Karen White returns to her beloved South Carolina setting with a haunting tale that weaves together family dysfunction, supernatural elements, and long-buried secrets in her latest standalone novel, “That Last Carolina Summer.” While White has built her reputation on atmospheric Southern Gothic stories, this particular offering delivers both her signature charm and some unexpected emotional depth, though not without its share of narrative challenges.
The Intricate Web of Family Dynamics
The story centers on Phoebe Manigault, a woman whose childhood lightning strike left her with both physical scars and the unwelcome gift of premonition. White masterfully establishes Phoebe’s reluctant return to Charleston, where she must help care for her deteriorating mother while navigating the complex relationship with her beautiful, troubled sister Addie. The family dynamics White creates feel authentically messy and complicated, avoiding the trap of clear-cut villains or heroes.
What strikes most powerfully about White’s character development is how she captures the unique burden of being the “responsible” sister. Phoebe’s frustration with Addie’s seeming obliviousness to their mother’s condition rings true, as does her resentment at always being the one expected to fix everything. The author doesn’t shy away from showing how family roles become calcified over decades, with each sister trapped in patterns established in childhood.
The relationship between the sisters forms the emotional core of the novel, and White excels at depicting their complicated love-hate dynamic. Addie’s beauty has been both blessing and curse, leaving her feeling typecast and underestimated, while Phoebe has always felt overshadowed despite being recognized as the “smart one.” These sibling dynamics feel lived-in and real, captured in small moments of both tenderness and irritation.
The Supernatural Element: A Double-Edged Sword
White’s incorporation of Phoebe’s supernatural abilities adds an intriguing layer to what could have been a straightforward family drama. The premonition dreams serve as both plot device and metaphor for the way past traumas can haunt our present. However, this supernatural element occasionally feels uneven in its execution.
The recurring nightmare about a car accident on a bridge serves as the novel’s central mystery, but White takes perhaps too long to reveal its significance. While the gradual unveiling creates tension, some readers may find themselves growing impatient with Phoebe’s reluctance to examine her dreams more closely. The dreams work best when they illuminate character rather than simply advance plot, such as when Phoebe sees mundane future events for her neighbors—these moments feel more grounded and believable.
Setting as Character
White’s depiction of the South Carolina Lowcountry remains one of her greatest strengths. The oppressive summer heat, the tidal marshes, and the weight of history all become palpable presences in the story. The author has a particular gift for making readers feel the humidity and hear the night sounds of the marsh, creating an immersive sense of place that goes beyond mere description.
The family’s ancestral home serves as more than just a backdrop—it becomes a repository of secrets and a symbol of the past’s hold on the present. White skillfully uses physical spaces to reflect emotional states, from the cluttered rooms hiding family secrets to the marsh that both threatens and comforts.
The Mystery of Julie Fitch: Strength and Weakness
The subplot involving the disappearance of Julie Fitch seventeen years earlier provides the novel’s primary mystery and connects Phoebe to Liam, Julie’s brother, and Celeste, her grandmother. This storyline allows White to explore themes of guilt, responsibility, and the way tragedies ripple through families and communities.
However, the resolution of this mystery feels somewhat rushed after the careful buildup. The revelation that Addie was driving the car when Julie died, and that their father convinced them to cover it up, carries emotional weight but arrives with less impact than it should. The family’s conspiracy of silence feels believable given the patriarch’s domineering nature, but the way this truth emerges could have been more skillfully handled.
Character Development and Growth
Phoebe’s character arc from reluctant caretaker to someone willing to confront painful truths provides solid grounding for the novel. Her growth feels earned rather than convenient, particularly her evolving relationship with her niece Ophelia. The way White shows Phoebe recognizing herself in the overlooked child adds emotional resonance to her journey.
Addie’s character proves more complex than initial appearances suggest. While she can be frustrating in her seeming irresponsibility, White gradually reveals the guilt and self-loathing that drive her behavior. Her artistic talents, suppressed by family expectations about her role as the “pretty one,” provide poignant commentary on how families can limit their members’ potential.
The supporting characters, particularly Celeste and Liam, feel fully realized rather than merely functional. Celeste’s decades of grief over her missing granddaughter provides emotional weight, while Liam serves as more than just a love interest—his profession as a physician and his family history create natural connections to the main plot.
Writing Style and Pacing
White’s prose maintains the lyrical quality that has made her previous novels successful. She has a particular talent for capturing the rhythm of Southern speech and the atmospheric details that make the Lowcountry come alive. Her descriptions of bird behavior and symbolism add layers of meaning without feeling heavy-handed.
The pacing occasionally falters, particularly in the middle sections where the various plot threads haven’t yet converged. Some scenes feel more like obligation than necessity, and the novel might have benefited from tighter editing. However, when White finds her rhythm, the story flows smoothly from past to present, weaving together multiple timeframes with skill.
Themes and Resonance
Beneath its surface as a family drama with supernatural elements, “That Last Carolina Summer” explores deeper themes about the weight of secrets, the complexity of sibling relationships, and the way past traumas shape present choices. White doesn’t offer easy answers about forgiveness or redemption, instead presenting characters who must live with the consequences of both their actions and their inaction.
The theme of second chances runs throughout the story, from Phoebe’s reluctant return home to Addie’s opportunity for honest relationships. White suggests that while we cannot change the past, we can choose how to carry it forward.
Comparative Context
“That Last Carolina Summer” fits well within White’s established body of work while offering something slightly different. Readers familiar with her Tradd Street series will recognize the blend of Southern atmosphere and supernatural elements, but this standalone offering feels more grounded in realistic family dynamics than some of her more fantastical works.
The book shares thematic DNA with other Southern family sagas like Anne Rivers Siddons’ work, but White’s incorporation of supernatural elements sets it apart. The mystery aspect will appeal to readers of authors like Tana French or Kate Morton, though White’s resolution lacks some of the psychological complexity those authors achieve.
Final Assessment: A Flawed but Engaging Return
“That Last Carolina Summer” succeeds more as a family drama than as supernatural thriller or mystery. White’s greatest strength lies in her ability to capture the complicated dynamics of family relationships and the weight of place in shaping identity. The novel’s emotional core—the relationship between the sisters and their reckoning with family secrets—provides compelling reading.
However, “That Last Carolina Summer” suffers from some structural issues, particularly in its handling of the central mystery. The supernatural elements, while atmospheric, sometimes feel more decorative than integral to the story. The pacing occasionally drags, and some plot resolutions feel hurried after careful buildup.
Despite these flaws, White delivers a satisfying exploration of family, forgiveness, and the power of place. Readers who appreciate character-driven Southern fiction with atmospheric setting will find much to enjoy, even if the novel doesn’t quite reach the heights of White’s best work. The book serves as a solid entry point for new readers while offering familiar pleasures for longtime fans.
Recommended Reading
Readers who enjoyed “That Last Carolina Summer” might appreciate:
- The Beach Trees by Karen White – Another standalone novel exploring family secrets in a Southern coastal setting
- The Time in Between by Marie Due̱as РFamily drama with supernatural elements in the South
- The Girls of August by Anne Rivers Siddons – Southern family dynamics and sisterhood
- The Lake House by Kate Morton – Mystery involving family secrets and multiple timelines
- The Midnight Girls by Alicia Jasinska – For readers interested in atmospheric storytelling with supernatural elements
“That Last Carolina Summer” ultimately rewards patient readers with its exploration of complex family relationships and the haunting beauty of the South Carolina Lowcountry, even if its supernatural mystery elements don’t always hit their mark.
