Books like 'A Stranger Comes to Town'
Readers who enjoyed A Stranger Comes to Town by Lynne Sharon Schwartz also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
psychological literary-fiction urban family
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Another Day in Winter: NEW from the No1 Bestselling Author. A perfect winter treat! (A Winter Day Book) by Shari Low
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOne day, four lives, and a wintery web of secrets and lies. On a chilly morning in December forever friends Shauna and Lulu touch down at Glasgow Airport on a quest to find answers from the past... -
![I Hid My Voice by Parinoush Saniee]()
I Hid My Voice by Parinoush Saniee
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThis is the story, based on fact, of a boy who couldn’t speak until the age of seven. Now twenty, he describes the events of his life.Four-year-old Shahaab has not started talking. The family doctor believes there is no cause for concern; nevertheless, Shahaab is ridiculed by others who call him "dumb... -
![Waiting to Begin by Amanda Prowse]()
Waiting to Begin by Amanda Prowse
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFrom the bestselling author of The Girl in the Corner comes a story that asks: what would you risk for a shot at happiness?1984. Bessie is a confident sixteen-year-old girl with the world at her feet, dreaming of what life will bring and what she’ll bring to this life. Then everything comes crashing down... -
![Life Goes On by Kelly Moore]()
Life Goes On by Kelly Moore
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHappy go lucky Olivia McDill adores her fairy-tale life, married to the man of her dreams. It’s a love that should’ve lasted a lifetime…then in the blink of an eye, everything changed. She learns too quickly that life can be unfair, and she’s left trying to pick up the pieces and make sense of things on her own... -
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![The Boy Under the Table by Nicole Trope]()
The Boy Under the Table by Nicole Trope
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTina is a young woman hiding from her grief on the streets of the Cross. On a cold night in the middle of winter she breaks all her own rules when she agrees to go home with a customer.What she finds in his house will change her life forever.Across the country Sarah and Doug are trapped in limbo, struggling to accept the loss that now governs their lives... -
![A Daughter's Sorrow by Cathy Sharp]()
A Daughter's Sorrow by Cathy Sharp
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHeartache and hardship in London’s East End, from the bestselling author of The Orphans of Halfpenny StreetBridget has always been the one to take on the responsibility for looking after her family... -
![Coming Home by Patricia Dixon]()
Coming Home by Patricia Dixon
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFor a mother and her three daughters, this Christmas is a time to sort out secrets--and find hope for the future . . .As a young girl, Carmen Appleton loved Christmas, but a simple knock at the door was all it took to change things. Her father left home that fateful Christmas Eve and all that was left in his place were painful memories... -
![Remembrance of Things Past: Volume III - The Captive, The Fugitive, & Time Regained by Marcel Proust]()
Remembrance of Things Past: Volume III - The Captive, The Fugitive, & Time Regained by Marcel Proust
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe third and final volume includes THE CAPTIVE, THE FUGITIVE, and TIME REGAINED...Categorized as:
family literary-fiction 20th-century anthologies classics fiction historical literary -
![The Aftermath by Gail Schimmel]()
The Aftermath by Gail Schimmel
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThree women: a mother, a daughter, a friend. Can they save each other from the past?It’s been twenty-six years since the accident, but Helen still lives on autopilot, going through the motions of work and motherhood. Her one wish is for her daughter Julia to settle down with her own family—so Helen can let go... -
![20 Minutes By The Thames by Daniel Hurst]()
20 Minutes By The Thames by Daniel Hurst
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSet in one 20 Minute period in various locations on the banks of the Thames in London, the fifth book in the 20 Minute Series is as twisting and fast-flowing as the famous river itself...Categorized as:
urban literary-fiction suspense fiction 21st-century psychological anthologies thriller -
![The Other Son by Nick Alexander, Imogen Church]()
The Other Son by Nick Alexander, Imogen Church
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFrom the outside, Alice’s marriage looks successful. It’s true that Ken was never her first choice, but four decades in, she’s learned to tolerate him. Their two sons have chosen their own paths, Tim as a successful banker and Matt a carefree globetrotter she can’t keep up with... -
