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The Sins of Summer Daughters
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Expected 14 Jul 26Win a free print copy of this book!
18 days and 02:54:42
5 copies available
U.S. only
For fans of Dirt Creek and William Kent Kreuger comes a profound southern mystery from acclaimed author Lo Patrick. When her granddaughter is accused of murder, a woman must confront the buried secrets of a summer long past—because she can try to forget, but the Georgia land remembers.
Meg Gregory never wanted to return to Tuskin, the small Georgia town she grew up in, as barren as the fields that surround it. But after her divorce left her wounded, she knew she had to quit running. Now, years later, as Meg watches her daughter and granddaughter navigate familiar dirt roads, Meg is bent on hiding from the memories that haunt her. Because she skipped town for a reason, and that reason runs deep.
But when Meg's unassuming granddaughter Lucy is suddenly charged with the murder of her boyfriend, everything changes. Meg knows Lucy couldn't have done it. Killing a boy will break a girl like that. She should know. She’s seen it happen before.
As Meg fights for Lucy's innocence, memories from the past threaten to break free, and she’s left to contemplate a different murder, a different dead boy, a different summer under the hot Georgia sun. And soon enough Meg isn't quite sure what is memory and who, in all of this, is innocent.
A moving rumination on memory, legacy, trauma, and small-town tension, The Sins of Summer Daughters is a masterclass in mystery paired seamlessly with an intimate character study you won’t soon forget.
Meg Gregory never wanted to return to Tuskin, the small Georgia town she grew up in, as barren as the fields that surround it. But after her divorce left her wounded, she knew she had to quit running. Now, years later, as Meg watches her daughter and granddaughter navigate familiar dirt roads, Meg is bent on hiding from the memories that haunt her. Because she skipped town for a reason, and that reason runs deep.
But when Meg's unassuming granddaughter Lucy is suddenly charged with the murder of her boyfriend, everything changes. Meg knows Lucy couldn't have done it. Killing a boy will break a girl like that. She should know. She’s seen it happen before.
As Meg fights for Lucy's innocence, memories from the past threaten to break free, and she’s left to contemplate a different murder, a different dead boy, a different summer under the hot Georgia sun. And soon enough Meg isn't quite sure what is memory and who, in all of this, is innocent.
A moving rumination on memory, legacy, trauma, and small-town tension, The Sins of Summer Daughters is a masterclass in mystery paired seamlessly with an intimate character study you won’t soon forget.
Audible Audio
Expected publication July 14, 2026
About the author
Lo Patrick
4 books172 followersLO PATRICK is a former lawyer and current novelist living in the suburbs of Atlanta. Her debut, The Floating Girls, earned a starred review from Publisher's Weekly, was a finalist for the Townsend Prize for Fiction, and was a Reader's Digest Editor's Pick.
source: Amazon
source: Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Did Not Finish
May 14, 2026Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. It was rather slow moving. I liked the current timeline better than the older one, but neither was able to maintain my attention. Will likely work for others.
February 4, 2026
The Sins of Summer Daughters is a quiet devastation of a novel. It does not shock or rush; it waits, presses, and lingers. Lo Patrick tells a story about what happens when pain is swallowed instead of spoken, and how that silence becomes a legacy no one consents to inherit.
This is a book about memory as both refuge and betrayal. The characters cling to the versions of the past that allow them to survive, even as those distortions quietly shape their futures. Patrick examines the lie we tell ourselves—that silence protects, that naming trauma would do more harm than good—and exposes the slow violence of that belief.
At the heart of the novel is Meg, whose unresolved sexual trauma is not only hers to bear, but something that echoes through the lives of the women who come after her. The way her experience was dismissed and erased reflects a time when endurance was expected and suffering was private. The emotional weight of her reckoning is crushing, particularly when she questions whether her silence helped condemn her granddaughter to a similar fate. That realization lands like grief with nowhere to go.
Set within a Southern small town thick with judgment and secrets, the novel pulses with unease and sorrow. The Sins of Summer Daughters is not an easy read, but it is an important one—about inheritance, about regret, and about the irreversible cost of never speaking aloud. It is emotionally raw, quietly harrowing, and impossible to forget.
This is a book about memory as both refuge and betrayal. The characters cling to the versions of the past that allow them to survive, even as those distortions quietly shape their futures. Patrick examines the lie we tell ourselves—that silence protects, that naming trauma would do more harm than good—and exposes the slow violence of that belief.
At the heart of the novel is Meg, whose unresolved sexual trauma is not only hers to bear, but something that echoes through the lives of the women who come after her. The way her experience was dismissed and erased reflects a time when endurance was expected and suffering was private. The emotional weight of her reckoning is crushing, particularly when she questions whether her silence helped condemn her granddaughter to a similar fate. That realization lands like grief with nowhere to go.
Set within a Southern small town thick with judgment and secrets, the novel pulses with unease and sorrow. The Sins of Summer Daughters is not an easy read, but it is an important one—about inheritance, about regret, and about the irreversible cost of never speaking aloud. It is emotionally raw, quietly harrowing, and impossible to forget.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Sins of Summer Daughters by Lo Patrick is a highly recommended domestic drama/Southern mystery following four generations of women over two timelines set in a small Georgia town.
