5 Thanksgiving Books Goodreads Readers Love, Including a Holiday Murder Mystery
From a hilarious romance to a gripping murder mystery, these reads are worth adding to your list
Key Takeaways
- These five Thanksgiving books span, family drama, historical fiction and mystery.
- Goodreads readers praise these seasonal stories for their memorable characters and themes.
- These books offer plenty of ways to get into the Thanksgiving spirit.
Thanksgiving is one of the most joyful days of the year. Delicious food, good company, crisp fall air…there are few days better. If you’re already counting down to November 26, you don’t have to wait to get into the holiday spirit. These five books, all loved by Goodreads readers, put Thanksgiving front and center, from a lighthearted romance to a family drama, a historical murder mystery and a heartfelt novel about an unforgettable gathering. Keep scrolling to find your next cozy read!
‘Thanksgiving’ by Janet Evanovich
Originally published under the pseudonym Steffie Hall, Janet Evanovich wrote this Thanksgiving romp in 1988, six years before the first Stephanie Plum novel hit shelves. It features Megan Murphy, a historical reenactor who has been unlucky in love, and Patrick Hunter, a handsome pediatrician. After an improbable meet-cute involving a rabbit, sparks fly and a relationship blossoms as the Thanksgiving turkey roasts.
What Goodreads users are saying: “Janet, you’ve done it again! A light hearted romantic romp with a crazy family, slippery turkey, pregnant horse and a rabbit, all set to Thanksgiving in a reenactment village. Tons of fun for a quick read while the turkey cooks.”
‘The Thanksgiving Visitor’ by Truman Capote
If you have never read this classic semi-autobiographical story by In Cold Blood author Truman Capote, it’s worth a read this year. In the short story, 9-year-old Buddy and his elderly cousin Miss Sook (both of whom you may recognize if you’ve read Capote’s story “A Christmas Memory”) are preparing for the holiday when Buddy learns that Miss Sook has invited Buddy’s school bully to Thanksgiving dinner. Lessons that apply to readers of all ages follow.
What Goodreads users are saying: “When his beloved cousin invites Capote’s personal bully to share the Thanksgiving meal, the author reluctantly learns a lesson in, well . . . life, I suppose. This is but a short reminiscence in which Capote stirs up delightful memories filled with the excitement, the smells, the relatives coming to freeload—all the things that make an American Thanksgiving a unique, and occasionally trying event.”
‘The Irish Goodbye’ by Heather Aimee O’Neill
A Read with Jenna book club pick and GoodReads Choice Award nominee for reader’s favorite debut novel, The Irish Goodbye introduces readers to the Ryan sisters—Cait, Alice and Maggie—as they come together for Thanksgiving at their family home for the first time in many years. Twenty years earlier, their lives were upended by an accident involving their brother, and the sisters hope they are finally ready to reconnect and move forward together, even after old and new secrets continue to surface.
What Goodreads users are saying: “The Irish Goodbye is a beautifully written and engaging story about a complicated family. I first fell in love with the cover, and when I began reading, I grew attached to each character. This is a family I could spend more time with, but I’m satisfied with how things lie between them.”
‘The Briar Club’ by Kate Quinn
A thrilling historical fiction novel from the prolific Kate Quinn, this book centers on a group of women—that includes a mysterious widow, a policeman’s daughter and a former women’s baseball league star—living in a Washington, D.C. boardinghouse in the 1950s. The story opens on Thanksgiving Day in 1954 when a murder occurs at the boardinghouse, before jumping back four years earlier to introduce the women who are suspects, each from their own points of view, until the mystery is solved.
What Goodreads users are saying: “Overall, the characterization in this book is remarkable. You can easily connect with each of the women, embracing them with their flaws and mistakes without judgment. Though it may seem like a long journey, you never want it to end because the pacing is incredibly balanced, including the heart-throbbing action parts. Nothing feels rushed or overly repetitive or dragging. The trajectory of events is executed perfectly, and the conclusion is also very satisfying. This is definitely one of my favorite historical fiction reads of the year, and I highly recommend it.”
‘Wreck’ by Catherine Newman
This Good Morning America book club pick, which came out last fall, is a followup to Catherine Newman’s novel Sandwich (while Wreck works as a standalone, reading Sandwich first will allow you to get further into the world of the family at the center of the story). In Wreck, middle-aged Rocky, her husband, their college-aged daughter and Rocky’s father are living in Massachusetts and preparing for Thanksgiving while Rocky struggles with a personal health crisis. Themes of family, uncertainty, anxiety and transition abound.
What Goodreads users are saying: “Another beauty from this author. I place this in the realm of the wonderful Ann Patchett, Elizabeth Strout and Anne Tyler. While possibly not overly helpful to compare or contrast, this is my experience. These women write our lives with a precise and understated perfected nuance, that I simply do not understand how.”
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