Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. I loved Mustian's first book, so I was excited to be able to read her latest. I loved how the story line was weaved within the two timelines and how it all came together in the end.

This is a new author for me, and I was immediately drawn in by her writing. This found-family, multi-generational novel is about solving a mystery involving the identity of one of the girls.

During the Depression, Ben Chambers struggles to find works, despite being the son and heir to a successful lumber mill in the South. Escaping the control of his overly controlling mom, he has not choice to leave behind his wife Becca and newborn daughter to search for work. Unfortunately Ben dies and Becca is left behind to face Ben's mother, who is determine to take her daughter away from her.

Becca, on the run from Ben's mother, has few options for employment in the Depression as many will not hire a new mother. This causes Becca to have to make several decisions which could be viewed as questionable.

Skipping ahead to the 1970s, Nell and Evie try solving the mystery of who Evie is. Nell knows Evie is not her sister, but was adopted into the family when Evie was two years of age. The only clue they have to Evie's true identity is an old birth certificate naming someone else as her mother.

These two stories weave together through a series of tragic events that leaves the readers surprised that anyone survived.

Very dry very boring and the narrator is monotone and the characters are hard to connect to. Seems
To be too many stories jumbled into every other chapter. Have no desire to finish the book after 15%

The River Knows Your Name
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book started a little slow for me. It turned out to be a beautiful SAD story. I did enjoy it, but at times I felt like it just wasn't grabbing me. Maybe too much like other stories.
Thank you NetGalley!

The River Knows Your Name is written in dual timelines: the 1930s and the 1970s. Evie and Nel are sisters, though not by blood, and raised by Nel's biological mother Hazel. The 1930s timeline follows Becca, Evie's mother, and an unsettling mother-in-law while staying true to its historical setting. In the 1970s timeline, Nel searches for Hazel's secrets and the reason why Evie joined their family. The story moves at a steady pace, is character-driven, and navigates both timelines seamlessly. Readers of women's history, mystery, and Depression-era history may appreciate the author's descriptive writing as they uncover everyone's secrets by the end.

This was a truly haunting story with all the southern imagery. It made for quite an atmospheric read. I loved the character development and the dual timelines that drove the narrative. This was heartfelt and moving. I enjoyed it.

I paired the print with the audio and loved this immersive experience. The audiobook narration was very well done.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

This is a book that I was surprised to enjoy as much as I did. The author uses the dual timeline approach and I initially thought that it would be another “ho-hum” piece of historical fiction. The timelines are different from what I usually see, one taking place in 1934 and the other in 1971. These chosen dates are just the beginning of this author’s creativity. Nell becomes the central character when in 1971, she decides to pursue information about her sister Evie’s biological mother. In 1934, we learn the story of Evie’s mother, Becca who struggles to raise her toddler as a widowed single mother against economic hardship as well as an evil mother in law and finds support in some unusual places. Both timelines are engaging and creatively written. The characters are diverse and interesting. I could not have predicted the mystery of how Evie ended up being raised by Hazel as Nell’s sister. And no spoilers but Hazel’s story was quite a surprise to me. I really enjoyed how the stories came together and it wasn’t cheesy at all. I look forward to future books by this author! I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was excellent. Great accents and voice inflections with nothing overdone. I received an ARC copy of the audiobook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

It took me a few chapters to get into the book but each chapter kept getting better and better. By the end I was so emotional. How much both the moms loved their daughters was evident from the start. Their story kept me interested and I eagerly anticipated finding out where the story would lead. I finished the audiobook within 24 hours. The supporting characters in the book were equally as important. The friendships were honest and caring. I loved the book and I will be checking out more by this author now. Thank you.

Mustain once again does not disappoint with her emotional hooks and character development as she weaves the river and it’s therapeutic metaphor into this novel. Excellent read! Thank you Netgalley and RBmedia for the AudioArc in exchange for my honest opinion.

A story of family secrets and sacrifice. I was immediately drawn into this story of Becca, Nell, Evie, and Hazel as they navigated their stories, alternating between the early 1930s and the early 1970s. I loved the resilience these women all showed in different ways, the family they created along the way, the mystery of how each person's piece of the story fit together, and they way this was told in dual timeline/dual POV. I was captivated, and while it was heartbreaking at times, it's ultimately heartwarming.

An extemely engaging work of fiction that spans multiple generations and periods of time. The way this author unveils the mystery behind the past is wonderfully written and told. An extremely satisfying conclusion that loudly declares how important found family truly is.

Historical fiction lovers pick up this new read. The River Knows Your Name by Kelly Mustian was a good read!

A hauntingly beautiful dual timeline historical fiction. A great cast of characters.

For nearly thirty years, Nell has kept a childhood promise to never reveal what she and Evie found tucked inside a copy of Jane Eyre in their mother's bookcase—a record of Evie's birth naming a stranger as her mother. But lately, Nell has been haunted by hazy memories of their early life in Mississippi, years their reclusive mother, Hazel, has kept shrouded in secrecy. Evie recalls nothing before their house on Clay Mountain in North Carolina, but Nell remembers abrupt moves, odd accommodations, and the rainy night a man in a dark coat and a hat pulled low climbed their porch steps with a very little girl—Evie—then left without her.

In dual storylines, Nell, forty-two in 1971, reaches into the past to uncover dangerous, long-buried secrets, and Becca, a young mother in the early 1930s, presses ahead, each moving toward 1934, the catastrophic year that would forever link them.

