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Nevada Books: The Best Books Set in the Silver State
By: Angela & Melissa
Updated:
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn a referral fee from qualifying purchases.Whether you’re participating in our Read Around the USA Challenge or simply found your way to our website researching books set in Nevada, we’ve curated a diverse list of highly-rated titles about the Silver State! If you’re looking for another state, check our comprehensive list of books set in every state.
A Few Things Nevada is Known For…
Nevada is the seventh-largest state in the US and its geography is defined by deserts, mountains, and valleys. It’s the most mountainous state in the lower 48, with more than 300 named mountain ranges, and the Great Basin, a desert valley, stretches across most of the state between parallel mountain ranges. The Mojave Desert, the home ot Las Vegas, stretches across southern Nevada, and Lake Tahoe, one of the largest, deepest, and clearest freshwater lakes in the world, straddles the border between Nevada and California.
Constructed in the mid-1930s, the Hoover Dam was one of the largest public works projects of its time. It impounds the Colorado River, forming Lake Mead, one of the largest artificial lakes in the U.S., and also provides hydroelectric power production, flood control, and water storage for irrigation.
Also during the Great Depression, Nevada legalized gambling and relaxed marriage and divorce laws as a way to attract visitors and stimulate economic recovery. Throughout the mid-20th century, Reno was recognized as the gaming capital of the U.S., but the growth of Las Vegas in the latter half of the 20th century eventually overshadowed Reno’s prominence.
The Rat Pack, a group of entertainers led by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr., became synonymous with Las Vegas during the 1960s. Their shows at the Sands Hotel and Casino were legendary and played a crucial role in popularizing Vegas as a glamorous nightlife destination, while also setting a new, sophisticated standard for stage performances. Today, the casinos, hotels, and entertainment venues of Vegas operate 24/7, making it the city that truly never sleeps.
The Best Books Set in Nevada
Six Weeks in Reno
Book Summary
In the 1930s, it wasn’t easy for a woman in the United States to get a divorce…unless she headed to Reno, Nevada. In this former frontier town, women could establish residency by spending six weeks at a “divorce ranch,” and then they’d be eligible for legal divorce through the Nevada laws, which gave women more rights to leave a husband.
Evelyn will do anything to get out of her loveless marriage. She heads to the Flying N Ranch and soon bonds with her housemates, most of whom have never traveled from their homes. During their stay, the women can ride horses by day and dance with cowboys by night. However, there is no escaping the grim realities of Depression-era America hiding just below the glamour of Reno.
The Book Girls Say…
For another historical fiction book about women in the 1930s heading to Reno to escape their marriages, check out Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne Johnson (who you might recognize as the author of Be Frank With Me. The ratings on this one are a bit lower, which seems to be attributable to it being a slower-building, character-driven story versus plot-driven and action-oriented, like some readers expected.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
Slaying You
Book Summary
A shared harrowing past connects Grace and Amber – they both escaped from the same psychopath. While they’ve attempted to move on with ‘normal’ lives separately, neither of them is good at that. Now, they’ve been reunited in Vegas for a friend’s wedding.
This trip takes a terrible turn when someone seems to be targeting their inner circle. As the bodies pile up, Grace and Amber need to team up and use the survival skills that helped them outsmart a murderer in the past. But this time, the killer is smarter, and the stakes are even higher.
The Book Girls Say…
Readers say this book is full of both action and laughter that comes in the form of witty dark humor. Slaying You does feature the same characters as the author’s 2023 release, Killing Me, which is partially set in Las Vegas. So, if you haven’t read it, you may consider picking up that title first.
The Horse
Book Summary
Sixty-something Al lives 50 miles from the nearest town on a mining claim in the high desert of central Nevada. While he once worked as a touring musician, he’s now isolated and challenged by insomnia, anxiety, and chronic lethargy. He’s running out of reasons to stay alive when a blind and utterly helpless horse appears on his doorstep.
Despite Al’s hopes that the horse would disappear as fast as it arrived, it remains. As he considers whether the horse is even real or a hallucination, he also reflects on his life as a musician, which included minor success, love, alcoholism, and tragedy.
The Book Girls Say…
This short (194-page) novel is the newest release from Nevada author Willy Vlautin. He has other works set in the state, including Northline, about a woman fleeing an abusive boyfriend and heading to Reno.
The Bitter Past
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
This is the first book in a brand-new mystery series featuring Sheriff Porter Beck. Born and raised in the high desert of Nevada, north of Las Vegas, Beck left to join the army. After spending years working in Intelligence, he’s returned home to take the sheriff position that his father once held.
