Camino Winds – John Grisham (2020)

Camino Winds, written by John Grisham and published in 2020, is the second installment in the Camino Island series. Set against the backdrop of a devastating hurricane on Florida’s Camino Island, this mystery-thriller seamlessly blends elements of crime fiction, literary intrigue, and investigative suspense. Grisham shifts away from the courtroom drama typical of his oeuvre, offering a gripping tale of murder hidden in the chaos of a natural disaster

Plot Summary

When Hurricane Leo spun into life in the Atlantic, he was underestimated. His erratic, unmodeled path and bursts of strength made him more beast than storm, and the people of Camino Island only began to understand his wrath when it was too late. The skies had been blue and the islanders confident, but by the time evacuation was declared, only a few residents remained. Among them was Bruce Cable, the smooth-talking, bowtie-wearing owner of Bay Books, and his loyal young employee, Nick Sutton. They fortified what they could, readied supplies, and hunkered down in Bruce’s Victorian home to face the wind and fury.

As Leo roared ashore with Category 4 winds, Bruce and Nick braced for the worst. Their house groaned under the pressure, trees cracked like gunshots in the night, and the eye of the storm passed over with unnerving silence before the wind returned. When morning finally broke, water pooled through the streets, and the town resembled a war zone. Downed trees and shattered windows marked every block. With the sky clearing and a sense of grim purpose settling in, Bruce and Nick emerged to begin the grim task of assessing the damage.

But the first wave of discovery brought more than broken glass and roof tiles. News arrived quickly – Nelson Kerr, a reserved thriller writer and former lawyer who had made a quiet home on Camino Island, had been found dead in his backyard, his skull split open. At first glance, it appeared that a falling tree limb had ended his life, a cruel act of chance during the storm. But the wound did not align with debris or chaos. It looked intentional.

Bruce, stunned by the death of his friend and fellow writer, accompanied the police to identify the body. What he saw disturbed him. Nelson lay on a short brick wall behind his home, the blow to his head deep and clean. Nearby, a crepe myrtle limb had fallen, but the scene lacked the randomness of storm damage. A few specks of blood found inside Nelson’s den, spattered across bookshelves, made the picture even more troubling. Something had happened indoors before Nelson was found outside. Bruce, always more perceptive than he let on, began to suspect what no one dared say out loud – that Nelson had been murdered.

With the town in disarray and official channels overwhelmed, Bruce pulled together a circle of island friends – seasoned writers, former criminals, gossips, and thinkers – to begin asking questions that no one else seemed ready to confront. Bob Cobb, a grizzled ex-con and crime novelist, joined in. Mercer Mann, visiting for her final book tour event, lent her instincts and intellect, and Nick provided energy and determination. Together, they combed through Nelson’s house, finding clues buried in mess and damp. His manuscript was missing. His beloved dog was gone. A storm might obscure details, but it couldn’t wash away the truth.

Then came the files. Hidden in a password-protected folder on Nelson’s computer were extensive notes and documents about a healthcare fraud conspiracy so vast it was difficult to fathom. Elderly patients in nursing homes had been enrolled in end-of-life drug trials without consent. The so-called miracle medication, developed by a pharmaceutical conglomerate, had been administered for profit, not care. The drug trials resulted in numerous unexplained deaths. Nelson had stumbled upon this dark secret while researching for his next book, only this time, the fiction mirrored fact too closely. And someone had found out.

Piecing together Nelson’s trail, Bruce and his team discovered emails, whistleblower testimony, and confidential records linking several powerful corporations to the illegal trials. They realized Nelson had been gathering evidence not just for storytelling, but to expose real-world criminals. He had become a threat – a target – and Leo’s arrival had given his killers perfect cover.

As communications began to restore and law enforcement regained their footing, Bruce reached out to contacts in legal and investigative fields. Quietly and cautiously, he passed on what they had found. He knew Nelson’s death would be swept under the floodwaters unless someone with power and reach took notice. Using his publishing network and a few strategic leaks, Bruce ensured that the information made its way to the right hands.

Meanwhile, Mercer returned to Oxford, her book tour cut short and her mind heavy with what had transpired. Her fame grew, her next contract secured, but she could not forget the storm or its secrets. On the island, Bruce reopened Bay Books. The cleanup was slow, the scars visible, but the spirit of the literary community remained unshaken. They had buried a friend, but they had also protected his voice.

