#BookReview: Our Last Wild Days by Anna Bailey @DoubledayUK @alisonbarrow #OurLastWildDays #AnnaBailey #OutApril25

Book Synopsis:

There is nothing like it. The way the world gets real quiet when a gator’s nearby…And then the water, suddenly boiling as that black head surfaces and the ancient reptile erupts into the air hissing like a devil…The way the crack of the rifle seems to come from deep inside Cutter. The way she feels it in her throat; she knows she’s a good killer – and yet. She is stalling…’

The Labasques aren’t like other families. Living in a shack out in the swamps, they scrape a living hunting down alligators and other animals just to get by. To the good people of Jacknife, Louisiana, they are trouble-makers, outcasts, the kind of people you wouldn’t want living on your doorstep. So when Cutter Labasque is found face down in the muddy swamp, no one seems to care, not even her two rough-cut brothers. The only person who questions the official verdict of suicide is Cutter’s childhood friend, Loyal May, who has just returned home to care for her ageing mother. Loyal left town at the age of 18, having betrayed Cutter. Now there may be no way to find forgiveness, but there may be restitution…

Out 24th April 2025

My Review:

Our Last Wild Days is a gripping, twisty and thought provoking read which I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.

The book is set in a small backwater town that borders a swamp and I found it fascinating to explore alongside the characters. It’s definitely a town that’s down on its luck with a feeling of neglect to most of the buildings and a sense of hopelessness at the lack of opportunities there. The author does a great job in creating the small town dynamic where everyone seems to know each other and there seems to be an unofficial hierarchy for its residence. There was a wild, unpredictable air to the town which helped create an intriguing atmosphere and helped create some tension as I wasn’t sure what would happen next.

I loved the huge variety of characters the author has created and enjoyed following them throughout the book. There were some characters I loved, some I loved to hate and some who my opinion of them changed whilst reading. Sasha and Loyal were definitely my two favourite characters. Both outcasts for being different and struggling with personal problems of their own, it was lovely to see them grow closer as they work as a team. The book is told mainly in the present but with flashbacks to the past and Loyal’s friendship with Cutter which were heartwarming to read about. Loyal really lives up to her name by showing great loyalty to her friend and I loved how she tries to honour her memory through little gestures. The scene with the lilies actually made me laugh out loud.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to everyone when it comes out. I thought the book had a great pace to it and I quickly found it very hard to put down as there always seemed to be something happening to ensure I kept reading. The gradual reveal of what had been going on in the town and the swamp was brilliantly done as I wasn’t able to guess what was happening until right before it was revealed which I always love. There are some scenes about drug use that might not be to everyone’s taste but I thought just added to the dangerous, unpredictable atmosphere the author has created. The ending was brilliant and I actually felt very sad when I finished it as I didn’t want to leave Loyal and Sasha behind.

Huge thanks to the lovely Alison from Doubleday for sending me a copy of this book. I highly recommend this book and strongly suggest you put it in your April reading pile.

About The Author:

Anna Bailey is a Sunday Times bestselling author from Gloucestershire. Their debut novel, Tall Bones, inspired by their experiences living in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, was nominated for the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year and Goldsboro Glass Bell awards, as well as the Prix Nouvelles Voix du Polar. Their short stories, based on their travels through rural America, have been dramatised for BBC Radio 4, including ‘Long Way to Come For a Sip of Water’, which was shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award. They live in Bordeaux with their wife.