![Taking Care by Joy Williams]()
Taking Care by Joy Williams
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsStories deal with a young divorcee, a shared summer home, a troubled family, a wedding, childhood fears, the death of a pet, a lying child, and enlightenment...Categorized as:
family literary-fiction 20th-century adult anthologies female-author fiction historical -
![A Friend Like That by Marissa Finch]()
A Friend Like That by Marissa Finch
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWho needs enemies when you have a friend like that? I should wonder why I feel so comfortable with Taylor. Why I’m so enamored with a stranger I met at a bar.I should, but I don’t. Alice Brewster is at a low point. After being let go from her job at the ritzy Grant Hotel, she spends her days at a dingy Manhattan pub just so she won’t have to tell anyone the shameful truth... -
![Let the Light Shine by Nick Alexander, Penelope Rawlins]()
Let the Light Shine by Nick Alexander, Penelope Rawlins
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsFrom Nick Alexander, the number one best-selling author of The Photographer's Wife and The Other Son.Penny and Victoria are about as different as two siblings can be, one with a smart London lifestyle, the other struggling to make ends meet. But they are joined by more than blood, and their shared tragic past is affecting the present more than they realise... -
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![The Truth She Knew by Andrew Brown]()
The Truth She Knew by Andrew Brown
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMama didn’t want me. In fact, she would’ve traded my soul back for someone different if God would’ve let her, but he didn’t, so she was stuck with me. For eighteen-year-old Lacey, life at home is a rollercoaster. She doesn’t think she’ll ever be good enough to truly deserve Mama’s love. But when Lacey enters college and meets Walker, everything starts to change... -
![20 Minutes in the Park by Daniel Hurst]()
20 Minutes in the Park by Daniel Hurst
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOn a sunny Sunday afternoon in Hyde Park, there's more than just the sounds of nature in the air.There's the threat from the mysterious murderer roaming the footpaths. There's the music from the festival where a recently released criminal is about to unleash havoc. And there's the chance at revenge for a heroic couple who never thought they would get it...20 Minutes. 20 People...Categorized as:
urban literary-fiction suspense fiction 21st-century psychological anthologies thriller -
![20 Minutes At Halloween by Daniel Hurst]()
20 Minutes At Halloween by Daniel Hurst
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSet over one 20 minute period in London, the sixth book in the 20 Minute Series captures all the thrills, frights and drama that Halloween promises each year.Trick-or-treaters calling at every home. Costumes concealing identities. And a masked murderer roaming the streets..Categorized as:
urban literary-fiction suspense fiction 21st-century psychological anthologies thriller -
![The Forgetting by Hannah Beckerman]()
The Forgetting by Hannah Beckerman
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom the bestselling author of If Only I Could Tell You comes the story of two women determined to uncover the truth. But how can you trust the present if you can't remember the past?“Left me gasping. Brilliant.” —Alex Michaelides“Has one of the best story twists I have ever read…superb writing.” —Ruth Jones“Resonates long after you turn the final page... -
![With or Without You by Shari Low]()
With or Without You by Shari Low
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHave you ever made a life-changing decision and then wondered if you made the right one...? A clever, captivating and bitterweet story of what might have been. Perfect for the fans of Jojo Moyes and Marian Keyes. When Liv and Nate walked up the aisle, Liv knew she was marrying the one, her soul mate and her best friend... -
![A Life Worth Living by Louise Guy]()
A Life Worth Living by Louise Guy
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAre some white lies simply too big to forgive?Eve and Leah are identical twins—but beyond that, they’re polar opposites. Struggling journalist Leah envies Eve’s seemingly perfect life—the loyal husband, the beautiful twin daughters, the stellar career—little knowing that what Eve longs for most is Leah’s independence... -
![I’m Sorry You Feel That Way by Rebecca Wait]()
I’m Sorry You Feel That Way by Rebecca Wait
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom the author of the Waterstones Book of the Month Our Fathers comes a compelling domestic comedy about complex family dynamics, mental health and the intricacies of sibling relationships.For Alice and Hanna, saint and sinner, growing up is a trial. There is their mother, who takes a divide and conquer approach to child-rearing, and their father, who takes an absent one...Categorized as:
