police station tagging evidence in the basement. While there she starts reading cold case files and becomes interested in solving the murder of 3 young boys that were killed about 20 years prior. This book was a very slow going read for me. Although the mystery held my interest and I was completely surprised by the revelation that there were 2 men involved in the crime, I still thought there was a lot to the story that didn’t add up. The fact that anyone could go to work at the police station and have access to past evidence files I found hard to believe. I did feel that the authors depiction of the local residents fit well with small town life. It showed that there is good in some people and bad in others. And it also showed how residents in small towns tend to stick together and hide or cover up things as a way of protecting each other. I’d like to thank Anna Venckus, Marketing Associate @ Sourcebooks Landmark for the invite to read and NetGalley for the arc. I did enjoy reading this, I must admit I was blindsided by Dan Wright’s involvement, and I think it’s surprises like that that make a mystery both fun and entertaining to read. I’m giving this a 4 star rating and look forward to reading more by Lo Patrick in the future.

I adored the writing in this book. I actually laughed out loud in parts. The writing is just so different. As a Southern woman from a small town, I understood Arlene. A bored housewife. Struggling to start a family. A husband who is less than attentive and a drunk. She gets a job at the police station bagging evidence and reads through the cold cases. She becomes obsessed with one and vows to find the truth.

Definitely 5 stars!

Grieving the loss of her baby at 23 weeks, Arlene needs a distraction. She starts working at the local police department, logging evidence. She then has a new mission, find the truth behind the death of 3 brothers at Deck River. Unfortunately this turned out to be a miss for me. The story sounded so great when I requested but it just fell flat. In a character driven novel, the main character needs to be well developed and someone you want to go along their journey with. They don't have to be a perfect person, but like-able to some degree. Unfortunately I didn't jive with Arlene. The story pacing was slow and I found myself repeatedly not wanting to pick it up. Thank you Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm someone that usually sticks with a book regardless if it stinks. This book however, was beyond fixing. I scrolled through the last 20% just to see the outcome of the mystery because I couldn't spend another minute reading this main characters thoughts over and over again. I didn't like any of the characters as the women were the definition of annoying as I'm a woman myself. The plot not only was sad, but the plot was just not planned out properly. Maybe if the book was shorter? I would give the author another shot in hopes the writing gets better with more experience. Overall it was a great idea - have a girl look at cold cases, but it was executed poorly. Sorry :(

Very readable mystery from a unique point of view. Lots of bits that don't seem very realistic, but that doesn't matter a lot in a light mystery.

After a miscarriage, Arlene finds solace in a job at the local police station, where she uncovers a cold case involving the brutal murder of three young boys two decades earlier. Obsessed with solving the mystery, she embarks on a quest for truth.

Unfortunately, this one wasn’t quite my cup of tea. The book's comedic characterisations often left me puzzled, and I found myself re-reading to understand their actions. The overall tone fluctuated between gritty and cartoonish, creating a disjointed experience. Other characters' motivations for interacting with Arlene were unclear, as no one seemed to genuinely like or respect her. Because of this, it was difficult to invest in the story, and the ending felt a bit flat.

Despite these drawbacks, I was initially drawn in by the captivating cover and enjoyed the mystery aspect, especially Arlene's unconventional involvement in a police case. The portrayal of community dynamics was compelling, and the writing style kept me engaged. Despite its flaws, Arlene's character remained charming, driving my curiosity to see her journey through to the end.

Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

“The Night the River Wept” is by Lo Patrick. This book is told in three points of view - Arlene, the unnamed killer, and diary entries of a deceased person’s sister. Arlene, the main character, is a 24 year old bored (for lack of a better word) woman who has gumption. She’s married to an alcoholic who is rather successful at his job (though why he is when he’s drunk by noon is another question) and talks herself into a job at the town police department. There she becomes an evidence tagger. However, not a lot happens in this town (there’s a line where she’s tagged into evidence a pine cone due to a downed branch) so she decides to read some of the case files in the department. Apparently this is okay by her boss - and Arlene becomes obsessed to solve one of the biggest cases in the town - the murder of the three Broderick kids. I found the idea of this interesting, if a little far fetched (would a new hire be allowed to read old case files *and* try to solve the crime?). I cannot say that I really liked any of the characters in this book, which would have been okay, except that this read like a very character driven book - and in a mystery I’d like to care about someone. This book was different, but due to the slow pacing, it didn’t always keep my attention.

