Books written by authors from Greenville, SC

What’s better than a good book? A good book written by your neighbor. Brew up a batch of your favorite cup of Cosmic Rabbits tea or Methodical Coffee and get ready to meet your next read, because we’re talking about locally written books in Greenville.

Fiction

• “Bastard Out of Carolina” by Dorothy Allison | Release date: Feb. 1, 2012 | Set in Greenville, this novel follows the Boatwrights — a tight knit and rough-hewn family.
• “The Answer to Your Question” by Paulette Alden | Release date: Jan. 10, 2013 | An engrossing thriller about a librarian whose son is accused of murder.
• “Ember'' by Brock Adams | Release date: Sept. 5, 2017 | The 2016 winner of the South Carolina First Novel Prize about a desperate attempt to reignite a failing star.
• “She-Rain: A Story of Hope” by Michael Cogdill | Release date: March 31, 2010 | A novel set in the early 20th Century about two North Carolina mountain children overcoming violence and poverty through love.
• “Topanga Canyon” by Elizabeth Sumner Wafler | Release date: April 18, 2022 | This women’s fiction + multi-generational story tells the story of a candy empire heiress, her estranged daughter, and the strength of a mother-daughter bond.

For the family

• “Cornbread & Poppy” by Matthew Cordell | Release date: Jan. 4, 2022 | An illustrated children’s book from a Greenville native about two mice who remain best friends despite their differences.
• “Wolf in the Snow” by Matthew Cordell | Release date: Jan. 3, 2017 | A picture book about friendship — and the winner of the 2018 Caldecott Medal.
• “Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe” by Jo Watson Hackl | Release date: July 30, 2019 | A young adult adventure novel full of wilderness and mystery.
• “Harley: Like a Person” by Cat Bauer | Release date: July 1, 2000 | This YA novel is about a 14-year-old girl’s search for her father in New York City.

Learn something new

• “Retail Inequality: Reframing the Food Desert Debate” by Kenneth H. Kolb | Release date: Dec. 14, 2021 | A non-fiction examination of the recent attempts to increase Americans’ access to healthy food. Based on research from Furman professor Kenneth H. Kolb, this book documents two predominantly Black neighborhoods in Greenville.
• “Reimagining Greenville: Building the Best Downtown in America” by John Boyanoski + Knox White | The story of the careful, deliberate effort by city and community to build Greenville’s downtown.
• “Lost Restaurants of Greenville” by John M. Nolan | Release date: April 13, 2020 | A nostalgic look at bygone Greenville restaurants featuring a foreword by Mayor Knox White.

Part of a series

• “Decorum” by Jonathan Hickman | Release date: May 3, 2022 | A gritty illustrated miniseries from comic book writer and South Carolina native, Jonathan Hickman (best known for his work with Marvel) about a well-mannered assassin.
• “Lowcountry Boil” by Susan M. Boyer | Release date: Sept. 18, 2012 | Follow private investigator Liz Talbot through this mystery series as she blesses hearts and takes names.
• “Cruel River” by Steven Tingle | Release date: June 7, 2022 | A thriller about a failed police officer trying to flee his past. Fans of the Graveyard Fields series must check out this gripping second installation.
• “On the Scent” by Angela Campbell | Release date: July 25, 2013 | A funny, romantic pet detective series written by a former Greenville News reporter.
• “Flabbergasted” by Ray Blackston | Release date: May 1, 2010 | A summery series full of quirky characters. Follow the main character, a stockbroker, through his adventures in Greenville and Australia.

Personal stories

• “Things That Crash, Things That Fly” by Scott Gould | Release date: March 9, 2021 | A memoir about growing older, lost love, and father-daughter relationships.
• “Crossing the Line: A Memoir of Race, Religion, and Change” by Richard Abercrombie | Release date: Feb. 11, 2020 | The true story of a rebellious teenager from a multi-racial background, and how he transformed his own character in 1960s Greenville.
• “The Weight of Mercy: A Novice Pastor on the City Streets” by Deb Richardson-Moore | Release date: Sept. 1, 2012 | A frank account about the complications and difficulties surrounding the author’s first years as a pastor at the Triune Mercy Center.

Need more recommendations? Stop by Fiction Addiction, M. Judson Booksellers, or As the Page Turns to get expert advice from Greenville’s local booksellers.