Here are 100 books that Lost, Buried, and Sunken Treasures of the Mid-West fans have personally recommended if you like Lost, Buried, and Sunken Treasures of the Mid-West. Book DNA is a community of 13,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Weird Illinois: Your Travel Guide to Illinois' Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets

Bill Lindsay Author Of Curse of a Devil

From my list on variety of quest for knowledge.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ghost stories were always a part of my childhood. I believe most people wonder about what comes ‘after’. I have tried to keep up with the latest information regarding the unusual. I was a paranormal searcher and spent much time in the woods and forests. I have seen a few unusual, unexplained things. Curiosity and the thirst for knowledge still burn inside me. I suppose the mundane and redundant characteristics of my job gave me a desire to keep my mind searching for answers to difficult questions.  

Bill's book list on variety of quest for knowledge

Bill Lindsay Why Bill loves this book

I have always sought out the strange and unusual. This book covers many different phenomena. Whether it is ghosts, aliens, legends, cryptids, or just weird lore, this book has a wide scope. I live in the state and occasionally participate in investigations of these subjects. I even wrote a play Ghosts, Aliens, and Bigfoot. This book almost reminds me of being with my grandfather as a child. He loved to scare with local legends and ghost stories spun with his special brand of creepiness and humor. Reading this late at night took me back to those special times.

By Troy Taylor ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Weird Illinois as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Explores bizarre sights and stories found in Illinois.


If you love Lost, Buried, and Sunken Treasures of the Mid-West...

Book cover of These Blue Mountains

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas,

A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…

Book cover of Weird Indiana: Your Travel Guide to Indiana's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets

Bill Lindsay Author Of Curse of a Devil

From my list on variety of quest for knowledge.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ghost stories were always a part of my childhood. I believe most people wonder about what comes ‘after’. I have tried to keep up with the latest information regarding the unusual. I was a paranormal searcher and spent much time in the woods and forests. I have seen a few unusual, unexplained things. Curiosity and the thirst for knowledge still burn inside me. I suppose the mundane and redundant characteristics of my job gave me a desire to keep my mind searching for answers to difficult questions.  

Bill's book list on variety of quest for knowledge

Bill Lindsay Why Bill loves this book

As if Illinois wasn’t weird enough. This book continues with local lore, legends, and unexplained from across the stream with Vincennes as my way point. It is apparent how much effort was put into researching these stories. Not only paranormal and cryptids are featured but, history and unique locations of interest are exhumed. The photography and graphics are top notch and lure the reader further into the book. Weird Illinois and Indiana are both works of art and full of stories to interest the most skeptical reader. 

By Mark Marimen , James A. Willis , Troy Taylor

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Weird Indiana as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Enjoy a relaxing picnic in Shades of Death Park. Witness those eerie glowing spots known as Moody's Light. Slap another layer of color onto the world's biggest ball of paint, and yes, that really is a pink-spectacled elephant drinking a martini on the side of the road! From a town called Santa Claus to Indiana's most upright citizen--buried that way for almost 200 years--Weird Indiana proves that the Crossroads of America is also the Crossroads of the Weird!


Book cover of First Steps in Winemaking

Bill Lindsay Author Of Curse of a Devil

From my list on variety of quest for knowledge.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ghost stories were always a part of my childhood. I believe most people wonder about what comes ‘after’. I have tried to keep up with the latest information regarding the unusual. I was a paranormal searcher and spent much time in the woods and forests. I have seen a few unusual, unexplained things. Curiosity and the thirst for knowledge still burn inside me. I suppose the mundane and redundant characteristics of my job gave me a desire to keep my mind searching for answers to difficult questions.  

