UNDER THE CRUCIAN SUN: A Memoir of Place Paperback – December 1, 2025

In Under the Crucian Sun: A Memoir of Place, environmentalist and creative Cynthia McVay sets foot on the island of St. Croix in 2018 for the first time. She arrives with an adventurous partner and her heart set on purchasing and renovating an abandoned plantation house, with no idea what she’s getting into. By the end of the week, she has fallen in love with and is committed to a skeletal wreck with iconic stone walls and midcentury lines, allegedly built by German photographer Fritz Henle. With the help of dozens of islanders, Cynthia spends a year artfully coaxing this hidden gem back to life. Join Cynthia and her dog Dexter as they make a go of it—chasing crabs on Ha’ Penny, getting to know some of St. Croix’s charismatic personalities and beaches, snorkeling the Frederiksted pier, floating in the blue waters of Sandy Point, standing in line at WAPA, making sense of pervasive breeze block, and dancing under the palms, at a gas station and in the grass at Cane Bay. This collection of stories and poetry and over 150 lush photographs offers a personal, intimate portrayal of a coy, complex and layered island. Ultimately, Under the Crucian Sun is a love story, an ode to the island of St. Croix and its many peoples. Whether you call St. Croix home or visiting, this memoir of place captures St. Croix’s magic. Read more