The Edge of the Gulf

When someone you love is taken from you—in an instant—how do you cope?

Laurel Beach is one of the last old-fashioned villages in the West Florida panhandle, one that has, so far, escaped commercial over-development. It presents both a haven and opportunity, and, this summer, it plays host to a varied cast.

Grief has nearly destroyed Hudson DeForest. He's barely been going through the motions, teaching in a Memphis girls school, writing about film, talking to the dog. He's hanging on by a thre...