In The Bitter Past, the quiet of the desert is rocked when a retired FBI agent is found dead. It’s clear that he was brutally tortured before he was killed, and the clues draw connections to a mystery dating back to the early days of the nuclear age.
The case unfolds in a dual timeline. In the 1950s, a Russian spy infiltrated a nuclear testing site. In the present day, someone is looking for that long-ago, all-but-forgotten person who holds the key to the current mystery.
The Book Girls Say…
Early readers say this book combines an espionage thriller, a police procedural, and historical fiction all in one. It’s not clear when we can expect the second book in this new series, but reviewers are already eager for more.
Crossword Puzzle Cozy Mystery
Book Summary
Tracy creates crossword puzzles as her passion, but since that doesn’t pay all the bills, she’s also a part-time private investigator in Langsdale, Nevada. She’s never left a crossword unfinished, so it makes sense that she’s determined when it comes to solving puzzling crimes.
In the first book, An Ex in the Puzzle, her ex-husband’s second wife is missing for three days before her body is found. But Tracy’s not the only one investigating – her tween son and seventy-something landlady also want to solve the murder. The case takes a turn when Tracy becomes a suspect in the eyes of the police.
The Book Girls Say…
In addition to the books set in Langsdale, Nevada, the series includes books with Tracy traveling to Las Vegas and Tahoe.
We Are Called to Rise
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
90% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Far from the neon lights of the Vegas strip, locals are going about their lives and raising families. In this novel, four lives will collide in ways that will change them all.
Avis thought her marriage was just in a rut, but with one middle-of-the-night confession, everything unraveled.
Roberta is a social worker and a court-appointed child advocate.
Luis is a soldier trying to make his grandmother, who raised him, proud. He wakes up at Walter Reed Hospital with only sketchy memories of how he got there. Now, he’ll have to find a new way to lead a life of honor.
Bashkim is a third grader who loves the quiet order of school and the kindness of his teacher. His family came to the US, fleeing political persecution, and settled in Vegas. Their ice cream truck business barely pays the bills. Bashkim opens his heart to a pen pal – a US Soldier.
The Book Girls Say…
This is described as a very sad, but ultimately feel-good book about how the little moments in life are actually the big ones. Reviewers praise the descriptions of suburban Las Vegas life – a side of the city many of us likely have trouble envisioning if we’ve never ventured beyond the bright lights of The Strip.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
The Friendship Club
Book Summary
Mid‑fifties celebrity cooking‑show host Marni McGuire has weathered two failed marriages and now faces life as a single mom and grandmother-to-be. With her daughter Bella expecting and pressuring her to re-enter the dating scene, Marni is reluctantly drawn back into romantic waters.
Her longtime friend and producer, Ellen, also tentatively flirts with a new relationship after years of caring for her late husband. Meanwhile, young intern Sophia is entangled in a dangerously toxic relationship, and Bella’s own marriage begins to show cracks under pregnancy stress.
These four women—representing different generations—come together in Marni’s kitchen as life throws unexpected challenges their way.
The Book Girls Say…
While Marni lives just outside of Reno, Nevada, in a suburb she describes as being nestled at the bottom of the Sierra Nevada foothills, the setting doesn’t play a huge role in the novel.
The Ox-Bow Incident
Book Summary
Set in 1885 in a small Nevada town, the story follows two cowboys, Art Croft and Gil Carter, who arrive to find the community shaken by news of a local rancher’s murder and cattle theft.
Tensions run high, and a posse quickly forms to track down the suspected criminals. Despite protestations from a few townspeople urging for legal due process, the group captures three men and must decide their fate.
The Book Girls Say…
Like many books of its era, this novel contains racial, ethnic, and gender stereotypes. Nevertheless, most current readers agree that this novel stands the test of time in its exploration of the dangers of groupthink, mob justice, and moral responsibility.
Desperation
Book Summary
This novel opens on a lonely stretch of Highway 50, often called “The Loneliest Road in America,” as various characters are pulled over by a terrifying police officer named Collie Entragian.
The story then unfolds in the fictional mining town of Desperation, Nevada, where Officer Entragian takes them into custody. As the captives begin to uncover the town’s dark secrets, they realize that Entragian is under the control of a sinister, supernatural presence.
The Book Girls Say…
The harsh, unforgiving Nevada desert has been described as one of King’s most unsettling settings.
I Heart Vegas
Book Summary
Angela Clark is a Brit who loves her life in New York, but she has recently lost her job. When the immigration department finds out, the pressure is on for her to find a new job or a husband as soon as possible.
An impulsive girls’ weekend in Vegas with her best friend seems like the perfect distraction from her troubles. From the minute they arrive, Angela is swept up in a whirl of cocktails, outrageous outfits, late nights, and brushes with the chapel of love. Far from escaping her troubles, though, Angela is getting herself in deeper!
