National bestselling author William Elliott Hazelgrove's forthcoming book, The Camp Mystic Flood: A Story of Tragedy and Heroism, is now available for preorder through Bloomsbury's US website. Scheduled for publication in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook on July 8, 2027, the book reconstructs the devastating Texas Hill Country flood through the people who experienced it. The announcement comes as interest in the disaster and its lessons continues to grow, with Hazelgrove having discussed his reporting in a WGN-TV Chicago interview and in his essay for The Hill, "Camp Mystic, Revisited" (shared on the author's Facebook page).
Drawing on extensive research, on-site reporting, interviews, eyewitness accounts, and government records, Hazelgrove follows the catastrophic July 4, 2025 flood as the Guadalupe River overwhelmed Camp Mystic. The narrative traces the experiences of campers, counselors, parents, camp leaders, first responders, and neighbors through the unfolding disaster, the desperate rescues, and the long aftermath. Alongside stories of courage and sacrifice, the book examines the weather, geography, flood history, emergency decisions, and questions of preparedness that shaped the tragedy. Hazelgrove's reporting took him through the Texas Hill Country and along the Guadalupe River with first responders as he worked to reconstruct what happened that night and morning.
The book's significance lies in its comprehensive approach to a tragedy that raised urgent questions about disaster preparedness, emergency response, and community resilience. By focusing on personal accounts and the broader context, Hazelgrove provides a nuanced understanding of how such events unfold and their enduring impact. Publication comes shortly after the second anniversary of the flood, offering readers a deeply researched account of the disaster and its enduring consequences for families and the surrounding community. This timing allows for reflection on the lessons learned and the ongoing recovery efforts, making the book a valuable contribution to the literature on natural disasters and human response.
William Elliott Hazelgrove is the national bestselling author of ten novels and fourteen nonfiction titles. His books have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Booklist, along with ALA Editors' Choice recognition and Junior Library Guild selections. His work has been covered by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, C-SPAN Book TV, and ABC's World News Tonight. He served as the Ernest Hemingway Writer in Residence, writing for ten years in the attic of Hemingway's birthplace.
The Camp Mystic Flood: A Story of Tragedy and Heroism
By William Elliott Hazelgrove
Publisher: Bloomsbury / Rowman & Littlefield
Publication date: July 8, 2027
Formats: Hardcover, ebook, and audiobook
Hardcover ISBN: 9798216440550
Readers can preorder the book through Bloomsbury's US website, with the hardcover page available and ebook and audiobook options also offered. The preorder availability signals the high anticipation for Hazelgrove's account, which promises to be a definitive chronicle of the Camp Mystic flood and its lasting repercussions.
