Book Suggestions

Books Like Where The Crawdads Sing

Posted on in Book Suggestions

If you recently finished Where the Crawdads Sing, might now be wondering what to do with your life. You could start learning to crochet (and use a coupon code if you do), or you could start another book! If you loved Where the Crawdads Sing, and fair enough it’s a great book, here are some other titles that you might enjoy.

If You Liked the Setting

I don’t know that any other book goes into the level of detail on the flora and fauna of the North Carolina marshlands as Where the Crawdads Sing does, but if you enjoyed the setting here are some other books that take place in the same area.

Outer Banks by Anne Rivers Siddon

As the name would suggest, Outer Banks is set in the region of the same name in North Carolina that is famous for its marshlands and barrier islands. This book also weaves together two different timelines to reveal critical information and the truth of what really happened over the course of the book.

The Sound of Glass by Karen White

This book is set in the picturesque coastal town of Beaufort in North Carolina. A young widow inherits her late husband’s ancestral home there and discovers shocking secrets about the family. The story is told from the perspective of three different women and explores the healing power of love and forgiveness.

If You Liked the Character of Kya

No doubt one of the reasons that Where the Crawdads Sing became such a hit was its protagonist Kya Clark. Readers really seemed to enjoy her resilience, independence, and deep connection with nature. Here are a few other books with similar main characters:

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

This book is set against the backdrop of the Alaskan wilderness in the 1970s and told from the point of view of a young girl, Leni Allbright. She moves to Alaska with her mother and father, who is suffering with PTSD from serving during the Vietnam war. Leni forms a deep connection with the wild and unpredictable nature of Alaska and learns of her own strength and resiliency.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Set in the still deeply segregated American South of the 1960s, The Secret Life of Bees follows 14-year old Lily Owens who is escaping her abusive father. Seeking answers about her mother’s death, she and her housekeeper, Rosaleen, flee to the town of Tiburon where they are taken in by the Boatwright sisters. They are renowned for the honey they produce, and Lily learns about beekeeping, strength and self-reliance, as well as the secrets from her mothers past while living with them.

If You Liked The Mystery Plot

Where the Crawdads sing had a very complex plot surrounding a murder and the secrets of a small town that really kept readers guessing until the end. If you enjoyed that plot, here are a few similar books that unravel a murder in a small town as well as reveal the troubled past of the main character.

In the Woods by Tana French

This novel is set in a small Irish town and follows the detective assigned to investigate the murder. As he searches for the truth his own haunting memories start to resurface.

The Dry by Jane Harper

The protagonist of this novel is a federal agent who returns to his drought-stricken hometown to attend the funeral of a childhood friend. He stays to investigate the suspicious circumstances around his friend’s death and stumbles upon a larger secret.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

A journalist returns to her hometown to cover a series of murders. However, digging into the case brings back troubling memories of her own past and a deeply disturbing mystery.