Elizabeth Strout Standalone Novels books in order

Q: "What was Elizabeth Strout's first novel?"

"Amy and Isabelle (1998) was her debut novel. It tells the story of a mother and daughter in a small Maine mill town and was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize."

Q: "Which Elizabeth Strout standalone is the best starting point?"

"Amy and Isabelle (1998) is a good place to start for readers new to Strout. It introduces her signature themes of family tension and small-town life in accessible, compact form."

Q: "Are Elizabeth Strout's standalone novels connected to her series?"

"Some characters and places overlap. The Burgess Boys (2013) is set in Maine like the Olive Kitteridge books, and Strout occasionally weaves minor connections between her novels. But each standalone can be read independently."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Amy and Isabelle	1998	Elizabeth Strout	Buy
2	Abide with Me	2006	Elizabeth Strout	Buy
3	The Burgess Boys	2013	Elizabeth Strout	Buy
4	The Things We Never Say	2026	Elizabeth Strout	Buy

Elizabeth Strout’s standalone novels share the same concerns as her series work: family bonds tested by silence and misunderstanding, the texture of small-town American life, and characters who struggle to express what they feel. Her debut, Amy and Isabelle (1998), is set in a Maine mill town and follows a mother and teenage daughter through a summer that changes their relationship. It was a finalist for both the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize.

Abide with Me (2006) centers on a young minister in a small Maine town grieving his wife’s death while his congregation turns against him. The Burgess Boys (2013) follows two brothers, one a high-profile New York lawyer and the other a legal aid attorney, who return to their Maine hometown after a family crisis involving Somali immigrants. Strout’s forthcoming novel, The Things We Never Say, is expected in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Elizabeth Strout's first novel?

Amy and Isabelle (1998) was her debut novel. It tells the story of a mother and daughter in a small Maine mill town and was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize.

Which Elizabeth Strout standalone is the best starting point?

Amy and Isabelle (1998) is a good place to start for readers new to Strout. It introduces her signature themes of family tension and small-town life in accessible, compact form.

Are Elizabeth Strout's standalone novels connected to her series?

Some characters and places overlap. The Burgess Boys (2013) is set in Maine like the Olive Kitteridge books, and Strout occasionally weaves minor connections between her novels. But each standalone can be read independently.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order