As a bonus, this novel includes Angela’s Guide to Vegas!
The Book Girls Say…
While this novel is the fourth in the “I Heart” series, author Lindsey Kelk does a good job of catching readers up on everything important that happened in the first three books, so that you can jump right into this one if you choose to.
As with the other books in this series, this novel is a light romance reader, but readers say it’s not as predictable as you might expect, and the plot offers up some surprises. The entire series is described as warm, funny, and unputdownable.
The Princess of Las Vegas
Book Summary
Crissy Dowling, a celebrated Princess Diana impersonator at the modest (fictional) Buckingham Palace Casino in Las Vegas, lives a life of glamour amid routine and quiet desperation. She spends her days lounging poolside and evenings channeling Diana in a cabaret show—until the sudden, suspicious death of the casino’s co-owner shatters her insulated world.
Soon after, Crissy’s estranged sister, Betsy, appears in town with her daughter and a boyfriend tied to a shady cryptocurrency firm. As the pair navigate grief, guilt, and their complicated past, the casino becomes a hub for murder, blackmail, and mob-linked schemes.
The Book Girls Say…
The overall rating of this novel on Goodreads is lower than what we typically look for when researching books, but it comes highly recommended by numerous Book Girls readers who gave it five stars. If the premise sounds interesting to you, we think it’s worth considering.
While this thriller is a work of fiction, its time setting—just before the death of Queen Elizabeth and during the unfolding of the FTX cryptocurrency scandal—grounds it in a very modern, real-world moment.
Same Time, Next Year
Book Summary
James has his mind on his career as a newly appointed judge. While visiting Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve, he runs into a Summer. She’s just discovered her fiancè was cheating on her, and he’s in the right place at the right time to console her.
Because they have to return home to their normal lives despite their undeniable connection, they vow to return to Vegas the next New Year’s Eve to meet again. Between meetings, their relationship grows through monthly letters.
The Book Girls Say…
Keep in mind that this is a New Year’s Eve romance originally released 30 years ago, so some say it feels outdated at times. But if you prefer the classic romance genre over contemporary, it might be perfect!
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
Wanna Get Lucky?
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
95% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Calling all cozy mystery fans! This is the first book in the Vegas-based Lucky O’Toole series, which has been described as Janet Evanovich meets CSI.
Lucky is the “Chief Problem Solver” for the Babylon casino. She’s very good at her job, and she does it all wearing a pair of five-inch heels.
In Wanna Get Lucky, a young woman plunges from a sightseeing helicopter, landing in the Pirate Lagoon in front of the Treasure Island Hotel. Everyone else is ready to write it off as an accident, but Lucky suspects foul play.
The Book Girls Say…
This cozy mystery series is as Vegas as they come. They don’t call it Sin City for no reason, so skip this one if you’re looking for a wholesome read.
Cozy mystery lovers may also want to check out the series, Spying in High Heels. The second book in the series is set in Vegas, while the first and third books are set in Beverly Hills and Hollywood, respectively.
And fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series may also want to pick up To The Nines, the 9th book in the series, which is set partially in Las Vegas.
Harley in the Sky
Book Summary
Harley’s parents run a famous Las Vegas circus, and she grew up admiring the lead aerialist and dreaming of being a trapeze artist. However, her parents insist that she go to college instead of learning how to awe the audience.
After a big fight with her parents, Harley leaves home to join the rival traveling circus, Maison du Mystère. Life on the road is both brutal and beautiful, and she must work hard while coming to terms with the sacrifices she made to follow her dream. Along the way, there is a little romance for Harley. However, keep in mind that she is very much a teenager and prone to bouts of immaturity and imperfect decisions.
The Book Girls Say…
In addition to the circus plot, there are important discussion points about what it’s like to be part of a multiracial family and about mental health. While Vegas plays an important role in this novel, only about 25% of the story is set in Nevada, while the remainder follows Harley’s touring circus life.
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
The Partner Plot
Book Summary
Violet Greene, a celebrity stylist, has spent years styling the rich and famous, but her personal life is a mess after a public breakup. On a birthday trip to Las Vegas, she unexpectedly reunites with Xavier, her high school sweetheart, who is now a New Jersey teacher and basketball coach.
One night of nostalgia and celebration ends with them waking up wearing matching wedding rings, the result of a spur‑of‑the‑moment (but legally invalid) Vegas chapel ceremony. To manage personal and professional missteps, they agree to keep up a façade of marriage.