literary-fiction family fiction contemporary mental-illness realistic audiobook psychological -
![A New Home by Tania de Regil]()
A New Home by Tania de Regil
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAs a girl in Mexico City and a boy in New York City ponder moving to each other's locale, it becomes clear that the two cities -- and the two children -- are more alike than they might think.But I'm not sure I want to leave my home.I'm going to miss so much.Moving to a new city can be exciting... -
![Nonfiction by Julie Myerson]()
Nonfiction by Julie Myerson
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis is definitely not a ghost story. But for a while after you’re gone, I see you everywhere. Every ragged young person sitting huddled on a pavement, every stretched-out body under cardboard in a shop doorway.Two parents stand by powerlessly as their only child seems intent on destroying herself...Categorized as:
literary-fiction family fiction contemporary mental-illness substance-abuse psychological book -
![The Index of Self-Destructive Acts by Christopher R. Beha]()
The Index of Self-Destructive Acts by Christopher R. Beha
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratings“Beha tackles finance, faith, war, entitlement, and no end of self-destructive acts. I greatly admired both the writing and the ambition... -
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![The Family Trap by Lorna Dounaeva]()
The Family Trap by Lorna Dounaeva
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsPrudence welcomed Zoe into her home. Now she’s fighting to survive.Two simple words shatter Prudence Ahern’s world - “I’m pregnant.”Her son Nathan is only eighteen when his new girlfriend Zoe drops that little bombshell. Prudence feels she has to support her son and asks Zoe to move in with them.Right from the start, Prudence knows something isn’t right...Categorized as:
family literary-fiction psychological fiction contemporary suspense thriller children -
![Dreams from Bunker Hill by John Fante]()
Dreams from Bunker Hill by John Fante
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsMy first collision with fame was hardly memorable. I was a busboy at Marx's Deli. The year was 1934. The place was Third and Hill, Los Angeles. I was twenty-one years old, living in a world bounded on the west by Bunker Hill, on the east by Los Angeles Street, on the south by Pershing Square, and on the north by Civic Center... -
![After She Left by Claire Amarti]()
After She Left by Claire Amarti
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsAbigail Gibson is gone. The morning after Christmas Day, she walks out of her home in the leafy suburbs of Westchester, New York, leaving behind a strange note on the kitchen table… and her ten-year-old son, Sam.When her sister Gillian gets the call, she can barely believe it...Categorized as:
family literary-fiction fiction contemporary suspense thriller psychological female-mc -
![The Girl in the Woods by Lorna Dounaeva]()
The Girl in the Woods by Lorna Dounaeva
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsShe finally had the family she had always wanted, so why did she feel as though someone had stepped on her grave?Suzannah and Noel are desperate for a child so when they get the chance to adopt a young girl called Orchid, they jump at the chance. They have been warned that it will take time for Orchid to settle into their family, but the problems they encounter seem out of the ordinary... -
![The River Home by Hannah Richell]()
The River Home by Hannah Richell
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom beloved international bestselling author Hannah Richell comes a spellbinding novel about the secrets brought to the surface when a large family gathers for a wedding... -
![20 Minutes On The Tube by Daniel Hurst]()
20 Minutes On The Tube by Daniel Hurst
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe first book in the bestselling 20 Minute Series... "Original and addictive, I read it in a day!" 20 Minutes. 20 People. 20 different reasons to be underground... Louise didn't plan on stealing until she realised she could get away with it. Anke gave her husband a second chance but now she wants revenge. Valentin has an urge to kill and is using his commute to find his first victim...Categorized as:
urban literary-fiction fiction suspense contemporary 21st-century personal-growth psychological -
![On the Divinity of Second Chances by Kaya McLaren, Allyson Ryan]()
On the Divinity of Second Chances by Kaya McLaren, Allyson Ryan
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA broken family finds its way back together in this captivating story from the author of Church of the Dog A charismatic author with a voice and message all her own, Kaya McLaren has become beloved in the book world as much for her upbeat energy as for her rich storytelling...Categorized as:
