Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great story about friendship and redemption. There was also a compelling murder mystery. The writing was beautiful and the characters were well-developed. I just had a hard time connecting with the characters. The mystery was well-written but not suspenseful enough for me to want to fly through it. I was really excited about the bayou setting, but this on wasn't my favorite read.

LOVED this one for the atmospheric vibes, descriptive writing, and memorable cast of characters.

Deep in the swamps of small town Louisiana, a local woman is found dead, and the cops seemed unmotivated to investigate and decide it is a drowning. However, her estranged friend, Loyal May, has recently returned to her hometown is determined to investigate her friend’s death. Loyal works for the small local paper and as she begins digging, threats are made on her life indicating something sinister is at play.

This was a fantastic slow-burn southern gothic thriller. There are alligator hunters, dirty cops, Christian cults, drug rings, and morally gray characters! I loved Loyal’s determination and desire to atone for mistakes she made years ago.

this was an amazing small town thrillers. The one that gives you creepy vibes all through the books.

Simply wonderful.

I am really sad to say I DNF this one, I just couldn't get through it. The writing is great but the story just wasn't for me and just moved at such a slow pace.

Our Last Wild Days dropped earlier this month (May 20th).

Loyal May comes back to her hometown to dig into the mysterious death of her childhood friend, Cutter. The small-town bayou setting really adds a unique and gritty charm. I appreciated the rawness and emotion it portrayed of the characters. I found myself fully invested in the mystery of it all and not wanting to put it down.

Overall, I very much enjoyed it, if you love a dark, down-in-the-bayou story, I suggest you check this southern gothic thriller out. I think it could be one of this summers hit reads.

*thanks to NetGalley and to Atria Books for the Arc*

Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. I am sad to say I DNFed this. I got pretty far in because the writing was just lovely, but the story dragged and I wasn’t invested enough to continue

Our Last Wild Days is an atmospheric, gritty, and mysterious story much like the gators that prowl the South Louisiana swamp it’s set in.

Loyal returns to her hometown from Houston to care for her ailing mother. A journalist by trade, she joins the local newspaper. When a body turns up in the swamp, it's none other than Cutter, Loyal’s old friend. Their complicated history drives Loyal to dig into the truth behind Cutter’s death.

The author does a remarkable job bringing the setting to life. The swamp feels like a living, breathing character: dangerous, suffocating, and full of secrets. At times, the story felt heavy and bogged me down, but in a way that mirrored the stifling heat and humidity of the bayou. The vivid atmosphere, paired with the layers of suspense, drug trafficking, and small-town poverty, created a compelling read.

While the religious themes didn’t resonate with me personally, the spiritual element, especially toward the end was beautifully done and added depth to the story.

Thank you to Atria Books for the copy of this book.

OUR LAST WILD DAYS is all heart and edges, both grace and grit. It’s a book about forgiveness and about the unforgivable. It’s clever and deeply moving and brilliantly written.

Loyal May is coming home to rural Louisiana to care for her ailing mother. She left Jacknife a decade ago to forget the crumbling of her closest friendship with local rebel Cutter Labasque. Her homecoming is marked by the discovery of that best friend, facedown and drowned in the polluted water. Loyal can’t shake her need to make things right with her old friend - her name is fitting, it turns out - and she sets out to find out what happened.

Anna Bailey’s writing is a kind of gothic poetry. Their ability to create a real sense of place and people with words is something to behold. You can feel the damp of the bayou on your neck, feel the weight of the humidity. And these characters - oof. They put all of themselves into creating these full, flawed, beautiful human beings. (“Cutter is a crowbar of a woman”, they write, and I immediately knew this character entirely.)

To put it simply, this book is why we read. To feel things. To go somewhere else, places that are unfamiliar and yet still feel like they could be home. To see the people we know, and sometimes ourselves, reflected back to us in fiction and to remember something about being human.

And just to say, “a nazi ain’t a man” was precisely the proclamation I needed from a book right now.

Thank you to Atria Books for the advance copy. All opinions are entirely my own.

Our Last Wild Days is a haunting, slow-burn Southern gothic that pulled me in from the first page. Set in the steamy, decaying swamps of Jackknife, Louisiana, the novel follows Loyal May—a woman returning to her deeply flawed hometown after years away. When she discovers the body of her estranged childhood friend Cutter Labasque in the bayou, what appears to be a suicide quickly begins to feel like something more sinister. As Loyal digs into Cutter’s mysterious death, she finds herself tangled in the dark secrets, corruption, and long-held grudges of a town that never really let her go.

Anna Bailey’s writing is atmospheric and beautifully raw, immersing you in the oppressive heat, guilt, and grief that saturate every scene. The characters are flawed and painfully real—especially Loyal, whose complicated sense of guilt and quiet strength make her impossible to forget. While this isn’t a fast-paced thriller, its emotional depth and eerie tension make for an unforgettable read that lingers long after the final page.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

📚 Pub Week Review 📚

All the thanks to @atriabooks #partner @atriathrillers for my #gifted arc copy and to @scaredstraightreads for my gorgeous hardback copy giveaway win! #scaredstraightreads

Our Last Wild Days by Anna Bailey
Publisher- @atriabooks
Out Now

Loyal May (awesome name btw) has returned to her hometown of Jacknife, Louisiana, a place she fled a decade earlier after a falling-out with her best friend, Cutter Labasque.

