In a recent interview on WCPT 820 Chicago with host Richard Chew, national bestselling author William Elliott Hazelgrove provided listeners with an early look into the extensive research behind his upcoming book, The Camp Mystic Flood: A Story of Tragedy and Heroism, set for release by Bloomsbury on July 8, 2027. The book chronicles the catastrophic July 4, 2025 flood in the Texas Hill Country that claimed 146 lives, including 27 young campers at Camp Mystic.
Hazelgrove, known for his narrative nonfiction, spent months on the ground in Texas, traveling the Guadalupe River with first responders, walking the flood zone, and interviewing survivors and rescuers. He also examined thousands of pages of investigative reports, emergency communications, and eyewitness accounts. The result is a comprehensive account that goes beyond assigning blame, focusing instead on the complete story: from the first weather alerts to the desperate rescues and the remarkable acts of courage that emerged.
The book details the minute-by-minute rise of the Guadalupe River before dawn, the final hours inside Camp Mystic as counselors and campers struggled to survive, and the extraordinary rescues performed by Coast Guard helicopter crews, first responders, neighbors, and ordinary Texans. It also addresses the search that continued long after the floodwaters receded and raises difficult questions about how one of America's worst freshwater disasters unfolded despite modern forecasting technology. The legislative investigations, lawsuits, and lasting impact on Texas summer camps are also explored.
In the interview, Hazelgrove emphasized that the book is not about blame but about the human experience during the disaster. He said, "This is not a book about assigning blame. It is the story of what happened, why it happened, and the extraordinary courage shown by so many people in the darkest hours of that morning."
Hazelgrove's previous works include Capone's Vault, Henry Knox's Noble Train, and Evil on the Roof of the World. His books have been featured by The New York Times, USA Today, NPR, C-SPAN Book TV, and other national media outlets. The complete WCPT interview is now available online, offering an early glimpse into the research and reporting that shaped the book.
The Camp Mystic flood remains a significant event in recent American history, and Hazelgrove's work promises to shed new light on the tragedy and the heroism that emerged from it. As the book's release approaches, readers and historians alike will have the opportunity to engage with a deeply reported account of a disaster that continues to affect the Texas community.
