How to Read Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock’s Books: Recommended Reading Path
Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock has published two critically acclaimed books, both of which are standalone works. Because they do not share characters or direct plot continuities, you can read them in any order. However, the recommended path for new readers is to read them in publication order:
- The Smell of Other People’s Houses (2016)
- Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town (2021)
Starting with her debut, The Smell of Other People’s Houses, is highly recommended. It perfectly introduces Hitchcock's signature writing style—characterized by multiple shifting perspectives, deeply atmospheric descriptions of the wilderness, and local communities that slowly interlace as the narrative progresses. Once you are familiar with how she weaves individual threads into a cohesive tapestry, moving on to Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town will showcase a broader, more ambitious application of this structural technique across multiple states.
Publication Order of Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock Books
For readers who want to follow the chronological evolution of Hitchcock’s career, here is the publication order of her books, both published by Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House:
- The Smell of Other People's Houses (2016): A coming-of-age novel set in 1970s Alaska. The narrative follows four teenagers—Ruth, Dora, Alyce, and Hank—whose lives intersect during a turbulent year filled with family secrets, rescue, and unexpected connections.
- Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town (2021): A collection of interconnected short stories set in the mid-1990s. The focus shifts between small, isolated rural towns in the American West and Northwest, tracing the ripples of shared events like a regional wildfire and local scandals.
Deep Dive: The Smell of Other People’s Houses (2016)
Set in 1970s Alaska, shortly after statehood, Hitchcock’s debut novel is heavily informed by her own upbringing in the Last Frontier. The story is split among four distinct teenage voices, each representing different facets of Alaskan life, culture, and struggle:
- Ruth: A girl sent to live with her strict, deeply religious grandmother, harboring a pregnancy that could derail her entire future.
- Dora: An Iñupiat teen seeking shelter from her abusive, alcoholic father, who finds temporary sanctuary and maternal warmth with an Athabascan family.
- Alyce: A talented dancer torn between pursuing her dreams in the city and fulfilling her family duty on her father’s commercial fishing boat.
- Hank: A protective older brother who decides to run away with his two younger siblings to escape domestic instability, leading to a dangerous journey.
The novel received widespread critical acclaim for its sensory prose and authentic portrayal of Alaska. It was named a finalist for the American Library Association's William C. Morris Award, shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, and won both the German Youth Literature Prize (Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis) and the Swedish Children’s Literature Prize.
Deep Dive: Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town (2021)
Hitchcock’s second book expands her narrative scope beyond Alaska to include remote communities in Colorado, Wyoming, and Washington state during the mid-1990s. While structured as a series of short stories, the book functions as a singular cohesive narrative due to its delicate web of character connections.The collection explores themes of shared trauma, grief, secrets, and young love. It features a diverse cast of characters: Poppy and Ruby, sisters separated by their parents' divorce; Delia, a Wyoming teen dealing with the trauma of abuse by a local priest; and Martha, who encounters a mysterious boy with amnesia. These separate lives are subtly linked by recurring motifs—such as a raging wildfire that affects multiple towns and the broadcasts of Coyote Jones, a conspiratorial late-night radio host whose voice spans the airwaves of the rural West.
Chronological Settings and Reading Caveats
Since the two books are separate narratives, there is no overlapping timeline or continuity you need to worry about. If you prefer to read chronologically by the historical era in which the books are set, the order remains the same:
- The Smell of Other People’s Houses is set in the **1970s**, capturing the rugged, isolated, and rapidly changing landscape of Alaska during this decade.
- Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town is set in the **mid-1990s**, highlighting the isolation of rural life before the widespread adoption of cell phones and the internet.
There are no known contradictions, spin-offs, or co-authored books in Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock’s bibliography. Both titles are written entirely by her and present self-contained storylines.
What to Know Before You Start
Hitchcock’s stories are categorized as Young Adult (YA) fiction, but they feature complex structures and heavy themes that appeal strongly to adults. Before diving in, readers should be prepared for sensitive topics, including domestic abuse, teenage pregnancy, grief, and trauma. However, these themes are consistently balanced by Hitchcock’s lyrical style and an overriding sense of hope, community, and human connection.