The Book Girls Say…
While only a small portion of this book takes place in Las Vegas, this setting is as an impulsive catalyst for the rest of the romantic and professional journey. If you are trying to read a book from all 50 states, you could count this one for both Nevada and New Jersey.
The books in this trilogy follow each of the Greene sisters. While this story about Violet Greene can be read as a standalone, if you know you want to read the full series, we recommend starting with The Neighbor Favor, about a bookworm living in NYC.
Wild Seasons Series
Book Summary
Each of the first three books in this steamy romance series begins with an impulsive Vegas wedding. When three college besties meet three hot guys in Vegas, anything can, and does, happen.
The first book sees Mia Holland marry a charming Frenchman in Vegas and then follow him to Paris for the summer. The second and third books tell the stories of two more Vegas hook-ups that result in marriages and annulments before the female main characters return to their lives in California. The second book in the series is also partially set on Canada’s Vancouver Island.
The Book Girls Say…
Christina Lauren is the pen name of long-time writing duo and best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. While they are best known for their more recent adult romantic comedy writing, their earlier writing was more explicit.
Although the Wild Seasons series is categorized as Contemporary Romance, readers describe the content as somewhere between spicy and scorching. Nonetheless, reviewers also say the series strikes a good balance with sincere emotions that make the stories work.
As noted above, the books in this series begin in Vegas, with much of the action taking place elsewhere. For a Christina Lauren story set fully in Vegas, pick up Beautiful Bombshell, a novella in the writing duo’s Beautiful series.
The Goldfinch
Book Summary
At the age of 13, New Yorker Theo Decker survives a bombing in the Metropolitan Museum of Art that kills his mother. As he escapes through the debris, he takes with him a small painting of a tiny bird chained to its perch. From that day forward, he clings to the painting as a reminder of his mom.
Having been abandoned by his father, he goes to live with the family of a wealthy friend on Park Avenue, before later being reunited with his estranged father in Las Vegas.
Eight years later, and now an adult, the painting of the goldfinch pulls Theo into a dangerous world of crime and drugs.
The Book Girls Say…
Many of the 4-star reviews of The Goldfinch say that they would have given it 5 stars but for the length. At nearly 800 pages, some readers feel the story would have benefited from more aggressive editing, while others love the deep dive into the characters that the length affords.
The center third of this novel is set in a stark and desolate suburb of Las Vegas, Nevada. This setting provides a stark contrast to the art-filled world that Theo left behind in New York.
Non-Fiction Books Set in Nevada
What Really Happens in Vegas: True Stories of the People Who Make Vegas, Vegas
Book Summary
This non-fiction book tells the story of some of the real people who make Sin City tick. From the moment travelers land, where slot machines greet them at the airport, readers are swept into a 24‑hour whirlwind exploration of Vegas.
The book profiles an eclectic cast, ranging from VIP hosts who grant guests’ wildest desires to chauffeurs transporting celebrities, and from the inventor of drive-thru Elvis weddings to the maintenance crews of the Bellagio fountains. And then, of course, there are the “whales” who gamble millions without batting an eye.
The Book Girls Say…
While James Patterson is best known for his fiction writing, for this book he partnered with journalist Mark Seal, and together they’ve written a playful and fast-paced book that peels back the glamor and reveals the grit, ambition, and endless surprises that define Vegas.
Book Summary
This historical account tells the story of the Hoover Dam and its role in shaping the American West, as well as its status as a symbol of American resilience and ingenuity during the Great Depression.
The story of the Dam also has a darker side, though, and its construction came at a great human cost.
The Book Girls Say…
This non-fiction book, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Michael Hiltzik, uses the Hoover Dam to tell a broader story about America during the 1930s. He combines exhaustive research with unforgettable storytelling to shed new light on a major turning point of twentieth-century history.
Casino
Book Summary
This non-fiction, true crime novel tells the story of gambling mastermind Franky “Lefty” Rosenthal. Together with his best friend, Tony, they practically ran the Vegas mob. Lefty was the brains of the operation, while Tony delivered suitcases filled with millions to the bosses each week. It seemed like nothing could take them down. But Lefty’s obsession with power and Tony’s obsession with Lefty’s wife ultimately led to betrayals and investigations.
The Book Girls Say…
In addition to writing this novel that was adapted into the mega-hit film of the same name, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert DeNiro, Sharon Stone, and Joe Pesci, Nicholas Pileggi is also the author of The Wiseguys, which became the Academy Award-winning movie Goodfellas.
Read Around the USA – Books Set in Other States
We hope you enjoyed this list of books about Nevada and found some great titles to add to your TBR. If you’re participating in our Read Around the USA Challenge, be sure to check out our alphabetical index of books set in each state.
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