The Great Wherever
A Novel
by Shannon Sanders
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Pub Date Jul 07 2026 | Archive Date Aug 07 2026
Henry Holt & Company | Henry Holt and Co.
Description
One of Publishers Weekly's 10 Most Anticipated Literary Fiction titles for Spring/Summer 2026
One of Literary Hub's and BookPage's Most Anticipated Books of 2026
The dead are relentless gossips, or at least these dead are.
An impulsive and heartbroken woman inherits her father’s share of a Tennessee farm that is rich in family secrets and occupied with busybody ghosts in this sweeping family portrait.
At thirty-two, Aubrey Lamb is stumbling through adulthood. An underpaid gig worker in Washington, DC, she’s grieving the end of a serious relationship and the recent loss of her father. When Aubrey learns she has inherited his stake in a sizable Tennessee farm she sees an opportunity to get out of the city—and to erase a mounting pile of debt.
Watching her arrival with great interest are four ghosts—Aubrey’s ancestors, who’ve staked their own claims to the farm and who never hesitate to pass judgment on the mistakes made by the living, whether romantic, financial, or sartorial. As Aubrey reconnects with her living family, another story unfolds in parallel: the history of the land, beginning with its purchase by Thomas, Aubrey’s great-grandfather and one of the first Black landowners in his community. Though Thomas hopes to give his children a homestead on which they could flourish, the land proves to be a burdensome inheritance. Over the years, it turns the Lambs against one another, culminating in a catastrophic tragedy that splinters the family and echoes through the decades.
Now, as the clock ticks on a potential sale of the farm, the ghosts fear expulsion from the home they’ve made, and Aubrey must weigh the hopes and burdens of her forebears with the very real needs of her future.
An expansive family saga told with a wry and distinctly modern voice, The Great Wherever is at once grand and intimate; it explores the ways we learn to define ourselves through and against our family, how we carry on after loss, and how the past lives on in all of us.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781250421678 |
| PRICE | $29.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 416 |
Available on NetGalley
Average rating from 10 members
Featured Reviews
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Great Wherever is a stunning, soul-deep triumph—a novel that grabs you by the heart, makes you laugh at the most unexpected moments, and leaves you contemplating the weight of family, history, and inheritance long after the final page.
Aubrey Lamb, stumbling through her early thirties with heartbreak, debt, and grief clinging to her like humidity in a Tennessee summer, is the kind of protagonist you root for instantly. Her impulsive decision to leave DC and claim her father’s share of a familial farm feels both reckless and brave—exactly the kind of messy, hopeful step real adulthood often requires. But what awaits her there is far more profound than a patch of land: four hilariously judgmental, deeply invested ancestor-ghosts who watch her every move.
The genius of this novel lies in how seamlessly it interweaves Aubrey’s present with the sprawling, often painful history of her family. Through the story of Thomas—the proud, determined great-grandfather who once stood as one of the first Black landowners in his community—we’re shown how land can be both a promise and a curse. That legacy, fractured by tragedy and time, reverberates through every generation. The ghosts, ever observant and often laugh-out-loud meddlesome, serve as a poignant bridge between past and present. They are witty, weary, wise, and unforgettable.
What ultimately elevates The Great Wherever is its emotional richness. The narrative explores grief without heaviness, humor without undercutting sincerity, and family conflict without villainizing anyone. It asks what we owe to our ancestors—and what we owe to ourselves. It shows how love and loss echo through bloodlines, and how healing can begin in the unlikeliest ways.
Expansive yet deeply intimate, this book is a masterclass in character, atmosphere, and storytelling. If you love multigenerational sagas with heart, humor, and a touch of the supernatural, this novel is pure magic.
**A breathtaking, beautifully crafted story. Highly, wholeheartedly recommended.**
Beautiful in the most quietly haunting way, this novel swept me up from the very first chapter. I was completely taken with Audrey—her voice, her vulnerability, and the way she reaches back through generations to connect with the women who came before her. The way the story moves across time is nothing short of mesmerizing; each era feels fully lived-in, and every shift reveals another layer of the family’s history, pain, and resilience.
What struck me most was how relatable the family dynamics were. The misunderstandings, the unspoken hurts, the patterns passed down without anyone meaning to, there’s an emotional truth here that feels painfully familiar in the best way. By the time I reached the end, I felt like I had lived alongside these characters. It’s rare for a family saga to balance intimacy and scope so perfectly, but this one absolutely does.
This is one of the most compelling multigenerational stories I’ve ever read. It hooked me, held me, and left me breathless by the final pages.
What a moving and powerful family saga that will stay with me for a long time. The Great Wherever follows Aubrey as she inherits her family’s farm in Tennessee just when she needs a fresh start after the end of a long-term relationship. When she heads south to settle into her new home, she’s welcomed by long-lost relatives who immediately wrap her in warmth. From that moment on I was completely hooked and absolutely entranced.
This five star read is a beautiful story about connection, healing, grief, and discovering where you truly belong. I adored the eclectic cast of characters, and I especially loved how the ancestor ghosts were written as full, meaningful characters rather than fleeting afterthoughts. Each one felt vivid and unforgettable. The story is rich with intricate layers and brimming with emotional depth. The Great Wherever would make a fantastic book club pick!
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