family literary-fiction action-adventure adult anthologies audiobook contemporary epic -
![Secret Lives of Mothers & Daughters by Anita Kushwaha]()
Secret Lives of Mothers & Daughters by Anita Kushwaha
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFor readers of Shilpi Somaya Gowda’s "Secret Daughter" and Nancy Richler’s "The Imposter Bride", a breathtaking novel from Anita Kushwaha about the ties that bind mothers and daughters together and the secrets that tear them apartVeena, Mala and Nandini are three very different women with something in common...Categorized as:
literary-fiction family fiction contemporary realistic audiobook psychological coming-of-age -
![Scouting for the Reaper by Jacob M. Appel]()
Scouting for the Reaper by Jacob M. Appel
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEach of the characters in Scouting for the Reaper faces an unanticipated challenge: transporting a truckload of penguins across the country, arranging a proper Jewish burial for the remains of Gregor Samsa, selling tombstones dressed as a Girl Scout. These stories explore the domestic and professional adventures of people in over their heads, while leavening their struggles with humor.Jacob M... -
![War Against the Animals by Paul Russell]()
War Against the Animals by Paul Russell
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCameron Barnes, formerly of New York City, lives in a small town in upstate New York. After having nearly succumbed to AIDS, he's recently regained a measure of his health but his long-term lover has moved away, and Cameron faces the daunting prospect of learning how to live with the idea of a future in mind again... -
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![Fire & Water: A Suspense-filled Story of Art, Love, Passion, and Madness by Betsy Graziani Fasbinder]()
Fire & Water: A Suspense-filled Story of Art, Love, Passion, and Madness by Betsy Graziani Fasbinder
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFire & Water is a dark story of passion, family secrets, and the enduring power of friendship. Katherine Murphy, a pediatric surgeon in San Francisco's premier medical center, UCSF, is was raised in the ironic protection of her father's Irish pub by a patchwork family formed of misfits and orphans. She is book-brilliant, but unwise in the ways of love and life... -
![My Mother's Daughter by Ann O'Loughlin]()
My Mother's Daughter by Ann O'Loughlin
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCounty Wicklow, Ireland. Margo has just lost her husband Conor and is grieving his passing, unsure how she and her daughter Elsa will survive without him. Then she receives a letter that turns everything she thought she knew on its head. Not only has she lost her husband, but now Margo fears she could lose her daughter as well. Ohio, United States... -
![When Alice met Danny by T.A. Williams]()
When Alice met Danny by T.A. Williams
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat's in a name? Devastated after losing her job, eternal pragmatist Alice leaves London for a new start in Devon. It’s there that she meets Danny. Then she meets another Danny...Categorized as:
literary-fiction family urban romance humor contemporary womens-fiction psychological -
![The Color of Ice by Barbara Linn Probst]()
The Color of Ice by Barbara Linn Probst
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA story of love and redemption set among the glaciers and thermal lagoons of Iceland, and framed by the evocative art of glassblowing . . .Cathryn McAllister, a freelance photographer, travels to Iceland for a photo shoot with an enigmatic artist who wants to capture the country's iconic blue icebergs in glass...Categorized as:
literary-fiction family romance fiction contemporary womens-fiction mystery female-mc -
![The Woman with the Bouquet by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, Alison Anderson]()
The Woman with the Bouquet by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, Alison Anderson
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn his new collection of stories, Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, author of The Most Beautiful Book in the World, probes the paradox that the events that shape our lives are often the stuff of dreams, yet nonetheless true. Humor, tenderness, irony and exquisite writing have always been the hallmarks of Schmitt’s work. Here, he adds a pinch of philosophy... -
![People Like Us by Dominick Dunne]()
People Like Us by Dominick Dunne
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe way journalist Gus Bailey tells it, old money is always preferred, but occasionally new money sneaks in--even where it is most unwelcome. After moving from Cincinnati, Elias and Ruby Renthal strike it even richer in New York, turning their millions into billions. It would be impolite for high society to refuse them now. Not to mention disadvantageous... -
