Louisa May Alcott wrote “Little Women,” a story about the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—growing up in Civil War-era Massachusetts. Each sister has her own personality and dreams, from Jo’s ambition to be a writer to Amy’s desire for a life of art and refinement.
The novel follows their struggles, joys, family bonds, and personal growth as they navigate love, loss, and changing fortunes. It’s set against the backdrop of their modest home in Concord, where the warmth and challenges of their everyday lives feel both comforting and real.
The “The House of the Seven Gables” by Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the story of a decaying mansion in Massachusetts and the lives of the Pyncheon family who live there. The house carries a dark history tied to greed and a supposed curse.
The novel follows Phoebe Pyncheon, who brings light into the gloom of the old house, and her cousin Hepzibah, who struggles to maintain the family legacy. There’s also a mysterious lodger named Holgrave, whose role in the story adds a layer of intrigue.
Themes of guilt and redemption run through the narrative, along with secrets that slowly come to light.
Dennis Lehane wrote “Mystic River,” a story about three childhood friends whose lives are forever changed after a traumatic event. Years later, they are drawn back together when one friend’s daughter is murdered, and they must confront their shared past.
The book explores trust, loyalty, and the ways old wounds shape people over time.
“The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne takes place in a strict Puritan community in 17th century Massachusetts. The story follows Hester Prynne, who is shamed for committing adultery and forced to wear a scarlet “A” on her chest.
As she faces public scorn, she raises her daughter, Pearl, while the secrets of others in the town begin to unravel. The book explores guilt, punishment, and the clash between individual desires and societal expectations.
“Defending Jacob” by William Landay is about a prosecutor whose teenage son is accused of murder. The story focuses on the father as he grapples with his role in the case and his growing doubts about his son’s innocence.
Set in a quiet Massachusetts town, the book explores family bonds and the weight of suspicion in a close-knit community.
“Shutter Island” by Dennis Lehane is set in 1954 and follows U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels as he travels to Ashecliffe Hospital, a mental institution on a remote Massachusetts island, to investigate the disappearance of a patient.
The story weaves through his encounters with cryptic doctors, eerie patients, and the island’s unsettling atmosphere, with clues that hint at secrets far deeper than the missing woman.
This novel was adapted into a 2010 film directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo.
The novel “The Bostonians” by Henry James explores the clash between social reform and traditional values in 19th-century Boston.
The story centers on Basil Ransom, a conservative Southern lawyer, and Olive Chancellor, a fervent feminist, who become rivals for the affection and influence over Verena Tarrant, a young woman with a gift for public speaking.
The book paints a vivid picture of Boston’s intellectual and social circles during this time.
“Couples” by John Updike is set in a small Massachusetts town during the 1960s. The story revolves around ten married couples who navigate their relationships, betrayals, and social dynamics.
The novel examines the complexities of suburban life and the shifting attitudes toward love and marriage during that era. The characters’ personal lives often intersect at gatherings, where secrets and desires come to light.
The novel “Infinite Jest” by David Foster Wallace takes place in a near-future Massachusetts and explores the lives of various characters connected to a tennis academy and a rehab center. The story weaves together themes of addiction, entertainment, and the search for meaning.
Central to the book is a mysterious film so captivating it renders viewers unable to do anything else, setting off events that impact everyone involved.
The novel “The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane” by Katherine Howe weaves a story that connects a modern-day graduate student, Connie, with the Salem witch trials of 1692.
While cleaning out her grandmother’s house, Connie discovers a mysterious key inside a family Bible, leading her to uncover the secrets of an ancestor accused of witchcraft.
The book blends historical intrigue with a touch of magic, exploring the hidden past and its connection to the present.
Jack Kerouac wrote “The Town and the City,” a story about a young man named Peter Martin and his family in the fictional town of Galloway, Massachusetts.
The novel follows Peter as he grows up, moves to the city, and grapples with the pull between small-town values and the excitement of urban life. It paints a picture of family struggles, shifting relationships, and the search for a meaningful place in the world.
The book “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath follows Esther Greenwood, a young woman who wins a prestigious internship at a New York magazine but finds herself struggling with her mental health.
The story explores her experiences as she returns home to Massachusetts, facing societal pressures and her own sense of isolation. It offers an intimate look at her internal battles, set against the backdrop of 1950s America.
