Lee Martin’s books really stay with you, don’t they? He has a way of writing about families, often in the Midwest, that just feels so real. He’s especially good at showing how the past shapes everything.
If you are looking for authors who explore similar kinds of family stories, and who write with a similar depth and insight, then you might want to check out this list of writers.
Elizabeth Strout creates compelling portraits of ordinary lives with sensitivity and insight. Her novel “Olive Kitteridge” offers a collection of connected stories centered around Olive, a blunt and complicated schoolteacher in small-town Maine.
Each story captures different aspects of Olive’s life and reveals the hidden desires, regrets, and hopes within her marriage, her motherhood, and relationships. Strout’s writing is subtle but powerful. She shows readers how deeply complex even the simplest lives can be.
For fans of Lee Martin, her stories provide similar depth, emotional honesty, and profound humanity.
Readers who enjoy Lee Martin’s insightful portrayal of ordinary people’s lives might appreciate Kent Haruf. Haruf writes quietly powerful stories set in the small fictional town of Holt, Colorado.
His novel “Plainsong” follows several townspeople whose lives become unexpectedly connected. We meet two elderly bachelor brothers who start caring for a pregnant teenager, a high school teacher dealing with personal heartache, and two young boys adjusting to family troubles.
Haruf’s simple, moving style captures the complexity of human experience with warmth and authenticity.
Readers who appreciate Lee Martin’s thoughtful portrayal of small-town life and the quiet struggles of family relationships may find Marilynne Robinson’s novels equally rewarding. Robinson’s “Gilead” is a beautifully reflective novel set in the rural town of Gilead, Iowa.
It’s written as a letter from the aging Reverend John Ames to his young son. Ames shares stories of faith, loss, friendship, and forgiveness while quietly exploring deeper questions about morality and human connection.
Robinson’s subtle insights into ordinary lives show how grace can be found even in difficult times. If Lee Martin’s stories of family and humanity resonate with you, Robinson provides another meaningful narrative landscape to explore.
Anne Tyler writes family dramas and novels that explore ordinary people’s lives with warmth and sharp insight. Readers who connect with Lee Martin’s honest storytelling might appreciate Tyler’s ability to capture the subtle tensions and emotions within family ties.
In her novel “Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant,” Tyler follows the Tull family through decades of misunderstandings, forgiveness, regrets, and everyday hopes.
Pearl, a single mother abandoned by her husband, faces the complexities of raising her three children, Cody, Ezra, and Jenny, each child affected deeply by family choices and secrets.
Tyler maps out each character with clarity and depth, making their struggles feel genuine, relatable, and quietly powerful.
Richard Russo is known for his thoughtful storytelling that explores small-town life, family relationships, and complex characters facing ordinary struggles.
His Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “Empire Falls,” immerses readers in a declining Maine town and the lives of the people who call it home. At its heart is Miles Roby, a middle-aged diner manager stuck in the routines of his hometown, dreams deferred and longing for change.
Russo weaves humor together with deep insight into his characters’ personal dramas, regrets, and quiet hopes, capturing the truth beneath small-town appearances.
Readers who appreciate Lee Martin’s honest portrayal of everyday people and their complex dynamics will find Russo’s “Empire Falls” equally satisfying.
If you enjoy Lee Martin’s thoughtful portrayal of small-town life and the quiet drama of ordinary people, you’ll appreciate Wendell Berry’s “Jayber Crow.” Berry’s novel centers around Jayber, a barber in the fictional Kentucky town of Port William.
The story gently follows Jayber’s journey from orphaned childhood to adulthood, chronicling his evolving views on community, love, loss, and the passage of time. Berry writes clearly and deeply, capturing the small, meaningful moments that define a person’s life.
Characters feel authentic and relatable, embedded firmly in the rural landscape, as Jayber observes the changing values and traditions of his town.
Berry’s reflection on belonging and connection makes “Jayber Crow” resonate with readers who value sincere storytelling about everyday people and the places they call home.
Books by William Kent Krueger often explore small-town life, complex relationships, and powerful human struggles, themes that resonate with readers who appreciate Lee Martin.
In his novel “Ordinary Grace,” Krueger tells the story of Frank Drum, a thirteen-year-old boy living in a quiet Minnesota town in the summer of 1961.
After a series of mysterious deaths shatter the town’s peace, Frank finds himself confronted by secrets and moral dilemmas that challenge his understanding of faith, family, and loss.
Krueger captures both the innocence and heartbreak of a young boy who must face difficult truths, a narrative that stays with readers long after the final page.
If you enjoy Lee Martin’s sensitive portrayals of small-town life and family secrets, Jane Smiley might be a wonderful author for you to explore next.
