35 Books Set in Massachusetts

Let’s start our Massachusetts books with one of my absolute favorites. Sandwich is about a family vacationing on Cape Cod. Rocky is happy to have her young adult children under one roof, and through their vacation she contemplates menopause, a lost pregnancy of her past, and her aging parents (who also come to visit).

I love a family-on-vacation novel, and this is one of my all-time favorites. It’s quiet and thoughtful while also being funny and tender-hearted. For fans of family stories and literary fiction.

This novel set in Cambridge, Massachusetts follows aspiring author Casey Peabody, who has recently lost her mother and is currently waiting tables at a fancy restaurant while she tries to squeeze writing into the corners of her life and her grief. This was one my favorite books I read in 2020. Also — fun fact! I picked this up after Anne Bogel recommended it to me in Episode 222 of What Should I Read Next! It’s serious while also being warm-hearted, a balance that I find books sometimes struggle to find. But this one hit the mark! For fans of literary and contemporary fiction.

Another one of my favorite books, The Namesake follows the Ganguli family, who has recently immigrated to Cambridge from Calcutta. As they try to adapt to life in America, their son, Gogol, is also grappling with the meaning of his name and his connection to his family. This book is so perfectly quiet and while also being incredibly moving. And Lahiri’s writing is some of my favorite writing ever. For fans of literary fiction and immigrant stories.

In The Boston Girl, narrator Addie Baum is recalls her life growing up in Boston as a young Jewish girl. Born in 1900, her life is full of all the ups and down of young womanhood as well as a changing society, where she hopes to find her place. This one has been on my TBR (to-be-read) list for a long time, so I really need to move it up! For fans of historical fiction and coming-of-age stories.

Okay, here’s what you need to know about this book: field hockey, witches, 1980s nostalgia. I mean, that should be enough to persuade you, right? Set in Danvers, Massachusetts, the girls field hockey team is determined to make it to the finals, and they might use some witchy powers to do so. For fans of contemporary fiction and novels about strong girls and strong friendships and a little magic.

If you haven’t read Practical Magic, you’ve at least heard of it because this book is beloved! It centers around two sisters from the Owens family, a family who has always been blamed for everything bad that happens in town. Gillian and Sally do their best to escape this kind of existence, but they can’t leave for forever. A modern-day witch story, this for fans of contemporary novels.

Ann Patchett’s Run is set in Boston and takes place over the course of 24 hours in a snowstorm, where former mayor Bernard Doyle is determined to protect his children after an accident. Patchett’s themes of family and connection show up here, including how our family can include people we don’t even know. I LOVE Ann Patchett, but I haven’t gotten to this one yet. It’s on my TBR though! For fans of literary fiction.

This thriller set in Boston centers around three friends whose bond was broken by a childhood tragedy. Twenty-five years later, the daughter of one of these friends is murdered, and the three friends are thrown into tragedy together again. But they all have different perspectives on it. This is for fans of mysteries and thrillers (and I’m sure comes with a good amount of content warnings, so do your research).

This book set in Massachusetts tells the story of a family in the midst of change while the world is changing around them. The Levin family always spends summer at their grandmother’s house in Nantucket, but this summer finds them elsewhere —immersed in everything from Civil Rights to Vietnam — while the youngest daughter feels left behind. For fans of historical fiction and women’s fiction.

Samanatha Gale is a chef stuck on Martha’s Vineyard for the summer taking care of her half-brother, Tyler, who mostly spends time at the library. But Samantha has dyslexia, and has no desire to be surrounded by books. And then there’s Bennett, working at the library and trying to research his past and find his father’s identity. This is a romance, so you know what will happen. For fans of rom-coms and beach reads.

In 1662 Boston, Mary Deerfield is desperate to escape an abusive marriage. But women who are determined to find freedom are also viewed with suspicion in Puritan New England, because they must be a witch, right? This book is for fans of historical fiction and suspense.

Women in Nantucket in 1846 have an unusual freedom as men are often away at sea. And in this novel, three women leading very different lives have big decisions to make after a major fire downtown. For fans of historical fiction.

Books set in Massachusetts HAVE to include Little Women, of course. You probably know the story of this classic: four sisters (Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy) living in Concord, Massachusetts during the Civil War, growing up, finding love, becoming who they were meant to be, and always staying connected to their family. I love this book (although truthfully, the 1994 movie is truly where my heart is) and I definitely dream of going to Concord one day to see where this story took place. This is a beloved classic for good reason.

Really more of a novella, this classic from Edith Wharton tells the story of a man who, in the Massachusetts mid-winter, becomes obsessed with his uptight wife’s visiting cousin and the promise of a happier future. This book is VERY moody, which probably explains why I absolutely loved it in high school. For fans of classics and bleak stories.

You can’t have a list of books set in Massachusetts without including Henry David Thoreau’s classic work, Walden. Here he reflects on nature, solitude, and enlightenment after moving to his cabin on Walden Pond and living apart from society. And just like Little Women, the parts of this I’ve read of this make me dream of seeing Walden Pond in real life! For fans of philosophical essays.