When Meg Gregory left Tuskin, Georgia, as a teen she wanted to never return, leaving her past and secrets behind. After her divorce from her ex, Ferrol, she did return, bringing her daughter Nina back to her small home town. Now, years later, she is 64-years-old and Nina's daughter and Meg's granddaughter, Lucy along with other teens, have just been accused of murdering Lucy's boyfriend Josh. Meg has secrets she has been harboring for years and has never talked about. Meg knows Lucy couldn't have done it, but Lucy's situation brings back all of the memories and trauma from Meg's childhood.
The narrative follows two timelines, the present in 2024 and the past in 1974. In the present day action, 15 year-old Lucy is traumatized and almost nonverbal. She almost seems to be in a trance. Meg's daughter, Nina, is anxious and beside herself with worry. Meg is also concerned, but she is remembering the events she experienced 50 years ago. Back in 1974 when Meg was a young teen, she felt detached from her mother, Heather, who was a stripper and then a bartender who always seemed to have a new boyfriend. Meg's older sister Rainy was much closer to their mother. Meg's only friend was an older teen, Tyler, and with him came his odd friend Larisa. Something happened in 1974 and flashbacks to memories are coming back to haunt Meg.
This is a well-written novel full of startling, emotional observations and events. Along with the haunting memories the whole plot is presented in a perceptive and sensitive manner. The alternating timelines worked well in the plot and helped to highlight the evolution of Meg's stunted emotional state and trauma. Lucy's trauma was self-evident as was the emotional manipulation by her friends. Many of the situations Meg blames on the small town working class population, including herself, and how everyone knows your family's history. The ending is powerful.
Much of the plot also follows the complicated fractured relationships between mothers and daughters in both timelines. This isn't a fast-paced plot, it is a slow burn that allows the tension to build at an even pace in both timelines. This made both story lines equally compelling and allowed the plot to develop more depth, intricacies, and atmosphere than a faster pace would have allowed, while simultaneously enabling the tension to gradually keep building. This also left room for Meg's personality to be on full display, as she was concerned, forgetful, distracted, having flashbacks, and even sometimes humorous along the way.
The Sins of Summer Daughters is an excellent choice for those who enjoy Southern small town domestic dramas.Lo Patrick is a must read author for me ever since I read The Floating Girls (2022), followed by The Night the River Wept (2024), and Fast Boys and Pretty Girls (2025). While I didn't love The Sins of Summer Daughters quite as much, it was still a solid 4.5, rounded up when required. Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2026/0...
When Meg Gregory left Tuskin, Georgia, as a teen she wanted to never return, leaving her past and secrets behind. After her divorce from her ex, Ferrol, she did return, bringing her daughter Nina back to her small home town. Now, years later, she is 64-years-old and Nina's daughter and Meg's granddaughter, Lucy along with other teens, have just been accused of murdering Lucy's boyfriend Josh. Meg has secrets she has been harboring for years and has never talked about. Meg knows Lucy couldn't have done it, but Lucy's situation brings back all of the memories and trauma from Meg's childhood.
The narrative follows two timelines, the present in 2024 and the past in 1974. In the present day action, 15 year-old Lucy is traumatized and almost nonverbal. She almost seems to be in a trance. Meg's daughter, Nina, is anxious and beside herself with worry. Meg is also concerned, but she is remembering the events she experienced 50 years ago. Back in 1974 when Meg was a young teen, she felt detached from her mother, Heather, who was a stripper and then a bartender who always seemed to have a new boyfriend. Meg's older sister Rainy was much closer to their mother. Meg's only friend was an older teen, Tyler, and with him came his odd friend Larisa. Something happened in 1974 and flashbacks to memories are coming back to haunt Meg.
This is a well-written novel full of startling, emotional observations and events. Along with the haunting memories the whole plot is presented in a perceptive and sensitive manner. The alternating timelines worked well in the plot and helped to highlight the evolution of Meg's stunted emotional state and trauma. Lucy's trauma was self-evident as was the emotional manipulation by her friends. Many of the situations Meg blames on the small town working class population, including herself, and how everyone knows your family's history. The ending is powerful.
Much of the plot also follows the complicated fractured relationships between mothers and daughters in both timelines. This isn't a fast-paced plot, it is a slow burn that allows the tension to build at an even pace in both timelines. This made both story lines equally compelling and allowed the plot to develop more depth, intricacies, and atmosphere than a faster pace would have allowed, while simultaneously enabling the tension to gradually keep building. This also left room for Meg's personality to be on full display, as she was concerned, forgetful, distracted, having flashbacks, and even sometimes humorous along the way.
