Every year, authors pump out a library's worth of incredible new books. But only some of them boast a uniquely Philly flavor.
Find the perfect new novel for the Philadelphia bookworm on your holiday shopping list with one of these titles from local writers. Whether your loved one likes cooking, gardening or murder (mystery), the city's literary scene has them covered. All of these books debuted in 2024, so hopefully they haven't blazed through the entire stack yet.
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Housemates
Emma Copley Eisenberg's "Housemates" is a treat for anyone who loves photography, romance and the world of queer West Philly group homes. It's honest, funny and unpacks the question of whether art can be separated from the artist. Eagle eyes can also spot cloaked mentions of landmarks like Green Line Cafe. Buy it here.Come and Get It
Kiley Reid’s debut novel “Such a Fun Age” satirized white liberal guilt in the City of Brotherly Love. The former Fishtown resident’s latest, “Come and Get It,” changes scenery, but it’s no less biting. The story focuses on three characters at the University of Arkansas, all reeling from a personal disaster or hurtling toward a new one. Deliciously petty and surprisingly gutting, the book is largely focused on young people’s relationship with money — and their obsession with how their peers are spending it, no matter how politely they protest. Buy it here.
Kalaya's Southern Thai Kitchen
This is a great pick for the home cook in your life — or the person who looks for any excuse to stop by the popular Fishtown restaurant of the same name. Chef Nok Suntaranon shares recipes she loves to make in her own Queen Village kitchen, from staples like her mother's curry paste to more complicated dishes such as her tom yum soup. Buy it here.
Desperately Seeking Something
Susan Seidelman directed “Desperately Seeking Susan,” “She-Devil” and “Smithereens” at a time when very few women were helming major movies. But before that, she was just a wild child of Philadelphia, sneaking out of school to dance at Jerry Blavat parties. The filmmaker recounts it all in her memoir, which also touches on her pivotal role in the HBO hit “Sex and the City.” Buy it here.
The God of the Woods
While Liz Moore's last book dove into the city's opioid crisis, "The God of the Woods" is set at a 1970s summer camp in the Adirondacks. Part murder mystery, part social class commentary, it's a gripping page-turner, deliciously immersive and feels as cozy as a ghost story told around a campfire. Buy it here.
Women of Good Fortune
You’ve heard of bank heists, art heists and casino heists…but what about wedding heists? In “Women of Good Fortune,” a Shanghai bride schemes to rip off her own nuptials with her two best friends. The book is the first novel by Penn student Sophie Wan. Buy it here.
Private Gardens of Philadelphia
As your resident green-thumbed loved one tucks their plants in for the winter, this 2024 release is a great way to tide them over until spring. Find local lore on the historical significance of Philly gardening and dreamy landscapes in this book that sits perfectly atop a coffee table for holiday guests. Buy it here.
I Am Maroon
Russell Shoatz escaped Pennsylvania prisons not once but twice, leading law enforcement on an almost monthlong manhunt. His remarkable life — nearly 50 years of which was spent behind bars — is captured in “I Am Maroon,” a posthumous memoir co-authored with Kanya D'Almeida. The pair delve into the Black liberation movement in Philadelphia in the ‘60s and ‘70s, chronicling Shoatz’s time organizing and collaborating with the Black Panthers, and his experiences in the carceral system. Buy it here.
The Sicilian Inheritance
Combine equal parts historical fiction and whodunit with a dash of post-divorce travel romp and you have “The Sicilian Inheritance.” The novel was loosely inspired by a murder in author Jo Piazza’s own family, which she investigated for a podcast series. The fictionalized version follows recently single mom Sera on a journey to Italy to claim a family property and figure out what happened to her grandmother when the rest of the family moved to America. Buy it here.
You Didn't Hear This from Me
So, technically, this is a preorder, but your friend who always has tea to spill would be grateful for this one nonetheless. "Normal Gossip" host Kelsey McKinney's essay collection covers the social role of gossip, from parasocial relationships to AI to whether the "Epic of Gilgamesh," a 4,000-year-old poem, might have started as a rumor. Buy it here.
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