Can’t-Miss Novels Set in the South

The American South, steeped in tradition and brimming with character, serves as an evocative backdrop for some unforgettable stories. Whether you’re looking for the literary equivalent of sipping sweet tea on the porch or the spine-tingling elements of Southern Gothic fiction, these books are your passport to the heart of the South.

Follow the Stars Home by Diane C. McPhail

Along the Mississippi River

A captivating reimagining of Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt, the intrepid expeditionist who, with her husband Nicholas Roosevelt, designed and co-captained the first steamboat to travel the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Eight months pregnant and with a toddler in tow – Lydia braved violent earthquakes and treacherous waters on the first steamboat voyage to conquer the Mississippi River and redefine America. 

The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn

Tennessee & Florida

From the acclaimed author of Georgie, All Along and Love Lettering, comes a pitch-perfect, radiantly transporting love story about an unexpected road trip, true crime obsessions, and hard-won vulnerability.

The Wild Lavender Bookshop by Jodi Thomas

Texas

From beloved New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas, a slow burn romance that’s the epitome of comfort reading. Perfect for fans of Robyn Carr and Susan Mallery! Return to the unforgettable world of Someday Valley, Texas, in this tender, uplifting novel of hearts in search of second chances.

The Bitter Truth by Shanora Williams

North Carolina and Louisiana

An upstanding political candidate. A determined stalker. A shattering lost weekend. Amid the clashes and intrigue of the campaign trail, to what lengths will the elegant, all-too-devoted wife of a seemingly incorruptible politician go in the name of love, loyalty, and ego?

Proof by Fern Michaels

North Carolina

For fans of Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel, beloved storyteller Fern Michaels blends mystery, drama, and a touch of romance for the fourth in her #1 bestselling Lost & Found series, as a shoebox of mementos found in a childhood dresser becomes the catalyst for a search into Luna’s own past…

The Road to Bittersweet by Donna Everhart

North Carolina

Set in the Carolinas in the 1940s, this riveting novel of historical fiction from the acclaimed and award-winning author of The Saints of Swallow Hill is a beautifully written, evocative account of a young woman reckoning not just with the unforgiving landscape, but with the rocky emotional terrain that leads from innocence to wisdom.

Control by Omar Tyree

Georgia

Six talented but dangerously toxic personalities in the entertainment hotbed of Atlanta push their psychologist to her own vulnerable limits – and maybe beyond – in this enthralling, knife-edged thriller from NAACP Image Award-winning author Omar Tyree.

The Medicine Woman of Galveston by Amanda Skenandore

Texas

Caught in the great Galveston Hurricane of 1900, a female doctor who’s joined a traveling medicine show to support her disabled son is forced to weather the storm and its aftermath in a town hostile to the troupe’s unconventional ways but desperate for their help.

Double Lives by Mary Monroe

Alabama

Award-winning New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe returns with an outrageous new tale of Depression-era Southern drama starring identical twin sisters with a talent for switching lives and hiding the scandalous results—until one risk too many changes the game forever . . .

The Last Sinner by Lisa Jackson

Louisiana

After over 9 million copies sold, evil comes full circle for Lisa Jackson’s internationally revered Detectives Rick Bentz and Reuben Montoya. The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Survived delivers a gripping novel of suspense featuring two veteran homicide detectives matching wits with a twisted serial killer lurking in the shadows of New Orleans.

The Abolitionist’s Daughter by Diane C. McPhail

Releases November 26th

Mississippi

Now in paperback with a stunning new look, this powerful, profoundly emotional novel from the acclaimed author of The Seamstress of New Orleans explores a little-known aspect of Civil War history—Southern Abolitionists—and the timeless struggle to do right even amidst bitter conflict.