The Great Wherever: A Novel

by Shannon Sanders

From an award-winning writer, a debut novel that’s a fresh and dazzling portrait of a family and its history in the American South, from Reconstruction through the present day

At thirty-two, Aubrey Lamb is stumbling into adulthood. A semi-employed gig worker in Washington, DC, she's grieving the recent loss of her father and the end of a relationship that she’d thought would lead to marriage. When Aubrey learns that she has inherited a shared stake in a sizable Tennessee farm from her father, she simply sees an opportunity to get out of the city—and the potential to erase a mounting pile of debts.

Upon her arrival in Lanyer County, though, Aubrey meets the relatives with whom she shares ownership of the farm, and discovers the backstory of the land, beginning with her great-grandfather Thomas—one of the first Black landowners in his community, who gave his four children a homestead on which they could flourish.

But the land proves to be a burdensome inheritance. Over the years, it divides the family, turning Thomas’ descendants against each other and drawing the attention of external forces only too eager to wrest the land from Black hands. These struggles come to a head when a catastrophic tragedy befalls the Lambs, splintering the family and echoing down through the decades, with repercussions for Audrey herself.

As Aubrey learns this history from her living relatives, the ghosts of her ancestors interject with their own exasperated, gossipy commentary on the flaws and foibles of relatives living and dead, and stake their own claims on the farm.

Injecting the expansive family sagas of Honorée Fanonne Jeffers and Margaret Wilkerson Sexton with a very 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.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, African American

416 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication July 7, 2026

About the author

Shannon Sanders is a writer and attorney and the author of the short story collection Company. Sanders’s short fiction was the recipient of a 2020 PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers and has appeared in several publications including One Story, TriQuarterly, Joyland, Electric Literature, and elsewhere. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with her husband and three sons.

Reviews

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful in the most haunting way. I loved Audrey and the way she connects with her ancestors. It was fascinating to see how the plot plays out over the years and the family issues were so relatable. This is one of the greatest family sagas I’ve ever read. It hooked me in and I was gasping for air by the end. The characters are unforgettable! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Dawn529 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartwarming, multi-generational saga that feels deeply real.

Solid 4 stars! This book drew me in from the start. I loved the ghostly element woven into the story and how much the characters are invested, both financially and emotionally, in the family homestead. It was fascinating to see how each generation wrestled with decisions about who deserved the land and how to preserve such a meaningful legacy.

The characters shine with authenticity, flaws and all. Their struggles and losses resonate across the years, and I found myself rooting for them to make the right choices. The writing style is warm and inviting. Almost like a friend sitting down to tell you a story, which makes the narrative even more engaging.

Thank you to the author and Henry Holt & Co. for the ARC. I truly enjoyed this book!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me about 20 pages to settle in but after that it was the kind of story you think about while you're doing other things and can't wait to get back to. The cast of characters was pretty large and while that can sometimes be a drawback, it worked well here, really giving it a "family history passing down through generations" vibe. (We've all heard stories of this family member and that one, we know we're related but forget how, and stories are passed from generation to generation.) I would love to see a family tree (family Bible style!) drawn up and added to the book. I especially liked the family ghosts, it made me wish for/wonder if my own family ghosts are around somewhere.
The book was full of family drama in the way that all families are, there are a few surprises among the branches of the family, but at the root of it there is love and connection, something we seldom appreciate when we have it but long for when its gone.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

[Denisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Company, and Henry Holt and Co. for this ARC of "The Great Wherever" in exchange for my honest review.

The writing hooked me immediately—I was six chapters in before I realized it. The book tackles microaggressions Black women face both now and historically, explores the longing and "settling" women consider to fulfill their dreams of motherhood, and examines the ups and downs of interracial relationships and clashing social classes. The POV—a deceased family member watching from the other side—was a unique touch, and I found myself cheering for the characters, hoping they'd make the right choices. It was easy to connect with them because we all have "those" family members.

That said, the plot fell flat at times. Aubrey was kind of annoying and very immature for her age. There are a lot of characters due to the sprawling family tree, and you have to keep track of them all as the story flips back and forth between past and present. The family history and tragedies are told in a very roundabout way—delivered in pieces rather than unfolding naturally over time. At one point the narrator even jokes about keeping up with all the names, and honestly? So true.

[Michael]

Review TK.

[Preeti Mahatme · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Great Wherever is strong literary fiction about family, identity, memory and the messy, loving entanglements that come with them. It stands out for character depth and emotional honesty. It's a family saga centered around a Black family in Tennessee. The patriarch Thomas although descended from slavery uses his sheer grit and hard work to make his way up in life. He builds a homestead on his own land purchased from his employer's family. The novel touches upon issues of race, class, identity, inheritance and family dynamics. There is a multitude of characters, and a family tree may help keep track of them. Starting slow, I found the book to be unputdownable somewhere past 30%. I loved it and totally recommend for fans of family drama.

Thank you Henry Holt for the ARC