Books Set in Maine
Kirsten first went to Maine a few years ago and is completely hooked, which is no surprise to our friend Cassie who has always loved Maine. I did not want to be left out of the love, so I knew I needed to take a literary trip and make a list of my favorite books set in Maine.
Some of our favorite books are set in Maine. With the start of beach season upon us, I wanted to make a list of books to let you feel like you are away until you can get there!!! If you are looking for more books to help you get away, check out the Best Beach Reads 2025.
The Best Books Set in Maine
Each colorful block below represents the best book set in Maine in a subgenre. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.
Best Contemporary Fiction Book Set in Maine
Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein- Jump to Review
Best Historical Fiction Book Set in Maine
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon- Jump to Review
Best Thriller Book Set in Maine
The Only One Left by Riley Sager – Jump to Review
Best Romance Book Set in Maine
Happy Place by Emily Henry- Jump to Review
Best Fantasy and Sci-Fi Book Set in Maine
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer- Jump to Review
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Contemporary Fiction Books Set in Maine
Maine Characters
Author: Hannah Orenstein
Year: 2025
Genre: Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
I love Hannah Orenstein, but I was immediately drawn to the description as “the Parent Trap for adults. And I happen to know a few people…(Kirsten and Cassie) who love Maine.
Vivian heads to her lake house in Maine to spread her father’s ashes and finds Lucy in the cabin. She realizes Lucy is her half-sister, whom her father had hidden from her for her entire life, despite the inkling that her father had a secret.
Now the two women are in the lake house. Lucy’s marriage has fallen apart, and she needs to stay in the cabin. She has wonderful memories of being there with her father every July and wants to keep the cabin. Vivian wants to sell it for the money to start a new business with her boyfriend, who happens to be married. This book is like a modern-day parent trap, but the stakes are a little higher. Can these two get over the past to have a future together as a family?
Why Jackie loves it
This book is the perfect pick for the summer. The characters grow and change, and the small romance within the pages adds just the right touch. #gifted by PRH Audio
Find this book in: Books about Sisters / Lake Books / Books Set in Maine
The Cliffs
Author: J. Courtney Sullivan
Year: 2024
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: July 2024 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Be transported to the coasts of Maine with this thought-provoking story of heritage and family lore. Reese’s most recent book club pick is a thought-provoking look at the cycles often repeated in families. When a disastrous night leads to Jane losing her husband and her job, she retreats to the only home she’s ever known – a small town in Maine.
There, she decides to clean out her recently deceased mother’s home while trying to figure out her next steps. When a new arrival asks her to research the history of a home she recently renovated, Jane goes digging into the lore of the house. Along the way, she finds out things about her family that tilts her world on its axis.
Trigger Warnings
Alcoholism, Colonisation, Racism, Death of a Child
Why Kirsten loves it
Halfway through the story, I switched to the audiobook which was wonderful as well. Between every few Jane chapters, other supporting characters get one chapter to give their perspective – and each is narrated by someone different.
I was fascinated by the history of the made-up town and I appreciated learning more about the original inhabitants, the indigenous people, and how they were treated and subsequently erased from the history of the area. Well researched, the story drew me in and held me until the end despite how much I wanted to throttle Jane at times. #gifted by Knopf
Find this book in: Books Set at the Beach / Reese Witherspoon 2024 / Books Set in Maine
Historical Fiction Books Set in Maine
The Frozen River
Author: Ariel Lawhon
Year: 2023
Genre: Mystery
More info: December 2023 Good Morning America Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
I was so excited to read this pick from the 2023 book releases and let me tell you that I was not disappointed!
This historical mystery is inspired by the diary of Martha Ballard, an 18th-century midwife, who never lost a single mother in over 1000 deliveries.
When a man found entombed in ice, also happens to be the same man accused of a horrible attack, Martha tries to seek justice for the women that nobody else wants to protect. This is a time when man’s word was the law.
Trigger Warnings
Rape, sexual assault
Why Jackie loves it
This book is brilliantly written and so well-researched that I could not put it down. The book starts slower as the characters develop, I was fascinated to read about Martha and how she became the educated woman that she was in a time when this was not the norm.
Find this book in: Best Books of 2023 / Best Winter Books / Best Books for Book Clubs / Best Celebrity Book Club Picks / Books Set in Maine
Etiquette for Lovers and Killers
Author: Anna Fitzgerald Healy
Year: 2025
Genre: Historical Mystery
More info: A Beyond the Bookends Most Anticipated July 2025 Book Release
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range:16+
Plot
This novel is a historical fiction set in the 60s, a cozy mystery, and a romance all tied up into one book! And it’s set in Maine as well. Billie McCadie lives with her grandparents and lives vicariously through the characters in the books she gets from the library. She loves epic love stories and mysteries. She is confused when she receives a letter addressed to Gertrude asking for her hand in marriage with a diamond ring. She is even more surprised when Gertrude is found dead and Billie is one of the last to see her alive.
