Synopsis: 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…

My review: I really enjoyed this book, it was very atmospheric (no pun intended), I liked the setting and characters.

Set in St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama during hurricane season, jumping timelines to the past with previous deadly storms, and the secrets they have kept for three women.

The pacing of this book worked really well to set up the mystery. I really love how this author mixes historical elements and creates this vintage vibe with the characters, it’s like old Hollywood glamour-esque levels of feeling. I connected with all of the characters, very female driven plot that will appeal to many. It kept my attention and was a really fun listen. The audiobook is performed by multiple narrators, so it’s really an immersive experience.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook to review.

Pub date: January 6, 2026

Title: The Storm
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Genre: Mystery Thriller, Suspense
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️