Esther Forbes’s Johnny Tremain is a coming‑of‑age historical novel set in the charged atmosphere of pre‑Revolutionary Boston. It follows the transformation of a proud, talented young apprentice silversmith into a committed participant in the struggle for American independence. Through Johnny’s personal trials and encounters with key historical events, Forbes blends fiction and history to illuminate […]
Kathleen Kent’s The Heretic’s Daughter is an interesting take on the Salem witch trials. It is told through the eyes of a young girl caught in the storm of fear, suspicion, and betrayal that unfolded during that time period, which lasted from February 1692 through May 1693 in colonial Massachusetts. Written in 2008, the novel
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Set in - 1600s Set in Massachusettts
Carolyn Chute’s The Beans of Egypt, Maine (1985) is a raw, unflinching portrait of rural poverty. Set between 1960 and the early seventies, it follows the notorious Bean family—Reuben, Roberta, and Beal—as they struggle with violence, hunger, and societal disdain. Seen through the eyes of their neighbor Earlene Pomerleau, the story highlights Earlene’s strict, pious upbringing
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Classic Set in Maine Set in the 1960s
Ariel Lawhon’s The Frozen River is an intense and eye-opening piece of historical fiction set in the brutal winter of 1789, in the town of Hallowell, Maine. It’s a suspenseful mystery based on the real-life diary of Martha Ballard—a well-known and respected midwife, healer, and self-appointed community investigator. We appreciate novels that are meticulously researched
This multi-century novel by Daniel Mason is a sweeping story that chronicle the history of a single location in the forests of Western Massachusetts from the 17th century to the present day. Rather than focusing on a single family, the narrative follows a “yellow house” as it acts as a silent witness to a succession
Unlike our other entries, this 2025 novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid in not set in New England. But I recently read it, and wanted to mention it. It’s an emotionally resonant, high-stakes drama set against the backdrop of NASA’s space shuttle program in the early 1980s. The novel delves into the lives of the first
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 novel is a classic New England Gothic romance, exploring inherited guilt, retribution, and atonement. The story centers around the aristocratic Pyncheon family in Salem, and a dark mansion built by Colonel Pyncheon on land stolen from an accused wizard Matthew Maule. It carries a generational curse: “God will give him blood to
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Classic Set in - 1800s
This one is a true classic. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 work, The Scarlet Letter, is considered by many to be a masterpiece of its time. The book remains a popular assignment in high school and college, and is a cornerstone of American literature, providing a haunting look into the heart of 17th-century Puritan Boston. Often cited
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Classic Set in - 1600s
The Winthrop Woman was quite a popular book when it appeared in 1958, but it’s one of those books that is forgotten by many, except for some die-hard fans. It’s worth a look because it’s a meticulously researched historical novel detailing the life of Elizabeth Fones, a startlingly independent woman defying the rigid, dogmatic Puritan
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Classic Set in - 1600s