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 🎧