NOVEMBER TEXAS BOOK PREVIEW
Preview of Texas-connected books publishing in November, 2025
Gratitude overflowing
We are thankful for the depth of creativity and expertise that Texas authors bring to our literary community. Each month we celebrate new Texas-connected books, and this month we have an exceptional bounty to share with you. We are grateful to highlight gorgeous titles for young readers, compelling mysteries for the sleuth in your life, nonfiction titles for levelling up your learning, and much more.
Conor McAnally
A gripping tale of small-town intrigue and corruption.
When Mike Carson, a disgraced New York journalist, returns to his Texas hometown to sell his late uncle’s house, what should be a simple task quickly spirals out of control. Asked to investigate a suspicious death, Carson uncovers a web of lies, self-dealing, and drug trafficking, and with each revelation, he finds himself dragged deeper into a powerful conspiracy.
Fast-paced and based on true events, with a colorful cast of characters and razor-sharp dialogue, Bullets in the Water is a must-read for fans of crime fiction and investigative thrillers.
Jennifer Rebecca
I ran.
When I uncovered the truth of who I really was, my world turned upside down. Not by fate or romance, but by the ruthless schemes of a dangerous man hungry for more power. I thought I could escape. I thought I could go back to the quiet life I once had. But I was never safe. They found me. He found me.
Now I have to decide. Do I run again, back to my quiet life or do I trust the man who deceived me? What if the only way to survive is to embrace this crown of thorns? Sometimes Happily Ever Afters just don’t exist.
Dana Wayne
Jenna McCray used her trust fund to launch Pathways Mission, a foundation devoted to helping others succeed. After a self-imposed dating hiatus ends in a humiliating public breakup—witnessed by none other than Fire Marshal Thomas Donovan, she nurses her wounds in private.
Donovan is charming, grounded—and skeptical of high society. Until Jenna. Her grace under fire captivates him. Her strength, her fire, and her fierce devotion to helping others, touches something deep inside—something he didn’t know existed. When a suspicious fire destroys her business the same night her home is vandalized, Donovan steps in. Something doesn’t add up. What were they looking for?
As danger escalates, so does the blistering firestorm between them. And Donovan will risk everything to keep her safe.
Kirk Ward Robinson
From a shark attack on the Texas Gulf Coast to the founding of a nation, courage is an essential quality, universally admired, which brings out the best in human character. Courage inspires. Courage seizes victory in defeat. Courage creates heroes.
But what is courage? And where does it come from?
Founding Courage: Courage and Character in the United States of America answers these questions and details the stories of seven courageous Americans, through seven successive generations since the Founding. These Americans—George Washington, David Crockett, Robert Gould Shaw, Crazy Horse, Matthew Henson, Rachel Carson, and Karen Silkwood—each faced daunting, dangerous, and often overwhelming challenges, but found the courage to persevere.
G.D. Obermiller
A missing girl, a desperate grandfather, and a P.I. hell-bent on bringing them back together—can one man’s pursuit of justice stop a ruthless gang of human traffickers?
When the school year begins, one senior is notably absent: Maya Chavez, the new transfer student from Southern California. She was last seen at the annual end-of-summer party, but no one is willing to discuss her disappearance, and the police refuse to investigate since she’s eighteen. Her estranged grandpa suspects something sinister has occurred, and he turns to family friend and former Marine turned private investigator Nick Fischer for help. When Nick opens an investigation, he plunges into a cesspool of human traffickers backed by a Mexican cartel. Everyone willing to talk ends up dead.
Cindy J. Vanous
In the quiet ghost town of Terlingua, Texas, lives Maddie, a little ghost who isn’t scary at all. While the other ghosts show off their dazzling talents, Maddie feels left out, unsure if she has any special gifts of her own.
At night, when everyone else is asleep, Maddie bakes in secret, remembering the times she once shared in the kitchen with her mother. The simple joy she finds in baking helps her realize that her gift has been with her all along.
With gentle storytelling and whimsical illustrations by Steven Stewart, Maddie – A Little Ghost with a Secret is a tender tale of belonging, self-discovery, and the sweetness of sharing what you love with others.
John A. Adams, Jr.
A compelling historical biography that offers an in-depth look at one of Texas’ most influential and controversial figures during the tumultuous mid-19th century. This meticulously researched work provides a vivid portrayal of Roberts’ life, from his humble beginnings in Alabama to his rise as a prominent political leader in Texas.
Adams expertly weaves Roberts’ personal story with the broader historical context of Texas and the nation, offering readers a nuanced understanding of the complex social, political, and economic forces that shaped the state’s development. It’s essential reading for scholars of Texas history, Civil War enthusiasts, and anyone interested in understanding the complex dynamics that led to the secession of Texas from the Union.
Kimberly Fish
March, 1948. Lane Mercer Hayes, and her husband, Zeke, have that postwar life that everyone envies. Exposed for her clandestine role in a Black-owned security agency, Lane is offered an opportunity to investigate vandalism at the airport and stumbles upon a complex and murderous mystery only she is capable of solving. Antagonized by the sheriff, Lane pushes against deadlines to bring justice to those who learned too late they were innocent.
