42 Popular New Historical Fiction Novels

i wish you'd separate them by time periods or places or smth. this is a little hard to digest

Angela wrote: "i wish you'd separate them by time periods or places or smth. this is a little hard to digest"

I just wish novels set in 1983 weren't considered 'historical fiction.' LOL

Some good books mentioned, Hour of The Witch is outstanding.

WOW I don't usually save a lot on my Want to Read list from these lists but there were a lot on this list that appealed to me. Thank you!

The Shayne-Train wrote: "Angela wrote: "i wish you'd separate them by time periods or places or smth. this is a little hard to digest"

I just wish novels set in 1983 weren't considered 'historical fiction.' LOL"

Thank you so much for that comment hahaha

The Shayne-Train wrote:
I just wish novels set in 1983 weren't considered 'historical fiction.' LOL"

Amen. For some reason that stings more that music from the early 2000s being referred to as "golden oldies."

A couple of book clubs I've participated in had the good grace to not call something a classic or historical that was set fewer than 50 years from when we read it. It was completely arbitrary, of course, but reduced the cringe factor among those of us who were adults in the 80s, but not quite doddering decrepits yet.

Already have a few here on my to-read shelf, the ones I really want to read would be The Children's Blizzard, Hour of the Witch, After Francesco, and Everyone Knows Your Mother Is A Witch

Angela wrote: "i wish you'd separate them by time periods or places or smth. this is a little hard to digest"

Agreed. At least something vague like 20th century, 19th century, and pre-18th century sections would help

I regard any novel as a historical novel if it takes place in a time period AT LEAST 25 YEARS DISTANT FROM THE PRESENT.

I don't buy into the notion that a historical novel has to be a novel that takes place 50 or 100 years ago! I think 25 years is enough of a yardstick by which to gauge a historical era, a generation. (For example, in 1996 -- 25 years ago -- we were making tentative steps towards embracing the internet, which, as I recall, was very new at the time. We were still very much embracing an analog way of life in the 1990s.)

my latest historical thriller AMALIE was released in April with Question Mark Press. Amazon Top 50 Jewish Fiction.

Just finished The Rose Code and thought it was brilliant!

Including a short blurb, even one sentence would be useful. I don't usually read historical fiction so don't recognize the authors and just going by title and cover art isn't too helpful.

Most of these are by American authors or WW2. It would be refreshing to see other authors not from the USA and different themes, such as Medieval times.

Michele wrote: "Most of these are by American authors or WW2. It would be refreshing to see other authors not from the USA and different themes, such as Medieval times."

Agree. Most of these books blur into one same tropy story. And I agree with others in regard to the 80s. A story set in time when majority of humans who lived at that time are still alive isn't historical fiction. Just because something happened yesterday doesn't make it HF. HF requires research and ability to put yourself into the time that no one alive today has experienced.

Agreed – it would be helpful if the era in which the historical novels are set was mentioned.
I have had the first 2 historical fiction novels in my ‘Lives’ trilogy published in the last few months by Poolbeg Press and they are available on Amazon.
‘Lives Apart’ and ‘Lives Without End’ are family sagas set in Ireland and America and deal with the themes of emigration, hidden lives, tragedy and the triumph of courage over adversity.
The timeframe in ‘Lives Apart’ is 1865 to 1926 during which many historical events occurred – the San Francisco earthquake, the sinking of the Titanic, the Irish War of Independence and Civil War.
‘Lives Without End’ begins in the mid 1800s, just before the great Irish Famine.
Both books have been getting great reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.
Anne M.McLoughlin, author.

Isn’t history the past? Doesn’t matter when it took place.

I just finished "The Riviera House", it comes out in August, a WWII historical fiction and it is a really good one. A tear jerkier so have tissues ready.

I agree that history is the past. It doesn’t matter when it takes place and many people aren’t aware of things going on outside of their immediate world. We learn from the past.

Lots of entries for my list wartime women looking away here!

Michele wrote: "Most of these are by American authors or WW2. It would be refreshing to see other authors not from the USA and different themes, such as Medieval times."

agree, very tired of WW2 titles being main ones mentioned and also mainly American authors.
Please, more diversity in historical fiction, Goodreads

Muriel wrote: "Isn’t history the past? Doesn’t matter when it took place."

Yesterday is the past... Today morning is the past, too... ))

Don wrote: "Wish there would be something more manly. All girly books😄"

So much agree, although I'm a girl... -_- All main characters are women! And all similar to each other, like Disney's princesses.

I would hope most goodreads members are as put off by the use of "fiction novels " as I am.
What novels are non fiction?

SO many of these look so good!
HIstorical fiction is my favorite genre.

I am almost finished with "The Indigo Girl" and have really enjoyed this author!

Keith wrote: "Including a short blurb, even one sentence would be useful. I don't usually read historical fiction so don't recognize the authors and just going by title and cover art isn't too helpful."

At least for me, if you hover your cursor over each book a short synopsis is displayed. I'm viewing on my computer - probably isn't available on a phone.

Impossible wrote: "Don wrote: "Wish there would be something more manly. All girly books😄"

So much agree, although I'm a girl... -_- All main characters are women! And all similar to each other, like Disney's prince..."

Better get used to it. See this recent article from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...

Impossible wrote: "Don wrote: "Wish there would be something more manly. All girly books😄"

So much agree, although I'm a girl... -_- All main characters are women! And all similar to each other, like Disney's prince..."

Try this one. My wife and I have read it several times. 😄 Some prominent characters are female but none of them is girly; nor is the novel itself. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

I published my first historical fiction novel, 'This Fearful Thing', in May and it's had some very good reviews.
1645, East Anglia. Ann Camell is accused of witchcraft not once, but three times. What can she do? Will she survive? Based on a true story.
Available as a paperback or kindle edition. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B094NTJH8S

The Rose Code was captivating, terrific, brilliant!
Recently finished Our Woman in Moscow by
Beatriz Williams--- unputdownable!!!

so many books with the same trope is getting boring

1983 was Nearly 40 years ago! Its before I was born and I am reading Malibu rising as we speak, so refreshing to read something in the past but not in WW2! 1960-80s are my favourite periods because i haven’t found enough books on them!
If Stranger Things is viewed as throwback and nostalgia evoking, music from the 80s is retro, the 80s fashion is Uber retro, I don’t see the issue? Life has changed so significantly that it’s actually fun reading about it.
I remember how already in the 2000s the clubs used to have retro parties with 80s music, it’s not like it’s a new thing.

I'm 52 and remember the 1980s as a teenager - because of the year I was born (about half way through) I was 10 at the start of the 80s, 20 at the start of the 90s etc and calendar decades and those of my life correspond really well. I actually find it quite interesting reading books set in the 1980s but with the benefit of 21st century hindsight - Adrian McKinty's series set during the Troubles in Northern Ireland are really interesting for seeing what has changed.

In 1996 I worked for a local council with an internal email system and then got a job with a different council and department and was surprised to find that, although the software we used had that potential, no one was using it. Everywhere I worked (I was temping most of the time) did use computers but some of the systems and software being used were already out of date, and I did have an interview at an office still using display screen typewriters. I had learned to type on electric typewriters of various kinds and managed to pass exams, and could do some tasks but I don't think I'd have lasted long using a typewriter full time.

I've also read Paula McLain's recent novel about a crime investigation, When the Stars Go Dark, and it took me time to realise that this is indeed a "recent past" historical - think late 80s but I'd already have to check before I write the review I owe. Apparently she chose that period precisely because the techniques available now weren't available to the detective.