The Gulf

A Novel

By: Rachel Cochran

Narrated by: Stacy Gonzalez

“Exquisite and gripping. . . . The Gulf is a page turner to be savored; Cochran is a master of both prose and plot.”—Ilana Masad, author of All My Mother’s Lovers

In this electrifying debut literary thriller, set on the gulf coast of Texas in the 1970s at the height of the women’s liberation movement, a closeted young woman attempts to solve her surrogate mother’s murder in a tight-knit, religious small town.

In Parson, Texas, a small town ravaged by a devastating hurricane and the Vietnam War, twenty-nine-year-old Lou is diligently renovating a decaying old mansion for Miss Kate, the elderly neighbor who has always been like a mother to her. Mourning her brother’s death in Vietnam, Lou dreams of enjoying a more peaceful future in Parson. But those hopes are crushed when Miss Kate is murdered, and no one but Lou seems to care about finding the killer.

The situation becomes complicated when Joanna, Miss Kate’s long-estranged daughter and Lou’s first love, arrives in Parson—not to learn more about her mother’s death but for the house. Her arrival unearths sinister secrets involving the history of the town and its residents . . . revelations that may be the key to helping Lou discover the truth about Miss Kate’s death and her killer.

A gorgeously written, gripping story of forbidden love and devastating secrets that is a surprising twist on the traditional small-town story, The Gulf is a riveting and unsettling mystery that holds up a mirror to the values—and failures—of America.

Just okay

The story started slowly. The main character had an immature sense of what she was and wasn’t responsible for. Leaving a child creates trauma, and she repeated that trauma by influencing her girlfriend to stay with her for months, without her own child. But ultimately I wasn’t convinced by the pull that the past held for her.

It seems into your bones

Loved, loved loooooved this book. It steps away from the recipe of most sapphic books I've read, even in this genre. it just keeps you feeling uneasy most of the time. the writing is so poignant and weighty, but st the same time, not heavy handed. It takes its time and it slowly pushes you to unease. Like a bad itch you can pin point exactly, even if you scratch. I enjoyed having flawed, real characters that mess up but are human and when the book ended, I felt I could take a full breath! Really loved enjoyed this title. Both writer and narrator knocked this one out of the park. Will look for more from both!

Soo well written

This is one of the best books I've listened to in a long while. Characters well developed, intriguing plot and engaging. Highly recommend!

Beautiful Story and Characters

I couldn't stop listening to this story - it took you along for the ride to learn the many nuances of the characters and their story. Loved it! (Also, beautifully narrated!)

Beautiful work

This story captures life in a small beach town touched by tragedy. The characters are real and their issues both reflective of the time, and timeless. The mystery kept me guessing to the last.