Books set in Wyoming

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September 27, 2022
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Books set in Wyoming

Every state has its hallmark writers. Mississippi has William Faulkner and his incomparable (fictional) Yoknapatawpha County and Missouri can lay claim to Mark Twain. The state of Maine is gifted with Pulitzer winner Richard Russo and horror icon Stephen King. Rural Pennsylvania is the playground of the much-heralded (and occasionally maligned) John Updike, and when many bibliophiles think of New Jersey, they also think of Richard Ford's series of novels featuring recurring Everyman character Frank Bascombe. Illinois can lay claim to William Maxwell, Sandra Cisneros, and Adam Langer, among numerous others. And what reader can think of Washington State without contending with the sparkle-vampire yarns of Stephanie Meyer?

What makes authors like these inextricably associated with a particular state is not simply the matter of their having been born there or choosing to live there. The connection, from a writerly standpoint, is deeper than that—their work, nearly all of it, is set in "their" state.

Of course, there are certainly exceptions. Whether a writer sets a tale in the town where they went to college or spent part of their childhood—like Donna Tartt's "The Secret History" and its New England arts school setting and the almost-factual small town of Jo Ann Beard's "In Zanesville," respectively—or crafts a story that follows a social or political theme to a location they know little about but lay narrative claim to anyway, the world is rife with books known, loved, and respected that also capture the essence of place—books where setting itself is one of the strongest characters.

Stacker compiled a list of books set in Wyoming from Goodreads. Whether you're looking for a good read set in the state you call home, or you're looking to expand your curiosity with a writer you're already familiar with, we've got you covered.

Brokeback Mountain

- Rating: 3.97 (36,459 ratings)
- Author: Annie Proulx
- Published: October 13, 1997
- Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, LGBT, Romance
- Read more on Goodreads

Yellowstone Heart Song (Yellowstone Romance, #1)

- Rating: 4.13 (3,644 ratings)
- Author: Peggy L. Henderson
- Published: January 2, 2012
- Genres: Time Travel, Romance, Historical Romance, Historical
- Read more on Goodreads

The Cold Dish (Walt Longmire, #1)

- Rating: 4.11 (36,821 ratings)
- Author: Craig Johnson
- Published: December 29, 2004
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Westerns, Crime
- Read more on Goodreads

Open Season (Joe Pickett #1)

- Rating: 3.97 (37,112 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: May 7, 2001
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Thriller
- Read more on Goodreads

Death Without Company (Walt Longmire, #2)

- Rating: 4.22 (22,003 ratings)
- Author: Craig Johnson
- Published: March 16, 2006
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Westerns, Crime
- Read more on Goodreads

Winterkill (Joe Pickett, #3)

- Rating: 4.22 (18,549 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: January 1, 2003
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Thriller
- Read more on Goodreads

Back of Beyond (Highway Quartet #1)

- Rating: 4.08 (17,306 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: August 2, 2011
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime
- Read more on Goodreads

Savage Run (Joe Pickett, #2)

- Rating: 4.12 (22,217 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: June 1, 2002
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

Free Fire (Joe Pickett, #7)

- Rating: 4.27 (15,478 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: May 10, 2007
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

Happiness for Beginners

- Rating: 4.09 (20,469 ratings)
- Author: Katherine Center
- Published: March 24, 2015
- Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit
- Read more on Goodreads

Cold Wind (Joe Pickett, #11)

- Rating: 4.24 (13,530 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: March 22, 2011
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Westerns, Thriller
- Read more on Goodreads

Close Range: Wyoming Stories

- Rating: 3.99 (15,981 ratings)
- Author: Annie Proulx
- Published: May 10, 1999
- Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Westerns, LGBT
- Read more on Goodreads

My Friend Flicka (Flicka, #1)

- Rating: 4.16 (28,500 ratings)
- Author: Mary O'Hara
- Published: January 1, 1941
- Genres: Horses, Classics, Fiction, Animals
- Read more on Goodreads

Another Man's Moccasins (Walt Longmire, #4)

- Rating: 4.25 (17,282 ratings)
- Author: Craig Johnson
- Published: May 29, 2008
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Westerns, Crime
- Read more on Goodreads

In Plain Sight (Joe Pickett, #6)

- Rating: 4.22 (14,102 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: November 30, 2006
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

Force Of Nature (Joe Pickett, #12)

- Rating: 4.33 (15,052 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: March 20, 2012
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

Nowhere To Run (Joe Pickett, #10)

- Rating: 4.27 (13,930 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: April 6, 2010
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

Junkyard Dogs (Walt Longmire, #6)

- Rating: 4.23 (16,598 ratings)
- Author: Craig Johnson
- Published: May 26, 2010
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Westerns, Crime
- Read more on Goodreads

The Dark Horse (Walt Longmire, #5)

- Rating: 4.30 (16,594 ratings)
- Author: Craig Johnson
- Published: April 15, 2009
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Westerns, Crime
- Read more on Goodreads

Trophy Hunt (Joe Pickett, #4)

- Rating: 4.12 (15,964 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: January 1, 2004
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

Below Zero (Joe Pickett, #9)

- Rating: 4.19 (13,972 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: June 30, 2009
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

The Legend of Colton H. Bryant

- Rating: 3.94 (1,954 ratings)
- Author: Alexandra Fuller
- Published: January 1, 2008
- Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Biography Memoir, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

Out Of Range (Joe Pickett, #5)

