This annual round-up of Outer Banks beach reads for the summer of 2025 is from Gee Gee Rosell, owner of Buxton Village Books, Hatteras Island’s local bookstore since 1984.
Once again, I’m delightfully surprised by how many new books set on the Outer Banks were published this past year. Is it the salt air? The many bridges one takes to arrive here leading to a sense of magic and mystery?
As an indie bookseller on Hatteras, I hear from so many people that their creative juices start flowing once they get their toes in the sand.
Whatever it is that happens, it’s wonderful.
The following is a collection of books for adults and young readers, both fiction and non-fiction, and all new this season, with descriptions presented in the words of the authors and publishers.
Tangled Lines, Jan Dawson. Completing her trilogy of Hatteras based romance novels, Tangled Lines” is a stand-alone sweet romance, continuing the characters from both “Storm Season” and “Hooked on You.” If you enjoy stories about resolving inner conflicts, learning to follow one’s heart, and realizing what’s truly important in life, you’ll enjoy this story of untangling all of the lines of love.
Piper the Brown Pelican, Adrienne Palma. The tenth book about critters, for young readers, from this local author. Perfect for nature lovers and young learners, this beautifully illustrated book is an engaging way to learn about brown pelicans- from their habitats, their diets, and their fascinating behaviors. With interactive elements like a coloring sheet, how to draw pelicans, and fun facts for older readers.
Hatteras Kiss, Diana Baxter. Is a Hatteras Kiss all it takes to fall in love? Open the pages in book three in the Beach Heart Cottage series and find out! Meet Ellie Dodd, a novelist seeking creativity at the serene Sea Glass Retreat to write her latest book. Little does she know she’ll find more than just inspiration in Brad, a charming guest at the retreat. As their connection deepens, they question if their budding romance is simply a product of the island’s enchanting sunsets, silky sand, or something far more profound.
Pampico Blue. Indigenous Rhymess, Gray Michael Parsons. Pampico Blue is a work of 50 plus rhyming poems that reveal the inner most thinking and values of traditional indigenous culture with emphasis on the original people of the Carolina Sounds in North Eastern North Carolina. It covers relatively unknown characteristics of indigenous culture and how that culture fits or does not fit in the 21st Century. Moreover, it offers insights into the unique sustainable relationship shared between indigenous human beings and Mother Earth.
Hurricane, Jason Chin. Set in Hatteras Village and telling the story of Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Caldecott Medalist Chin braids together three stories: how hurricanes form, how scientists track their potential impact, and how the people of Cape Hatteras, a barrier island off the North Carolina coast, prepare for landfall. . . Deeply empathetic, brilliantly illustrated, and chock-full of information.
My daily Bounded Realm: A Journal of Daily Life in the Outer Banks in 1900, Robin Daniels Holt. Holt chronicles the lives of women in the Outer Banks in the early 20th century. In the format of a diary, the book merges the experience of her own descendants with historically accurate descriptions of everyday tasks, joys and hardships of day to day life.
The Carolinian Murder at Nags Head: The Janet Siclari Story, John Railey. Janet Siclari, a beautiful 35-year-old visitor to the Outer Banks, was found raped and fatally stabbed on the early morning of August 28, 1993, behind the iconic Carolinian hotel at Nags Head. After a long and intriguing probe, two investigators ultimately charged a suspect, thanks to advances in DNA testing. Defense attorneys, trying to save that defendant’s life, argued another suspect could have killed Janet. In this moving narrative, based on exclusive interviews with case insiders, investigative author John Railey reveals for the first time all the twists and turns that led to the killer’s conviction.
Summers By the Sea. Echos of a Hatteras Childhood, Buddy Swain. In this beautifully crafted collection of memories, the author invites you to enter a simpler time rich with history, new friendships, and wide-eyed exploration. Each chapter intertwines personal stories, vibrant characters, and significant moments that shaped a life—and continue to resonate today.
Kitty Hawk Cowboy, J Willis Sanders. Book five of J. Willis Sanders’ Outer Banks of North Carolina series returns us to the simple life in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Back then, in the 1950s, kids walked along sandy trails through live oak woods to the Up the Road school, attended the Methodist church in the area called Down the Road, and visited the general store for the mail and the latest news. Well removed from mainland North Carolina, Outer Banks residents worked hard, played hard, and, like Seth Callahan, loved to the depths of their souls.
More Kinnakeet Stories, Bernie Lewis. More Kinnakeet Stories is the sequel to Bernie Lewis’ first book, Kinnakeet Stories. This collection of heartfelt, deep, meaningful short stories delve into psyches and souls of the people that come to Kinnakeet and experience the often unexpected changes that life has in store for them. Others reside there and experience the joys and heartbreak that living on a thin ribbon of sand can create.
For more information and suggestions, visit the Buxton Village Books website at www.buxtonvillagebooks.com. Buxton Village Books is located at 47918 N.C. Highway 12 in Buxton, and is currently open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
