What’s better than a good book? A good book written by your neighbor (or former neighbor). Brew up a batch of your favorite cup of tea or coffee and get ready to meet your next read, because we’re talking about locally written books in Boston.
Fiction
- “The Town ” by Chuck Hogan | Release date: 2004 | The book that the movie “The Town” was based on featuring a group of thieves from Charlestown that rob a Boston bank at gunpoint.
- “The Art Forger ” by B.A. Shapiro | Release date: 2012 | This story follows young artist Claire Roth and her discoveries about the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum art heist.
- “Little Fires Everywhere ” by Celeste Ng | Release date: 2017 | This story follows two families brought together by the friendship of the children.
- “The Scarlet Letter ” by Nathaniel Hawthorne | Release date: 1850 | Read about the life of Hester Prynne in a Puritan colony during the 1640s after having a child by a man who wasn’t her husband.
- “Little Women ” by Louisa May Alcott | Release date: 1868 | This semi-autobiographical novel tells the story of four sisters as they grow up and find their way.
- “Mystic River ” by Dennis Lehane | Release date: 2001 | This Dorchester native’s thriller follows three friends and a shared traumatic experience.
- “Nine Lives ” by Peter Swanson | Release date: 2022 | Nine strangers find their names on a mysterious list in the mail — and must work to uncover the sender as they’re picked off one by one.
- “Herrick’s End ” by T.M. Blanchet | Release date: 2022 | When down-on-his-luck Ollie finds his friend Nell has gone missing, he must travel out of Boston’s North End to a magical underground world beneath the city.
For the family
- “Make Way For Ducklings ” by Robert McCloskey | Release date: 1941 | Follow Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings through the Beacon Hill neighborhood.
- “Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem ” by Amanda Gorman | Release date: 2021 | This children’s book is written by a Harvard alum + poet about the power of using your voice.
- “On the Loose in Boston " by Sage Stossel | Release date: 2009 | This “Where’s Waldo” style book follows Franklin Park Zoo animals as they explore Boston landmarks.
- “86 Years: The Legend of the Boston Red Sox " by Melinda Boroson | Release date: 2005 | This children’s story follows the season the Red Sox broke the curse and finally won the World Series.
Learn something new
- “Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 ” by Stephen Puleo | Release date: 2003 | Learn about the sticky history of the Great Molasses Flood.
- “The Perfect Storm ” by Sebastian Junger | Release date: 1997 | This creative non-fiction shares the story of the fishermen from Gloucester who were lost at sea.
- “Bunker Hill: A City, a Siege, a Revolution ” by Nathaniel Philbrick | Release date: 2013 | Learn more about the famous Charlestown battle.
Part of a series
- “Back Bay ” by William Martin | Release date: 1979 |The first in the Peter Fallon series dives into a family’s secrets and history of treasure hunting.
- “Martha’s Vineyard Mysteries ” by Phillip R. Craig | Release date: 1989 | This series follows a retired Boston police officer solving murders and other mysteries.
- “Poems of Edgar Allan Poe ” by Edgar Allan Poe | Release date: 1849 | This thrilling collection comes from the writer of mystery and macabre.
- “Clementine " by Sara Pennypacker | Release date: 2006 | Follow eight-year-old Clementine on her adventures in this book series
Personal stories
- “Second Wind: The Memoirs of an Opinionated Man ” by Bill Russell and Taylor Branch | Release date: 1979 | Learn about the life and legacy of this basketball legend + his perspective on freedom, race, marriage, and American culture.
- “Ordinary Girl: The Journey ” by Donna Summer| Release date: 2003 | Follow this disco diva from her time as a Boston choir girl through her rise to stardom.
- “A Promised Land ” by Barack Obama | Release date: 2009 | Hear from the 44th President in his own words.
- “The Beginning (2nd Edition) ” by David Scondras | Release date: 2018 | This memoir shares the perspective of the first openly gay elected Boston City Counselor.
Need more recommendations? Stop by Beacon Hill Books and Cafe
, Trident Booksellers and Cafe
, Brattle Book Shop
, Frugal Bookstore
, or Brookline Booksmith
to get expert advice from Boston’s local booksellers. 📚