I just got back from traveling and it occurs to me that there are places I’d like to visit but I’d never get to because they aren’t real. They feel real. Part of the reason I love the books is the setting, so here goes my list of four:
- Colleton County, North Carolina. Margaret Maron’s Judge Deborah Knott series takes place in the fictional county of North Carolina where families are big, people are interesting and everyone still helps everyone else out. You can almost hear the slight Appalachian accent as Deborah talks. And honestly, although I’m not a hot weather fan, it’s a big reason I was willing to relocate to North Carolina!
- Ordinary Oregon. Devon Monk’s series of books set in Ordinary Oregon is a lot of fun. Ordinary is where gods go to vacation. The town is filled with supernatural creatures and the main character has her hands full solving mysteries. There is also a romance going on but don’t expect things to be resolved in one book. I’m sure I’m partial to Ordinary having been to the real cities that Monk used to creature her world.
- Wayward Pines. No list of places would be complete without Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines series. It’s a cozy little town with a few quirks. This one is darker than the other two but it’s a great read for those who love setting.
- Whisper Washington. I couldn’t resist tossing in this self-promotion of places. However, one of my best reviews said that the reader wanted to go visit Whisper next time she was in the Northwest. That was music to my writer ears as that was what I was hoping for when people read the series. The series starts with Whisper Bound. You can find it on all your favorite ebook retailers.