New Augsburg: Book 1
The year is 2117, and Lydia Klein has lived a sheltered life in New Augsburg, a small town established as an oasis in an increasingly secular world. In the face of a government that heavily regulates publishing of explicitly Christian materials, Lydia’s family operates a privately owned press dedicated to printing books that proclaim the timeless Word of God.
Faced with the loss of their parents, her brother’s unwillingness to carry on the family business leaves Lydia uncertain of the future.
When the charming and polished Zachary Barrett, a wealthy son of the town, expresses interest in marrying her and buying her family’s press, she imagines that her problems may soon be solved. But as disagreements and new acquaintances threaten to come between them, will Lydia learn to act out of trust or be trapped in fear?
New Augsburg: Book 2
Every decision of Callie Foster’s adult life has led to this moment—her chance to run for a seat in the U.S. Congress. Every move has been calculated, except for one. She never counted on falling for Micah Klein. Their relationship threatens her campaign, but Callie is determined to have the best of both worlds: the career she’s always dreamed of and the unconditional love of a good man.
Micah Klein’s unique New Augsburg upbringing has left him disillusioned with organized religion and with more questions than answers. As he struggles to sort out the truth of his father’s mysterious disappearance and carve out a future independent of his birthright, only one thing stands out with certainty: Callie Foster is the best thing to have ever happened to him. Their wedding day cannot come soon enough.
As a volatile political campaign amidst a series of terrorist attacks throw Micah and Callie’s relationship and their Christian faith into the national spotlight, their future teeters in the balance. Will their choices drive them apart or draw them together?
New Augsburg: Book 3
The year is 2122, and Zachary Barrett has made a habit of running from the disgrace of his family legacy. When offered the opportunity to regain a leadership role and restore his sullied reputation back home in New Augsburg, the temptation is too great to resist. But forces conspire against him. The stain of his own misdeeds, his father’s unexpected release from federal prison, and once-in-a-generation natural disasters threaten to interfere with his dreams of a fresh start.
Nearly four years into married life, Lydia Schaeffer thought she’d learned to trust God’s timing, but the unfulfilled desire to start a family leaves an ache in her heart. When her former nemesis returns to town and begins to spend time with one of Lydia’s dearest friends, past wounds and unforgiveness threaten to compound her grief.
As the residents of New Augsburg reckon with the sins of generations past and present, the challenges of a hostile government, and the unpredictable forces of nature, they must extend Christ-like grace to one another, facing the consequences of the past no matter the cost to the future.
Praise for the New Augsburg Trilogy
New Augsburg: Book 3—Christa Petzold has once again crafted a narrative that doesn’t just entertain (though it absolutely does!)—it convicts, comforts, and calls readers to deeper reflection. It’s a richly layered story of repentance, redemption, and the relentless grace of God that will grip readers from all walks of life. You can’t help but find yourself somewhere in New Augsburg. This novel beautifully portrays how Gospel-centered community can become a haven for sinner/saints and a witness to the world. Through Zachary Barrett’s journey, we’re reminded that the brokenness we inherit doesn’t define us. What defines us is Christ—His forgiveness, His mercy, His finished work—delivered in Word and Sacraments. It’s thoughtful, timely, and saturated with hope. I’m moved and motivated by this read—and you will be too. Indulge!
—FLAME, GRAMMY®-nominated and Stellar Award-winning hip hop artist; author of Extra Nos: Discovering Grace outside Myself and Because Jesus Taught It: Christianity Through the Eyes of the Church Fathers
The New Augsburg Trilogy is a unique and uplifting take on dystopian fiction. While the genre typically focuses on the chaos and anxiety of the future world, Petzold’s stories display a society where evil flourishes, yet God’s truth remains the anchor for His people. While the world grows darker, the church continues to be a light. Each book features complex character development, a gentle romance, and big questions that aren’t always tied up with a neat bow, but that find their resolution in trusting a God Who is bigger and stronger than our uncertainties. The trilogy builds from one book to the next until the final, powerful conclusion. Though each book has plenty of suspense and high stakes to keep the reader engaged, it is the challenge to stay true to Who and what you believe that will stay with the reader long after the final page.