Bill's book list on variety of quest for knowledge

Bill Lindsay Why Bill loves this book

Every marathoner needs hydration along the race. So it is with a long reading session. Some sessions call for a hot cup of coffee or tea. Some call for cocoa or a sparkling water or carbonated mix. Then there are times when a nice colorful glass of vino fit the occasion. I have always had an interest in chemistry and did quite well at it in school. This book was valuable to me as a newbie vintner. The author is English and he takes the reader through the process while giving tips and recipes and showing the equipment needed to produce your own unique beverage. The book is packed full of information about competitions and where to get supplies and which wines to make during the calendar year. It is an older book and references companies in England, but I would recommend it to anyone who might long to try…

By C. J. Berry ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked First Steps in Winemaking as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This book is universally known as the 'winemaker's bible'. Over three million beginners have been happily launched into the fascinating hobby of winemaking by successive editions of this practical guide. This completely updated ninth edition sets out in metric, imperial and American measures some 150 detailed recipes, all arranged in the months best suited for their making so that winemaking can be pursued all year round. Wines from fruit, flowers, vegetables, foliage and kits are all dealt with, and for the more advanced winemaker there are notes on making wines in bulk, showing wine and judging. First published in 1960,…


If you love Michael Paul Henson...

Book cover of Glimmer of the Other

Glimmer of the Other by Heather G. Harris,

Delve into this internationally best-selling series, now complete! A fast paced laugh-out-loud mix of Urban Fantasy and Mystery.

I can tell when you’re lying. Every. Single. Time. I’m Jinx, a PI hired to find a missing university student, I hope to find her propped up at a bar–yet my gut…

Book cover of Represent Yourself in Court: Prepare & Try a Winning Civil Case

Bill Lindsay Author Of Curse of a Devil

From my list on variety of quest for knowledge.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ghost stories were always a part of my childhood. I believe most people wonder about what comes ‘after’. I have tried to keep up with the latest information regarding the unusual. I was a paranormal searcher and spent much time in the woods and forests. I have seen a few unusual, unexplained things. Curiosity and the thirst for knowledge still burn inside me. I suppose the mundane and redundant characteristics of my job gave me a desire to keep my mind searching for answers to difficult questions.  

Bill's book list on variety of quest for knowledge

Bill Lindsay Why Bill loves this book

When you have no one in the world to count on, who do you turn to? You have no choice but to charge head-on into the breach. You have never been in trouble in your life and find that someone is suing you. People shake their heads and say that you will lose everything and walk away. This book gave a young man hope and a path to start on. I had to hire a lawyer, but this book prepared me for what to expect. The unknown is frightening. Knowing how the ‘game’ is played helped me to understand the process.

The book covers a broad spectrum of civil cases, but the reader can familiarize themselves with how things will proceed in their circumstance. I didn’t find any victorious solution to my situation, but it did stimulate my logical thinking and need to learn more about the legal process. It…

Book cover of D Is for Derby: A Kentucky Derby Alphabet: A Kentucy Derby Alphabet

Miranda N. Prather Author Of Blue Blue Sea Finds His Cape

From my list on horse racing.

Why am I passionate about this?

Before I could walk, horses were my passion and every thought. At five, Blackie came into my life a black Shetland stud and from there, I've never stopped enjoying a life with horses. Having been born in the 1970's I witnessed some of the horse racing greats from the television, and ever since the Thoroughbred racehorse has been my favorite breed. I've been involved in a variety of ways with the rehabilitation and transition of the thoroughbred from the track to new careers. My most beloved OTTB, Blue Blue Sea, overcame so much, and naturally, I had to memorialize his amazing life as a book. 

Miranda's book list on horse racing

Miranda N. Prather Why Miranda loves this book

While learning letters youngsters can also learn about the most exciting two minutes in sports. Jaime Corum's illustrations are deeply moving and the action springs to life through them and the poetry that Helen Wilbur's words provide. Although a young reader wouldn't be able to read the book to themselves, that is actually a benefit. I love how the book demands that an adult sit down, slow time, and enjoy it with the youngster they are reading to. There is no more beautiful ride than that.

By Helen L. Wilbur , Jaime Corum (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked D Is for Derby as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

The Kentucky Derby is the oldest continuous sporting event in the United States. But don't call it just a horse race. This annual May event, known as "the most exciting two minutes in sports," is steeped in tradition and pageantry far beyond what happens on the track. Following the alphabet, D is for Derby: A Kentucky Derby Alphabet uses poetry and expository text to explain this world-famous event. Topics include famous jockeys, legendary horses, fabled Bluegrass farms and owners, as well as offering a behind-the scenes view of thoroughbred breeding and racing. Readers young and old, along with horse enthusiasts…


If you love Lost, Buried, and Sunken Treasures of the Mid-West...