The Sins of Summer Daughters is an excellent choice for those who enjoy Southern small town domestic dramas.Lo Patrick is a must read author for me ever since I read The Floating Girls (2022), followed by The Night the River Wept (2024), and Fast Boys and Pretty Girls (2025). While I didn't love The Sins of Summer Daughters quite as much, it was still a solid 4.5, rounded up when required. Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2026/0...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.75% rounded up
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. My opinions are my own so take them with a grain of salt…but Sins of Summer Daughters was a sluggish read I’m on the fence about recommending. I knew going in author likes her stories to unfold slowly having read and liked Fast Boys and Pretty Girls, so I went in prepared to read it over a couple days. Unfortunately I knew early on it was going to be a challenge to finish. The premise at first had me so interested. Two teenagers murdered in the same small town though years apart, unfolding in past and present chapters. At the heart of both timelines and the main reason I kept on, is feisty Meg Gregory. In the past she’s a neglected pre teen with an exotic dancer mother and a revolving door of mom’s boyfriends in the house. She befriends an older boy Tyler in her town who she begins hanging out with. She’s written as lower class, don’t come at me, it made Meg likable for me in both timelines. She had no airs about her or who she’s supposed to be, she’s just Meg. And some of her “Megisms” were a hoot, which again is what kept me reading. She gave Dorothy from Golden Girls vibes as a senior citizen in the present timeline and yet was even sassier! The mystery of both deaths is slowly fed to us and it’s got some twists and turns to keep you guessing. Talk of voodoo sprinkled in. All the makes of a good story. It was just all the in between pushing the story forward wasn’t working for me. So it’s my love of Meg that’s got me on the fence here. I highlighted a bunch of her “megisms” and I’ll share a couple so you can see. I either want to befriend Meg, or be her when I’m 64!
Tween Meg- He got pulled over for speeding, and the do-gooder cop asked who the hell I was. “I’m the hell Meg,” I said.
Adult Meg- After about an hour of standing outside, I had to go to the bathroom and was becoming uncomfortable. My feet were sweating in my boots, and because I wasn’t wearing underwear, I had a sensation of tropical weather between my legs.
See she just kept me reading with her sass. So I’m on the fence.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. My opinions are my own so take them with a grain of salt…but Sins of Summer Daughters was a sluggish read I’m on the fence about recommending. I knew going in author likes her stories to unfold slowly having read and liked Fast Boys and Pretty Girls, so I went in prepared to read it over a couple days. Unfortunately I knew early on it was going to be a challenge to finish. The premise at first had me so interested. Two teenagers murdered in the same small town though years apart, unfolding in past and present chapters. At the heart of both timelines and the main reason I kept on, is feisty Meg Gregory. In the past she’s a neglected pre teen with an exotic dancer mother and a revolving door of mom’s boyfriends in the house. She befriends an older boy Tyler in her town who she begins hanging out with. She’s written as lower class, don’t come at me, it made Meg likable for me in both timelines. She had no airs about her or who she’s supposed to be, she’s just Meg. And some of her “Megisms” were a hoot, which again is what kept me reading. She gave Dorothy from Golden Girls vibes as a senior citizen in the present timeline and yet was even sassier! The mystery of both deaths is slowly fed to us and it’s got some twists and turns to keep you guessing. Talk of voodoo sprinkled in. All the makes of a good story. It was just all the in between pushing the story forward wasn’t working for me. So it’s my love of Meg that’s got me on the fence here. I highlighted a bunch of her “megisms” and I’ll share a couple so you can see. I either want to befriend Meg, or be her when I’m 64!
Tween Meg- He got pulled over for speeding, and the do-gooder cop asked who the hell I was. “I’m the hell Meg,” I said.
Adult Meg- After about an hour of standing outside, I had to go to the bathroom and was becoming uncomfortable. My feet were sweating in my boots, and because I wasn’t wearing underwear, I had a sensation of tropical weather between my legs.
See she just kept me reading with her sass. So I’m on the fence.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Meg Gregory thought she left her traumatic past buried in middle Georgia's red clay dust, but when her granddaughter is arrested for murder, the haints of her past and memories are unearthed and refuse to be ignored. Questions of what actually happened versus psychological fracture will have the characters and readers guessing until the very end.
As a native small town Georgian and a lover of mystery/thriller genre, I was excited to read this book. I could picture the town of Tuskin so vividly as well as the slower pace of life that went on there. I also liked the parallels between 1974 Meg's life and the evolving situation in 2024 with Lucy. That being said, I found all of the characters extremely unlikeable, and I also noted that there seemed to be a stereotypical marked dichotomy in portrayal of characters in Tuskin (lower education, lower income, lazy, "less than") and the characters from 'the great state of Atlanta' (higher education, affluent, ambitious, 'better than'). Also, all of the tangents that Meg seemed to go off on whether speaking or thinking before circling back around to the subject at hand were distracting, although probably a function of trauma response/psychologic devolution.
I always love reading about my beloved home state, but overall, I'm not sure this was the book for me. Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.
As a native small town Georgian and a lover of mystery/thriller genre, I was excited to read this book. I could picture the town of Tuskin so vividly as well as the slower pace of life that went on there. I also liked the parallels between 1974 Meg's life and the evolving situation in 2024 with Lucy. That being said, I found all of the characters extremely unlikeable, and I also noted that there seemed to be a stereotypical marked dichotomy in portrayal of characters in Tuskin (lower education, lower income, lazy, "less than") and the characters from 'the great state of Atlanta' (higher education, affluent, ambitious, 'better than'). Also, all of the tangents that Meg seemed to go off on whether speaking or thinking before circling back around to the subject at hand were distracting, although probably a function of trauma response/psychologic devolution.
I always love reading about my beloved home state, but overall, I'm not sure this was the book for me. Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book has an intriguing premise and moves at a quick pace, but the execution didn’t fully come together for me.
