Our American tour stops next in Seattle, Washington, a notoriously rainy state in the Pacific Northwest. Tourists can enjoy the Space Needle, the Monorail, Pike Place Market, and other fun the city offers. Whether you’re a Seattle native or not, please enjoy these five books by authors residing in the great state of Washington. We hope you feel inspired to visit and cross it off your travel list.
My Sister’s Grave by Robert Dugoni
Tracy Crosswhite’s sister was murdered, but Tracy doesn’t think the man found guilty is the killer. She dedicates her life to the Seattle PD by becoming a homicide detective. Tracy’s sister Sarah’s remains are found near their hometown in Washington, and Tracy works to find the real killer. During her investigation, she uncovers deep secrets that will change her.
Robert Dugoni is a bestselling author of multiple different series and standalone novels. He’s won awards like the Nancy Pearl Book Award and the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He started his writing career at Stanford University, writing for Stanford Daily in Los Angeles. He then developed a 13-year career in law before moving to Seattle to write full-time with his wife.
Morning Glory by Sarah Jio
Set on Boat Street in Seattle’s Lake Union, Ada Santorini flees the East Coast to live on a houseboat. She’s looking to start over and discover new opportunities for herself when she finds a trunk belonging to Penny Wentworth. Penny was a young newlywed who lived on Ada’s new boat a half-century prior. Ada uncovers Penny’s story and wonders if Penny’s past will affect Ada’s future.
Sarah Jio is a bestselling author of 11 novels and has been a journalist for numerous magazines and papers. She was born in Seattle and still lives there with her three young boys.
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Enzo is more than just a dog. Between his almost human soul and educating himself through TV and his master, Denny Swift, Enzo learns much about navigating life. He understands that life isn’t a race, and as he nears death, Enzo looks back on his life. He considers the sacrifices Denny has made with his career, the loss of Denny’s wife, and the custody battle for Denny’s daughter with her maternal grandparents. Enzo does all he can to keep the Swift family together and hopes to help Denny with his dream of becoming a racing champion.
The Art of Racing in the Rain became a movie in 2019. It’s a sweet and uplifting story written by Garth Stein, who resides in Seattle with his family and dog, Comet. Garth is a bestselling author and cofounder of Seattle7Writers.org, a nonprofit of Northwest authors dedicated to fostering a passion for writing. They retired from their foundation in 2019 but still are connected by their love of writing.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Bernadette has an intense fear of being in situations where she can’t escape, so when her daughter, Bee, aces her report card and wants to go to Antarctica with the family, Bernadette leaves. She already has an allergy to Seattle and everyone around her, so the idea of traveling to Antarctica is just insane. Bee works on trying to find her mother by gathering emails, documents, and secret correspondence.
Maria Semple is a bestselling author who spent the early days of her childhood traveling Europe with her parents. She’s written for TV shows and movies and has lived in Colorado, Los Angeles, and, of course, Seattle. Her novel, Where’d You Go, Bernadette, was also turned into a movie in 2019 starring Cate Blanchett.
Until Proven Guilty by J.A. Jance
J.P. Beaumont is a homicide detective with the Seattle PD seeking revenge for a five-year-old girl’s murder. He becomes obsessed with making sure her killer pays for what he did, but he has to be careful. His demons could be dangerous and make him a prime target of twisted passion and a love that could kill.
J.A. Jance has written multiple books in different series and has dabbled in poetry. She grew up in South Dakota, was raised in Arizona, and went on to settle in Seattle with her husband. She always knew she wanted to become a writer and had to face many life obstacles to do it. We say the hard work paid off for the best-selling author.
We at Bookstr hope you enjoyed another installment of the American Tour. You can see more states we’ve showcased on our website, and if you don’t already, you might just see your state there one day!
Fly off to Alaska with these books by Alaskan authors!
Check out our American tour book picks on our bookshelf here.