Book cover of Tsunami

Tsunami by LeeAnn Pickrell,

On the morning of December 26, 2004, an undersea earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean. The resulting tsunami killed an estimated 230,000 people across fourteen countries, from Indonesia to Sri Lanka to Thailand to the Maldives to India and all the way to East Africa.…

Book cover of Death By A HoneyBee

Sally Berneathy Author Of Death by Chocolate

From my list on reads that make murder fun.

Why am I passionate about this?

1995 - “Write what you know,” Mark Twain advised. I’d been married three times. I wrote romances. 2012 - “Write what you know.” I’d been divorced three times and fantasized about murdering my ex. Only massive doses of chocolate kept my finger off the trigger. Hence…Death by Chocolate.

Sally's book list on reads that make murder fun

Sally Berneathy Why Sally loves this book

Death by a HoneyBee is humorous and suspenseful, and I love the heroine.

Josiah Reynolds is a snarky, fifty-year-old beekeeper in the southern town of Lexington, Kentucky. The story is intriguing and the quirky characters fascinating. The author inserts interesting details of beekeeping without interrupting the story. I later learned that the author is a beekeeper and hence was able to provide authentic details.

When Josiah finds her rival beekeeper dead with his head in one of her bee hives, she is thrown into a world of suspense and mystery…and humor! Josiah is a strong southern woman who greets problems with southern wit and wisdom! 

By Abigail Keam ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Death By A HoneyBee as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

READERS' FAVORITE - GOLD MEDAL WINNER
Death By A HoneyBee is an enjoyable read which will capture the interest of most die-hard mystery fans!

Abigail Keam writes with vision and understanding. Keam leaves the reader yearning for more. -Midwest Book Review

READERS' FAVORITE - GOLD MEDAL WINNER
Death By A HoneyBee is an enjoyable read which will capture the interest of most die-hard mystery fans!

Abigail Keam writes with vision and understanding. Keam leaves the reader yearning for more. -Midwest Book Review

Josiah Reynolds is a beekeeper trying to stay financially afloat by selling honey at the Farmers' Market. She…


Book cover of West

Pamela Holmes Author Of The Curious Life of Elizabeth Blackwell

From my list on extraordinary women.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m fascinated by singular women who have found ways to express themselves and to flourish in the face of doubt. My experience of moving country as a child, family breakdown, losing a parent as a teenager, and dropping out has left me intrigued by other women with the drive to survive on their own terms. Of course, the social constraints a woman must overcome will vary according to when she lived, but common characteristics will be bravery and obstinacy. I’ve now written three novels about women who have succeeded against the odds. I hope the books I’ve recommended captivate you as much as they do me.

Pamela's book list on extraordinary women

Pamela Holmes Why Pamela loves this book

American settler Cy Bellman leaves his daughter Bess to search for giant monsters in a Kentucky swamp.

It’s a brilliant story of a man’s obsession. But it’s Bess who fascinates. While others doubt Bellman’s sanity, Bess believes in him. Young and vulnerable, when danger strikes, she’s as fierce as the wilderness her father faces.

She’s left to grow up in the care of an indifferent aunt. When Bess is touched inappropriately by the librarian, the girl takes evasive action. When the yard hand almost rapes her, she fights back, then with a snap, regains her composure to deal with a shocking death.

Davies uses words economically and poetically: they leave me breathless. Though short, the book’s an epic.

