This isn't the mindless thriller I was expecting when I first saw it. Firstly, it's more of a slow-burn murder mystery, emphasis on slow. And secondly, this book has some things to SAY. I dug it. I dug it a lot.

I'm not a big reader of mysteries, because I don't really care about figuring out whodunnit. I'm more interested in how the writer hides clues than in deciphering them myself, if that makes sense? So I can't really speak to whether or not the mystery would be predictable to an avid mystery reader. I just know that, even though some of my early suspicions did turn out to be well-founded, Bailey did a great job of hiding clues in plain sight. I don't want to get too specific in case of spoilers, but if you get to the end and think, "But wait a minute, that scene earlier..." Nope, you just misread it. Clever!

I've seen some reviews that mention dangling plot threads, and yeah, I think there was one thread that was never completely tied off. That didn't bother me, though. Everything is at least explained, if not resolved.

As for what the book has to say... there's a strong message here about religious hypocrisy and toxic masculinity that I think is very well delivered. It all feels believable, and even familiar. Every single character is touched by it in some way. But rather than relying on cardboard villain stereotypes, Bailey does a good job of getting inside everyone's heads and exploring the ways that people convince themselves that they're the good guys.

The subtle but unavoidable message that resonated the most with me, though, was the environmental criticism that Bailey managed to thread throughout the novel. I was pleasantly surprised when the title turned out to reference environmental damage rather than carefree adolescence. The main message about hypocrisy and toxicity doesn't just pertain to human interactions but to our treatment of the greater natural world as well. The quote that the title comes from made me gasp out loud. On the whole, this book is beautifully written and offers the reader a lot to think about.

I absolutely loved this book. However, I seem to be in the minority on that? Most early reviewers give it 3 or 4 stars, and on some level I agree. There are plenty of flaws in this book, and I'm sure it annoys Americans that it's full of British spellings (but now you know how Brits, Canadians, and Aussies feel when you "correct" our spellings to yours in American publications!), but for some reason it really resonated with me anyway. Bailey's writing is clear, evocative, and sincere. The characters are well-drawn, believable, and show a satisfying amount of growth. The mystery has enough surprises to hold the reader's interest while being slow-burn enough to let us enjoy the scenery. I enjoyed every minute of reading it.

After Loyal moves back to her small hometown to take care of her aging mother, her childhood best friend turns up murdered. Writing for the local paper, Loyal takes it upon herself to figure out what happened and why.

This was such an immersive and detailed book that felt intentional and essential to the story and characters. It felt like you were right in the swamp with them. With alternating POVs, it moved at a great pace that kept me engaged and wanting to know what was going to happen next. A few twists I wasn’t expecting that tied up a satisfying ending. Would love to read more from Anna Bailey.

Thank you to Penguin Random House for the ARC! Our Last Wild Days is out May 27th!

I saw so many great reviews of this book however it really wasn’t for me, in the end. I did finish it and it was okay. It was an interesting setting and the pacing was pretty good.

what I liked about this:
-the writing was evocative, heavy, and lush (though British spellings caught my eye a couple of times and gave me a little chuckle - because why is someone in a Louisiana swamp talking about 'tyres'?)
-the setting was impeccable, and almost alive enough as to be a main character. I could feel the opressive heat, the humidity, the droning of insects in my ear throughout the story.
-Loyal's grief over how she left things with Cutter was heavy and believable, as were the issues her mother was dealing with; her love for Cutter actually wove through the story in a way I really liked
-Sasha and Dewall. there was a hidden nugget of tenderness in there that unfurled (sorta out of nowhere) near the backhalf of the story

What I didn't love as much:
-I wish some of the characters had more weight to them. They didn't always feel fleshed out enough. Maybe it was because we kept switching povs, which I thought sometimes cut mounting tension
-why are they always nazis
-the story moved brutally slow at times. I'll be honest, if I wasn't reading this as an arc I might have put it down and forgotten about it around the 30% mark
-Cutter's death felt unearned, and inevitable. but like, heartbreakingly reflective of reality

This was a new to me author. I had seen an early review by a Booksta friend who said that it was an atmospheric thriller. And since I am craving thrillers right now and love to try new authors, I decided to request it.

