Audiobook Review: The Storm by Rachel Hawkins

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Macmillan Audio (January 6, 2026)

Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins

Author Information: Website

Narrators: Alex Knox, Cathi Colas, Dan Bittner, Jane Oppenheimer, Patti Murin, Petrea Burchard, Stephanie Németh-Parker

The Storm marks my fourth Rachel Hawkins novel, and I always like to keep track of these things because I think repeat reads say a lot, especially with a genre as crowded as thrillers and mysteries. Standing out from the crowd isn’t easy, but Hawkins has become an author whose books I will make time for because they always deliver twisty, atmospheric stories while still finding room to surprise me.

A southern thriller, The Storm takes place in St. Medard’s Bay, a coastal town in Alabama known for its summer beach vibes but also for the deadly hurricanes that regularly hit its shores. In 1984, during one such monster storm, a politician’s son named Langdon Fitzroy was killed, his body found washed up in the aftermath with his skull caved in. Still, despite these circumstances, some claimed that it was in fact murder that took his life, with suspicion falling on his barely legal mistress at the time, a local girl named Lo Bailey. What followed next was a very public trial that gripped the nation, but without solid evidence to convict, Lo walked away a free woman.

In the present day, Geneva Corliss is the proprietor of St. Medard’s historic Rosalie Inn, a beloved mainstay which has seen plenty of ugly hurricanes over the decades yet somehow managed to survive them all. But now, business is struggling, and if things don’t turn around soon, bankruptcy might be what finally takes the inn down. Then all of a sudden, a welcome reprieve arrives in the form of August Fletcher, a true crime writer who reserves a long-term stay at the Rosalie while doing research for his work. To Geneva’s surprise though, August shows up at check-in with an unexpected guest in tow, none other than Lo Bailey herself. The one-time murder suspect is traveling with the author as a consultant on his new book about the death of Langdon Fitzroy, which she claims will clear her name once and for all.

However, even after all these years, Lo’s return immediately stirs up old resentment in a town with a very long memory. At the same time, Geneva can’t help but be drawn to August and the subject of his research, which begins to uncover unsettling truths about the town she thought she knew and the inn that has been in her family for generations.

What I love about Hawkins’ writing is how readable and immersive her prose is, which makes her books incredibly addictive. Her last two novels, The Heiress and The Villa, impressed me with how vividly she brought their settings to life, from a secluded estate high up in the Blue Ridge Mountains to a luxurious Italian summer home in sun-soaked Tuscany, respectively. She works that same magic again in The Storm, this time turning the cozy beach town of St. Medard’s Bay into a setting that feels just as deeply involved and alive. It’s a charming slice of coastal paradise on one hand, but on the other, it can feel oppressive for those left behind once the summer crowds disappear, forced to weather the storms that come with each hurricane season.

The storytelling is also quite unique, relying on multiple timelines and character POVs to form a framework made up of different sections tied to specific named hurricanes, reinforcing the idea that destruction and heartache come to this town in cycles. Flashbacks and excerpts from letters and various documents are used to reveal new information and clues, allowing readers to draw connections between people and places across the two time periods. While sometimes it can get a little confusing, not to mention the occasional plot twist that is just so out there that it strains credibility, on the whole, I felt it was worth a few leaps of logic and some suspension of disbelief.

Overall, The Storm was a solid Rachel Hawkins novel. The audiobook also deserves a special mention, with its use of several narrators which does wonders for immersive listening and makes the multiple shifts between timelines and perspectives so much easier to follow. I had a blast with the story, and even a certain predictable plot twist couldn’t bring me down. Recommended if you enjoy slow-burn suspense and mysteries with simmering tension.