By Carys Davies ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked West as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Named a Best Book of the Year by The Sunday Times (UK) * The Guardian (UK) * The Washington Independent Review of Books * Sydney Morning Herald * The Los Angeles Public Library * The Irish Independent * Real Simple *

Finalist for the Rathbones Folio Prize

“Carys Davies is a deft, audacious visionary.” —Téa Obreht

When widowed mule breeder Cy Bellman reads in the newspaper that colossal ancient bones have been discovered in the salty Kentucky mud, he sets out from his small Pennsylvania farm to see for himself if the rumors are true: that the giant…


Book cover of Pappyland: A Story of Family, Fine Bourbon, and the Things That Last

Aaron Goldfarb Author Of Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits

From my list on books on booze from a booze expert.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been a journalist for over a decade, most frequently writing on the subjects of spirits, cocktails, and drinking culture for such publications as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Esquire, Playboy, and VinePair. I have written 12 books—6 of them on booze—my latest of which is Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits.

Aaron's book list on books on booze from a booze expert

Aaron Goldfarb Why Aaron loves this book

Booze books need not only to be filed all the way in the back of the bookstore in the “Food/Drink” section; the best deserve to be mainstream—and bestseller Pappyland proved that.

This is a dual memoir in some ways, following the rise, fall, and incredible rise again of the Van Winkle family and their grandfather Pappy’s vaunted and eponymous spirit, along with the story of Thompson reckoning with his own family lore and fatherhood. 

By Wright Thompson ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Pappyland as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The New York Times bestseller!

“A warm and loving reflection that, like good bourbon, will stand the test of time.” —Eric Asimov, The New York Times

The story of how Julian Van Winkle III, the caretaker of the most coveted cult Kentucky Bourbon whiskey in the world, fought to protect his family's heritage and preserve the taste of his forebears, in a world where authenticity, like his product, is in very short supply.

Following his father’s death decades ago, Julian Van Winkle stepped in to try to save the bourbon business his grandfather had founded on the mission statement: “We…


If you love Michael Paul Henson...

Book cover of In Bad Faith

In Bad Faith by Geoffrey Carter,

Nelson West, a former Chicago homicide detective, is hired by wealthy heir Lionel Bing to discreetly help “fix” scandals and legal problems for his father’s wealthy friends.

Bing, a brilliant but troubled investigator, suffers from PTSD symptoms as a result of being kidnapped and witnessing the murder of his mother…

Book cover of Hannah Fowler

Nell Joslin Author Of Measure of Devotion

From my list on historical fiction with bad-ass women protagonists.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am passionate about little-told stories of women’s lives. Too often, women have been either minimized or silenced, and in so doing, we have ignored the experience of half of humanity. I grew up in the 1950s and ’60s in the South, where girls and women were not listened to. For this reason, among others, it was hard for me to speak up for myself, hard for me to write. I found the stories of strong, courageous women—bad-ass women—whether fictional or real, to be life-affirming and inspirational in my own journey as a writer. These stories have helped me to say, “It’s my turn. I’m talking now.”

Nell's book list on historical fiction with bad-ass women protagonists

Nell Joslin Why Nell loves this book

OK, I’m a pioneer junkie, and here’s the scene: Kentucky frontier, 1700s. Daniel Boone country, but he’s a minor character. I love the star of this show: Hannah, a large, strong woman who holds her own in this time and place. I love how she seizes upon her limited choices. As one of the few women in the settlement, all the unattached dudes want to marry her, yet she proposes to the one who’s too shy to ask.

I love that she values her own survival skills: plowing and hunting, chopping wood, weaving cloth, working until the moment she goes into labor. This is the type of woman who settled the American wilderness. She made me wonder about all those like her whose stories I’d never heard.

By Janice Holt Giles ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hannah Fowler as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the novel Hannah Fowler, Janice Holt Giles created a pioneer woman who would, In Giles's words, "endow her own physical seed with her strength and courage, and her own tenderness and love." First published in 1956, this work is the second in Giles's series of historical novels on Kentucky, which includes The Kentuckians and The Believers.

Samuel Moore and his daughter Hannah set out for the border country with a party led by George Rogers Clark but left to follow the Kentucky River to Boones' Fort. As the story opens, Hannah is nursing her father, injured when an axe…


Book cover of Weird Illinois: Your Travel Guide to Illinois' Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets
Book cover of Weird Indiana: Your Travel Guide to Indiana's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets
Book cover of First Steps in Winemaking

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