Kim Michele Richardson Returns to Kentucky with The Mountains We Call Home — See the Cover! (Exclusive)

Kim Michele Richardson is bringing another Packhorse librarian’s story to life.

The New York Times bestselling author has a new novel on the way — The Mountains We Call Home, featuring a book woman’s journey back to her home in Kentucky and the impact of her books on readers in unexpected places. Set to debut in April 2026, the story follows the success of Richardson’s The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek  and The Book Woman’s Daughter.

The Mountains We Call Home sees celebrated book woman Cussy Lovett return to her home, where she connects with readers in a Kentucky prison. The novel critically examines literacy, incarceration and criminalization in “a powerful testament of strength, survival and the magic of the printed word.”

“Meticulously researched and richly detailed with a new cast of absorbing and complex characters, this beautifully rendered, authentic Kentucky tale is gritty and heartbreaking and infused with hope, spirit and courage known only to those with no way out,” the book’s synopsis reads.

Richardson herself lives in Kentucky with her family, and has been recognized on the state and national levels for her achievement in historical fiction — she’s even received praise from stars like Dolly Parton.

The author tells PEOPLE she’s “excited and deeply honored” to once again bring pre-urbanization Kentucky to life on the page. She highlights the state’s long history of promoting and fostering literacy — which, in turn, forges connections between people from all walks of life — and hopes her work can continue that legacy.

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“Kentucky has always had a rich and unique history of getting books into the hands of those who have none — providing literacy accessibility for all,” Richardson tells PEOPLE. “My hope is that The Mountains We Call Home will show readers how, through divisions, disagreements and turbulent times, books can connect us all in unexpected and beautiful ways.”

The Mountains We Call Home comes out April 21, 2026 and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.