St. Louis, Missouri, has been the backdrop for numerous novels that capture the essence of this iconic American city.
Below are some notable novels that bring to life the character and spirit of St. Louis.
Jonathan Franzen’s debut novel, “The Twenty-Seventh City,” is a compelling exploration of political conspiracy and cultural commentary, all set against the backdrop of St. Louis.
The story revolves around the city’s sudden rise on the political map when it acquires a new police chief from India, S. Jammu.
As Jammu’s influence expands, the city is engrossed in a web of intrigue and power struggles that reflect the socio-political landscape of the 1980s.
Through his portrayal of St. Louis, Franzen offers readers a mirror to the complex transformations of American cities.
Ntozake Shange’s “Betsey Brown” is a poignant narrative that provides a lens through which to understand African American life in St. Louis during the civil rights era.
The novel follows the life of a young black girl, Betsey, navigating the complexities of adolescence, racial identity, and familial bonds.
Shange’s use of St. Louis as the novel’s setting is integral in illustrating the social changes and the defiance of racial boundaries occurring during this turbulent period in history.
Laurell K. Hamilton’s “Narcissus in Chains” is the tenth installment in her popular Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series.
Set in a supernatural version of St. Louis, the novel combines horror, fantasy, and romance to create a thrilling narrative.
As the protagonist, Anita Blake must navigate a world where vampires, shapeshifters, and humans coexist in a fragile balance.
St. Louis, portrayed as a hub of supernatural activity, serves to heighten the novel’s sense of mystery and otherworldliness.
Continuing St. Louis’s connection with the supernatural, “Danse Macabre” is another entry in the Anita Blake series that delves into the eerie and fantastical.
In this novel, the city’s supernatural community is in pandemonium, with the specter of a vampiric virus looming over everyone.
Hamilton’s St. Louis remains the central location where Anita Blake must contend with the pressures of her life as a legal vampire executioner, wereleopard leader, and supernatural consultant.
With “Red Dragon,” Thomas Harris treats readers to a high-stakes thriller featuring the infamous psychopath Hannibal Lecter.
Although not entirely set in St. Louis, pivotal scenes unfold within the city as investigator Will Graham hunts for a serial killer named the Tooth Fairy.
The streets of St. Louis act as a twisted maze where Graham seeks clues to prevent the next murder, showcasing the city’s darker underbelly.
In writing “The Crisis,” American novelist Winston Churchill, not to be confused with the British Prime Minister of the same name, constructs a historical narrative set in St. Louis during the American Civil War.
The novel captures the divided loyalties within the city, with families and communities torn asunder by conflicting allegiances to the Union and the Confederacy.
St. Louis’s strategic importance is highlighted as characters face the tumultuous challenges of love and war.
Glen Cook’s “A Matter of Time” is a science fiction tale with St. Louis at its core.
The story follows an investigator traveling through time to solve a mystery that stretches from the past into the future.
The city is more than a setting; it becomes a character that evolves and shifts through the centuries, allowing readers to experience the changing face of St. Louis as they follow the twisting narrative.