Read Your Way Through Massachusetts: 7 Books to Get You in a New England Fall Mood
Get ready to add these to your to-be-read pile!
There’s just something different about fall in Massachusetts. The air gets crisp, the leaves turn brilliant shades of red and gold, and everything suddenly feels cozier (maybe even a little spookier!). It’s the perfect time to grab a warm drink, your favorite blanket, and a good book. If you’re looking for a book that captures that specific New England fall vibe, then keep on reading. I’ve rounded up a list of must-read books, from witchy tales to dark mysteries, all set in the Bay State. Get ready to add these to your to-be-read pile!
P.S. Before you click “add to cart,” consider stopping by your local independent bookstore to see if they have any of these titles in stock or can order them for you! There’s nothing quite like browsing the shelves and supporting your local bookstore.
7) The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
Setting: Cambridge & Marblehead
If you love your fall reads packed with history and mystery, this is for you. When a Harvard graduate student starts handling an old estate, she finds a tiny, 300-year-old bible containing a single, cryptic name. This clue sends her plunging into the dark, hidden history of the Salem witch trials. It’s a perfect blend of modern-day thriller and chilling historical fiction, ideal for a gloomy November night.
6) Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
Setting: A fictional small town in Massachusetts
This one is the quintessential “cozy witch” story! The novel follows the magical Owens sisters, who are outsiders in their small, charming-but-suspicious town. It’s all about sisterhood, small-town secrets, forbidden love, and that unmistakable autumn magic. A must-read for Hocus Pocus and Gilmore Girls fans.
5) Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich
Setting: Salem
Looking for something lighter and more fun? This one might be perfect. A woman moves to Salem to work as a baker and quickly discovers she has magic powers... and a new job: finding ancient relics tied to the seven deadly sins. It’s a fast, funny, and sweet paranormal romance that’s pure escapism.
4) Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca O’Donoghue
Setting: Cambridge
The title says it all. This book is a chilling, atmospheric mystery that perfectly captures the gothic, ivy-covered vibe of Harvard in the fall. A freshman arrives on campus hoping to understand the death of her brother, a former student, only to find that she can hear the ghosts of Harvard’s past. It’s spooky, smart, and a total page-turner.
3) Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Setting: A fictional island in Boston Harbor
Storms, a creepy isolated island, a hospital for the criminally insane... sound like fall to you? This psychological thriller has an unmatched atmosphere of gothic dread that is perfect for a dark and stormy night. You may have seen the movie, but the book is even more intense and claustrophobic.
2) Mystic River by Dennis Lehane
Setting: Boston
This book tells the dark story of three childhood friends reunited by a new tragedy, exploring the old secrets and traumas that never really leave. It’s the perfect read for a cold, gray, and rainy afternoon.
1) The Orchard Mystery Series by Sheila Connolly
Setting: A fictional small town
This long-running series is your go-to for a light, fun mystery. It follows a Boston-transplant who moves to a small town to save her family’s struggling apple orchard, only to get tangled up in local crimes. It’s the perfect, low-stakes companion for a cup of hot apple cider.