Now her boring life becomes much more interesting, especially when she must take it upon herself to find the murderer. Everyone is hiding secrets, bodies are piling, and Billie is receiving concerning phone calls. Is she safe? Is she a suspect?
Why Jackie loves it
These characters are so much fun. They are unique and surprising, which makes this an easy read. I loved the glimpse into the 60s with the yachts and parties and the mystery was well-plotted. I had no idea who murdered Gertrude. #gifted from Putnam
Find this book in: Best Beach Reads 2025 / Books Set in Maine / Cozy Mystery Books / Books Set in the 1960s / RomCozy Books
Haven Point
Author: Virginia Hume
Year: 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This book is about four generations of the Demarest family. It focuses on the great-grandmother, grandmother (Maren, 1944), mother (Annie, 1970, and daughter (Skye, 2008) as they spend their summers in the waspy coastal town. Secrets unfold, loves bloom and fade, and the ties that bond are explored.
Why Kirsten loves it
This is a wonderful beach read with heart, I hope you take a chance and get swept away too. It’s one of the best family saga books I’ve ever read.
Why Jackie loves it
What a wonderful read. I truly can’t explain how much this book swept me away to Haven Point. This is a family saga with a heart that you will not want to miss.
Find this book in: Family Saga Books / Best Beach Reads / Books Set in Maine
Thriller Books Set in Maine
The Only One Left: A Novel
Author: Riley Sager
Year: 2023
Genre: Thriller
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Age Range: 16+
Plot
In this new mystery thriller book, Kit McDeere has taken a position as a home health aid for Lenora Hope who was accused of murdering her whole family years before. With no evidence, Lenora was never convicted and has lived in her home without leaving all this time. Lenora can only move her one finger and communicates with a typewriter.
Kit feels like there may be more to the story than anyone knows and wants to leave the crumbling mansion, but she has nowhere else to go. This is a perfect thriller book for fall.
Why Jackie loves it
If you have been following Beyond the Bookends for a while you know we love Riley Sager. This is one of my favorites! I was left guessing until the end what was really going on in this crazy house.
Find this book in: Isolation Thrillers / Riley Sager Books Ranked / Books Set in Maine
Plot
Alison was the heir to Maine’s largest construction company when she was found dead in Pleasant Pond. Rachel is on the school paper and is tasked with investigating the murder with her journalism crew. She underplays the complicated and unhealthy relationship she had with Alison when they were younger
She also thinks she may be the last person to see Alison alive the night before she died. She knows she saw Alison with someone, but can she trust her own memory?
The story moves back and forth between the present and the past when Alison and Rachel were in school together when they were younger.
Trigger Warnings
Death, gaslighting, and Alcohol use
Why Jackie likes it
I have a hard time reading books with unreliable narrators, but this one was a pleasant surprise. As the story develops, the reader sees the beginning of the alcohol abuse and the reasons for it. The characters are deeper than they seem, and there is great character development
Find this book in: Books Set in Maine
Plot
Mila del Angél is hosting a writing retreat for J.R. Alastor, an anonymous writer. The retreat will take place on Alastor’s private island off the coast of Maine for six thriller authors who are all masters of the craft.
Mila is excited to organize a week of games, puzzles, and riddles, as well as the murder of one of the authors for whom she has an ax to grind. But when one of the authors turns up dead and it is not the author Mila planned to kill, she is trapped in a different weekend than the one that she planned!
Why Kirsten loves it
This twisty novel had me guessing from the very beginning. It reminded me of And Then There Were None in the best possible way. I loved the premise of all the writers having dark secrets worth killing over and I tried desperately to figure out who was really J. R. Alastor. If you are a fan of Clue, you’d probably love this story too.
Find this book in: Puzzle Mysteries / Locked Room Mysteries / Books Set in Maine
The Last Guest House
Author: Megan Miranda
Year: 2019
Genre: Thriller
More info: August 2019 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
A year after her best friend died at an end-of-summer house party, Avery is back and ready to figure out what happened to Sadie. The police ruled her death a suicide, but Avery isn’t buying it. She’s also not buying that quite a few townspeople think Avery is to blame.
I liked the way the story was told in a dual timeline, I liked the many red herrings thrown in, and I was committed to making sure the main character came out unharmed. As with any thriller, the trick to success is not being able to predict the twists.
Why Kirsten likes it
I was, unfortunately, able to come up with most of the plot points before the main character. The very, very ending took me a bit by surprise in how the climax played out, but overall, I saw the premise coming from a mile away. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the book, I just never got to the point of heightened anxiety that I expect in an unpredictable thriller.
