New Jersey might be known for its highways and diners, but it’s also the backdrop for some truly fantastic stories. From city streets to suburban towns and even the mysterious Pine Barrens, authors have found endless inspiration here.
If you love stories that feel rooted in a real place, check out these novels set right in New Jersey.
Meet Stephanie Plum from Trenton. She used to buy lingerie, but now she’s a bounty hunter. Money is tight, so Stephanie takes a job to find Joe Morelli. He’s a cop accused of murder, and they share some history.
Stephanie finds herself in dangerous spots with unique characters around her hometown. There’s suspense and definite humor here.
Stephanie Plum is back as a bounty hunter. She needs to catch a car thief, but she also gets involved with a dangerous gang after she witnesses a robbery. The gang targets her, so she must turn to the mysterious Ranger for help.
Her relationship with Joe Morelli also gets more complicated. Expect plenty of chaotic situations and laughs in Trenton.
This book introduces Seymour “Swede” Levov. He’s a successful New Jersey businessman who seems to have a perfect life. That life starts to fall apart when his daughter, Merry, gets involved in radical politics during the 1960s.
She commits an act of violence that changes everything. The story follows Swede as he tries to understand how his idyllic world shattered. It examines family, identity, and the American Dream.
This story centers on young adults in a working-class New Jersey town. They wander through life, deal with complicated friendships, and face family troubles. The characters try to find purpose in a place that feels stuck.
You’ll find moments of humor mixed with heartbreak as they navigate their surroundings.
Neil Klugman comes from a working-class Jewish family in Newark. This novella describes his summer romance with Brenda Patimkin, who lives in a wealthy suburb. Their different backgrounds create tension.
The story shows family dynamics, social status issues, and personal goals in 1950s New Jersey. You get a clear picture of that time and place through the characters.
A group of goth kids and their friends plan a weekend festival trip deep into the Pine Barrens. Their fun getaway turns strange fast. They meet odd townsfolk, encounter weird creatures, and maybe even run into the legendary Jersey Devil.
The book mixes dark humor with unusual characters as the group confronts supernatural events and personal issues.
Sports agent Myron Bolitar works in New Jersey. His world gets complicated when a client’s ex-girlfriend, long thought dead, shows up. Myron must sort through secrets and scandals tied to the people in his life. The story involves sports, crime, and quick dialogue.
Margaret is a sixth grader who just moved to a New Jersey suburb. She has to make new friends, figure out crushes, and think about big questions concerning religion and growing up. Readers see her worries and hopes through her private conversations with God.
Arthur needs a turkey for Thanksgiving but cannot find one anywhere. He ends up with Henrietta, a chicken that weighs 266 pounds. Henrietta then wanders around Hoboken. Her presence confuses and alarms the residents.
The book features many unusual characters and funny situations.
Set in 1950s Elizabeth, New Jersey, this story unfolds during a time when three real-life plane crashes occurred near the town. Fifteen-year-old Miri Ammerman and others in the community cope with love, loss, and fear.
The book shows how these disasters affect their personal lives and the town’s collective anxiety.
This novel examines the lives of Strike Dunham, a small-time drug dealer, and Rocco Klein, a homicide detective, in the fictional city of Dempsey, New Jersey. A murder investigation connects their paths. Strike wants a different life but feels tied to the streets.
Rocco questions his own methods. The book provides a detailed look at the urban setting and the residents’ challenges.
Frank Bascombe returns in this book. He’s now a real estate agent in Haddam, New Jersey. Over a Fourth of July weekend, Frank tries to bond with his troubled teenage son. He also confronts his own past disappointments and current relationships.
The story offers a picture of suburban existence and personal reflection.
Here we first meet Frank Bascombe. He once had dreams of writing novels but now works as a sportswriter in suburban New Jersey. The story follows Frank as he deals with loss, particularly the death of his son, and navigates relationships with his ex-wife and girlfriend.
His interactions reveal his loneliness and search for meaning.
Archie Ferguson is born in Newark, New Jersey. This novel presents four separate versions of his life story. Each path contains different events, relationships, and obstacles that shape Archie. Readers see how small changes or random chances can alter a life completely.
The book includes many references to mid-20th century American history and culture.
Set in 1960s New Jersey, this story focuses on a family with two sons. Denny, the older son, has autism. His younger brother narrates the book. He tries to make sense of Denny’s condition and the effect it has on their family life.
The book shows the household tensions and the difficulties of growing up in that situation.
It’s the summer of 1934 in Atlantic City. The Adler family faces a tragedy when Florence drowns while training to swim the English Channel. They decide to hide this terrible news from Florence’s older sister, Fannie, who is on hospital bed rest with a high-risk pregnancy.
This secret creates tension and brings old conflicts to light within the family.
Ray Mitchell used to write for television. He comes back to his hometown, the fictional Dempsey, New Jersey, hoping to do some good. Someone brutally attacks him. The story looks into who attacked Ray and why.
It also explores Ray’s past choices, old friendships, and family connections in a complex suburban environment.