For readers · Guide
Looking for books by authors near you, or set in your town?
Online stores sort by bestseller, and searching for “a novel set in my town” turns up travel guides. Local authors are hard to find unless you happen into the right bookshop on the right day.
Browse by place
Places go from country to region to city, down to specific spots like a lake or a neighborhood. Every place has a page with its local authors, the books they wrote, and the books set there. Places nest, so your state’s page includes every town in it.
The book map
The map puts a pin wherever books are set or authors live. Zoom in and tap a pin to see what’s there. The map runs on LocalBooks’ own servers, so no map company sees what you look at.
Near you
The home page shows books from near your approximate location, worked out from your internet connection, never your GPS. Change the location to explore anywhere else. If your town has no local authors yet, you’ll see the nearest ones.
Beyond the map, and by genre
Some stories aren’t set on Earth: browse Outer Space, the Afterlife, Mythic Realms, Invented Worlds and Virtual & Dream Worlds. Or start from genres and narrow down to the kind of book you like.
How to find books set where you live
Open Places or the map
Choose your country, then your region and town, or zoom into the map.
Look at the place’s page
Local authors, books by local authors, and books set there.
Feeling lucky?
“Random book set here” picks one for you.
Read a sample
Open a book and try it free.
What it costs
Free. No account needed to browse.
Questions
How does LocalBooks know where I am?
Only roughly, from your internet connection. It never asks for your GPS, and you can change the location.
There’s nothing in my town. Now what?
You’ll see the nearest local books. And if you know a local author, tell them: their first book is free to list.
Can I find books set in fictional places?
Yes. Fictional towns are marked, and worlds that aren’t on Earth have their own pages.
Looking for books by authors near you, or set in your town?