Historical Books
The final chapter of the Electra McDonnell series follows safecracker Ellie as she embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue a group of escaped POWs in World ...
The equally brilliant real-life sister of the famous flying Wright Brothers, Katharine Wright, investigates an unsettling death at the 1904 World's Fair in ...
Kristin Harmel, the New York Times bestselling author who ‘is the best there is at sweeping historical drama’ (Kelly Harms, author of The Seven Day Switch), ...
From the author of The Ashes of London, comes a new historical mystery set in the last days of WWII'Ten out of ten' The Times
National bestseller Two sisters living on Martha’s Vineyard during World War II find hope in the power of storytelling when they start a wartime book club ...
Private enquiry agents Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn are thrust into the dangerous world of Victorian England when powerful forces conspire to seize ...
He's carrying a torch... Graham MacNeil has no desire to be involved with the family earldom, let alone a drafty castle filled with rowdy relatives, or ...
An arranged marriage, an undercover bride, and mistaken identities lead to sparkling, enchanting romance in A DUKE NEVER TELLS; a Bridgerton meets Evie ...
Living in Greece at the turn of the twentieth century, widow Minnie Harper struggles to find her place in a swiftly changing world. But when a local woman is ...
#1 NYT-bestselling author Stephanie Laurens returns with a puzzling case in which her favorite sleuths must untangle a slew of secrets to expose a ...
May, 1941. In the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral, the body of senior chorister Edwin Roberts is discovered, brutally murdered. Detective Chief Inspector Coburg ...
During World War II, a girl forms an unbreakable bond with a boy seeking refuge in her family's Tuscan villa, where the priceless treasures of the Uffizi ...
Virginia, 1864—Libby Steadman’s husband has been absent for such a long time that she can hardly remember his voice in her dreams. While she yearns for him ...
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Indie Next April 2025 Pick '' LibraryReads March 2025 Pick Inspired by a true literary mystery, New York Times ...
Description
Historical fiction is a genre that sets its stories in the past, often during significant periods of history. In these stories, the time period isn’t just a backdrop but an essential part of the setting and the narrative itself.
Historical fiction may feature fictional characters, well-known historical figures, or a combination of the two. Authors typically pay close attention to details—such as setting, clothing, and dialogue—to ensure the story feels authentic to the time period it portrays.
Sometimes, historical fiction portrays famous events from perspectives not recorded in history, showing historical figures grappling with real events but in ways not captured in historical records. Other times, the historical event or era provides a rich backdrop that shapes the characters’ lives and actions. In some cases, the story remains largely accurate, but names of people or places are changed for narrative reasons.
Because this is fiction, authors have artistic license to creatively present and explore these settings, as long as they remain reasonably faithful to established historical facts. If the story deviates significantly from historical record, it may move into the genre of alternate history, which imagines how things might have been different if a major historical event had played out differently. Similarly, historical fiction should generally follow the rules of physics and realism; stories that include magical or fantastical elements typically fall under the category of historical fantasy or historical romance.