In The Witches, Stacy Schiff dives deep in the Salem Witch Trials: their cause, the hysteria and mob mentality they created, and the way they shaped the future of Massachusetts and the country. She also poses theories about what actually happened at Salem. This would be perfect if you’re planning a trip to Salem! For fans of historical non-fiction.

In this memoir, Andrew Dubus tells the story of growing up in a poor Massachusetts mill town. It was filled with drugs and violence, but he also had an out: his dad was a college professor nearby. In his memoir, he examines the juxtaposition of those two very different settings in his life and how they led to his future. For fans of memoirs.

I didn’t realize until recently that The Perfect Storm actually takes place off the coast of Massachusetts. In this true account of this extraordinary storm in 1991, Junger examines the fishing industry, the science behind the storm, as well as the Massachusetts places impacted by the storm. For fans of narrative non-fiction.

If you want to dig into the real history of Native Americans and Pilgrims on the first Thanksgiving, then here’s the book for you. Silverman, a professor at George Washington University who focuses on Native American and Colonial American studies, examines the true history of that event, the tentative peace treaty that resulted, and perspective Native Americans hold of Thanksgiving. For fans of history and non-fiction.

Introduce children to the classic story of Little Women with this BabyLit book. It tells the story in an easy to understand way with friendly illustrations. Recommended ages: 3-5 years.

This beloved and classic children’s picture book is set in the Boston Public Gardens, where Mrs. Mallard is trying to find a safe place for her ducklings. But Boston traffic proves difficult to navigate, at least until a kind policeman steps in to help. I loved this book as a child and I still love it as an adult. I don’t think you can age out of this one. Recommended ages: 3-7 years.

Take a bus trip through Boston as the author warmly remembers her bus rides with her mom and sister. Some of the places in this book are no longer open, but it’s all about childhood memories after all. Recommended ages: 5-7 years.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem gets paired with dark and realistic illustrations as Paul Revere rides to warn revolutionaries of the British approach. I feel like this version is a classic…but maybe just because I’m pretty sure I remember these illustrations from my own school days! Recommended ages: 5-8 years.

Poor Clementine just can’t seem to stay out of trouble. Kids will love this mischievous protagonist’s big adventures and big feelings, and this is a great book for fans of Ramona. And while these aren’t exactly Massachusetts-centric, Clementine lives in Boston so there are some books in the series that include Massachusetts attractions (particularly Clementine and the Spring Trip). We’ve loved these books in our household, and when my daughter was in first grade, she read them over and over again. Recommended ages: 6-10 years.

A modern children’s classic, join the Penderwick sisters as they spend their summer adventuring around a Massachusetts estate, make a new friend, and try to stay out of trouble. My daughter and I read this one together out loud and absolutely loved it. It’s a cozy-feeling book that also deals with the very real concerns of kids. Recommended ages: 8-12 years.

If you want a kid to fall in love with history, I think the Dear America series is such a great place to turn to. They are fictional diaries of real events, and because they are written as first-hand accounts, they have an intensity and realism that will suck kids in. Here we have an account of the Salem Witch Trials from a girl who witnesses their unfolding and finds herself a little too close to the drama. Recommended ages: 9-12 years.

This Newbery-award winning book places fictional Johnny Tremain amongst the Founding Fathers in Boston. As he works as a messenger for the Sons of Liberty, he finds himself in the midst of key events during the Revolutionary War. Great for kids who love history. Recommended ages: 10-12 years.

Crow has lived her whole life on a tiny Massachusetts island, raised by the man who rescued her from a boat when she was an infant. But when something mysterious happens, she starts to uncover her true history. Recommended ages: 10-13 years.

This novel is set during both the Siege of Boston in 1776 and a smallpox epidemic. In the chaos of war, 13-year-old Elspeth’s father has gone missing. To survive, she finds work with a large family waiting their turn for a smallpox inoculation, while much of the public is also hesitant about the treatment. And of course, she also wants to find her father. Recommended ages: 10-14 years.

Even though Hannah lives in Salem, Massachusetts, the fact that she is a true witch is a secret. But when a dark magic seems to take over, she’s forced to team up with her ex-girlfriend and fellow witch, Veronica, to save her coven. And if you like this one, there’s a second book too. Recommended ages: 12 and up.

This YA book takes the Salem witch phenomenon and places it in a Massachusetts high school. Here, students are suddenly succumbing to tics and convulsions. And the events in Salem Village 300 years ago, along with where their school now sits, may be the key to understanding it all. Recommended ages: 12-17 years.

Liliana Cruz may go to a wealthy white school in a Massachusetts suburb, but that’s not who she is. She’s a first-generation American Latinx who is trying to figure out how to fit in with this new place. But when racial tensions intensify at her school and she discovers the truth about why her dad left again, she must decide if she will own who she is. Recommended ages: 14 and up.