September 07, 2026
Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice
Philadelphia-area authors have a number of new books coming out this fall. Above, Carly Hillman's 'The Refuge,' Jennifer Herrera's 'Siren Says' and Rachel Pastan's 'We're So Lucky to Live Here.'
From werewolves in Kensington to tombstones in Laurel Hill, Philadelphia-area authors have tackled a range of subjects in their latest books.
For the history buffs, Philly author Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz revisited the Christiana Riot, the famous uprising in Lancaster County, and Penn Press released a look back at the buildings and grounds of the University of Pennsylvania. But readers who prefer to escape reality can pick up "The Obsessed," from Temple University professor Lizzie Buehler, or Jennifer Herrera's "Siren Says" about a family of witches. And Rachel Pastan, author of "In the Field," returns with a novel that gives new meaning to small-town theater.
MORE: This former 'Late Show' producer from Philly has penned her first mystery novel
Here are eight books by Philadelphia-area authors that either have been recently published or are due out by mid-October.
By Lizzie Buehler
Penguin Random House, 304 pages. Published July 28.
Buehler's debut novel explores the world of Ivy League doctorate degrees and other graduate studies through the lens of Astrid, a student who struggles with obsession. In her journey through academia, Astrid becomes fixated on her boyfriend's ex, a woman named Sofiya, and a local author of the same name. She has to come to terms with the not-so-healthy ways in which she idolizes both women.
By Jennifer Herrera
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 368 pages. Published Aug. 18.
After her mother's death, Raven Wynn spends much of her life running away from magic. But as an adult, she suddenly learns that she has more power than she ever thought. When her estranged aunt comes back into her life and promises a way to get rid of her magic, Raven returns to the small Pennsylvania town to learn about her family history — and help Delilah with a quest involving the spirit world.
By Carly Hillman
Crooked Lane Books, 304 pages. Available Sept. 8
In her first foray into fiction, Hillman — a former producer on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" — tells the story of three generations of women and their relationship to a wildlife preserve in Montana known as the Amarant. Shortly after her 18th birthday, Ava, who's lived on the grounds her whole life, starts digging in to her mother's past and finds a decades-old mystery about her family.
By Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz
Simon & Schuster, 448 pages. Available Sept. 8
On Sep. 11, 1851, a group of free Black residents and escaped slaves held an armed uprising and successfully resisted an attempt to return four formerly enslaved people to their Maryland owner. The event took place at the home of William Parker, an escaped slave, in Christiana, Pennsylvania, and resulted in 27 men being placed on trial for treason for obstructing the Fugitive Slave Act. Aptowicz's book tells the true story of Parker, the court case and the work of abolitionists to end slavery in the United States.
By Matt Strollo
Left Field Publishing; 336 pages. Available Oct. 6.
Strollo, a former "American Ninja Warrior" coach who teaches English as a Second Language in the School District of Philadelphia, tells a tale of werewolves set against the backdrop of organized crime and addiction. The novel follows an ex-marine, Liz Campbell, and a suburban mechanic, Macy Burkhardt, as they attempt to find a cure for the werewolves and cross paths with a wolf king from England.
Edited by Frederick Steiner and Ignacio Bunster-Ossa
University of Pennsylvania Press; 224 pages. Published Sept. 1.
Environmentalists, designers, architects and historians offer their thoughts on the University of Pennsylvania campus and its famous buildings. The text includes information from experts Witold Rybczynski, Catherine Seavitt, Susan Weiler, Laurie Olin, Lara Roman, Theodore Eisenman, Robert Lundgren and Chloe Cerwinka, with photos by Bunster-Ossa.
By Thomas Keels
History Press; 160 pages. Available Sept. 29.
After spending years guiding a Laurel Hill cemetery tour, Keels' latest book shares some of those stories in print. Readers can find information about famous grifter Mabel Tinley, Civil War general Henry Morris Naglee and Martha Drinnan, a daughter of one of the cemetery superintendents who disappeared and was later found decapitated.
By Rachel Pastan
Delphinium Books, 320 pages. Available Sept. 15.
In her latest book, novelist Pastan follows a theater director, Gwen, after the death of her mother. When she wants to keep her mother's large suburban home but can't afford it, Gwen stages a production of Anton Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" inside the home, casting friends and neighbors to tell the story of a Russian family facing bankruptcy and the loss of their estate.