—Jennifer Q. Hunt, author of the Wisteria House Trilogy and the Sorrow and Song Trilogy
As a pastor, I am often invited into the homes of my members at times of both great joy and sadness. Christa Petzold offers us a place at the tables of Micah & Callie, Lydia & David, and Zachary Barrett one final time in the fitting conclusion to her New Augsburg trilogy. As the community of New Augsburg faces the challenges of a growing population and the ever-present shadow of a government opposed to the preaching of the Gospel, what will Micah, David, and Zachary do to protect their community, faith, and legacies? All the while, past sins and disagreements offer opportunities for reconciliation and forgiveness– or do they? Christa’s characters have a life all their own. You will want to laugh with Elizabeth, be frustrated and angry at Zachary, and hope beyond hope with Lydia. There is nothing perfect about these characters except the love that Christ has for them. Thank you, Christa, for creating characters so near to our own lives that we can be comforted with the same hope as the families of New Augsburg.
Take up and read. And remember: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
—Rev. Timothy D. Storck, Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Chesterfield Township, MI
The outcome of Australia’s recent election left me deeply concerned and anxious for my country’s future. It was in that moment that I found myself comforted by thoughts of New Augsburg and the powerful message it proclaims—the church will go on. Christa cleverly intertwines biblical truth with each character’s story and makes this trilogy more than a delightful read; it is a medium through which the truth of God’s Word will edify and comfort believers. So go on, visit New Augsburg—admire the gowns at the community dance, hear the printers humming at the press, smell the coffee brewing in the parsonage kitchen—but above all, be reminded of Christ’s love and devotion to His church.
—Lexy Bourne, host of the Here She Stands Podcast, Tasmania, Australia
Christa Petzold is an author with a flair for drawing her readers into the lives of her characters. I found myself totally engrossed by the narrative of each book in the New Augsburg Trilogy. Christa’s characters feel like “real” people living in the future with history informed by the past. If you enjoy fiction with a twist of intrigue, love, and adventure lived within a community of believers, this trilogy is for you!
—Karol Selle, LWML Vice President of Special Focus Ministries
Praise for New Augsburg: Book 1
In Christa Petzold’s newest book, a novel set almost 100 years into the future, the fears many Christians hold in 2023 have come true. With new laws and policy threatening the Christian worldview, a few hundred Lutherans have withdrawn from the world to a safe-haven in Wisconsin, one of the only States that doesn’t mandate public education. New Augsburg is named for the setting – a town kept nearly unchanged in a bubble while the streams of time rush around it. The people of New Augsburg are committed to keeping their town’s bubble from popping. However, no bubble lasts forever – whether that pointed attack or pressure comes from without or within.
New Augsburg invites the reader to a place of delight and relaxation – a slower pace of life, an intent focus on the Word and the Church’s teachings of it. In the midst of this lovely picture, however, Christa weaves a thread of tension that goes beyond the fear of the idyllic breakdown of New Augsburg, but the question of how are Christians to live in the world while remaining people of the Word. Do we withdraw? Or do we engage? Do we fight? Or do we act only in love and gentleness? There is no easy answer to these questions, but Christa explores them in a genuine manner, and I’m very eager to see where she takes us in the rest of the series.
Sarah Baughman, author of A Flame in the Dark: A Novel about Luther’s Reformation
It was a delight to journey to New Augsburg, a town a century in the future that has the feel of a century in the past. Through this unique setting and a cast of well-developed characters wrestling with hard choices and heartbreaking losses, Christa Petzold showcases God’s unchanging nature and that His truth and His Church will always prevail, no matter what evil is happening in the world. I loved the gentle love story between two characters who were looking to serve the Lord and find their place in His kingdom. Petzold’s strong theological background, already familiar to readers of her nonfiction, shines authentically in this debut novel, enhancing the story naturally and adding depth to characters you will long remember.
Jennifer Q. Hunt, author of the Sorrow & Song Trilogy and the Wisteria House Trilogy
Christa Petzold enchants readers with her captivating tale set in “New Augsburg.” With well-developed characters, readers form deep connections and empathize with their faith struggles. Petzold beautifully illustrates God’s grace and peace through the messy yet precious gift of the Church. As secrets are gradually revealed, intrigue and suspense heighten. Each chapter leaves readers yearning for more about these beloved characters. The book’s satisfying conclusion provides a sense of anticipation for the future.
Michelle Diercks, host of the Peace in His Presence Podcast, author of Promised Rest
Christa Petzold has created a seemingly idyllic place in New Augsburg. A place filled with loving townspeople struggling against a confusing and foreboding future world. The novel’s sincere characters drew me in immediately and with each page turn, I wanted to know more about them. In particular, I wanted to see how Lydia’s life would turn out when we find out that not everything in New Augsburg is perfect. A gentle book with just enough suspense to keep you reading. The story of flawed characters attempting to live a life of faith is the story of all our lives.
Sharla Fritz, Christian speaker and author of Measured by Grace: How God Defines Success and God’s Relentless Love: A Study of Hosea