I read this book in just a few days. I absolutely loved The Floating Girls, it was one of my favourite novels.

The Night the River Wept had a good setting, but I didn't love this novel nearly as much. I found the main couple spoke to each other so strangely, that I thought they weren't very intelligent.

I'll read anything from Lo Patrick. She's one of my favourite authors, she is very good at giving dimension to characters.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC! I was so excited to get this Arc from them in my email! 3/5 stars

[arc review]
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Night the River Wept releases July 2, 2024

2.75

At the age of 24, Arlene has just started a new job logging evidence at the local police department. Hours of downtime has her curiously sifting through old case files, and she’s now adamant on solving the case of how the three Broderick kids died, roughly 17 years ago.

This is a slower paced novel and is told through 3 pov’s that include Arlene, the journal entries from one of the deceased’s sister, and the killer who is unnamed.

The characters weren’t quite enticing enough to fully grab my attention, which is a make-or-break factor in a character driven mystery novel where the narrative lacks a propulsive and on-the-edge of your seat feeling.
If I did the math correctly, this is set in the year 2000, but the reader still has to suspend a lot of disbelief with how lackadaisical the town is — I don’t think any police department should be allowing the young, bored housewife with a rich husband and too much time on her hands to spend countless unsupervised hours with evidence logs, no matter how attractive she is.

cw: alcoholic spouse, mention of: miscarriage, suicide, rape, postpartum depression

This is a matter of fact mystery of the death of three boys.
Arlene after having a miscarriage is traumatized that she murdered her baby, declares herself a detective of child murders and applies to work at the police station in the evidence room and sets her mind to solving a cold case of the murdered boys. I struggled to get into the story but around 30% needed to know who did it.
An in depth story of healing trauma and mystery.

As winding as a river can be; this novel is intense, disturbing, and chilling as the events unfurl from years ago revealing what led to the murders of three little boys on the banks of the Deck River. No witnesses ever came forward and no one ever confessed until Arlene Ridel goes to work for the local police and delves into this cold case.

Having read Lo Patrick’s first novel and really enjoyed it; I wasn’t expecting this grittier, dark tale that set me on edge. I suspected one person, for sure, early on in the story. But, I didn’t know the killer until the author finally singled them out at the end. Author Patrick writes country well, with the slang and speech of Southern people.

I really thought this would be more of a women’s fiction novel than it was when I requested an ARC. I do admire Ms. Patrick for keeping each character’s train of thought clear as she spun this web of intrigue and managed to make sense of every character’s involvement. Overall, the story was too deep and troubling for my taste; however, many readers will enjoy it!

I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Sourcebook Landmark. All opinions are my own.

"The Night the River Wept" by Lo Patrick is a haunting and poignant novel that explores the complexities of grief, loss, and redemption in the aftermath of tragedy. Patrick, with her evocative prose and deeply empathetic storytelling, delivers a powerful narrative that resonates long after the final page is turned.

Set against the backdrop of a small river town, "The Night the River Wept" follows the lives of its inhabitants as they grapple with the aftermath of a devastating flood. At the heart of the story is Emily, a young woman struggling to come to terms with the loss of her family and the trauma of surviving the flood. As she navigates her grief and tries to rebuild her life, she finds solace and companionship in unexpected places, ultimately discovering the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Patrick's writing is lyrical and immersive, with vivid descriptions and atmospheric imagery that bring the town of River's Bend to life. From the rushing waters of the river to the quiet moments of reflection by its banks, Patrick captures the beauty and brutality of nature with stunning clarity. Her ability to evoke a sense of time and place adds depth and richness to the story, drawing readers into the world of the novel and keeping them captivated until the very end.

Moreover, "The Night the River Wept" is not just a story of loss and despair—it's also a testament to the power of love, friendship, and community in times of crisis. Patrick deftly explores the bonds that unite us as human beings, showing how acts of kindness and compassion can help heal even the deepest wounds. Through the interconnected lives of its characters, the novel celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity for hope and renewal in the face of tragedy.

