Rachel Hawkins explores the idea of myth versus history in her latest novel, The Storm. The fictional Rosalie Inn withstands hit after hit of major hurricanes over the one hundred-plus years of its existence. One of the storms even sank a nearby ship. But not all residents of the St. Medard’s Bay mainstay, nor the Alabama coastal town itself, survive the high winds. Geneva Corliss learns this the hard way as the owner of the once adored and seemingly indestructible hotel. Turns out the landmark residence/resort has a history and mythos of its own.
Reporter August Fletcher is writing a book chronicling the alleged murder of the former Alabama governor’s son. August offers to stay at the inn while working with St. Medard’s Bay beauty Gloria “Lo” Bailey—the woman acquitted of the crime but still held in contempt in the court of public opinion. Geneva currently treads water financially as owner of the property, running it with her friend and hotel manager, Edie. She blinks dollar signs anticipating the income from her two star guests, and hopes to attract future business by building upon the inn’s lore.
When August and his subject arrive, Edie is cold to Lo, but she and Geneva get on quite well from the start. August pokes around town looking for information and gossip about the past all the while slowly growing closer to Geneva. Their budding relationship faces a proverbial record scratch when she hears her mother Ellen’s name come up in details she’s never heard before.
Ellen suffers from dementia and is in a near catatonic state at an expensive care facility. When moving her mother in, Geneva comes across a box of newspaper clippings about Lo’s case, but she doesn’t know why—none of it includes what August has discovered. Lo opens up to Geneva about the man she fell for in the 80s and the subsequent murder trial until August uncovers a shocking new detail that exposes Edie, Ellen, and Lo and completely remaps their interconnected history. His discovery sets off a series of revelations sending the story violently off the rails.
Hawkins uses several techniques to create tension in the story. The chapters feature a countdown and mention an approaching hurricane. There are also excerpts from August’s writings that say, “Found among possessions of August Fletcher…” This hints at a tragic end for the character, drawing readers in to discover how and why it happens.
Another way she engages readers is by breaking down myths. When a legendary story is brought down to reality through a confession or a character’s perspective, it is exciting to see how current characters deal with the truth. For example, a neighbor recognizes and confronts Lo at a bar with Geneva and August. This moment cuts through Lo’s carefree demeanor, reminding Geneva that her new friend is capable of wrongdoing.
As you follow the twists in the story, it becomes clear that Hawkins’s characters need to tell their own stories. Lo wants to share her truth instead of the exaggerated myth surrounding her ex. Frieda wants to hide her identity because she’s tired of others defining her narrative. She wants to keep her true history private, as it is often used to label her a victim. August learns a shocking truth about his past that affects him in a dangerous way.
Then there are the lives of the previous generation who have traded histories for myths. Lo’s mother has a secret that she lets slip about how her husband dies during hurricane Delphine in 1965. Her version’s details don’t quite add up. Ellen is incapable of telling her story. Geneva learns a life-altering truth thanks to August’s prying that was indiscernible from her mother’s possessions including the newspaper clippings. She has more of a connection to Lo than Geneva could have ever imagined.
But what does all this say about the importance of history? Keeping accurate records, even if just for and of ourselves, is part of the human condition. Lo could no longer bear to be the butt of bad jokes or the root of the townspeople’s lingering anger about the incident regarding the governor’s son. August becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth once he pulls on threads that lead to his own ancestry. Granted, the bevy of discoveries does mirror a soap opera with the highest levels of coincidence and shock value, but Hawkins has no trouble keeping the suspense intact just long enough to whisk you off your feet, place you miles from where you thought you might be and leave you shaken and vulnerable, but thankful you made it through to the end.
FICTION
The Storm
By Rachel Hawkins
St. Martin’s Press
Published January 6, 2026