From a windswept ghost town long forgotten, to a river house in notorious Natchez Under-the-Hill, to a moody nightclub stage, Evie's other mother emerges from the shadows of Depression-era Mississippi in a story of hardship and perseverance, of betrayal and trust, and of unexpected redemption in a world in which the lines between heroes and culprits are not always clearly drawn.

Told in dual timelines.
1930s- Mississippi- Becca's husband left town for work, leaving her and her young daughter alone. After weeks without contact, she is convinced something is wrong. She reaches out to her husband's estranged mother for help. And quickly finds out why her husband cut ties. Becca finds herself on the run from her mother in law, as she wants to control everything.

1970s- North Carolina, then Mississippi. Nell has been plagued by memories lately- vaguely remembering the day a stranger dropped off a little girl at their house. She knows Evie is not really her sister. Can she figure out the secrets of her past?

I enjoyed this one so much better than the author's debut novel. I love historical fiction and this one sucked me in. My biggest complaint is the changing of the timelines- I know why it is necessary, but the author kept switching on a cliffhanger. I get why one would think it'd keep the reader engaged, but I actually found that it killed the momentum.

Lisa Larsen narrates the audiobook.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Told in two timelines, the 1930s and the 1970s, this is a story about a young woman trying to track down the sister. She never knew existed until after the death of her mother. The plot of this book is fantastic, unfortunately the narrator had no emotion in her delivery, making the audiobook harder to listen to

In The River Knows Your Name, Kelly Mustian delivers a haunting Southern mystery about long-buried family secrets, told across two timelines. In 1971, Nell tries to piece together the truth about her sister Evie’s mysterious past. In the 1930s, a young mother named Becca faces hardship and betrayal in Depression-era Mississippi—leading to a year that will forever connect them.

I was given the chance to listen to an advanced copy of this audiobook from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

At first, I struggled with this one—the narrator’s delivery felt pretty flat and robotic, which made it hard to connect emotionally with the story. But I’m glad I stuck with it, because Kelly Mustian put a lot of heart and creativity into this book. There’s a big cast of characters and two timelines, and I’ll admit it was a little confusing at times trying to figure out who was central to the mystery. That said, the story itself is heartbreaking and bittersweet, and when the pieces of the mystery finally started coming together (around the 75% mark), it gave me chills. The ending felt tender and satisfying.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and would definitely recommend reading it over listening—the audiobook narration didn’t do it justice. Solid 4 stars from me.!

Audiobook Review: The River Knows Your Name by Kelly Mustain

The River Knows Your Name by Kelly Mustain is a gripping historical fiction novel set in the South, with dual timelines following Becca in the 1930s and Nell in 1971. Nell uncovers a mysterious birth certificate about her sister Evie leading her on a quest to unravel family secrets.

Lisa Larsen's narration brought this story to life, with a perfect tone and seamless transitions between timelines. Her performance was engaging and made the Southern setting and characters even more immersive.

The plot quickly drew me in, with its intriguing mystery and emotional depth, expertly combining family drama with historical context. The dual timelines created a layered, compelling story that kept me hooked throughout.

The River Knows Your Name will be released on April 1st, 2025. A big thank you to Tantor Audio and Kelly Mustain for providing this ARC audiobook through NetGalley.

I absolutely devoured this book!

For fans of- Before We Were Yours, Four Winds, and The Secret Book of Flora Lea.

This dual storyline follows the story of two women and paints a wonderfully interwoven narrative. In 1971, Nell Brown finds herself having more questions than answers about her early childhood
Nell's portion of the story is propulsive. She journeys from North Carolina to Mississippi to better understand earlier memories in her childhood. She and her younger sister, Evie, found Evie's birth certificate with another woman's name as being her mother; a fact they uncover as children. Their mother Hazel is elusive and refuses to help.
Becca's story begins in the 1930s, following the disappearance of her husband. She and her infant sojourn to find work and a place to settle. Nell's fortunate enough to uncover the truth admit her mother, Hazel and Evie's- Becca.

I love the themes of found family, hope, and mystery/intrigue.

Thank you Netgalley and RBmedia for this ARC!

The River Knows Your Name was a first for me from the author. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately headed over to audible to add it to my library. Sadly it’s not there.

A family saga with a backdrop of mystery than spans time and small towns along the Mississippi River.

We meet Becca, in the 1930’s depression where her new husband Ben has set off in search of work and she’s just been informed of the death of her beloved second mother.

In the 1970’s we meet Nell and Evie. Sisters who have apparently known for most of their lives that they aren’t in fact related at all. Their exclusive mother has suddenly become a social butterfly and while she’s out the sisters make a discovery that leads Nell on a journey to discover exactly what happened in the past.

I absolutely loved the characters in this title. The story was really well thought out and it plucked at the heartstrings. Huge credit to Kelly Mustian, a talented storyteller. I could imagine being right in the middle of the story at any given time!

Lisa Larsen’s audio performance was amazing, I could listen to her voice all day…….i just have, actually 😊

The story unfolded really well, however there were several moments when j had to stop to remind myself who was who, it didn’t spoil anything about the story, and I genuinely don’t know what the author could’ve done to change this, so an observation rather than a critique.

Huge thanks to Tantor Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ELC 🎧