Get to know some 2026 NHBF books
NHBF 2026 Author, Christopher Golden
NHBF 2026 Author, Susan Donovan Bernhard
NHBF 2026 Author, Eloisa James
Want to know a little more about some of the books from NH Book Festival’s 2026 authors? Read on!
Carry Me to My Grave, Christopher Golden
As Korean War veteran Malcolm Wise and his siblings were growing up, rumors abounded that their mother was a witch. Years later, estranged from his mother, Malcolm returns to his Indiana home to be with her on her deathbed. She extracts a mysterious, last promise: Malcolm and his sister-in-law Violet must escort her body to her birthplace in Maine by the second sunrise from the instant her heart stops beating,
Far away, as Maggie Wise weakens, a long-dormant force awakens. Across the street from Maggie’s house, a sinister being lurks. Almost from the moment of her death, as Maggie’s body is loaded onto a train, evil entities arise to stop the journey and seek retribution—forcing Malcolm and Violet to fight for her soul, and their lives. A compelling, pulsating thriller set in the 1950s.
For fans of: Stephen King, Paul Tremblay, Clay McLeod Chapman
Westerly, Susan Donovan Bernhard
Susan Donovan Bernhard’s second novel is an immersive family saga and an Irish-immigrant story spanning fifty years.
At the end of WWII, two German refugee sisters are sent to live in Ireland, but soon a tragedy separates them. Faye, one of the sisters, eventually leaves Ireland for Maine with her new parents, Westerly follows Faye and her family as she grows up, marries, has children and then grandchildren. Faye keeps a shameful secret for most of her life, and as the point of view rotates among Faye and her daughters, we see how this secret affects the next generation. An enjoyable saga with a hopeful, redemptive ending.
For fans of: J. Courtney Sullivan, Niall Williams
The Last Lady B, Eloisa James
Prolific historical romance writer, Eloisa James is serving up an atmospheric romance set in the Scottish highlands with The Last Lady B.
In the depths of winter, Lady Genevieve Hughes, her pet piglet, and her septuagenarian husband travel to a haunted abbey in the Scottish Highlands. Evie is excited to meet a ghost (perhaps one of her husband's three previous wives), but didn't expect the funny, quirky guests to become the friends she's never had. And she certainly didn't imagine meeting Sir Godric Everly, a sardonic, witty solicitor who loathes her husband.
Full of intrigue, witty banter, and a quirky cast of supporting characters, The Last Lady B is a fun historical romance with a gothic twist.
For fans of: Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, Sherry Thomas