Let the pages of these Washington DC books bring the nation’s capitol to life.
Books are one of the best ways to discover another land, fiction or otherwise. These stories are set in Washington, D.C., and bring alive the sights and sounds of the District embedded in romance, political drama, paranormal fantasy fiction, thrillers, and so more.
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
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The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown is one of the most famous books set in Washington, DC. This thriller is the third novel in the Robert Langdon series, following Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. The page-turned will keep you on your toes as you follow along the many hidden temples and tunnels throughout the nation’s capital.
The Camel Club by David Baldacci
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Baldacci is a global bestselling author who always delivers a delightful story. In The Camel Club, he takes you on an adventure filled with murder, secret service agents, conspiracy theorists, and a crisis that needs to be avoided at all costs.
The President Is Missing by James Patterson and Bill Clinton
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What do you get when you put together an author renowned for his thrillers and a former US President? An amazing novel that reaches the New York Times #1 Bestseller list is what. Filled with espionage, cyber terror, and as the title says, a missing president, you’ll be hooked from the very start.
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
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The Exorcist paved the way for the horror genre when Blatty decided to write this novel based on a true story. Grab this book and read what really happened to the eleven-year-old DC girl who was possessed by a demon.
Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
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This fictional thriller takes you through some of DC’s most iconic landmarks as the protagonist struggles with the disappearance of her best friend.
The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears by Dinaw Mengestu
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When Ethiopian immigrant, Sepha, fled to the United States for a fresh start he didn’t imagine himself running a failing corner store in the heart of Washington, DC. Set in Logan Circle, this heartwarming story is beautifully written and filled with interesting characters.
The Hopefuls by Jennifer Close
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Author Jennifer Close packed up her life in New York and moved to Washington, DC when her husband got an opportunity to work on Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign. Putting all her insider views into The Hopefuls, you’ll find a hilarious look into who really keeps the government running.
Creatures of Passage by Morowa Yejidé
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Tag along with taxi driver, Nephthys Kinwell, as she takes the troubled residents of DC to their destination while grieving her own losses. This novel is filled with rich characters and harrowing plot turns that will keep you on your toes.
Heartburn by Nora Ephron
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This novel is about the dissolution of what the protagonist thought was a perfect marriage, and yet it’s completely hilarious. Though it was written in the eighties, the people and places in the book still reflect the DC that stands today.
Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn
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Dirty politicians butt heads with a celebrity werewolf who testifies at a senate hearing for the rights of supernatural beings in this wild ride of a book by Carrie Vaughn. There are Bible-thumping politicians and vampire mistresses so you may not want to overlook this fantasy fiction.
The Lost Diary of M by Paul Wolfe
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This novel is a wild ride where the ex-wife of a CIA operative has an affair and does drugs with President Kennedy in the White House. She’s mysteriously murdered in Georgetown months after the president’s assassination. What follows is the non-guilty verdict of the accused assailant, a found journal kept by the murdered lover, and its eventual disappearance at the hands of the CIA.
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
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A character case comprising the living and the dead, historical and fictional, this story is sad, funny, and a little disturbing all in one. It’s set in the famed Oak Hill Cemetery and is told by ghosts who witness Lincoln losing his son and the heart wrenching struggle that follows.
Exclusive by Sandra Brown
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Sandra Brown is a bestselling author who has many wonderful murder mysteries under her belt. This political thriller tells the story of a reporter who is asked to help investigate the murder of her friend’s baby, but the rules are different when your friend is America’s First Lady.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
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You’ll find that true love shouldn’t always cross oceans in this New York Times bestseller where America’s first son falls in love with the Prince of Wales.
Other DC based books to add to your list:
- King Suckerman by George Pelecanos
- Murder in the White House by Margaret Truman
- Henry and Clara by Thomas Mallon
- When Washington Was in Vogue by Edward Christopher Williams
- The Man Who Came Uptown by George Pelecanos
- Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
- With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
- This Shared Dream by Kathleen Ann Goonan
- Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala
- The Short Drop by Matthew FitzSimmons
- The Diplomat’s Daughter by Karin Tanabe
- A Deeper Darkness by J. T. Ellison
- The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln by Stephen L. Carter
