Book: “The Prince of Tides” by Pat Conroy (1986)

Perfect page-turning locale: Edisto Beach, S.C.

Publisher’s description: “Pat Conroy has created a huge, brash thunderstorm of a novel, stinging with honesty and resounding with drama. Spanning forty years, this is the story of turbulent Tom Wingo, his gifted and troubled twin sister, Savannah, and the dark and violent past of the extraordinary family to which they were born. Filled with the vanishing beauty of the South Carolina Lowcountry as well as the dusty glitter of New York City, ‘The Prince Of Tides’ is Pat Conroy's most magnificent novel yet.”

Afterword: Epic, engrossing and trashy (in the best way possible), “The Prince of Tides” is the ultimate summertime beach read. Used paperbacks of this sordid family drama are a dime a dozen, so pick one up and throw it in your tote before hitting the sand, preferably the sand along the South Carolina coast where a large chunk of the novel is set.