While the pacing itself kept things moving, the storytelling felt choppy due to frequent jumps between past and present…often at moments when the narrative tension should have been tightening. Instead of deepening the story, these shifts made it harder to stay emotionally grounded in the characters’ journeys.
Character development was where I struggled most. I found it difficult to connect with Nina and Lucy, as there wasn’t enough emotional layering to make their actions feel earned. The constant banter between characters (particularly Nina and Meg) often felt excessive and emotionally immature, pulling focus away from the larger stakes. I frequently found myself wanting to move past certain backstory sections because they appeared at inopportune moments.
The atmosphere worked reasonably well, and I appreciated the underlying tension surrounding the question of accountability. However, I was hoping for more of a traditional “whodunit” feel. Much of the tension centered on interpersonal conflict rather than drawing the reader into Lucy’s emotional arc or the mystery itself.
That said, there were elements I genuinely enjoyed. The relationship between the grandmother and granddaughter was a highlight, and Meg’s backstory was especially compelling. I found myself wishing the novel had explored her perspective even more, as it felt rich enough to stand on its own.
Overall, this story had strong potential, but for me, the fragmented structure and lack of emotional depth kept it from fully landing.
Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy. All thoughts are my own.
While the pacing itself kept things moving, the storytelling felt choppy due to frequent jumps between past and present…often at moments when the narrative tension should have been tightening. Instead of deepening the story, these shifts made it harder to stay emotionally grounded in the characters’ journeys.
Character development was where I struggled most. I found it difficult to connect with Nina and Lucy, as there wasn’t enough emotional layering to make their actions feel earned. The constant banter between characters (particularly Nina and Meg) often felt excessive and emotionally immature, pulling focus away from the larger stakes. I frequently found myself wanting to move past certain backstory sections because they appeared at inopportune moments.
The atmosphere worked reasonably well, and I appreciated the underlying tension surrounding the question of accountability. However, I was hoping for more of a traditional “whodunit” feel. Much of the tension centered on interpersonal conflict rather than drawing the reader into Lucy’s emotional arc or the mystery itself.
That said, there were elements I genuinely enjoyed. The relationship between the grandmother and granddaughter was a highlight, and Meg’s backstory was especially compelling. I found myself wishing the novel had explored her perspective even more, as it felt rich enough to stand on its own.
Overall, this story had strong potential, but for me, the fragmented structure and lack of emotional depth kept it from fully landing.
Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If you like small-town mysteries where the past refuses to stay buried… this one definitely leans into that.
This story follows Meg, who thought she left her traumatic teenage years buried deep in the red clay of middle Georgia.
But when her granddaughter Lucy is suddenly arrested for killing her boyfriend… everything Meg tried to forget starts coming back.
The story moves between present day, as Meg tries to help her granddaughter, and 1974, when we see pieces of Meg’s own past in that same small town.
As someone who loves Southern settings and small-town mysteries, I really appreciated how vividly the town was written. You can almost feel the slower pace of life and the way everyone knows everyone’s business.
I also liked the parallels between what happened to Meg in the 70s and what Lucy is dealing with now.
For me as a reader, I think I wanted a little more exploration of some of the story threads. There were a lot of interesting elements — family secrets, trauma, questions about what really happened — and I found myself wishing we spent more time digging into those.
But if you enjoy character-driven mysteries with layered timelines and Southern gothic vibes, this one definitely has that atmosphere.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for inviting me to read this egalley through Netgalley.
This story follows Meg, who thought she left her traumatic teenage years buried deep in the red clay of middle Georgia.
But when her granddaughter Lucy is suddenly arrested for killing her boyfriend… everything Meg tried to forget starts coming back.
The story moves between present day, as Meg tries to help her granddaughter, and 1974, when we see pieces of Meg’s own past in that same small town.
As someone who loves Southern settings and small-town mysteries, I really appreciated how vividly the town was written. You can almost feel the slower pace of life and the way everyone knows everyone’s business.
I also liked the parallels between what happened to Meg in the 70s and what Lucy is dealing with now.
For me as a reader, I think I wanted a little more exploration of some of the story threads. There were a lot of interesting elements — family secrets, trauma, questions about what really happened — and I found myself wishing we spent more time digging into those.
But if you enjoy character-driven mysteries with layered timelines and Southern gothic vibes, this one definitely has that atmosphere.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for inviting me to read this egalley through Netgalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I absolutely loved the main character, Meg, who is mother to Nina and grandmother to Lucy. Within the first few paragraphs she says that her granddaughter has the personality of the color pale yellow. And, her inside thoughts about everyone around her, including her daughter, are all sort of funny. Lucy gets charged with the murder of her boyfriend, after he is found dead in his car. Meg tries to figure out what has happened and how she can help her granddaughter, while also reliving some tragic events from her past.
I don't want to say too much about this one, I feel like it's best just going in with minimal information. It's not a super fast-paced or twisty thriller. But the pacing felt natural and it is a mystery of what really happened to Lucy's boyfriend and whether or not it is connected to something that happened in her family's past.
I could not stop listening to the audiobook. The narrator does a great job reading Meg. I looked up the author and see that she has a few other books that I'm excited to check out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.
