Books Set on Cape Cod & the Islands

Set during the splendid summer days of 1960s Martha's Vineyard, this page-turning debut novel pulls back the curtain on one mysterious and wealthy family as seen through the eyes of their nanny--a college student who, while falling in love on the elegant island, is also forced to reckon with the dark underbelly of privilege. 

From the author of The Salt House and This Is Home comes a profound novel about the power of community and a small town's long-buried secrets as a group of New England islanders come together for a recently orphaned girl. 

On Ichabod Island, a jagged strip of land thirteen miles off the coast of Massachusetts, ten-year-old Sky becomes an orphan for the second time after a tragic accident claims the lives of her adoptive parents. 

"Sexy and satisfying, Big Summer is the perfect quarantine read." --USA TODAY

"The beach read to end all beach reads." --Entertainment Weekly

"Big fun, and then some. It's empowering and surprising--a reminder to put down the phone and enjoy each moment for what it is." --The Washington Post

Deaf author and librarian Ann Clare LeZotte weaves a riveting Own Voices story inspired by the true history of a thriving deaf community on Martha's Vineyard in the early 19th century.

A must-read. -- iKirkus Review, starred review

A triumph. -- Brian Selznick, creator of Wonderstruck and the Caldecott Honor Book, iThe Invention of Hugo Cabret

When a baby is left on the doorstep of a Cape Cod beach house, an unlikely group of women risks all they hold dear to harbor and protect her in this "touching, nuanced summer yarn" (Publisher's Weekly).

A stunning portrait of community, identity, and sexuality by the critically acclaimed author of The Narrow Door

“A richly embroidered cast of characters, a thoughtful exploration of how real friends treat one another, and the true meaning of family all combine to make this a thoroughly satisfying coming-of-age tale. Cape Cod is nicely depicted—not the Cape of tourists but the one of year-round residents—as is the sometimes-sharp contrast between residents and summer people. Hunt has crafted another gentle, moving tale of love and loss: the value of the one and the importance of getting over the other.”—Kirkus Reviews

*A July 2019 Indie Next List Great Read*
*One of Parade's Most Anticipated Books of Summer 2019*
*An O Magazine Best Beach Read of 2019*
*A New York Post Best Beach Read of 2019*

The Brewster Flats are a defining feature in our beautiful town. If you close your eyes and think about what makes this town unique and special, a vision of the Brewster flats will inevitably enter your mind: other-worldly. Alive. Ever-changing. A wonder.

     This essential guidebook presents the most abundantly illustrated and fascinating account of the natural history of Cape Cod, its nearby islands, Block Island, the western coast of Rhode Island, and southeastern Long Island ever published. Exploring the ecology and most common plants and animals of the various regional environments— beaches, dunes, salt marshes, heathlands, and coastal forests— the book also encompasses marine mammals, sea turtles, and fish offshore.