- Rating: 4.24 (15,736 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: May 5, 2005
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Westerns, Thriller
- Read more on Goodreads

Skies Like These

- Rating: 3.72 (194 ratings)
- Author: Tess Hilmo
- Published: July 15, 2014
- Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Fiction
- Read more on Goodreads

Blood Trail (Joe Pickett, #8)

- Rating: 4.27 (14,358 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: May 20, 2008
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

The Haymeadow

- Rating: 4.02 (1,223 ratings)
- Author: Gary Paulsen
- Published: January 1, 1992
- Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure, Childrens
- Read more on Goodreads

As The Crow Flies (Walt Longmire, #8)

- Rating: 4.28 (14,930 ratings)
- Author: Craig Johnson
- Published: May 15, 2012
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Westerns, Crime
- Read more on Goodreads

Shane

- Rating: 3.91 (11,788 ratings)
- Author: Jack Schaefer
- Published: January 1, 1949
- Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Classics, Historical Fiction
- Read more on Goodreads

Long Range (Joe Pickett #20)

- Rating: 4.41 (16,329 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: March 3, 2020
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

Hell Is Empty (Walt Longmire, #7)

- Rating: 4.29 (14,111 ratings)
- Author: Craig Johnson
- Published: May 14, 2011
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Westerns, Crime
- Read more on Goodreads

Dark Sky (Joe Pickett, #21)

- Rating: 4.47 (18,977 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: March 2, 2021
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

Green Grass of Wyoming (Flicka, #3)

- Rating: 4.19 (1,610 ratings)
- Author: Mary O'Hara
- Published: January 1, 1946
- Genres: Horses, Fiction, Young Adult, Animals
- Read more on Goodreads

Breaking Point (Joe Pickett, #13)

- Rating: 4.34 (13,526 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: March 12, 2013
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

Stone Cold (Joe Pickett, #14)

- Rating: 4.26 (13,648 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: March 11, 2014
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

Tempest (Old West, #3)

- Rating: 4.19 (2,397 ratings)
- Author: Beverly Jenkins
- Published: January 30, 2018
- Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical
- Read more on Goodreads

The Reign of Wolf 21: The Saga of Yellowstone's Legendary Druid Pack

- Rating: 4.32 (850 ratings)
- Author: Rick McIntyre
- Published: September 29, 2020
- Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Animals, Wolves
- Read more on Goodreads

When Esther Morris Headed West: Women, Wyoming, and the Right to Vote

- Rating: 4.07 (57 ratings)
- Author: Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge
- Published: August 1, 2001
- Genres: Picture Books, Biography, History, Nonfiction
- Read more on Goodreads

The Rise of Wolf 8: Witnessing the Triumph of Yellowstone's Underdog

- Rating: 4.22 (1,609 ratings)
- Author: Rick McIntyre
- Published: January 1, 2019
- Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Animals
- Read more on Goodreads

Thunderhead (Flicka, #2)

- Rating: 4.22 (4,404 ratings)
- Author: Mary O'Hara
- Published: January 1, 1943
- Genres: Horses, Fiction, Young Adult, Animals
- Read more on Goodreads

The Laramie Project

- Rating: 4.19 (12,819 ratings)
- Author: Moisés Kaufman
- Published: September 11, 2001
- Genres: Plays, Nonfiction, Theatre, Drama
- Read more on Goodreads

Ever Faithful (Vintage National Parks #3)

- Rating: 4.08 (576 ratings)
- Author: Karen Barnett
- Published: June 1, 2019
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Romance, Fiction
- Read more on Goodreads

The Eagle Catcher (Wind River Reservation, #1)

- Rating: 3.89 (3,959 ratings)
- Author: Margaret Coel
- Published: January 1, 1995
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Westerns, Mystery Thriller
- Read more on Goodreads

Spirit of Steamboat (Walt Longmire, #9.1)

- Rating: 4.26 (7,826 ratings)
- Author: Craig Johnson
- Published: October 17, 2013
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Westerns, Audiobook
- Read more on Goodreads

Eruption (Supervolcano, #1)

- Rating: 3.14 (1,532 ratings)
- Author: Harry Turtledove
- Published: December 6, 2011
- Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Alternate History, Post Apocalyptic
- Read more on Goodreads

Angels Fall

- Rating: 4.02 (46,702 ratings)
- Author: Nora Roberts
- Published: July 11, 2006
- Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Mystery, Fiction
- Read more on Goodreads

The Daily Coyote: Story of Love, Survival, and Trust In the Wilds of Wyoming

- Rating: 3.99 (3,030 ratings)
- Author: Shreve Stockton
- Published: January 1, 2008
- Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Memoir, Nature
- Read more on Goodreads

Endangered (Joe Pickett, #15)

- Rating: 4.36 (14,818 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: March 10, 2015
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Westerns, Thriller
- Read more on Goodreads

The Western Star (Walt Longmire, #13)

- Rating: 4.27 (8,936 ratings)
- Author: Craig Johnson
- Published: September 5, 2017
- Genres: Mystery, Westerns, Fiction, Audiobook
- Read more on Goodreads

The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains

- Rating: 3.91 (8,487 ratings)
- Author: Owen Wister
- Published: January 1, 1902
- Genres: Westerns, Classics, Fiction, Historical Fiction
- Read more on Goodreads

Off the Grid (Joe Pickett, #16)

- Rating: 4.27 (15,326 ratings)
- Author: C.J. Box
- Published: March 8, 2016
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns
- Read more on Goodreads

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