"St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that regularly sweep into town, the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that’s survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.
When Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn, hears a writer is coming to town to research the crime that put St. Medard’s Bay on the map, she’s less interested in solving a whodunnit than in how a successful true crime book might help the struggling inn’s bottom line. But to her surprise, August Fletcher doesn’t come to St. Medard’s Bay alone. With him is none other than Lo Bailey herself. Lo says she’s returned to her hometown to clear her name once and for all, but the closer Geneva gets to both Lo and August, the more she wonders if Lo is actually back to settle old scores.
As the summer heats up and another monster storm begins twisting its way towards St. Medard’s Bay, Geneva learns that some people can be just as destructive—and as deadly—as any hurricane, and that the truth of what happened to Landon Fitzroy may not be the only secret Lo is keeping…"
What Worked for Me:
I loved the dual timeline and how it was used to fill the reader in on details so we could better understand the gravity of the situation and what happened back then. I also found the story in both timelines to be equally interesting so I didn't mind when we moved between the past and present.
The setting was impeccable and used to the full advantage of the plot. I loved the drama of the impending storm along with the history of the town and how many storms it had survived in the past. There was an appropriate reverence for the power of the weather that really came through. Despite reading this in January in Pennsylvania, I could really feel the sticky heat and humidity coming off the pages.
Despite my feelings below in regards to the stakes of the book, I did feel like the reveals were really well done and intriguing. There were a few reveals that got an audible gasp out of me when I read them, which doesn't often happen.
What Didn't Work For Me:
I didn't quite get enough 'so what' for my liking. I wanted there to be more at stake for our characters or for the town. As it stands now, it felt more like small town gossip that didn't have any real impact. I think if there was some sort of bigger threat looming - maybe the case being reopened, maybe a big anniversary coming up, maybe the people who live there protesting and could become violent. I think the True Crime aspect was really under-utilized and could have been an easy way to get some extra weight and depth to the story.
Because of the lack of stakes, it almost didn't feel like a mystery book at all - like the characters weren't actively trying to solve the mystery of what happened all those years ago. It felt more like I was along for the ride and the book was more just showing me scenes from these character's lives rather than me watching the characters trying to work toward a goal. I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened in the past but it would have been nice to have some characters along for the ride with me on that journey.
Overall, I enjoyed this read - I wish there were more obvious stakes and drama but I loved the dual timeline, setting, and reveals.
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC. Publication date was January 6, 2026.
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