I don't want to say too much about this one, I feel like it's best just going in with minimal information. It's not a super fast-paced or twisty thriller. But the pacing felt natural and it is a mystery of what really happened to Lucy's boyfriend and whether or not it is connected to something that happened in her family's past.
I could not stop listening to the audiobook. The narrator does a great job reading Meg. I looked up the author and see that she has a few other books that I'm excited to check out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had previously read and enjoyed Fast Boys and Pretty Girls by this author and was happy to read The Sins of Summer Daughters also. This story was good, but it wasn't quite as easy of a read as the previous book. Meg Gregory left her small hometown with the plan never to return. Years later, reeling from a divorce, she is back and her granddaughter, Lucy, has been arrested for the murder of her boyfriend. Meg is certain of Lucy's innocence and sets out to prove it. In doing so, Meg's own past is brought up, and she remembers exactly why she left that town in the first place. Yes, a different murder was involved. The premise sounded great and I did enjoy the story, I just felt there could have been a bit more. For such a long book, I felt the story could have been explored deeper. Hearing from Lucy herself would have been interesting to me. Overall, I did enjoy the story and look forward to more from Lo Patrick. I do love her descriptions of small-town life!
Thank you to Lo Patrick, #NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Lo Patrick, #NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Description
For fans of Dirt Creek and William Kent Kreuger comes a profound southern mystery from acclaimed author Lo Patrick. When her granddaughter is accused of murder, a woman must confront the buried secrets of a summer long past—because she can try to forget, but the Georgia land remembers.
The Sins of Summer Daughters is a dark Southern mystery blending family secrets, grief, and suspense. Lo Patrick creates a strong atmosphere, and the mother-daughter relationships add emotional depth.
The mystery unfolds gradually, with believable characters and vivid writing. While the pacing can be uneven and some twists predictable, the exploration of family dynamics is a major strength. The pacing was too slow for me. But the overall story was good.
Barrie Kreinik provided an excellent audio performance.
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Audio for my ALC in exchange for my honest review. You can grab your copy on the expected release date July 14 2026
For fans of Dirt Creek and William Kent Kreuger comes a profound southern mystery from acclaimed author Lo Patrick. When her granddaughter is accused of murder, a woman must confront the buried secrets of a summer long past—because she can try to forget, but the Georgia land remembers.
The Sins of Summer Daughters is a dark Southern mystery blending family secrets, grief, and suspense. Lo Patrick creates a strong atmosphere, and the mother-daughter relationships add emotional depth.
The mystery unfolds gradually, with believable characters and vivid writing. While the pacing can be uneven and some twists predictable, the exploration of family dynamics is a major strength. The pacing was too slow for me. But the overall story was good.
Barrie Kreinik provided an excellent audio performance.
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Audio for my ALC in exchange for my honest review. You can grab your copy on the expected release date July 14 2026
June 20, 2026
This mystery novel is certainly fast-paced, which kept me turning the pages. However, I felt that its execution didn’t quite match its potential. There were too many unresolved plot threads, and I found the character development lacking throughout. I struggled to connect with any of the characters, especially since the narrative focused so heavily on Meg, leaving Lucy underdeveloped and largely on the sidelines. Additionally, the relationships between the characters' often seemed superficial or characterized by bickering. While I appreciated the engaging pace typical of a thriller, the weak character work and unsatisfying conclusion made it a disappointing read for me. The story had the framework for something intriguing, but it ultimately wasn’t fleshed out as much as I had hoped.
Thank you to the publisher/author for providing me with an advanced complimentary copy. All thoughts shared here are my own.
Thank you to the publisher/author for providing me with an advanced complimentary copy. All thoughts shared here are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Fans of The Night the River Wept will enjoy Lo Patrick's new novel, as I did. Patrick has a knack for the slow, easy pace of a southern mystery, with secrets long held by generations. In The Sins of Summer Daughters, Meg Gregory's granddaughter has been arrested for the murder of her boyfriend, which Lucy adamantly denies. As Meg works to find out what really happened, she remembers another young man's untimely demise, and struggles to separate her memories from current day.
The novel is definitely a slow, slow burn. The story is told in two timelines, which at times had me a bit confused. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Barrie Kreinik, was excellent, moving between characters seamlessly. Her narration helped me keep the characters and timelines straight.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark/Sourcebooks Audio for the digital and audio ARCs of The Sins of Summer Daughters by Lo Patrick The opinions in this review are my own.
The novel is definitely a slow, slow burn. The story is told in two timelines, which at times had me a bit confused. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Barrie Kreinik, was excellent, moving between characters seamlessly. Her narration helped me keep the characters and timelines straight.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark/Sourcebooks Audio for the digital and audio ARCs of The Sins of Summer Daughters by Lo Patrick The opinions in this review are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was able to read and review this book early thanks to NetGalley with an ARC. This is an honest review!
This book was a little hard to follow at first, not necessarily the dual timelines, but the flow and verbiage. How the FMC would have flashbacks mixed with internal dialog as well as external conversations. It was just hard to keep all the pieces in place while following the storyline. For me personally, I did not find this story as enjoyable due to the fact that there seemed to be no reason, or a reason explained, as to why the two "bad children" did what they did and how they sucked in the "good children" in each timeline. It left me with so many questions and feeling unsatisfied with the story. Just to get to the end and be given a tiny glimpse of an alternate reality that the FMC had buried away.