“The Dante Club” by Matthew Pearl is a historical mystery set in Boston during the 1860s. A group of scholars, including poets Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Oliver Wendell Holmes, works to translate Dante’s “Divine Comedy” into English.
Their efforts are interrupted when a series of gruesome murders occurs, each inspired by punishments from Dante’s “Inferno.” As the group uncovers connections between the killings and their translation work, they must solve the crimes before they face danger themselves.
Phoebe Atwood Taylor wrote “The Cape Cod Mystery,” a lighthearted whodunit set in a quiet Cape Cod town. The story begins when a famous writer is found dead at a summer home, and the quirky handyman Asey Mayo gets involved in solving the case.
As clues pile up, secrets about the locals come to light, and Mayo’s cleverness keeps the investigation moving. The seaside setting adds charm and atmosphere to the mystery.
“At Risk” by Alice Hoffman tells the story of the Farrell family in a small Massachusetts town as they grapple with the impact of an eleven-year-old daughter’s AIDS diagnosis. The book focuses on how the illness affects their relationships and the way their community reacts.
It’s a heartfelt story that explores fear, resilience, and love within a family facing an unimaginable challenge.
Ottessa Moshfegh’s “Eileen” tells the story of a lonely young woman working in a boys’ prison in 1960s Massachusetts. Eileen Dunlop lives with her alcoholic father in a cold, bleak town, feeling trapped in her dreary existence.
Her life takes a sharp turn when a new counselor, the charming and mysterious Rebecca, arrives at the prison and draws her into a dangerous situation. The book captures Eileen’s dark thoughts and moments of rebellion, showing the depths of her inner struggles and desires.
“The Fifth Petal: A Novel” by Brunonia Barry takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, blending past and present as it follows a modern-day murder investigation tied to the infamous Witch Trials.
When a young man dies on Halloween, a detective and a local historian uncover eerie connections to a series of unsolved murders that occurred decades earlier.
These events bring back the shadows of Salem’s witchy past, as the story weaves folklore and mysteries hidden in the town’s history.
The novel “Here on Earth” by Alice Hoffman tells the story of March Murray, who returns to her small Massachusetts hometown after years away. When she comes back, she reconnects with her first love, Hollis, a man who is both charismatic and deeply troubled.
Their reunion stirs up old feelings and unresolved pain, drawing March into a complex relationship that impacts those around her. The book explores love, obsession, and the weight of past choices, all set against the backdrop of a New England town.
“The Lace Reader” by Brunonia Barry follows the story of Towner Whitney, a woman who comes from a Salem family known for their ability to read the future through lace patterns.
After returning to Salem due to her aunt’s mysterious death, Towner gets drawn into events that force her to confront family secrets and memories she’s tried to forget. The book blends the history of Salem with a mystery that slowly uncovers the truth about Towner’s past.
The novel “Boston” by Upton Sinclair focuses on the Sacco and Vanzetti case, a significant trial in the 1920s. It follows the lives of two Italian immigrants accused of murder, touching on themes of social injustice, prejudice, and labor struggles.
The book also weaves in the personal story of a woman drawn into the case, adding a human perspective to the unfolding events.
“Caucasia” by Danzy Senna is about Birdie Lee, a biracial girl growing up in Boston during the 1970s. Her parents’ marriage falls apart, and Birdie is forced to leave her sister and father behind as she goes on the run with her white mother.
The book looks at identity, family, and what it means to belong in a world that sees things in black and white. Birdie’s journey takes her through small towns and secret lives, all while she struggles to hold on to her sense of self.
The book “The Friends of Eddie Coyle” by George V. Higgins is a gritty crime story set in the Boston underworld. It follows Eddie Coyle, a small-time gunrunner trying to avoid prison by cooperating with the feds.
The novel dives into the lives of low-level criminals, showing their deals, betrayals, and desperate conversations in bars and parking lots. It captures the tension of Eddie’s world as he juggles survival and loyalty in a bleak, unforgiving landscape.
William Dean Howells wrote “The Rise of Silas Lapham,” a novel about a self-made businessman who strikes it rich through the paint industry in Boston. The story follows Silas Lapham as he tries to climb the social ladder and grapple with the pressures of wealth and status.
His ambitions lead to conflicts with old-money families, as well as personal struggles that test his values and relationships. It paints a vivid picture of class tensions and personal integrity in 19th-century Massachusetts.