Find this book in: Books set at the Beach / Reese Witherspoon 2019 / Books Set in Maine
Romance Books Set in Maine
Happy Place
Author: Emily Henry
Year: 2023
Genre: Romance
More info: Instant New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range:18+
Plot
Emily Henry is an author who is always consistent with her romances. She may be the queen of romantic comedy books. Nothing says “summer reads” like Emily Henry.
Harriet and Wyn have been together for years until they broke up 5 months ago. The only problem is that they still haven’t told their best friends and now they will be sharing a room during their yearly vacation with their friends.
How hard can it be to keep up the facade of a happy couple? If you love fake dating books, this is one of the best. And if you are hoping these two will have a second chance at love, you will not be disappointed.
There is something special in every one of Emily Henry’s romances and this newest book is no exception. It is one of the best books of 2023!
Why Jackie loves it
Emily Henry finds a way to write books that are so readable with characters that are so loveable. I was rooting for these two the find their way back to each other.
Find this book in: Emily Henry Books / Second Chance Romance / Romantic Comedy Books / Fake Dating Books / Books Set in Maine
Evvie Drake Starts Over
Author: Linda Holmes
Year: 2019
Genre: Romance
More info: July 2019 Read with Jenna Book List Pick
Spice Rating: 💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
When Evvie’s husband dies unexpectedly in a car crash, she is still staying in her house a year later. Everyone in her small town thinks that she is overcome with grief but in actuality, it is guilt.
Dean is a retired major league baseball pitcher who woke up one day and was unable to throw the ball over the plate. When he moves into the apartment in the back of Evvie’s house the two become friends and agree to never talk about baseball or her husband.
Trigger Warnings
Emotional Abuse
Why Jackie loves it
I just adored this celebrity romance book. It was such a sweet and light romance, easily read on the beach.
Find this book in: Sports Romances / Celebrity Romance Books / Friends-to-Lovers / Books About Sports / Books Set in Maine
Fantasy and Sci-fi Books Set in Maine
The Wishing Game
Author: Meg Shaffer
Year: 2023
Genre: Fiction
More info: National Bestseller
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Jack Masterson is the author behind the Clock Island series, a series of beloved children’s books. Now, years after he was thought to be retired, he has written a new book. There is only one copy of the book that will go to the winner of a contest held on Clock Island.
For Lucy Hart, winning the contest will mean everything to her. It will mean she can finally have the means to adopt Christopher, the little boy that she has grown to love.
Why Jackie loves it
This book felt like an adult fairy tale. If you are looking for books about puzzles, this uplifting, feel-good book is the perfect book.
Find this book in: Books About Puzzles / Feel-Good Books / Books Set in Maine
Plot
This historical fantasy book was brilliantly researched and had an amazing premise in which Jake Epping steps into a time hole to stop the assassination of Kennedy. Every time he leaves history, time resets itself. Each time something does not go right, he can reset the clock by stepping out of the hole no matter how much time has passed while he was in the past.
Sound confusing? King is a brilliant writer who can make transitions between the past and present seamless. His attention to detail in this whopper of a book is unmatched.
Why Jackie likes it
The historic details in this book were immaculate but, as much as everyone loved this book, I thought that it was much too long. You have to be prepared for almost 900 pages. The beginning and the end of the book were outstanding.
Find this book in: Historical Fantasy Books / Time Loop Books / Nonlinear Narrative Novels / Books Set in the 1960s / Books Set in Maine
Orphan Train
Author: Christina Baker Kline
Year: 2014
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: #1 New York Times Bestseller
Age Range: 16
Plot
Orphan Train depicts a sad time in American history. Children were sent via train from the East to the Midwest from the late 1800s to 1929 because parents could not afford to house, clothe, or feed their children.
This story follows Vivian and Molly and moves between Depression-era Minnesota and Maine.
Why Jackie loves it
This is such a sad time in American history and yet, this book is written is such a compelling way, it was hard to put it down. It is the perfect choice to read if you are looking for a Disney retelling to read as an adult.
Find this book in: Adult Retellings of Disney Classics / Adult Novels Reminiscent of Childhood Classics / Books Set in Maine
Expert Tip
Cannot take a trip to Maine? Get a literary getaway with one of these books
- Are you a “Kirsten” or a “Jackie”? Have a look at the description and who wrote it to help you pick your next book.
- Have a look at the genres. If you love a great fantasy, choose one of the books from that category for your next great read.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best books set in Maine?
It is hard to choose just a few from this list of amazing books, but the top three are:
1. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawson
2. The Only One Left by Riley Sager
3. 11/22/63 by Steven King
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Epilogue
Have you read any of these books set in Maine? Which books are you looking forward to reading?