This book was a little hard to follow at first, not necessarily the dual timelines, but the flow and verbiage. How the FMC would have flashbacks mixed with internal dialog as well as external conversations. It was just hard to keep all the pieces in place while following the storyline. For me personally, I did not find this story as enjoyable due to the fact that there seemed to be no reason, or a reason explained, as to why the two "bad children" did what they did and how they sucked in the "good children" in each timeline. It left me with so many questions and feeling unsatisfied with the story. Just to get to the end and be given a tiny glimpse of an alternate reality that the FMC had buried away.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Engrossing thriller set with Southern gothic intensity and filled with intensity and emotion.
Meg Gregory, is sixty-four and back in her home town of Tuskin, Georgia, where her daughter, Nina, and granddaughter, Lucy, live. When Lucy is accused of murdering her boyfriend, Josh, Meg must reckon with her past. An investigation ensures and others are drawn in as possible suspects but the town believes it’s the Gregorys. As times moves in Lucy’s silence results in her drawings that hint at secrets if revealed could be devastating. Meg has her own secrets that if revealed could affect Lucy’s case.
The book alternates between 1973 - Meg’s story - and 2024 -Lucy’s. It’s very atmospheric and humid - that Georgia weather plays into the story’s tension. Overall it’s pretty good mystery and the ending is a stunner.
Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOK Landmark for allowing me access to this ARC.
Meg Gregory, is sixty-four and back in her home town of Tuskin, Georgia, where her daughter, Nina, and granddaughter, Lucy, live. When Lucy is accused of murdering her boyfriend, Josh, Meg must reckon with her past. An investigation ensures and others are drawn in as possible suspects but the town believes it’s the Gregorys. As times moves in Lucy’s silence results in her drawings that hint at secrets if revealed could be devastating. Meg has her own secrets that if revealed could affect Lucy’s case.
The book alternates between 1973 - Meg’s story - and 2024 -Lucy’s. It’s very atmospheric and humid - that Georgia weather plays into the story’s tension. Overall it’s pretty good mystery and the ending is a stunner.
Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOK Landmark for allowing me access to this ARC.
June 3, 2026
** I was givin this as an ARC to read and review before it is published in July**
I normally am a lover of switching between 2 time lines in a book, however this one I felt was not as easy to follow at some points. By the end of the book I liked the past storyline better than the present. It was kind of a “this is happening to my grand daughter and it happened to me when I was younger” type of thing. They made the main character sound crazy at times, and part of me wishes they would’ve taken her role more seriously and more convincingly that she had gone through this before. I’m not sure how exactly the “witchcraft” vibe fit in with it, that was something that never really tied together for me. I was hoping for a big jaw dropping twist, but it never came.
Not a horrible read, just not my cup of tea! Someone out there will love it!
I normally am a lover of switching between 2 time lines in a book, however this one I felt was not as easy to follow at some points. By the end of the book I liked the past storyline better than the present. It was kind of a “this is happening to my grand daughter and it happened to me when I was younger” type of thing. They made the main character sound crazy at times, and part of me wishes they would’ve taken her role more seriously and more convincingly that she had gone through this before. I’m not sure how exactly the “witchcraft” vibe fit in with it, that was something that never really tied together for me. I was hoping for a big jaw dropping twist, but it never came.
Not a horrible read, just not my cup of tea! Someone out there will love it!
June 22, 2026
🎙️ Narration Review
Barrie Kreinik hive, please accept my membership application!! I obsess over her on Sally Hepworth titles, so I was immediately excited to see her attached to this one. Also… I fully thought she was Australian LOL. What a talent to be able to flip between accents so naturally.
One thing she consistently excels at is humor and sarcasm, and this book gave her SO much to work with. Meg had me LOLing multiple times. She also had a lot of age ranges to tackle here, going from grandmother to teenage granddaughter, often within the same conversations, and every character got their own voice.
Easy 5 star performance from her.
📚 Story Review
This is a dual murder mystery wrapped inside a family drama with small town secrets, grief, healing, and flashbacks that slowly reveal pieces of Meg's life over time.
Meg was absolutely the star of the show!! She's probably in her mid-60s and honestly gave me Mad Mabel energy at times 😂 Funny, sharp, stubborn, and fiercely protective of the people she loves. She had a difficult childhood to put it mildly, and now as both a mother and grandmother, she's determined to protect her family at all costs.
I also loved how the author slowly built her backstory through flashbacks instead of dumping information all at once. This is very much a character-driven medium burn. This isn't a rapid fire thriller that's trying to shock you every 20 pages, but YES there are twists... don't panic
Barrie Kreinik hive, please accept my membership application!! I obsess over her on Sally Hepworth titles, so I was immediately excited to see her attached to this one. Also… I fully thought she was Australian LOL. What a talent to be able to flip between accents so naturally.
One thing she consistently excels at is humor and sarcasm, and this book gave her SO much to work with. Meg had me LOLing multiple times. She also had a lot of age ranges to tackle here, going from grandmother to teenage granddaughter, often within the same conversations, and every character got their own voice.
