Books with Literary Themes or Settings

Books set in the literary world are always popular with readers. I have gathered books in a variety of genres with the common theme of books: bookstore settings, ghostwriters, thriller writers, book clubs, and famous romance authors. I hope you enjoy checking these out!

Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady is a sweet spin on the classic movie You’ve Got Mail. (Photo: Cindy Burnett)

Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady (rom-com) – Rivalry and romance spark when two bookstore managers, Ryan and Josie, who are opposites in every way find themselves competing for the same promotion. This is a sweet spin on You’ve Got Mail, and I loved that the authors reversed the tropes, making Ryan the romance lover and Josie the more serious reader. The witty banter, bookstore setting, and romance author and novel references combine to create an entertaining (and spicy) rom-com. For fans of books with literary settings and references.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick (historical fiction) – Four dissatisfied '60s-era housewives form a book club that will hold fast amid the turmoil of a rapidly changing world and eventually alter the course of each of their lives. When they read The Feminine Mystique, the group finds themselves considering the status (or lack thereof) of women in the 1960s. In this engrossing tale, Bostwick demonstrates that books open up new worlds for people, start conversations, transport readers, and enable the power of human connection and friendship. For fans of books about books and stories about finding community. 

In The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark, Olivia Dumont has been engaged to write her estranged father's memoir. Her father, Vincent Taylor, is a successful horror author who many suspect murdered his siblings years before. (Photo: Cindy Burnett)

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark (thriller) – Only child Olivia Dumont has been engaged to write her estranged father's memoir. Vincent Taylor, her father, is a successful horror author who many suspect murdered his siblings years before even though he was cleared of the crime. Now, suffering memory loss and worried about the truth dying with him, he is ready to talk about what happened years ago. The story is relayed in alternating timelines and points of view, and the tension builds through numerous twists and turns and red herrings. For fans of clever thrillers with depth and originality, strong characters, and 1970s nostalgia.

Scandalous Women by Gill Paul (historical fiction) – Scandalous Women tells the story of Jackie Collins and Jacqueline Susann, two dynamic, groundbreaking writers renowned for their scandalous and controversial novels, and the fictionalized friendship they developed. I loved learning about the barriers these women shattered as well as how they both changed the world of publishing. For fans of behind-the scenes stories and books about publishing.

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry (historical fiction) – In 1927, Clara Harrington’s childhood shatters when her mother, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham, disappears off the coast of South Carolina. At age 12, Bronwyn stunned the world with a book written in an invented language that became a sensation. By 1952, Clara is raising her own daughter when a stranger contacts her from London claiming to have discovered a handwritten dictionary of her mother’s lost language. I reveled in all of the literature-related references as well as the mystery and Clara’s search to understand her family’s legacy. For fans of books about books.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan (historical fiction) – When the Blitz imperils the heart of a London neighborhood, three young women must use their fighting spirit to save the community’s beloved library in this novel based on true events. The story is a celebration of libraries, librarians, and books, and Ryan vividly depicts life underground and brings to life fascinating aspects of World War II that I had not been privy to before. For fans of books about books and how war impacts civilians.

The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker (thriller) – Denise Morrow, a popular true crime writer, is making headlines but for the wrong reasons. Her husband has been murdered, and the police consider her their prime suspect. Detectives Declan Shaw and Jarod Cordova are assigned to the case and are intent on solving it, but everything may not be as it seems. There are so many entertaining red herrings; every time I thought I had it figured out, something else happened, and I realized I was wrong. It is quite a fun ride. For fans of solid thrillers and those looking for a quick read.

For more book recommendations and bookish thoughts, see Cindy’s monthly Buzz Reads column, her award-winning Thoughts from a Page Podcast or follow @ThoughtsFromaPage on Instagram.