Nelson’s manuscript was eventually recovered from a cloud backup Bruce had the foresight to check. With careful editing and a deep sense of reverence, Bruce guided it to publication. The finished book, more truth than fiction, stood as both a thriller and an indictment – one that stirred national media and led to an investigation. The pharmaceutical scheme unraveled publicly, and the names Nelson had hunted down could no longer hide behind corporate curtains.

Summer returned to Camino Island, bringing with it tourists and lazy sunlit days. But for Bruce and those who had stayed through the storm, nothing was quite the same. The bookstore thrived, readings resumed, and laughter returned to Bruce’s veranda, but a shadow remained where Nelson once stood with quiet intensity. His story had not ended in vain.

Camino Winds closed with peace not from resolution, but from the certainty that truth had been pulled from wreckage, that a voice silenced by greed now echoed louder than ever.

Main Characters

• Bruce Cable – The charming and roguish owner of Bay Books, Bruce is the unofficial mayor of Camino Island’s literary scene. A passionate bookseller with a colorful past involving rare book smuggling, Bruce uses his charisma and deep knowledge of the publishing world to rally friends and investigate a suspicious death. His loyalty to the literary community and his lingering affection for Mercer Mann make him both an anchor and an instigator.

• Mercer Mann – A rising literary star whose second novel, Tessa, has propelled her into the spotlight. Mercer’s return to Camino Island for a book event coincides with the hurricane’s arrival. Smart, reflective, and emotionally grounded, she remains wary of her past on the island but is pulled into the unfolding mystery out of concern for her community and friends.

• Nelson Kerr – A reclusive former lawyer-turned-thriller novelist, Nelson is found dead in the wake of Hurricane Leo. Though initially presumed to be a victim of storm debris, Bruce and others suspect foul play. His secretive nature, whistleblower past, and unfinished manuscript become central to the unfolding investigation.

• Nick Sutton – A young, earnest college student working at Bay Books for the summer. Nick’s enthusiasm for crime fiction and innate curiosity lead him to play a crucial role in uncovering the truth about Nelson’s death. Loyal and determined, he partners with Bruce in the amateur sleuthing effort.

• Bob Cobb – A rough-edged crime novelist with a criminal past, Bob is one of the few residents who also stays through the storm. Despite his cynical exterior, he shows camaraderie and concern when Nelson is found dead and joins Bruce in digging deeper into the suspicious circumstances.

Theme

• Justice vs. Corruption: Grisham consistently explores the idea that the legal and corporate worlds are rife with moral ambiguity. In Camino Winds, justice is pursued outside traditional systems, highlighting how bureaucracy often fails the innocent. This theme drives the characters to take matters into their own hands, emphasizing the precarious balance between legality and morality.

• The Power of Community: Camino Island’s tight-knit literary circle becomes a sanctuary and a support system during and after the hurricane. Despite differing personalities and backgrounds, the residents band together to preserve their homes and seek truth. Grisham illustrates how shared history and mutual respect foster resilience and collaboration.

• Nature’s Indifference: Hurricane Leo is not just a backdrop but a force that amplifies human vulnerability. Grisham uses the storm to symbolize uncontrollable external threats that disrupt life and reveal hidden truths. Nature’s raw power serves as both literal and metaphorical catalyst for the unfolding mystery.

• Literature as Legacy: The novel reveres books not only as commodities but as enduring expressions of identity and intellect. From Mercer’s acclaimed novel to Nelson’s secret manuscript, literature functions as a tool for truth, remembrance, and justice, elevating the role of storytelling within the plot itself.

Writing Style and Tone

John Grisham’s writing in Camino Winds is notably lean and efficient, with a conversational tone that makes the prose accessible yet sharply observant. He forgoes heavy exposition in favor of quick pacing and crisp dialogue, allowing the narrative to move with urgency, especially during scenes involving the hurricane’s aftermath and the amateur investigation. Grisham’s style is devoid of literary ornamentation, favoring directness that keeps the focus on plot and character motivation.

His tone throughout is a blend of wry detachment and simmering intrigue. While there are flashes of Grisham’s dry humor—especially in Bruce’s flirtatious banter or Myra’s acerbic commentary—the story is largely driven by suspense and ethical tension. The atmospheric descriptions of storm devastation and small-town camaraderie are balanced with cynical reflections on the pharmaceutical industry and institutional corruption. This tonal contrast enriches the narrative, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking without lapsing into sentimentality.