Easy 5 star performance from her.
📚 Story Review
This is a dual murder mystery wrapped inside a family drama with small town secrets, grief, healing, and flashbacks that slowly reveal pieces of Meg's life over time.
Meg was absolutely the star of the show!! She's probably in her mid-60s and honestly gave me Mad Mabel energy at times 😂 Funny, sharp, stubborn, and fiercely protective of the people she loves. She had a difficult childhood to put it mildly, and now as both a mother and grandmother, she's determined to protect her family at all costs.
I also loved how the author slowly built her backstory through flashbacks instead of dumping information all at once. This is very much a character-driven medium burn. This isn't a rapid fire thriller that's trying to shock you every 20 pages, but YES there are twists... don't panic
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was not for me. The book read more as a look into Megs psychological thoughts, and not at all a thriller or mystery as described. Meg is very depressed and self centered. She has no real relationship with anyone, including her daughter.
The book had promise, as two murders within one family could be very mysterious. However, the story gave no details on the crimes and incidents that lead to it, and all the details are focused on Meg and her mental state. I would have liked to hear Lucy’s perspective more to know why she made her choices. I did not like Meg, which made her hard to follow as a main character, even though I can understand why she is depressed. Overall, I would have liked more descriptions of the cases, and less explanation of what was happening in her head.
The book had promise, as two murders within one family could be very mysterious. However, the story gave no details on the crimes and incidents that lead to it, and all the details are focused on Meg and her mental state. I would have liked to hear Lucy’s perspective more to know why she made her choices. I did not like Meg, which made her hard to follow as a main character, even though I can understand why she is depressed. Overall, I would have liked more descriptions of the cases, and less explanation of what was happening in her head.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I love how Meg is reflecting on her past and how Meg would have flashbacks before returning to the present conversation. It had a good flow to it in my opinion.
The story is interesting and I found myself both equally interested in the present timeline and the past timeline. I like the flow of the present day chapters, but some of the time jumps from the past day chapters felt a little confusing at times.
What I didn’t really like was Nina and Lucy. Nina I found to just be annoying/childish and really only there to stop Lucy from maybe saying something about the situation. And Lucy just didn’t have much depth to her.
The ending wasn’t my favorite. I just kind of wanted more explanation.
The story is interesting and I found myself both equally interested in the present timeline and the past timeline. I like the flow of the present day chapters, but some of the time jumps from the past day chapters felt a little confusing at times.
What I didn’t really like was Nina and Lucy. Nina I found to just be annoying/childish and really only there to stop Lucy from maybe saying something about the situation. And Lucy just didn’t have much depth to her.
The ending wasn’t my favorite. I just kind of wanted more explanation.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5/5 stars
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
When Meg's granddaughter is arrested for killing her boyfriend, Meg is brought back to her own time as a teenager in their small Georgia town. The story goes back and forth between present day, where Meg tries to hold on to her psyche as she helps her granddaughter, and when Meg was a teenager.
All of the parts of the story were there to make this a better book than it was. Nothing was fully explored though. For a 400 page book, it still has a lot of holes in the story. There were far too many pages spent on Meg's psychotic break and not enough spent on the actual story.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
When Meg's granddaughter is arrested for killing her boyfriend, Meg is brought back to her own time as a teenager in their small Georgia town. The story goes back and forth between present day, where Meg tries to hold on to her psyche as she helps her granddaughter, and when Meg was a teenager.
All of the parts of the story were there to make this a better book than it was. Nothing was fully explored though. For a 400 page book, it still has a lot of holes in the story. There were far too many pages spent on Meg's psychotic break and not enough spent on the actual story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"The Sins of the Summer Daughters" was paced perfectly, but I felt slightly lost at the dual timeline, which normally isn't a problem for me. The characters were underwhelming and I didn't find myself relating to any of them really. There was a lot of tension throughout the book, which kept me reading. I enjoyed the atmospheric details and the relationship between the grandmother and granddaughter was an excellent element.
I do wish Meg's story was explored more. Overall the book was good, not anything terribly spectacular.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I do wish Meg's story was explored more. Overall the book was good, not anything terribly spectacular.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks landmark for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Set in Georgia with a dual timeline this book had a very interesting premise about murder and family secrets. The beginning of the book held my attention but it slowly started dying off around 40% in. The pacing was too slow for me. I was way more interested in the 1975 timeline than I was of the 2024 timeline. I think it would have been more interesting for the 2024 timeline to have been from Lucy’s POV rather than Meg’s. I think the idea was good but the execution needs some work. Overall I think it would make a good movie of some sort but the book was a little dull for me.
Set in Georgia with a dual timeline this book had a very interesting premise about murder and family secrets. The beginning of the book held my attention but it slowly started dying off around 40% in. The pacing was too slow for me. I was way more interested in the 1975 timeline than I was of the 2024 timeline. I think it would have been more interesting for the 2024 timeline to have been from Lucy’s POV rather than Meg’s. I think the idea was good but the execution needs some work. Overall I think it would make a good movie of some sort but the book was a little dull for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks so much to Landmark and NetGalley for the free eARC to read and review!
