37 Books That Channel The Old Money Aesthetic

‘The Great Gatsby’ by F. Scott Fitzgerald

In this F. Scott Fitzgerald classic, viewers will get to know the true power of love. 1925’s The Great Gatsby follows the millionaire party host Jay Gatsby in his obsession to reunite with his former flame, Daisy Buchanan. After they reunite, however, their love story is anything but ordinary. 

‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid

In The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid, readers will get to know the truth behind Hollywood legend turned notorious recluse Evelyn Hugo. The story starts as Evelyn suddenly entrusts novice reporter Monique with a first-time exclusive of her juicy life. Seven husbands and many divorces later, Monique realizes that choosing her to write the story is nothing but random. 

‘Crazy Rich Asians’ by Kevin Kwan

Crazy Rich Asians, written by Kevin Kwan, follows New Yorker Rachel Chu as she travels to Singapore to meet her boyfriend Nicholas Young’s family.

Upon arrival, however, she discovers Nick is one of the country’s richest and most eligible bachelors. “Her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers,” the description reads. 

‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen

In this literary classic, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen tells the story of Elizabeth, a young woman from 1812 England whose life turns upside down as she meets, and falls for, the undeniably charming Mr. Darcy. 

‘The Inheritance Games’ by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes follows a young woman named Avery Grambs who is all of a sudden awarded a billion-dollar inheritance by a newly deceased billionaire Tobias Hawthorne. Without knowing who or why she inherited the money, she moves into the puzzle-filled Hawthorne House to decipher the connection. 

‘We Were Liars’ by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is the tale of a friendship between four people, Cadence, Johnny, Gat, and Mirren, whose “friendship turns destructive” after one accident in the summer puts everything into perspective. 

‘American Royals’ by Katharine McGee

American Royals, by Katharine McGee, poses the question: what would happen if the United States had a royal family? The novel follows Princess Beatrice, the next sovereign in the Washington royalty, her sister Princess Samantha and her brother Prince Jefferson. “Two princesses vying for the ultimate crown. Two girls vying for the prince’s heart. This is the story of the American royals.” the description reads. 

‘Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty: A Novel’ by Ramona Ausubel

Set in 1976 in Martha’s Vineyard, Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty: A Novel by Ramona Ausubel follows Fern and Edgar, a married couple with three kids who live in luxury until, one day, they suddenly have no more money. “Quickly, the once-charmed family unravels,” the description reads. “In distress and confusion, Fern and Edgar are each tempted away on separate adventures: she on a road trip with a stranger, he on an ill-advised sailing voyage with another woman.”

‘The Family Game: A Novel’ by Catherine Steadman

The Family Game: A Novel by Catherine Steadman follows young novelist Harriet Reed after her engagement to Edward Holbeck. Despite Edward’s attempts to cut ties with his endlessly rich family, however, news of their nuptials gets them excited to reconnect.

One day, Edward’s dad hands Harriet a tape of a book he’s working on only for her to find a confession to a grisly murder instead. “Feeling isolated and confused, Harriet must work out if this is part of a plan to test her loyalty or something far darker,” the description reads. 

‘The Royal We: A Novel’ by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan

Inspired by the British royal family, The Royal We: A Novel by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan follows an American Bex Porter as she falls in love with the handsome Nick, who just happens to be the heir to the British throne. “Nick is wonderful, but he comes with unimaginable baggage: a complicated family, hysterical tabloids tracking his every move, and a public that expected its future king to marry a Brit,” the description reads. 

‘Sea of Lost Love’ by Santa Montefiore

Set in 1958, Sea of Lost Love by Santa Montefiore tells the story of Celestria, the charismatic daughter of an aristocratic family, whose fun summer plans turn upside down when someone from her family goes missing. “Soon Celestria is pulled along a trail of deception, masquerades and mirrors. It will lead her from her idyllic life on the English coast to the orange groves of Southern Italy,” the description reads. 

‘They Wish They Were Us’ by Jessica Goodman

Set in Gold Coast, Long Island, They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman tells the story of Jill Newman, a high school senior who starts receiving mysterious texts about the murder of her friend from three years ago. As she follows the clues, she soon realizes that “digging deeper could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy.” 

‘The Glittering Hour: A Novel’ by Iona Grey

Set in 1925, The Glittering Hour: A Novel by Iona Grey, follows the star-crossed lovers tale of Selina Lennox, a wealthy party girl, and Lawrence Weston, a struggling artist, after the end of World War I. “When their worlds collide one summer night, neither can resist the thrill of the forbidden, the lure of a love affair that they know cannot possibly last,” the book’s description reads. 

‘Lovely War’ by Julie Berry

Lovely War by Julie Berry tells the story of Hazel, a classical pianist from London, James, a British would-be architect-turned-soldier, Aubrey, a Harlem-born ragtime genius in the U.S. Army, and Colette, a Belgian orphan with a gorgeous voice. “Their story, as told by goddess Aphrodite, who must spin the tale or face judgment on Mount Olympus, is filled with hope and heartbreak, prejudice and passion, and reveals that, though War is a formidable force, it’s no match for the transcendent power of Love,” the description reads. 