“The Mystery of the Cape Cod Tavern” by Phoebe Atwood Taylor is a fast-paced murder mystery. Set on Cape Cod, it follows Asey Mayo, a witty and resourceful amateur detective, as he investigates the murder of a tavern owner.
The case gets complicated when the victim’s beauty and charm are revealed to have entangled her in scheming relationships. The coastal setting and quirky characters add plenty of personality to the story.
“Bread and Roses, Too” by Katherine Paterson takes place during the 1912 textile mill strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The story follows Rosa, a young girl caught in the struggles of her immigrant family, and Jake, a boy surviving on his own in harsh conditions.
Their lives intersect against the backdrop of the strike as they navigate fear, friendship, and hope in a time of great hardship.
Paul G. Tremblay wrote “Disappearance at Devil’s Rock,” which follows the mysterious vanishing of a teenage boy named Tommy during a late-night trip to a local state park in Massachusetts.
As his family searches for answers, strange events begin to unfold, and unnerving pages from Tommy’s journal start to surface, hinting at dark secrets tied to the woods.
E. Lockhart wrote “The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks,” which follows Frankie, a smart and determined girl at a prestigious boarding school in Massachusetts.
When she discovers a secret society led by her boyfriend, she decides to challenge its boys-only structure by orchestrating clever pranks without anyone knowing she is behind them. The story explores her wit and boldness against the backdrop of old traditions and exclusivity.
“Friday the Rabbi Slept Late” by Harry Kemelman is a mystery set in a small Massachusetts town. Rabbi David Small, a thoughtful and unconventional rabbi, becomes involved in solving a murder when a young woman’s body is discovered near his synagogue.
As the investigation unfolds, the rabbi uses his wit, logic, and knowledge of Jewish traditions to uncover the truth, while also navigating challenges within his own congregation.
Paul G. Tremblay’s “A Head Full of Ghosts” follows a family in Massachusetts facing the strange and unsettling behavior of fourteen-year-old Marjorie. Her parents struggle with whether her actions are caused by mental illness or something supernatural.
The story is narrated years later by her younger sister, Merry, as she recounts how their lives were torn apart, including their decision to have a reality TV crew document the ordeal.
The novel “I, Tituba: Black Witch of Salem” by Maryse Condé tells the imagined life of Tituba, the enslaved woman accused during the Salem witch trials.
The story begins with her childhood in Barbados, tracing her journey to Salem, where fear and prejudice alter her life forever. It paints a powerful picture of injustice while giving voice to a historical figure often overlooked.
The novel “Mermaids” by Patty Dann tells the story of a quirky mother and her two daughters living in a small Massachusetts town during the 1960s.
Charlotte, the older daughter, struggles with her devotion to religion while navigating her teenage years and an awkward crush on a local caretaker at the convent.
Meanwhile, her eccentric mother constantly uproots their lives, leaving the family trying to balance their unusual dynamics with the desire for stability.
The “The Mother-Daughter Book Club” by Heather Vogel Frederick follows a group of girls and their mothers in Concord, Massachusetts, who bond through reading and discussing classic novels.
The story highlights their friendships, challenges at school, and family dynamics, all while weaving references to “Little Women,” the centerpiece of their book club.
It’s lighthearted yet relatable, offering moments of both humor and heart as the characters grow closer through their shared experiences.
Robert B. Parker’s “Night Passage” introduces Jesse Stone, a former Los Angeles cop who takes a job as the police chief in the small town of Paradise, Massachusetts.
Battling personal struggles, Jesse uncovers the corruption and secrets lurking beneath the surface of this seemingly quiet place.
From shady town leaders to hidden crimes, the story weaves through Jesse’s efforts to navigate both his own demons and the challenges of his new role.
“Pale Kings and Princes” by Robert B. Parker is part of the Spenser series. In this book, Spenser investigates the murder of a journalist in a small Massachusetts town. The case leads him into the dark underworld of cocaine distribution and local corruption.
The town has a tense atmosphere, with secrets lurking behind closed doors, and the way Spenser navigates the danger keeps the story moving.
The novel “The Wapshot Chronicle” by John Cheever follows the lives of the Wapshot family in a small Massachusetts town.
The story focuses on Leander Wapshot, an aging father trying to preserve his family’s legacy, and his two sons, Moses and Coverly, as they navigate love, work, and the expectations placed on them.
The book paints a vivid picture of life in a New England community, with moments of humor and heartfelt struggles.