Books written by Asheville authors

What’s better than a good book? A good book written by your neighbor. Brew up a batch of your favorite cup of tea or coffee and get ready to meet your next read, because we’re talking about a few books written by Ashevillians and WNC residents.

Fiction

• “Thrill Ride” by Amy Ratcliffe | Release date: March 25, 2025 | After writing several Star Wars and Marvel books, the author is set to release her first adult rom-com at the end of this month, set in a small-town theme park. She knows a thing or two about theme parks after covering them as a reporter for almost 10 years.
• “The Red Grove” by Tessa Fontaine | Release date: May 14, 2024 | This engrossing novel chronicles Luce’s fight to find her missing mother — and along the way, she finds that the magical, protected area of the red grove is perhaps not what it seems.
• “The Caretaker” by Ron Rash | Release date: Sept. 26, 2023 | The NC Literary Hall of Famer’s most recent novel is set in Blowing Rock during the Korean War, telling a tale of passion and deceit.
• “Those We Thought We Knew” by David Joy | Release date: Aug. 2023 | The Jackson County author’s most recent novel won the 2023 Thomas Wolfe Literary Award (and garnered all sorts of national praise) for its storytelling of how crimes and racial tensions rock a NC mountain town.
• “Death’s Pale Flag” by Gary Simonds | Release date: June 27, 2023 | Look behind the curtain of modern neurosurgery and dive into the paranormal in this psychological thriller that follows a brain surgeon and unlikely war hero as he starts to see apparitions.
• “Other Birds” by Sarah Allen Addison | Release date: Aug. 30, 2022 | Secretive neighbors, unresolved longings, unwritten stories — Zoey gets more than she bargained for when she claims her deceased mother’s apartment on a tiny South Carolina island. Plus, you can see the author talk about the book in the “Books Across America” documentary.
• “The Puppeteer’s Daughters” by Heather Newton | Release date: July 26, 2022 | This humorous and heartwarming story explores family dynamics via a puppeteer father and the complex legacy he hopes to leave for his daughters.
• “When Ghosts Come Home” by Wiley Cash | Release date: Sept. 2, 2021 | The crime thriller bubbles with suspense as a plane crash and murder investigation send the coastal NC town into a frenzy of distrust. The novel even inspired Cash’s friends, Steep Canyon Rangers, to pen “Recommend Me” on their recent album, “Morning Shift.”
• “Even As We Breathe” by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle | Release date: Sept. 8, 2020 | The first novel ever published by an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, this World War II-era story centers on a young Cherokee man who navigates new life roles and raises broader questions about identity, culture, and history.
• “Old Lovegood Girls” by Gail Godwin | Release date: May 5, 2020 | Immerse yourself in a friendship that spans decades and defines the two women who carry it — through loss, secrets, and an ever-changing world.
• “Appalachian Book of the Dead” by Dale Neal | Release date: Sept. 3, 2019 | This tale of Southern Gothic persuasion follows a couple as they deal with the lingering presence of a macabre killer after he vanishes in the North Carolina forest.
• “Where All Light Tends to Go” by David Joy | Release date: Mar. 3, 2015 | Joy’s first book, a dark tale of a young man seeking redemption, was an Edgar Award finalist for best first novel. It’s also the basis of an upcoming American crime thriller film starring Billy Bob Thornton and Robin Wright.

For the family

• “Of Words and Water: The Story of Wilma Dykeman” by Shannon Hitchcock | Release date: April 16, 2024 | This picture book tells the story of the environmentalist’s work protecting the French Broad, complete with beautiful illustrations from Sophie Page.
• “Four Months Past Florence” by Emily Paige Wilson | Release date: May 30, 2023 | This heartwarming but gripping young adult novel follows aspiring journalist and high schooler Millie Willard as Hurricane Florence brews off the coast of South Carolina.
• “Carolina Haints: Ghosts, Folklore, and Mysteries of the Old North State” by Dan Sellers and Jeffrey Cochran | Release date: Oct. 26, 2021 | This book explores the Tar Heel State’s legends and lore using storytelling and fun personal narratives.
• “Santa Claus Worldwide: A History of St. Nicholas and Other Holiday Gift-Bringers” by Tom Jerman | Release date: May 11, 2020 | This fascinating and comprehensive history of Jolly Old St. Nick showcases the iconic character’s diversity and evolution.
• “What I Came to Tell You” by Tommy Hays | Release date: Sept. 24, 2013 | This young adult work of fiction about a grieving family is as satisfying for adults as it is for younger readers.

Learn something new

• “George Masa: A Life Reimagined” by Paul Bonesteel and Janet McCue | Release date: Sept. 10, 2024 | The book is the first comprehensive biography about the photographer’s life, his work documenting the land, and his role in the conservation of the Appalachian mountains.
• “Biltmore Industries & Tryon Toy-Makers” by Bruce E. Johnson | Release date: July 22, 2023 | After a decade of research, Johnson shares the biographies of Eleanor P. Vance and Charlotte L. Yale, who operated a woodworking and weaving business for the Vanderbilts before starting their own company — inside, you’ll find never-before-published information + photographs.
• “The Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton” by Ann B. Ross | Release date: Apr. 2, 2021 | While author and documentary filmmaker Hutcheson is based in Raleigh, we’re including him for this extensive portrait of the legendary Haywood County moonshiner that features photos, essays + interviews. Bonus: There’s a foreword from Jackson County-based author David Joy.
• “Discovering the Appalachian Trail: A Guide to the Trail’s Greatest Hikes” by Joshua Niven and Amber Adams Niven | Release date: June 1, 2022 | Featuring stunning original photos, the essays in this work detail the healing nature of hiking the iconic trail.
• “The Power of Scenery: Frederick Law Olmsted and the Origin of National Parks” by Dennis Drabelle | Release date: Nov. 1, 2021 | This lavish tome tells the fascinating story of how the national park movement began and spread around the world.

Part of a series

• “Miss Julia Happily Ever After” by Ann B. Ross | Release date: Apr. 6, 2021 | The 25th and final installment of this best-selling series sees the beloved protagonist navigating all manner of struggles related to her long-awaited wedding.
• “All Together Now” by Hope Larson | Release date: Aug. 4, 2020 | This sequel to her 2018 book “All Summer Long”, explores the struggles two best friends experience growing up.
• “Serafina and the Black Cloak” by Robert Beatty | Release date: June 14, 2016 | The first book in the Serafina series introduces Serafina, a child secretly living in the Biltmore’s basement.

Personal stories

• “Carolina Mountain Club: One Hundred Years” by Danny Bernstein | Release date: Apr. 1, 2023 | Stories of hiking, trail maintenance, and land protection come to life through the voices of the Club’s members.
• “Family of Earth: A Southern Mountain Childhood” by Wilma Dykeman | Release date: Sept. 6, 2016 | The famed environmentalist’s memoir chronicles her life against the backdrop of early twentieth-century Asheville.
• “Writing Appalachia: One Year of Essays” by Joshua Wilkey | Release date: Apr. 16, 2018 | Penned by Brevard College history instructor and WNC resident, Wilkey’s book delves into Appalachian stereotypes of poverty via a scholarly and personal lens.
• “Growing Up In Asheville, North Carolina: How Music and Art Spurred a Renaissance in a Sleepy Southern Town” by Dan Lewis | Release date: Dec. 16, 2021 | A celebration of Asheville of yore alongside coming-of-age stories and humorous misadventures.

Need more recommendations? Stop by spots like Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe, Firestorm Books, and Downtown Books & News to get expert advice from Asheville’s local booksellers.