Historical Books
The second in the Electra McDonnell series from Edgar-nominated author Ashley Weaver, The Key to Deceit, is a delightful World War II mystery filled with ...
The first in the Electra McDonnell series from Edgar-nominated author Ashley Weaver, set in England during World War II, A Peculiar Combination is a ...
The Agatha Award-winning mystery inspired by the Wright Brothers’ real-life sister!
The last thing on Camden Huxley's mind is to handle the affairs of his family's vast Yorkshire estate, dealing with its quarrelsome tenants, servants, and ...
The Prodigal Peer, Lucien, Marquess of Lynnfield, disappeared from the family seat nearly a decade ago, and now he’s back, ready to take his inheritance in ...
He’d rather carry hod in hell... Finn Cathcart, a successful sculptor, is currently enjoying his time in Europe mingling with alabaster nymphs and marble ...
Blood, betrayal, and the battle for rome’s soul: the dark and twisted journey of nero’s ascent to power
From New York Times bestselling author Conn Iggulden, the final novel in his trilogy of Nero, as he faces the last challenges in his quest for ultimate ...
Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard embarks on a journey to the rugged coastline of England to investigate a murder in a place where the memory of WWI ...
From a bestselling author of epic fiction comes the deeply human story of one of the world’s greatest mysteries: the building of Stonehenge.
Mary Russell is faced with a test of her allegiances when her long-lost uncle reappears—and brings with him a case that even Sherlock Holmes couldn't ...
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
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.