‘The Outcast: A Novel’ by Sadie Jones

The Outcast: A Novel by Sadie Jones tells the story of Lewis Aldridge, a young man who’s on a path of redemption after serving two years in prison. Coming back from his time away, however, he realizes the cracks in the tight-knit society he grew up in. “In this brilliant debut, Sadie Jones tells the story of a boy who refuses to accept the polite lies of a tightly-knit community that rejects love in favor of appearances,” the description reads. 

‘Good Rich People: A Novel’ by Eliza Jane Brazier

Good Rich People: A Novel by Eliza Jane Brazier tells the story of Lyla and Graham, a wealthy couple who have a love for inviting self-made success stories to their guesthouse only to then conspire to ruin their lives. That is, however, until they meet Demi, a woman who won’t go down without a fight. 

‘The Duke & I: Bridgerton Book 1’ by Julia Quinn

In the first book of a total of eight, Julia Quinn’s The Duke & I follows the story of Daphne, the oldest daughter of the Bridgerton family, as she embarks on her first-ever courting season of Regency London. 

‘Rebecca’ by Daphne Du Maurier

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier is another classic that screams “old money.” The novel follows the female protagonist as she meets and falls for Maxim de Winter, a wealthy widower. When he promises her a new life away from her unbearable boss, she takes the opportunity and moves to Manderley, his isolated estate. 

Soon, however, she becomes haunted by de Winter’s late first wife, Rebecca.  

‘The Secret History’ by Donna Tart

Wanting to join a Classics course in his New England college, protagonist Richard meets a group of misfit, rich students in The Secret History by Donna Tart. Ultimately, he joins this group of people but at a huge cost. After the death of one of the students, Richard and the rest of the group attempt to deal with the aftermath, which soon spirals out of control.

‘King of Wrath’ by Ana Huang

King of Wrath by Ana Huang, which marks the first book in the King of Sin series, follows Billionaire CEO Dante Russo as he’s blackmailed into marrying Vivian Lau, jewelry heiress and daughter of his newest enemy.

“It doesn’t matter how beautiful or charming she is. Dante will do everything in his power to destroy the blackmail and their betrothal,” the description reads. “There’s only one problem: now that he has her, he can’t bring himself to let her go.”

‘The Grandest Game’ by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Grandest Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes follows billionaire Avery Grambs and the four infamous Hawthorne brothers as they compete in the annual competition for millions alongside seven golden tickets.

“But as tensions rise and the mind-bending challenges push the players to their limits—physically, mentally, and emotionally—it soon becomes clear that not everyone is playing by the rules,” the description reads.

‘Bittersweet’ by Miranda Beverly Whittemore

When Mabel Dagmar joined her prestigious East Coast college, she didn’t think she would strike up an immediate friendship, especially not with the endlessly wealthy Genevra Winslow. Soon, as Mabel joins Ev in her family home in Vermont, secrets of what the Winslows have had to do to maintain their wealth come to light. “Mabel must choose: either expose the ugliness surrounding her and face expulsion from paradise, or keep the family’s dark secrets and make Ev’s world her own,” the description reads.

‘The Blind Assassin’ by Margaret Atwood

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood is a novel within a novel with three distinct sections to this novel: a series of flashbacks by an octogenarian who initially claims she’s unsure who she is, a series of local newspaper articles detailing the social events, political ambitions, and deaths of some of the more prominent characters, and a novel that switches between detailing a love affair between a wanted man and a socialite and a fantastical science fiction story about an ancient destroyed world where virgins are still sacrificed and the woven blankets are measured by how many children lost their sight weaving them. 

‘The Hotel Nantucket’ by Elin Hilderbrand

The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand follows Nantucket sweetheart Lizbet Keaton as new general manager of the Hotel Nantucket, a once Gilded Age gem turned abandoned eyesore. Determined to turn the hotel around, and distance it from its spooky past, she partners with new London billionaire owner, Xavier Darling, and Shelly Carpenter, a wildly popular Instagram tastemaker who can help put them back on the map. 

‘Family of Liars’ by E. Lockhart

If you loved We Were Liars, then its prequel Family of Liars by E. Lockhart should surely be your next read. “Twenty-seven years before the events of We Were Liars comes another summer, another generation, and the secrets that will haunt them for decades—a story that is scandalous, tragic, and layered with mystery,” the description reads. 

The novel follows Sinclair sisters Carrie, Rosemary, Penny and Bess as they enjoy another idyllic summer full of sun, laughter, lies and deceit.  

‘Pineapple Street’ by Jenny Jackson

Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson follows three main characters: Darley, the eldest daughter in the well-connected old-money Stockton family, Sasha, a middle-class New England girl who has married into the Brooklyn Heights family, and Georgiana, the baby of the family, who has fallen in love with someone she can’t have. “Rife with the indulgent pleasures of life among New York’s one-percenters, Pineapple Street is a smart, escapist novel that sparkles with wit,” the description reads. 