Atmospheric it is. The setting in the south gave the eerie mood the backdrop needed for Loyal May to dig into answers of who killed her friend because it doesn’t seem like an accident to her.

Ok so I love atmospheric reads but it also has to keep moving. This felt so slow that I found myself not wanting to pick it up. The writing was good, just too much “extra” that could have been removed to keep the story moving faster.


That’s my opinion. I may be in the minority though. So feel free to check out other glowing ones.

I enjoyed this mystery and didn't figure out the end of my own (always a good thing to me). The Louisiana culture gave the story a good spin and I enjoyed the characters and their backgrounds

Our Last Wild Days is beautifully written and dripping with Southern atmosphere—you can practically feel the humidity and hear the buzz of the bayou in every scene. The setting of Jacknife, Louisiana, is a character all its own, with a sense of decay, secrets, and simmering tension that lingers on every page.

I really appreciated the emotional core of the story. Loyal May’s return home and her complicated relationship with her past felt authentic and layered. Her grief, guilt, and determination to make amends gave the book a strong emotional grounding, and I liked how the novel explored loyalty, memory, and the weight of community ties.

That said, the plot moved very slowly. While the mystery surrounding Cutter’s death initially intrigued me, it took quite a while for things to pick up, and some stretches dragged. The investigation unfolds at a pace that may test the patience of readers looking for a more traditional suspense narrative. Moments of tension were scattered rather than sustained, and I sometimes found myself wishing the story would push a little harder, or faster, toward resolution.

Still, if you're in the mood for a quiet, moody mystery with a strong sense of place and introspective character work, Our Last Wild Days has something to offer. Just don’t expect a fast-paced thriller—this one’s more of a slow, reflective burn.

A slow burn story about the bayou and all the shady people who live there. Since coming home to deal with her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Loyal May finds her childhood friend dead. Her death is ruled a suicide but she doesn’t believe it. She wants to get down to the true reason to her friends death. A very slow burn story. Honestly I found myself getting bored and wanting to put it down. But you should try it yourself. I read so many good reviews after I finished but it just wasn’t really for me.

An eerie and atmospheric Louisiana backcountry murder mystery. Where the past will most definitely come back to haunt you. I enjoyed the descriptive writing of this one. Recommend!

Swamp Secrets: A Southern Gothic Masterpiece That Will Haunt You

Anna Bailey's Our Last Wild Days grabs you by the throat and drags you deep into Louisiana's darkest waters. This isn't just another Southern mystery – it's a raw, unflinching look at how secrets rot small towns from the inside out.

The story hits hard from the start. Loyal May comes home to Jacknife, Louisiana, carrying enough emotional baggage to sink a steamboat. When her old friend Cutter Labasque turns up dead in the swamp, she starts asking questions nobody wants answered. Not the locals. Not the law. Not even Cutter's own brothers.

Bailey writes like she's possessed by the ghost of Flannery O'Connor. Her Louisiana bayou isn't just a setting – it's alive, dangerous, and hungry. Every description drips with atmosphere thicker than Spanish moss. She captures the suffocating reality of small-town life: the whispered rumors, the old grudges, the way everyone knows your business before you do.

The Labasque siblings steal every scene they're in. Through their tangled relationships, Bailey explores addiction, loyalty, and the kind of family bonds that feel more like chains. Loyal May stands out as a protagonist who's refreshingly real – she's messy, complicated, and all the more compelling for it.

The pacing builds like a summer storm. Sure, it takes its time in places, but when it hits, it hits hard. Bailey doesn't tie everything up in a neat bow at the end, and that's exactly right for this story. Some secrets stay buried in the swamp.

Minor flaws? A few plot threads dangle, and the middle section meanders a bit. But these hardly matter when the rest hits so hard. For fans of Jane Harper and Megan Miranda, this book scratches an itch you didn't know you had.

Our Last Wild Days isn't just a book – it's a fever dream you can't shake off. It'll make you sweat, think, and leave you checking over your shoulder long after you've finished the last page.
4.5/5 stars

2 ⭐️
Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into this book, I thought the writing was a little hard to follow at times with finding it hard to keep myself invested in the story. I found the characters difficult to relate to as well and very slowed pace. When first starting this I had seen many great reviews and was excited to start this book but it fell flat for me.