Days after Loyal arrives, Cutter is found face down in the muddy bayou. The police call it a drowning, but Loyal doesn’t believe them.

An atmospheric and smoldering suspense, Our Last Wild Days is an urgent examination of the secrets we keep and our fealty - to our communities, to our families, and to ourselves.

My mother’s family is from Louisiana and I could vividly picture the descriptions of the swamps and landscapes. The writing is done really well with stunning prose. What I didn’t enjoy was the pacing of the story. It honestly moved at a snails pace for me. I do enjoy slow burn mysteries, don’t get me wrong. However, it was hard to stay engaged. I didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters.

Our Last Wild Days is perfect for fans of Where The Crawdads Sing, slow burn thrillers with an atmospheric setting. Small town vibes filled with secrets. So, please check out other reviews as many have loved it.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is set in Louisiana in a small town where everyone knows everyone's business.
The description of the bayou and vegetation there is well written.
I enjoyed reading the murder mystery and trying to find out who killed Cutter, the victim whose death was at first ruled a suicide.
The poverty of the region is sad, but the story is positive in nature when we learn how family members look out for each other.
Secrets were kept that should have been shared with family members.

Our Last Wild Days is a beautifully written, atmospheric story that pulls you into the heat and hush of the Louisiana swamplands. This was my first book by Anna Bailey, and I was immediately drawn in by the moody setting, layered characters, and slow-burning mystery.

The story follows Loyal May as she returns home to care for her mother and gets caught up in the unraveling of a friend's mysterious death. The emotional weight is real, and the writing does a great job of capturing the tension and quiet heartache of a town full of secrets.

While the pace is on the slower side, I appreciated the way it allowed the story to breathe and unfold naturally. Bailey’s style is rich and thoughtful—I'm definitely interested in reading more from her.

Big thanks to the author, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the e-ARC. A strong, evocative read that stayed with me after the final page.

There's a darkness on the edge of town...

"Human beings weren't made to carry this much absence inside them, she thinks. There is no way to reason it out, how so much nothing can be so heavy."

Set against the sweltering, haunting backdrop of the swamps and bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin, "Our Last Wild Days" is a luminous, slow-burn Southern noir- a story of grief, guilt, and redemption wrapped in prose so rich it lingers long after the final page.

Loyal May left her fictional hometown of Jacknife, Louisiana, at eighteen to pursue a career in journalism, determined never to return. But a decade later, she finds herself reluctantly back in town to care for her ailing mother. No sooner has she taken a job at the struggling local newspaper than her estranged childhood friend, Cutter Labasque, is found dead in the water. Though the death is ruled a suicide, Loyal suspects there’s more to the story. As she digs deeper - aided by a ragtag crew of misfit colleagues that become friends - she seeks justice for her friend and redemption from her own betrayal ten years earlier.

In the wake of Cutter's death, the novel evolves into a haunting exploration of loyalty, memory, and the weight of unfinished histories, set against small-town America. The slow-burning suspense is expertly paced and simmers throughout, but what elevates this novel far beyond a standard mystery is the author’s evocative, lyrical writing. You don’t just *read* about Jacknife - you *feel* it. You sweat beneath its heavy skies, hear the cry of its egrets, and taste the humid air that settles like a second skin. The rural Louisiana setting is conjured with such intimacy and precision that it becomes a character in its own right - alive, merciless, and unforgettable.

Each character, no matter how minor, feels vividly drawn and full of depth and contradiction. Sasha is a standout, and Loyal herself proves a fascinating protagonist - flawed, sharp, and achingly human. Her struggle with belonging, forgiveness, and the weight of memory is as poignant as it is relatable, lingering long after the final page.

The ending felt a bit rushed; around the 80% mark, I could not imagine how every single strand of narrative would be resolved, yet somehow they all were, albeit a bit too neatly at times. Still, the swift resolution doesn’t undercut the story's emotional payoff. If anything, it echoes one of the novel’s quieter truths: that life rarely offers clean endings, even when stories try to.

"Our Last Wild Days" is an atmospheric, gripping, haunting, and heartbreakingly beautiful read, and one of my favorite books so far this year. That a writer from Gloucestershire, UK, now living in Bordeaux, France, could write captivating Southern Gothic with this much soul, texture, and authenticity is nothing short of remarkable, and a testament to their immense talent. Though I hadn’t read Anna Bailey's debut novel prior to this, I added it to my list the moment I finished "Our Last Wild Days". And wherever Bailey goes next, I’ll be following.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

"Our Last Wild Days" was published on May 20, 2025, and is now available.

“𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.”

Set in the sweltering, murky depths of the Louisiana bayou, 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 is a tense, atmospheric novel that blends mystery, Southern Gothic mystique, and raw emotional storytelling. The fictional town of Jacknife pulses with life and decay—its gator-infested waters, revival tents, and lingering folklore shaping not just the setting, but the people trapped within it.