![People Who Knew Me by Kim Hooper]()
People Who Knew Me by Kim Hooper
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEverything was fine fourteen years after she left New York. Until suddenly, one day, it wasn’t. Emily Morris got her happily-ever-after earlier than most. Married at a young age to a man she loved passionately, she was building the life she always wanted. But when enormous stress threatened her marriage, Emily made some rash decisions. That’s when she fell in love with someone else...Categorized as:
literary-fiction urban family fiction womens-fiction contemporary audiobook historical-fiction -
![Sundog by Jim Harrison]()
Sundog by Jim Harrison
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA “feisty, passionate novel” (Newsday) from a writer whose “storytelling instincts are nearly flawless” (The New York Times). The New York Times–bestselling author of thirty-nine books of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry including Legends of the Fall, Dalva, and Returning to Earth, Jim Harrison was one of our most beloved and acclaimed writers, adored by both readers and critics... -
![The Choice by Susan Lewis]()
The Choice by Susan Lewis
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSometimes the choice is too hard to bear...Nikki Grant is only twenty-one when she discovers she's pregnant. Despite her parents' disappointment and anger, she welcomes the news with joy. The baby will complete the happy home she shares with the man she adores, Spencer James. Baby Zac arrives and is perfect in every way... -
![Grand Opening by Jon Hassler]()
Grand Opening by Jon Hassler
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTwelve-year old Brendan tells the story, set in 1944-45, that begins with his parents' decision to buy a run-down grocery store in a tiny Minnesota town. What they discover about small town idealism, bigotry, and good old American values will change them and the town forever...Categorized as:
family literary-fiction adult book fiction historical historical-fiction psychological -
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![The Tenants of Moonbloom by Edward Lewis Wallant]()
The Tenants of Moonbloom by Edward Lewis Wallant
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNorman Moonbloom is a loser, a drop-out who can't even make it as a deadbeat. His brother, a slumlord, hires him to collect rent in the buildings he owns in Manhattan... -
![Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kimberly McCreight]()
Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kimberly McCreight
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA daughter races to uncover her mother's secret life in the wake of her disappearance in this thriller.When Cleo, a student at NYU, arrives late for dinner at her childhood home in Brooklyn, she finds food burning in the oven and no sign of her mother, Kat. Then Cleo discovers her mom’s bloody shoe under the sofa. Something terrible has happened... -
![Everything Changes by Jonathan Tropper]()
Everything Changes by Jonathan Tropper
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsJonathan Tropper’s novel The Book of Joe dazzled critics and readers alike with its heartfelt blend of humor and pathos. Now Tropper brings all that—and more—to an irresistible new novel. In Everything Changes , Tropper delivers a touching, wickedly funny new tale about love, loss, and the perils of a well-planned life. To all appearances, Zachary King is a man with luck on his side... -
![Pieces of You by Mary Campisi]()
Pieces of You by Mary Campisi
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsQuinn Burnes's mother disappeared when he was only fifteen leaving him with a despondent father, a little sister who suffers panic attacks, and eight notebooks containing the truth about his mother. He guards this secret for eighteen years, until on an otherwise normal day, his mother re-enters his life, pleading for his help... -
![What I’d Rather Not Think About by Jente Posthuma]()
What I’d Rather Not Think About by Jente Posthuma
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat if one half of a pair of twins no longer wants to live? What if the other can’t live without them?This question lies at the heart of Jente Posthuma’s deceptively simple What I’d Rather Not Think About. The narrator is a twin whose brother has recently taken his own life... -
![The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose]()
The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsAn Amazon Editors’ Best Book of December 2018 “Art will wake you up. Art will break your heart. There will be glorious days. If you want eternity you must be fearless.” —from The Museum of Modern Love Arky Levin has reached a dead end. Unexpectedly separated from his wife, he suddenly has the space he needs to work composing film scores—but none of the peace of mind he needs to create...
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