I’m a writer and author originally from North Carolina
My debut novel, IN THE SHADOW OF THE GREENBRIER, a multi-generational saga about a Jewish family living near the iconic Greenbrier resort in West Virginia, was published in 2024 by Putnam at Penguin Random House (order HERE). My next novel, THE LOST GIRL OF CRAVEN COUNTY, is a historical mystery set amid the “Little Jerusalem” community of New Bern, North Carolina in the 1930s. It will be released by Putnam in April 2026.
For more about my journalism work and my nonfiction books, see here. I’ve taught writing at the University of North Carolina and the University of Hong Kong. I have a bachelors degree in English from Harvard University and a masters in applied linguistics from the University of Hong Kong.
When I’m not working, I like to hike, cook, garden, try new foods, and travel with my husband and two sons.
Follow me on Instagram at @emilymatcharwriter, send me an email at ematchar@gmail.com, or fill out THIS FORM if you’re interested in having me speak with your book club.