Loyal May returns to her hometown after a betrayal and the death of her childhood friend, Cutter Labasque. Loyal, who left town years ago, is now determined to uncover the truth behind Cutter's death, which the local police have ruled as an accident, but Loyal suspects foul play. She teams up with a group of unlikely allies to expose a web of deceit and corruption within the small town and its hidden secrets. 

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC
Publication date: May 27th

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: May 27, 2025
Loyal May has left a journalism job in Texas to return to her hometown of Jacknife, Louisiana, to care for her ailing mother. Taking a job at the local paper, Loyal hopes to eventually leave the small town behind her- again. Then the body of Cutter Labasque is found in a bayou and although the police are claiming suicide, Loyal knows that Cutter would never take her own life. As childhood best friends who drifted apart, Loyal strives to make amends with Cutter by solving her murder- even if it means putting her own life at risk.
Anna Bailey is the author of “Where the Truth Lies” and their newest work, “Our Last Wild Days” is an atmospheric Southern Gothic story about the bonds of friendship, small town secrets, and whether or not you can really ever go home again. With emotional themes such as early onset dementia, struggling with homosexuality in a closeted town and drug addiction, Bailey pays tribute to the small-town life and its sense of community that never really leaves you.
“Wild” features Loyal as the main protagonist, although her reporting partner, Sasha, plays a significant role as well as Cutter’s drug addict brother. All three are connected through the dead woman, of course, but all three knew each other as children, growing up in a close-knit community. As different as all three are, they were able to elicit my empathy right from the beginning, and, despite their faults, I was hopeful they’d come out alive on the other side.
Bailey’s writing is delectable, and her depictions of small-town Louisiana are immersive and passionate, from the alligator hunting to the swamplands in the bayou. It was easy to see the town from both sides- the side that made its residents want to stick around, and the side that had them wanting to run as far away as they could.
Throughout the story itself, there were multiple plot lines but the most important is what happened to Cutter. There were many potentials and Bailey ensures that readers are left guessing until the very end. Although I had my suspicions throughout, I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong and Bailey provided a concrete solution for all the plot’s twists and turns.
I did not get the chance to read Bailey’s “Lies”, but “Days” was one I am glad I did not miss. Riveting and full of unexpected twists and turns, “Days” is an immersive experience for fans of Southern gothic murder mysteries.

Our Last Wild Days by Anna Bailey is a beautifully written and emotionally rich novel that explores themes of identity, silence, resistance, and the fragile, fleeting nature of youth. Bailey’s prose is lyrical and often stunning—there are lines that genuinely stop you in your tracks with their depth and poetry. The characters are raw, complex, and fully human, struggling against the pressures of their environment and the weight of their own choices.

That said, I found the pacing to be quite slow, and at times I struggled to stay fully engaged with the story. The novel leans heavily into atmosphere and introspection, which can feel immersive, but also occasionally meandering. It’s a quiet burn of a book, more about internal tension than external action—so it may not be the best fit for readers who prefer faster-moving plots or strong narrative momentum.

Still, there’s a lot to admire here. Our Last Wild Days is a bold and thoughtful piece of literary fiction that asks important questions and refuses to offer easy answers. It’s a story that lingers long after the last page, even if the journey there requires patience.

I found this novel off-putting, both in character and content. By the end, I still could not get a solid grip on the two main characters, Loyal and Sasha. The setting of the tale in bayou country was made out to be menacing and evil, which is ok, but it fell more into stereotypes than was needed. There were times when the prose began to be evocative, but then the sentences would lengthen into a confusing end. The whole work felt a little mixed up, perhaps, reflecting the characters' ambivalence about their surroundings and emotional connections, but it did not help the flow of the work. The alternating viewpoints also seemed forced, rather than a natural outpouring of the story line. The writing was engaging at times, creating in me a desire to know the outcome of a plot point, but often added too much side information or backstory before getting there to keep me hooked.

Thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.