‘The Thousandth Floor’ by Katharine McGee

Taking place in Manhattan in 2118, The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee follows a series of characters riddled with conflict around their privileged idyllic lies. From Leda Cole’s struggles with addiction to Watt Bakradi getting trapped in a web of lies for spying on his neighbor, the stories “filled with high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour” are compelling as they are page-turning. 

‘Ace of Spades’ by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímédé

In Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímédé, Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo have just been selected as prefects at the Niveus Private Academy when they begin to be haunted by an anonymous threat going by the name of Aces. 

“As Aces shows no sign of stopping, what seemed like a sick prank quickly turns into a dangerous game, with all the cards stacked against them,” the description reads. “Can Devon and Chiamaka stop Aces before things become incredibly deadly?”

‘STAGS’ by M.A. Bennett

In another high school saga, STAGS by M.A. Bennett follows Greer MacDonald as she’s mysteriously invited by the most popular and wealthy boy in her grade, aka the leader of the “STAGS,” to spend the weekend in his country manor. 

“Greer joins the other chosen students at the ancient and sprawling Longcross Hall, and soon realizes that they are at the mercy of their capricious host,” the description reads. “Over the next three days, as the three bloodsports – hunting, shooting and fishing – become increasingly dark and twisted, Greer comes to the horrifying reality that those being hunted are not wild game, but the very misfits Henry has brought with him from school…”

‘If We Were Villains’ by M. L. Rio

If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio tells the story of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory who are ambitious, talented and, sometimes, absolutely ruthless. 

“But in their fourth and final year, good-natured rivalries turn ugly, and on opening night real violence invades the students’ world of make-believe,” the description teases. “In the morning, the fourth-years find themselves facing their very own tragedy, and their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, each other, and themselves that they are innocent.”

‘Murder on Lake Garda’ by Tom Hindle

Set on the private island of Castello Fiore surrounded by the glittering waters of Lake Garda, Murder on Lake Garda by Tom Hindle shows the wealthy Heywood family gathering for their son Laurence’s wedding to Italian influence Eva Bianchi. But, before the wedding even takes place, a tragedy leaves them all trapped and urging for questions. 

‘Clique Bait’ by Ann Valett

After the popular clique in school makes Monica’s best friend’s life a living hell, Monica changes her appearance and essentially buries her identity for a mission: she’ll get in with the popular crowd to destroy them from within.

“The closer she gets to uncovering the secrets the in-crowd is determined to cover up, the more she realizes that she is going to have to choose between betraying her oldest friend or the boy who’s captured her heart,” the description reads. 

‘The Heiress’ by Rachel Hawkins

Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore was the wealthiest and most notorious woman in North Carolina by the time of her death. But, despite her sprawling estate and enormous wealth, her adopted son Camden isn’t too keen on getting her fortune after her passing. 

But when Camden and his wife Jules head back to her home, they become soon engrossed in finding out what really happened to her. “Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what’s written in a will––and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave,” the description reads.

‘The Death of Mrs. Westaway’ by Ruth Ware

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware follows the intelligent and enigmatic Hal as she gets a mysterious letter granting her an impressive inheritance. Soon, though, she realizes that the letter was sent to the wrong person. 

As she tries to get to the bottom of it, however, she realizes something is “very, very wrong about this strange situation and the inheritance at the center of it.”

‘The Honeys’ by Ryan La Sala

Mars always lived in their twin Caroline’s shadow so when she died, they’re left to try and figure out who they are, and what happened to Caroline, all at once. In the mission, Mars enrolls in Caroline’s prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy and begins to bond with the Honeys, the popular group Caroline was friends with. 

“But the longer he stays at Aspen, the more the sweet mountain breezes give way to hints of decay. Mars’s memories begin to falter, bleached beneath the relentless summer sun,” the description teases. “Something is hunting him in broad daylight, toying with his mind. If Mars can’t find it soon, it will eat him alive.”

‘The Cousins’ by Karen M. McManus

The Cousins by Karen M. McManus tells the story of Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story, three cousins, who are suddenly and mysteriously invited to their grandmother’s island resort for the summer. For the sake of guaranteeing their family’s inheritance, they agree to join, without knowing exactly what they’re stepping into. 

“When the cousins arrive on the island, it’s immediately clear that she has different plans for them,” the description reads. “And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious–and dark–their family’s past is.”

‘The Nest’ by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

Much like The Cousins, The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney shows what siblings Melody, Beatrice, Jack and Leo would do to guarantee their inheritance. 

“Brought together as never before, Leo, Melody, Jack, and Beatrice must grapple with old resentments, present-day truths, and the significant emotional and financial toll of the accident, as well as finally acknowledge the choices they have made in their own lives,” the description reads.