Reading can take you anywhere – but sometimes, the place you most want to be is home. We asked Daniel Goldin, owner of Boswell Books, to recommend some local literature to help you scratch that itch. Here are seven Wisconsin-set novels that came out or are coming out in 2026 Goldin put on our radar.
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Hemlock by Melissa Faliveno
LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY | $29
Feel like going up north? Wisconsin native Melissa Faliveno’s debut novel Hemlock takes place in the Wisconsin Northwoods. Brooklyn-based protagonist Sam visits her family’s cabin in the woods, where her mother disappeared years prior. The mystery takes a dark turn as Sam struggles with a relapse into alcoholism and the lines of reality become blurred.
Monster in the Moonlight by Annelise Ryan
BERKLEY | $30
Annelise Ryan’s “Monster Hunter Mysteries” series follows Morgan Carter, a bookstore owner in Door County and cryptozoologist who investigates tales of strange creatures. Monster in the Moonlight is the fourth in the series and features the Beast of Bray Road, one of Wisconsin’s most popular urban legends. If you want to kick off the series from the beginning, the first volume is A Death in Door County.
It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica
PARK ROW | $30
Mary Kubica lives outside of Chicago, but her thriller It’s Not Her takes place in a small Wisconsin town where a family is staying in a lakeside cottage. That is, until tragedy strikes: protagonist Courtney Gray discovers her brother and sister-in-law dead while on vacation. If you’re looking for a suspenseful mystery complete with Wisconsin vibes, this is the book for you.
Two Bodies Are Better Than One by Erica Ruth Neubauer
THOMAS & MERCER | $17
Madison-based author Erica Ruth Neubauer’s cozy mystery takes place in Sheboygan Bay on Lake Michigan. Set in the ’80s, the novel follows advice columnist Lorraine Highsmith, who wakes up one day to find a dead body on her lawn. Follow Lorraine and Detective Micheala “Mike” Zenoni as they search for answers.
The Supper Club Saints by Claire Swinarski
AVON | $19
Swinarski sets this novel in familiar territory: a small, Wisconsin town — much like the tiny town outside of Milwaukee she lives in herself. The story begins with Cass Simon, a young mother, returning to her hometown after spending years in a cult-like “mommune” run by a popular influencer. Back at home with nowhere else to go, Cass navigates motherhood alongside her mother and sister.
Love You More by Emily Giffin
BALLANTINE BOOKS | $32
Billie, a New York transplant originally from Wisconsin, is newly engaged with a thriving medical practice in the big city. But her world is upended when she hears from her high-school sweetheart Mick, who has urgent news for her. She flies back out to Wisconsin for a visit that forces her to confront what she really wants in this contemporary romance.
The Doomscroller’s Companion by Wendy Wimmer
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN PRESS | $22
To the Fox Valley we go! Green Bay-based author Wendy Wimmer’s novel The Doomscroller’s Companion is set to come out Oct. 27. It follows Jane, an influencer with 1.7 million followers who, despite the impressive numbers, is broke and living in her aunt’s house in Green Bay. Jane’s only confidant is Brian, a potter who uses the internet as his main form of human connection. The arrival of a global pandemic transforms both of their lives, forcing them out of their online personas.
