Historical Books
Valiant cook and amateur sleuth Kat Holloway must uncover the secrets of Victorian London’s most elite noblemen to save the man she loves, from the New York ...
A terrorist bombing in Bergama, Turkey kills twenty-three people including three children. Modern Bergama is built on the site of ancient Pergamon, a city ...
In 1933 Cuba, a deadly game of cat and mouse unfolds. An IRA sharpshooter, driven by vengeance and a relentless mission, has Winston Churchill in his ...
From the incomparable author of LIFE AFTER LIFE and DEATH AT THE SIGN OF THE ROOK, a story of nightclub owners and socialites, gangsters and dancing girls ...
“Historical crime writing that virtually reinvents the genre. Ancient Athens is recreated with a masterly touch... Philocles is the perfect protagonist.” ...
Murder with a sting in the tail.Philocles is convinced someone is out to sabotage the play. To find out who - and why - he must first uncover the ...
A novel by bestselling author Wilbur Smith and the prequel to A Falcon Flies. 'The right of the cat over the mouse, of the strong over the weak. The natural ...
The #1 bestselling author of Cooking for Picasso and The Godmothers returns with The Girl from the Grand Hotel, a dazzling historical novel that brings ...
Inspired by an incredible true story of two Jewish friends who survived the Holocaust, this ‘heartfelt and memorable tale of family, love, resilience, and ...
**The international bestseller** An unforgettable historical debut set in Second World War Brussels: exploring love, resistance and courage in all their ...
Poland. 1944. Alfred Mendl and his family are brought on a crowded train to a Nazi concentration camp after being caught trying to flee Paris with forged ...
An ancient secret. A forgotten science. A battle for the future of humanity. Seven thousand years ago, as he lay dying on the battlefield of Lanka, ...
Welcome to the most tumultuous summer of the twentieth century... Every year the Levin children have looked forward to spending the summer at their ...
Set in Berlin during WW2, Only the Brave is a heart-wrenching story of love, courage and hope, from billion-copy bestseller Danielle Steel. In 1930s ...
In 1866, a public school pupil drowns in a mysterious accident involving several boys. Among them are Hugh Pilaster, his cousin Edward - heir to the Pilaster ...
Ken Follett follows up his #1 New York Times bestseller Fall of Giants with a brilliant, page-turning epic about the heroism and honor of World War II, and ...
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.