10 fiction books set in Pennsylvania

Discover 10 compelling books set in Pennsylvania, from gritty literary fiction to YA adventures.

Writers have long been infatuated with Pennsylvania and its sheer diversity. We have large urban cities and tiny rural towns spread across valleys and mountains as well as deep histories of immigration and multiculturalism. Lively characters have made the state their home throughout the centuries—and so too have fictional characters!

We’re spotlighting 10 fiction books set in Pennsylvania to add to your library hold list. Some of these novels are gritty tales of literary fiction, while others are humorous young adult romps. No matter your reading preferences, you’ll find a story to enjoy among these books—with a setting you recognize.

1. “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky

Pittsburgh

Stephen Chbosky’s 1999 coming-of-age novel struck a chord with a generation of wallflowers, some who may not have realized that the city of Pittsburgh—where “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is set—is another character in the book. Charlie is a suburban Pittsburgh high school freshman making real friends for the first time, with whom he explores the city—and embarks on dangerous Fort Pitt Tunnel trips, as featured in the 2012 film adaptation of the novel.

2. “The Dutch House” by Ann Patchett

Elkins Park

“The Dutch House” is a 2019 book about a fictional mansion of the same name located in the real Pennsylvania town of Elkins Park. The novel tells the story of a brother and sister who grow up in a mansion just outside of Philadelphia, a house that sets off a chain of chaotic events in their lives. The author, Ann Patchett, chose Elkins Park because it is near Wyncote, a college friend’s hometown that she often visited during school vacations. 

3. “American Rust” by Philipp Meyer

Fictional Pa. town in Fayette County

The fictional southwestern Pa. town of Buell, the setting of the novel “American Rust,” is beautiful but ravaged by industry’s decline. The region’s economic circumstances help ignite a murder mystery as the novel explores how the American dream has become increasingly out of reach. A TV series based on the novel can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.

4. “Rabbit, Run” by John Updike

Fictional Pa. city inspired by Berks County

The author John Updike was born in Berks County in 1932, and his Pennsylvania upbringing had a clear impact on his writing, which often featured small-town America. His most famous work was likely his series of novels, starting with “Rabbit, Run,” which all depict the middle-class life of Harry “Rabbit” Angstrom in the fictional town of Brewer, Pennsylvania. Brewer is meant to represent the American city during the last half of the twentieth century, from the growth of consumption in Brewer to the city’s eventual economic decline, but many readers believe it was modeled after Reading. The series began publication in 1960 and includes “Rabbit, Run,” “Rabbit Redux,” “Rabbit is Rich,” and “Rabbit at Rest.”

5. “The Killer Angels” by Michael Shaara

Gettysburg

“The Killer Angels” is a 1974 novel about The Civil War, specifically the Battle of Gettysburg. Shaara’s treatment of the battle is a character-driven, realistic portrait of both Union and Confederate leaders and their soldiers. The book has had a profound effect on how Americans understand the Civil War, no less because it was made into the popular 1993 movie “Gettysburg.” Ken Burns also cited the novel as a major influence on his renowned Civil War documentary miniseries. “The Killer Angels” won the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

6. “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” by Jesse Andrews

Pittsburgh

Published in 2012, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” is a funny and warm young adult novel about Greg, a Pittsburgh high schooler determined to avoid all of his peers, save for his friend Earl. Greg’s life changes when his parents force him to renew the friendship he had with Rachel, a girl who is dying of Leukemia. You might remember the critically acclaimed movie adaptation of the same name that came out in 2015.

7. “We Are Not Like Them” by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza

Philadelphia

“We Are Not Like Them” is a 2021 novel told from the dual perspectives of a pair of best friends, one Black woman and one white woman, who both grew up and live in Philadelphia. The book’s two authors—also one Black and one white woman—explore the dynamics of race and friendship when a tragic event threatens the characters’ lifelong bond.

8. “Life As We Knew It” by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Fictional town in northeastern Pa.

Fans of young adult dystopian novels will certainly enjoy “Life As We Knew It,” a 2006 novel about a young girl and her family in rural northeastern Pennsylvania after an asteroid strikes the moon, bringing it closer to Earth and causing massive tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanoes. The book follows the family’s struggle to survive amidst the northeastern Pa. landscape and is the first in a four-book series.

9. “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride

Pottstown

Author James McBride did his research for his 2023 novel “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store” set in 1920s and 1930s Pottstown. He interviewed older residents of the town to learn about the history of the old neighborhood of Chicken Hill, where Black and Jewish residents lived alongside each other and where the novel takes place. The New York Times called the book, which examines relationships across race and religion during The Great Depression, “a murder mystery locked inside a Great American Novel.”

10. “Wolf Hollow” by Lauren Wolk

Rural western Pa.

Set in 1943 in rural western Pennsylvania, “Wolf Hollow” may be historical fiction for young adults, but it stays with readers of any age. The story follows 11-year-old Annabelle as she finds her voice to defend the people she cares about. Author Lauren Wolk based the setting on her experiences visiting her family’s western Pennsylvania farm. “Wolf Hollow” was a 2017 Newbery Honor Book.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.