Read this: Books written by authors with ties to Fort Worth

What’s better than a good book? A good book written by your neighbor (or former neighbor). Brew up a batch of your favorite tea or coffee and get ready to meet your next read, because we’re talking about locally written books in Fort Worth.

Fiction

• “Woman of Light” by Kali Fajardo-Anstine | Release date: June 7, 2022 | Luz Lopez has visions of family secrets in this multigenerational Western saga.
• “The Last Housewife” by Ashley Winstead | Release date: August 16, 2022 | A Texas woman must destroy a powerful cult in this chilling thriller.
• “Portrait of a Thief” by Grace D. Li | Release date: April 5, 2022 | Harvard senior Will Chen must put together a heist crew to steal five priceless pieces of Chinese art.
• “The Collected Stories of Katherine Anne Porter” by Katherine Anne Porter | Release date: September 19, 1979 | This collection of short stories takes readers from a small Texas dairy farm to revolutionary Mexico + won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award in 1966.
• “Shambles” by DM O’Neal | Release date: May 17, 2018 | A forensic chemist untangles a web of lies woven by her fugitive ex-husband.

For the family

• “Goodnight Cowtown” by Jennifer Gaines Dez | Release date: January 1, 2011 | Say sweet dreams to local icons like the Stockyards, Joe T. Garcia’s, Sundance Square, and the Trinity River.
• “Man Made Monsters” by Andrea Rogers | Release date: October 4, 2022 | The Cherokee writer makes her young adult debut with a series of short stories that track horrors throughout centuries.
• “Maxine’s New Job” by Lynda Jones-Mubarak | Release date: May 1, 2018 | Maxine Hill’s inquisitive young mind helps her solve mysteries around her neighborhood. The series is available in English and Spanish.
• “River Rose and the Magical Lullaby” by Kelly Clarkson and Laura Hughes | Release date: October 4, 2016 | The Grammy Award-winner from Burleson turned an original lullaby for her daughter into a magical adventure for kids ages 1-6.

Learn something new

• “100 Things to Do in Fort Worth Before You Die” by Celestina Blok | Release date: October 1, 2022 | Get an insider’s guide to Cowtown from a third-generation Fort Worthian.
• “Follow the Angels, Follow the Doves: The Bass Reeves Trilogy” by Sidney Thompson | Release date: March 1, 2022 | The origin story of the most successful 19th-century American lawman.
• “Polytechnic Days: Texas Wesleyan’s First Decade 1891-1901” by Risa Brown | Release date: February 26, 2022 | Follow the story of the early years of Fort Worth’s Polytechnic College, now known as Texas Wesleyan University.
• “My Father is the Gardener” by Shelley Cramm | Release date: October 24, 2022 | This devotional leads you through faith in the same way you would cultivate a garden, illustrated with botanical drawings and pressed plants by artist Layla Luna.
• “Fort Worth Characters” by Richard F. Selcer | Release date: October 28, 2009 | Part of a two-book series, dive into the untold stories of Fort Worth’s lesser-known characters such as “Sutterin’ Sam” Dowel and even an individual who inspired the fictional detective Nancy Drew.
• “The Process: Navigating Wellness in a Society of Information Overload” by Ron Green | Release Date: August 2, 2025 | The Fort Worth-based wellness and fitness coach provides readers with strategies for healthy habits, emphasizing accountability and consistency. Green is also the creator behind the annual Race on Race Street in Riverside.

Part of a series

• “Phoenix” by Kimberly Packard | Release date: January 3, 2018 | A criminal past and a woman on the run — pick up this thrilling series for a bit of suspense.
• “The Outcasts” by Misty Hayes | Release date: Dec. 9, 2017 | Mystical relics, powerful vampires, and strange allies make up the first installment of The Blood Dagger series.
• “Second Act” by Marsha R. West | Release date: March 19, 2015 | A Fort Worth nonprofit board member turns up dead, and it’s up to homicide detective Mike Riley to crack the case.
• “The Devil’s Kitchen” by Mark Thielman | Release date: April 1, 2025 | A murder in Yellowstone National Park reveals a historical conspiracy, drawing a park ranger into the heart of a centuries-old mystery.

Personal stories

• “Ancestor Trouble: A Reckoning and a Reconciliation” by Maud Newton | Release date: March 29, 2022 | The author dives into her own genealogy to reckon with her ancestors’ beliefs + actions.
• “Dearest Babe, Letters from a World War II Flight Surgeon” by Kelly Farris Mazade and FTWtoday’s very own Kate Mazade | Release date: February 1, 2022 | Capt. Joe W. King wrote 450 letters home to his wife while stationed with a B-24 bomber unit in Italy during WWII.
• “Carry Out, Carry On: A Year in the Life of a Texas Chef” by Jon Bonnell | Release date: September 30, 2021 | Follow the incredible journey of a local chef and restaurant owner through the chaotic pandemic of 2020.
• “His Ownself: A Semi-Memoir” by Dan Jenkins | Release date: March 14, 2024 | The golf writer and novelist takes readers on a four-decade memoir on the links from his first job at the Fort Worth Press to the glory days of Sports Illustrated.

Need more recommendations? Stop by Leaves Bakery and Books, Barber’s Bookstore, The Dock Bookshop, or TCU Press to get expert advice from Fort Worth’s local booksellers. 📚