After the Storm

British author Lythell follows her first novel, 2014’s The Lie of You, with a dark, disturbing tale of sin, secrets, lust, and haunted souls. Brits Rob and Anna meet Americans Owen and Kim in a waterfront bar in Belize City, Belize. As they chat about vacationing, Owen invites the other couple to charter his boat, El Tiempo Pasa, and sail with him and Kim to the Honduran island of Roatán. Despite Anna’s reservations, she and Rob accept the offer. Ann was right to worry, for what should have been an idyllic sail is marred by engine problems, the odd behavior of their hosts, and sudden, violent storms. When the foursome finally arrive at Roatán, several days late, it’s far from the tropical paradise they imagined. By the time a body is found near the local fish-processing plant, the visitors are thrust into a nightmare, bereft of protection or trust. Despite a few disruptive narrator shifts, Lythell immerses readers in a taut, atmospheric thrill ride from which no one emerges unscathed. [em](Aug.) [/em]