Preston Lewis & Harriet Kocher Lewis
From exploring the prairie and wrangling critters to celebrating frontier holidays and watching traveling circuses, this book reveals how children carved out fun and entertainment in a rough-and-tumble world. Learn how railroads and mail-order catalogs brought new toys, how schools and churches doubled as social hubs, and how a simple game could end in laughter—or injury.
Written for young adults but fascinating for readers of all ages, Pintsized Pioneers at Play is packed with history, heart, and a hint of danger.
Written at a tenth-grade reading level perfect for curious minds, Pintsized Pioneers at Play includes a glossary of related terms.
Perfect for fans of Western history, educators, homeschoolers, and lovers of untold American stories!
E.K. Larson-Burnett
Duscha tattoos the strange and the sacred in a cramped studio off Tverskaya Street, guided by a magic she barely understands. The ink—chudo-kraska, her babushka calls it—has always lived in her blood. But lately, it’s been acting on its own.
Clients come in asking for wolves, saints, symbols. They leave with something else entirely. Designs that twist. Changes that burrow deep. Duscha tries to control it, to cleanse the space, to carry on. But the hunger is growing—hers, and the ink’s. And the bodies it marks are no longer just canvases.
They’re doors.
Marcia Argueta Mickelson
Immediately after high school graduation, eighteen-year-old Maya is kicked out of her wealthy dad’s NYC home; he prides himself on forcing his kids to “make their own way in the world.” Maya’s mom lives in Guatemala, so Maya crashes with friends while working and trying to land freelance writing gigs.
Maya struggles to find her footing until she gets access to a “writing room,” a shared workspace where she can focus—and get to know the intriguing neighbor, Jake, who’s often there.
When she discovers her dad is bankrolling a virulently anti-immigrant candidate for governor, Maya―the daughter of an immigrant―realizes she can’t continue quietly accepting his choices. She’ll have to take a stand, using the voice she’s found in the writing room.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!
There are so many Texas-connected books publishing this month that we couldn’t feature all of them. The following books also publish in November:
CHILDREN'S, MIDDLE GRADE, & YOUNG ADULT BOOKS
Buckaroo Beau Loses His Hat by Kacy Burke
Diabetic Ninja by Hannah Cabrera
Geckos by Jessica Lee Anderson
Hops Heard Around the World by Briana Lafleur & Lisa Landolt
Firmament: Timestream by J. Grace Pennington
Never-Late Nate by Alison Sloan
Once Upon a Woven Wish by Michelle Miles
Pick Your Own Quest: The Chocolate Factory by Connor Hoover
Queen’s Match by Katharine McGee
The Traveling Tuxedo: Adventures in Nacogdoches, TX by Melissa Coyle
Where is Texas? by Annette Whipple
FANTASY / SCI-FI
Boots and a Pistol that Shoots by Michael Anderle
Breaking the Ice by Amy Campbell
Desperate Times by Tom Abrahams
Dragon Lord by Mase Evans
Ezra and the Forbidden Scroll by JD Southwell
Hidden Allies by Melissa McShane
The Magic Girl by Erika Fair
The Mystic’s Price by Isabell Campbell & Michael Anderle
Quick and the Dead by Martha Carr & Michael Anderle
Ritual of Ruin by Kel Kade
Stone and Sky (Anthology)
The Waif of the Sphinx by Renée Jaggér & Michael Anderle
When She’s Stuffed by Ruby Dixon
MYSTERY / HORROR
The Accidental Actor by E. E. Wheelock
The Belle of the Ball by Stephen Graham Jones
The Boarsville Massacre by David Hardy
The Chambermaids by Leigh M. Hall
Chocolate Mud Murder by Rosie A. Point
Coeds and Cattails by Jana DeLeon
Death and Lemonade by Nova Walsh
Death at the Cozy Island Christmas by Bessie Barr
The Deliberate Death of Doctor Dudley by Becki Willis
Eight Days Anxious by Luana Ehrlich
Emergence by J.R. Tage
Erased by Elle James
Gingerbread and Grief by Nova Walsh
The Heist Before Christmas by Katherine H. Brown
Innocence Road by Laura Griffin
Killer Secrets by Jackie Layton
The Light in the Barn by Susan P. Baker
Meat District and Other Horrors by Lucas Magnum
The Missing Witness by Tam May
Murder and Merlot by Amy Briggs
A Murder in the Making by Victoria Laurie
Murder Made Her Wicked by Elizabeth Hobbs
Murder Stage Right by Patrick Kelly
Pies, Poison, and Peril by Leanne Leeds
Revenge, Served Royal by Celeste Connally
Sangrita by Kathryn Dodson