At the center of the novel are those who live on the margins: the Labasques—Dewall, Cutter, and Beau—misunderstood, poverty-stricken, and scarred by addiction; Loyal, whose weight marks her as different in a world obsessed with conformity; and Sasha, who challenges the town’s rigid norms through queerness and unapologetic self-expression. Bailey writes these characters with deep empathy and complexity, never reducing them to archetypes. Instead, they are fully human—flawed, hurting, and struggling to find their place.

Running beneath the surface is a story of guilt and reckoning, as Loyal tries to make amends for the cruel things said when she was nothing more than a child, words that cost her the only real connection she had. There’s also a strong thread of suspense: police corruption, a murder, and the painful process of uncovering the truth in a place that resists change and buries its secrets deep.

Thematically rich and emotionally resonant, 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 explores otherness, shame, redemption, and the cost of silence. But what lingers most is the setting itself—thick as the heat, steeped in folklore, and alive with the ghosts of history. Jacknife isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a living, breathing force in the novel.

Anna Bailey’s prose is immersive and lyrical, with a rhythm that matches the slow churn of Southern summer and the steady, simmering tension of lives on the edge. If you enjoy novels that balance grit with grace and stories that don’t flinch from hard truths, this is one to read!

This book is a slow burn, character driven masterpiece. It's one of those books you wish you could experience for the first time again and again. Absolutely beautiful writing. Set deep in gator and swamp country it examines how society sets up certain people as outcasts and how outcasts either willingly step into that role or spend their lives trying to fight against it. It's a book about friendship, unforgivable mistakes, murder, and redemption.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A raw, lyrical, and haunting Southern Gothic triumph.

Our Last Wild Days is a darkly poetic, deeply atmospheric novel that gripped me from the first page. Anna Bailey masterfully weaves a tale of loss, resilience, and fractured relationships against the haunting backdrop of a decaying swamp town.

The writing is both brutal and beautiful—every sentence pulses with emotion and imagery. Bailey captures the tension and tenderness of family and the weight of buried secrets with unflinching honesty. I was completely drawn into the lives of these characters, their trauma, their longing, and their quiet rebellions. The setting becomes a character in itself: eerie, lush, and oppressive in all the right ways.

This book wrecked me in the best way. If you love Southern Gothic with emotional depth, complicated characters, and a story that lingers long after the final page, this one’s for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC—I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.

Thanks to NetGalley, Anna Bailey, and Atria Books for the eARC. Our Last Wild Days was a gripping and emotional read. It’s heavy at times, but the story really pulls you in with its raw look at small-town corruption and buried secrets. Dark, powerful, and thought-provoking.

Thank you to Atria and Anna Bailey for this ARC.

There’s always something emotional and nostalgic about reading a book set in a place that shaped you. I grew up in a nowhere, swampy community in Southern Louisiana, so when I started Our Last Wild Days, it felt like going home. 💚

🐊 What did you love the most?
Bailey has an incredible talent for capturing the spirit of Southern Louisiana, its culture, scenery, and folklore. From rougarou legends to alligator hunts, everything felt authentic and vivid. It was like stepping back into my childhood.

The plot? Deliciously slow-burn. No one in this small town is quite what they seem, and the tension simmers until it explodes. It’s a true “who can you trust?” thriller. 👀

🐊 What to expect:
😬 Dysfunctional family dynamics
🛶 Evocative Southern LA setting
👥 Multiple POV storytelling
🔍 Twisty whodunit

🐊 How was the pace?
It builds slowly, layering tension and character depth until you’re fully hooked. Once it hits the midpoint, things unravel fast, and you won’t be able to look away.

🐊 Do you recommend this book?
Absolutely. If you love richly atmospheric thrillers rooted in place, with secrets, lies, and long-buried guilt, this one will pull you into the bayou and keep you there.

🐊 Perfect for fans of:
📚 Where the Crawdads Sing
📚 The Marsh King’s Daughter
📚 Sharp Objects

🐊 Mood: 🐊 Haunting | 🌫️ Atmospheric | 🔥 Simmering tension

🐊 Read if you like:
🛶 Southern Gothic vibes
🤫 Small towns with big secrets
📖 Literary thrillers with emotional weight
🧩 Slow-burn mysteries with strong settings

4.5/5.0 Stars

OUR LAST WILD DAYS – by Anna Bailey

‘The Labasques aren’t like other families.’

‘Living in a shack out in the swamps, they made do by hunting down alligators and other animals. To the good people of Jacknife, Louisiana, they are troublemakers and outcasts, the kind of people you wouldn’t want in your community.’

‘“They say you can tell the health of a place by its wilderness,” her mother says. “Well, I say something’s not right out there.”’

That was an engaging whodunit—Loved The Ending! Recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books (Simon & Schuster Publishing), for providing me with an eBook of OUR LAST WILD DAYS at the request of an honest review.

When trying to describe this book, the words haunting and atmospheric come to mind. The author sucks you right into rural Louisiana, into the backwoods where anything goes and a gator might be around any corner. This is a slow burn thriller about friendship, heartbreak, and murder.