The Sins of Summer Daughters goes back and forth from past to present synchronizing Meg's dark history with that of her grand-daughter Lucy and her upcoming trial in a small town. This generational trauma story unfolds as Meg relives the past she worked hard to forget.
Strong writing by Lo Patrick for descriptive scenes. Characters fell a bit flat/unbelievable would of liked to rate 4 stars.
**Trigger Warnings for readers** SA, death, grief
This review will be cross posted to NetGalley and on Instagram with a photo
Follow @bookmarked_111 to read my review!
The Sins of Summer Daughters goes back and forth from past to present synchronizing Meg's dark history with that of her grand-daughter Lucy and her upcoming trial in a small town. This generational trauma story unfolds as Meg relives the past she worked hard to forget.
Strong writing by Lo Patrick for descriptive scenes. Characters fell a bit flat/unbelievable would of liked to rate 4 stars.
**Trigger Warnings for readers** SA, death, grief
This review will be cross posted to NetGalley and on Instagram with a photo
Follow @bookmarked_111 to read my review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As usual, I really love Lo Patrick's books. She does a good job describing that uneasy feeling often felt in childhood.
This novel has a dual timeline which I really liked and is about Meg, who has a tough childhood which is re-lived when her granddaughter has a pretty major event happen back in her hometown. I don't want to reveal more since it's worth watching it unravel on its own.
I prefer these kinds of slow burn, feels-real kinda books. This one gets kinda under your skin in a good way.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark (for the 4th time - thanks for letting me get to read all her books!) and Netgalley.
4/5.
This novel has a dual timeline which I really liked and is about Meg, who has a tough childhood which is re-lived when her granddaughter has a pretty major event happen back in her hometown. I don't want to reveal more since it's worth watching it unravel on its own.
I prefer these kinds of slow burn, feels-real kinda books. This one gets kinda under your skin in a good way.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark (for the 4th time - thanks for letting me get to read all her books!) and Netgalley.
4/5.
March 11, 2026
The Sins of Summer Daughters is a double story of teen murder victims and teen murderers, fifty years apart and told in alternating chapters. Meg, at first, seems a capable woman whose granddaughter, Lucy is involved, somehow, in her boyfriend’s murder. As the investigation unfolds, Meg recounts her youth and her participation in another murder in the same small town in Georgia.
As the narrator of both stories, Meg seems less and less reliable. Clearly, the trauma from 1974 still has a grip on Meg.
As the narrator of both stories, Meg seems less and less reliable. Clearly, the trauma from 1974 still has a grip on Meg.
June 17, 2026
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. This book started off really interesting but ended up bogged down in itself. At 40% in I struggled and considered not finishing. I wish it hadn’t taken so long to reach its conclusion. I really felt tnis was more Megs story and the whole Lucy aspect never got its full reveal. I understood where the authors heart was in the duality but both stories lacked depth and got caught up in Megs current craziness and confusion. Nina and Ferrol were never fully developed and really distracting at times. I read til the end but was left feeling disappointed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I very much enjoyed the character of Meg, she has a lot of attitude, and I found myself smiling at her lots.
She stars in both timelines, both involving murder.
The slow reveal worked well for me, always wanting to know what happened next.
Some nice twists to the story always keeping me engaged.
The dynamic between Meg and her daughter and granddaughter was interesting.
If you like complicated families, and trauma past and present, I'd definitely recommend this.
Thanks to netgalley for the free digital copy.
She stars in both timelines, both involving murder.
The slow reveal worked well for me, always wanting to know what happened next.
Some nice twists to the story always keeping me engaged.
The dynamic between Meg and her daughter and granddaughter was interesting.
If you like complicated families, and trauma past and present, I'd definitely recommend this.
Thanks to netgalley for the free digital copy.
June 5, 2026
This book gripped me from the get go. I couldn’t put it down. When I tell you I was turning page after page trying to figure everything out, I’m surprised I didn’t get whip lash.
Then the ending. It felt incomplete and didn’t do this book justice. I really REALLY like this until the end. Now I’m left with questions and wanting a better ending, an epilogue,… something. Sigh. Other than the ending it was enjoyable!
Then the ending. It felt incomplete and didn’t do this book justice. I really REALLY like this until the end. Now I’m left with questions and wanting a better ending, an epilogue,… something. Sigh. Other than the ending it was enjoyable!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was so good! It was dark, emotional, heroic, and shocking. The story is dual time line at times. There are moments where the flashbacks are from the 70s and then they'll change to current times. I was completely sucked into this world. I couldn't put this book down. There are moments where your jaw will just hit the floor & become very hard to pick back up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Sins Of Summer Daughters is an emotionally charged psychological drama with a small town secrets setting and some intriguing characters.
The.past/present vibe is done well here, with old stories affecting new events and some compelling character dynamics.
Very readable and cleverly plotted. An overall recommend from me especially for fans of this genre.
The.past/present vibe is done well here, with old stories affecting new events and some compelling character dynamics.
Very readable and cleverly plotted. An overall recommend from me especially for fans of this genre.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Such a slow burn and complete unraveling of multiple characters! The alternating timeline further blurred reality and made the story appear as if through a smoky haze. Intriguing character and setting development throughout.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this ARC.
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