Silver Shadows by Bluebell Mertz
Sinister Santa by Manning Wolfe & Bill Rodgers
Smoke and Mirrors by Nicole Edwards
Smoked Secrets by Erica J Whelton
Spells & Shenanigans by Karen MacInerery
Trick or Treat by Amy Shojai
The Willing Resistance by Kim Black
A Witchy Christmas by Rhonda Hopkins
A Witchy Graduation by Rhonda Hopkins
A Witchy Reunion by Rhonda Hopkins
A Witchy Spookfest by Rhonda Hopkins
NONFICTION
Lady Bird Johnson by Louann Atkins Temple
More Than The Music by Hank O’Neal
Perini Ranch Steakhouse Cookbook: Stories and Recipes for Real Texas Food by Lisa Perini & Tom Perini
Santa Anna’s Army in the Texas Revolution by Gregg J. Dimmick
Scandal: Why Politicians Survive Controversy in a Partisan Era by Brandon Rottinghaus
Songs of the Cyberspace Cattle Drive by Burke De Boer
The Strategic Business Influencer by Paige Velasquez Budde
Texas Almanac 2026-2027 by Brett Regan
Texas BBQ Bible: The Art of Low and Slow by Veronica Meewes
Texas Hikes and Brews by Jay E. Maddock & Debra Kellstedt
Texas Tombstones: New Braunfels by Tori Sandoval
Wrangling Pelicans: Military Life in Texas Presidios by Tim Seiter
Yo Soy by Roberto E. Villarreal
OTHER FICTION
Railroad to Perdition: Justice Rides an Iron Horse by Mark Greathouse
Rejected by Elizabeth Simon
Texas Dumpster Fire by Mark Mills
This World Will Never Run Out of Strangers by John Waddy Bullion
Trust Issues by KP Davis
POETRY
Becoming Mine by Lueella Shelton
Breaking into Blossom edited by Luke Hankins and Nomi Stone
Five Things by Galen Steele
Unraveled by Kelli Kassoff
ROMANCE
After the Rain by Amber Palmer
Baubles and Silk by M.L. Eaden
Beau’s Christmas Bride by Charlotte Dearing
Bound By Debt by Natasha L. Black
Broken Forced Mate by Kayla Wolf
Cactus Heart by Clio Evans
Call of Honor by Alexa Verde
A Cheerful Heart (Anthology)
Christmas Cookies & Second Chances by Skye Turner
Cowboy for Sale by BA Tortuga & Jodi Payne
The Cowboy’s Christmas Promise by Nina Potter
The Creaky Old Barn by B.E. Baker
Crystal Iris and the Solenscint in the Mirror by Blair M. Shadows
The Cuffing Game by Lyla Lee
A Daughter’s Choice by Kelly Irvin
Deputy Brand Gets Her Man by Maggie Shayne
Discretion by Jenna Brantly
Duke’s Diversion by Maggie Sims
Dusty by Kathy Ivan
Ellie Hayes and the Himbos by Vanessa King
Everything He Wants by Liz Isaacson
Faking I Do by Dylann Crush
Finding True North by Kathryn Kaleigh
Forever Fleeting by Ginny Sterling
Fortune’s Unexpected Gift by Jennifer Wilck
A Ghost of Christmas Magic by Kathryn Kaleigh
Heart of a Vampire by Erin Bedford
Hearts of Hope by Valerie M. Bodden
Highland Holiday by Kasey Stockton
A Home for the Ranger by Audrey Wick
Hot Christmas Cowboy by Eve Gaddy
Keeping Amanda by Susan Stoker
Kringla by Kelci by Linda Carroll-Bradd
Let it Rain by B.G. Vandenberg
Love’s Second Chance by Joyce Armstrong
Loving a Demon by Missy Jane
Mac by Melanie D. Snitker
Meant to Be by Ginny Sterling
The Meat Cute by Tobie Carter
Merry & Bright by Dianne Oren
Merry Little Bookshop by Ali Brady
Mountain Man Taken by Eve London
Net Pucks and Chill by Debbie Charles
Never Mine by Monique Shepherd
North of Always by Jules Woods
Not in the Christmas Plan by Etta Easton
Of Peace on Earth by Abigail Kay
Outlaw Ridge: Ryker by Delores Fossen
Overboard for the Holidays by Heatherly Bell
Passive Attack by Jorgia Yates
Property of BamBam by Darlene Tallman
Property of Riptide by Liberty Parker
Protected by Jack by Reina Torres
The Rancher’s Christmas Gift by Jolene Navarro
Resolute Security by Leslie Marshman
Samara’s Sailor by Dania Voss
Savannah Summer by Tess Thompson
Scotsman’s Valor by Dorothy Wiley
The SEAL’s Secret Baby by Wanda Amard
Seas & Greetings by Christina Berry
Second Chances at Christmas by Kadee McDonald
Sensing by Selma Kailin Gow
Smoke Show by Mack Landy
Snowed in with My Pucking Ex by Sapphire Knight
Somebody to Save by Grace Turner
Sweet Tomorrows by Chris Keniston
Texas Christmas Pursuit by Sommer Smith
This Heart by Kelly Elliott
Twin Threats in Austin by Barb Han
Under the Christmas Tree (Anthology, Pepper Anne et. al)
The Velvet Clover by Aria Devi
A Very Merry Enemy by Lyra Parish
A Very Texas Christmas by Laura Finger
The Vindicated Queen by Whitney McGruder
Waiting for Forever by Mari Carr
Watery Eyes, A Little Dizzy by J. Lynn Carr
The Wild Card by Emma St. Clair
Wishes Don’t Come True by Jamey Moody