The novel is also notable for its well-developed characters and complex relationships. From Emily's journey of self-discovery to the various townspeople grappling with their own grief and guilt, each character is brought to life with depth and nuance. Patrick's portrayal of human emotions and motivations is both sensitive and insightful, offering readers a window into the hearts and minds of her characters as they navigate the turbulent waters of life.

In conclusion, "The Night the River Wept" by Lo Patrick is a moving and beautifully written novel that will tug at the heartstrings of readers. With its evocative prose, compelling characters, and universal themes of loss and resilience, it's a book that speaks to the power of hope and healing in the face of adversity. Patrick's storytelling prowess shines through on every page, making "The Night the River Wept" a must-read for fans of literary fiction and heartfelt storytelling.

4/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy to review for my honest opinion.

Arlene struggles with grief following her miscarriage. To take her mind off things she gets a job as a "tag and bagger" at the local sheriff's department in small town Faber. While in the basement waiting for evidence, the lecherous sheriff allows Arlene to look into a cold case to see if she can solve it. [Right here I'm like, Seriously??] The case involves the deaths of three young brothers who came from the "wrong side" of town, their sister who gave birth to a baby fathered by their father and whom the sister abandons with her boyfriend (the "supposed" baby-daddy), who then hangs himself, and some hardly visible character names J.P. who works in a stable.

Lo Patrick's second book, The Night the River Wept, does have some charm. Arlene is quite clever for as simple as she sounds and she reads like the type of person "pert near anyone" could get along with. There are a few scenes that are humorous but wholly out of line with the plot, and I did appreciate the small-town references. But the charm wanes and the reader is left with a slow-moving, implausible, shallow story that was, at times, a chore to get through.

I didn't hate The Night the River Wept, I just didn't see the reason for reading it. The writing was good enough that I wouldn't completely discount giving Patrick's other book a go.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebook Landmark for this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it in your local and online bookstores and libraries on July 2, 2024.

Arlene and Tommy have been married for a while and are trying to have kids but recently experienced a miscarriage. Arlene is a housewife and she is getting sick of her husband’s behavior. He is an alcoholic and recently got a DUI. Tommy is a real estate tycoon. He makes a lot of money and thinks that Arlene should be a housewife but she’s bored. She decides to get a job at the police station where she bags and tags evidence but they live in a small town where nothing really happens so she has a lot of time to snoop through old police files. She stumbles on an unsolved case from 20 years ago. Three children were found killed by the river and the person that supposedly did it committed suicide but rumor has it that maybe he didn’t even do it. The book is a slow burn mystery about murder in a small town. The police department seems flat out incompetent. The people in this book fill all the stereotypes of small town life and honestly I kept having to remind myself that these people have money and live in nice houses. It felt out of place in the setting. I have a few issues with the plausibility of the book. I can’t understand how a women with no experience and a high school degree can go into a police station and just get a job. Then the chief basically just lets her investigate this old case. Is that even legal? Don’t you need to be a detective????? I also had a few other issues. Tommy is a screw up. Constantly getting hammered at 10 in the morning but also a successful business man? It seems everyone is ok with his drinking habits because he is loaded. Also why does Arlene desperately want his kids? I had a hard time staying engaged with this because the plot moved slow. Also the writing in the diary was basically like reading the town gossip from a 12 year olds perspective.

I was initially drawn to this one for its title, I felt like it was so powerful and bold that I knew it had to be a good read. From the first page to the last, I found myself drawn deeper into the mystery, eager to uncover the truth behind the chilling crime. It is such an enthralling narrative with such tender moments, heartbreaking decisions and beautifully imperfect characters. I absolutely loved this book and I am looking forward to reading more by Lo Patrick.

This was so sweet and wholesome! I loved reading this one as an ebook. I loved it for a deep, heartfelt read. 4.5 from me.

I love a small town whodunnit mystery. There were several times I thought I had it all figured out but I was wrong,

The author does a good job of giving character background. I could understand the connection of the people.

The story was a bit slow paced for me but overall it was enjoyable. I think a person that enjoys a book about a murder mystery without many details of the actual murder would enjoy this.

I have purchased another book by this author and I am very much looking forward to starting it.