From KI to Coober Pedy, city to country, South Australia has some magnificent locations – and you’ll find a book set in almost all of them. We recently asked our members for their suggestions for favourite novels set in Adelaide and South Australia, and wow, did you answer.
We’ve compiled a Goodreads list (in no particular order) of 100 books, featuring classics and contemporary titles, spanning a range of genres, time periods, and locations. The only criteria: must be at least partly set in SA.
Whether you’re looking for your next read or curious about your home state on the page, take a look!
Have a suggestion we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments (please note Goodreads lists are capped at 100, so we are unable to add any additional books).
Sins Of The Fathers by S,Gepp
The Blue Roses Of Orroroo by Margaret Visciglio
On The Edge by Margaret Visciglio
Perfect thanks Steven! They’re all on the list.
Hello!
I’ve got a few to add – all by Trish Morey
Cherry Season
The Trouble with Choices
Stone Castles
Burning Love
Thanks!
Trish
Thanks Trish! Added 🙂
Most of my writing is set in SA, including novels ‘Bring Back the Songs’ and ‘A Matter of Cats’.
Thanks Elizabeth!
‘The Bank Inspector”
The Bank Manager’
The Bank Teller’
All totally South Australian. crime novels
Wendy Altschwager has written a number of books set in SA, including ‘The Pledge’, ‘Talk of the Town’, ‘Spirit of the Country’ and ‘Behind the Door’.
Go SA! Meredith Appleyard’s contribution and all set in SA:
The Country Practice
The Doctor Calling
No Job for a Girl
Home At Last
When Grace Went Away
You asked for novels, so I din’t submit any titles written by professional historians and set in SA – dozens of excellent books! (You have only to check Wakefield Press, amongst other publishers, to see many of the most recent titles). Now, I see there are several histories (or other non fiction books) in this otherwise admirable list.
The Nautilus by Nicholas Jose
The Sunken Road by Garry Disher
A Bitter Harvest by Peter Yeldham
Deadly, Unna? by Phillip Gwynne
The Spirit Wind by Max Fatchen
Knitting by Anne Bartlett
King of the Outback by Kristin Weidenbach
Heart of the Country by Tricia Stringer
Some books set in SA by Rosanne Hawke
The Messenger Bird
Zenna Dare
Kerenza: A New Australian
The Keeper
Across the Creek
Finding Kerra
Mustara
I’ve written and published teenage and young adult novels set in South Australia:
Joy Ride (Southern Adelaide)
Caught in the Headlights (Coomandook, Tailem Bend, Meningie region)
In My Father’s Shadow (Riverlands)
The Need (Adelaide)