Her novel “A Thousand Acres” focuses on a farming family in rural Iowa, where the aging father decides to pass his land down to his three daughters. This triggers unexpected tensions and long-hidden resentments.
Through the family’s interactions, Smiley reveals the complexities of loyalty, ambition, and betrayal hiding beneath the surface of everyday life. Her storytelling is sharp but deeply humane, with characters whose struggles feel immediate and relatable.
Toni Morrison writes powerful tales about complex characters facing hard realities in American history. Her novel “Beloved” tells the story of Sethe, a woman haunted by her traumatic escape from slavery.
Living in freedom in Ohio, Sethe struggles with her memories and guilt as her past returns in the form of a mysterious young woman named Beloved. Morrison’s vivid storytelling examines human emotions and relationships shaped by deep historical wounds.
Anyone who appreciates Lee Martin’s honest exploration of family secrets and the pains of past choices might also find Morrison’s stories deeply moving.
Books by Chris Offutt explore the hidden sorrows and quiet courage found in small-town America. If you enjoy Lee Martin’s thoughtful exploration of family secrets and rural life, you might appreciate Offutt’s “Country Dark.”
Set in 1950s rural Kentucky, the novel follows Tucker, a young Korean War veteran returning home to lead a quiet life with his family. Offutt tells a powerful story about family loyalty, survival, and the tough choices people make when their loved ones are at stake.
He writes honestly and clearly about poverty, resilience, and human dignity without sentimental clichés. His realistic dialogue and precise descriptions bring rural Kentucky vividly to life.
If you like stories about ordinary people dealing with difficult situations, “Country Dark” could be a great fit.
Alice Munro is a master storyteller who captures the quiet drama in small-town lives, similar to the themes Lee Martin explores. Her short story collection, “Dear Life,” dives into stories of ordinary people who find themselves at crossroads.
Munro’s characters are often faced with unexpected events that reshape their sense of self and their understanding of the past. In one story, a chance encounter on a train leads a young woman to reevaluate her choices, revealing how small moments can have profound impacts.
Munro’s clear-eyed look at everyday experiences shows how deeply life’s hidden dramas affect us.
Sherman Alexie is a writer whose stories skillfully capture the struggles and everyday humor of life on Native American reservations.
Readers who enjoyed Lee Martin’s thoughtful narratives about rural communities will likely connect with Alexie’s “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.” In this novel, Junior is a teenager raised on the Spokane Indian Reservation.
He decides to attend an all-white high school off the reservation, leaving behind everything familiar. Junior faces big challenges like poverty, prejudice, and loss. However, his wit, cartoons, and determination bring warmth and humor to the story.
Alexie’s honest storytelling vividly portrays themes of identity, belonging, and resilience in rural life.
Readers who enjoy Lee Martin’s thoughtful exploration of ordinary lives might appreciate Charles Baxter, an author known for gentle insights into human relationships and quiet, emotional storytelling.
Baxter’s novel “The Feast of Love” is a wonderful example of how he portrays complex characters with warmth and heart. Set in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the book follows a group of neighbours, friends, and lovers whose lives intersect in surprising and heartwarming ways.
Each character shares their perspective on love and loss, often revealing unexpected connections and tenderness beneath everyday experiences. Baxter carefully weaves these different stories together into a satisfying narrative filled with empathy, sincerity, and subtle wisdom.
Readers who enjoy Lee Martin’s sensitive yet suspenseful storytelling may appreciate the works of Tim Johnston. Johnston skillfully explores the emotional depths hidden behind tense situations.
In his novel “Descent,” the Courtland family plans a relaxing vacation in the Rocky Mountains, but their lives change abruptly when eighteen-year-old Caitlin mysteriously disappears during a morning run.
As months pass and hope fades, each family member navigates personal heartbreak and grief. The book reveals not only the mystery of Caitlin’s disappearance but also the complex emotional journey of loss, hope, and determination her family must confront.
If you enjoy Lee Martin’s thoughtful storytelling and rich emotional narratives, Sue Monk Kidd might be a great author to explore next. Her novel “The Secret Life of Bees” is set in South Carolina during the 1960s.
It follows Lily Owens, a young girl who leaves her troubled home behind. Lily embarks on a journey to uncover her late mother’s past. Her quest brings her to the Boatwright sisters, three strong and welcoming African American women who tend bees and produce honey.
Within their home, Lily finds unexpected lessons about love, forgiveness, and healing. Sue Monk Kidd crafts memorable characters and beautifully portrays Southern life and racial tensions of the era, which fans of Lee Martin’s fiction will likely appreciate.