Historical Fiction Books You Might of Missed

Most of the Historical Fiction books we have seen repeatedly checked out in circulation are authors that have previously published favorites.  Kate Quinn, Pam Jenoff, Kristin Harmel, Marie Benedict, Kristin Hannah, Amor Towles, and Patti Callahan. If you are looking for a variety of Historical Fiction consistently good reads check out the backlist of these authors if their current release isn't available. Here are their newest releases that have been proven "winners". 

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn begins in 1940 but carrying on in post-war Britain and centers on three women cryptanalysts.

The Woman with the Blue Star by Pam Jenoff is set in Poland during in WWII and inspired by a true story. 

The Secret Keeper of Jaipur by Alka Joshi is set in India in the 1960s this story continues from the very popular book : The Henna Artist  

The Forest of the Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel is set in WWII a young woman uses her knowledge of the wilderness to help Jewish refugees escape the Nazis.

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict is the story of Belle da Costa Greene, J.P. Morgan's personal librarian. 

Author Patti Callahan released two books this year: Surviving Savannah is set in 1838 when the Savannah elite perished in the sinking of the luxury steamship: Pulaski and Once Upon a Wardrobe is a wonderful story I recently enjoyed that explores the life of C.S. Lewis and the writing of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. 

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid is set in the summer of 1983 in Malibu and you will enjoy this story about "one forgettable night in the life of a family".

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien is set in 1939 Paris the story gives us a glimpse of the life of a young Parisian librarian who joins the Resistance during WWII with her fellow librarians. Looking forward a lonely teenager in Montana befriends her elderly French neighbor and the novel "explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are".

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner is set in 1790s London the story features a female apothecary secretly dispensing poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them. The story alternates in present-day London with the historian who is investigating the unsolved "apothecary murders" that happened two centuries ago.

Kristin Hannah's The Four Winds is set in Texas in 1934 during the Great Depression and The Dust Bowl. The main character, Elsa Martinelli, has to either fight to remain or go west to California. Many patrons have commented they have enjoyed this novel and it will tug at your heart.

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles is set in 1950s America the story takes place in 10 days and three young men and a boy are on "an adventure of their lives". Amor Towles has proven with Rules of Civility and Gentleman in Moscow that he is a masterful storyteller that creates a story and characters you will have a hard time forgetting.  I look forward to reading this one.

Of these our circulation staff would say The Four Winds, The Paris Library, The Rose Code,

Malibu Rising, The Personal Librarian, and The Lincoln Highway would be the most read in Duxbury of the 2021 releases.

Finishing out the 2021 year these historical fiction reads have come in during the last couple of months and receiving good reviews:

Emily's House by Amy Belding Brown is set in 1869 in Massachusetts and focuses on the life of Margaret Maher, Emily Dickinson's longtime maid. This author also wrote Flight of the Sparrow, which was one of our "hot summer reads". 

The Light of Luna Park by Addison Armstrong. Set in 1926 a nurse is working in Bellevue Hospital and is inspired to help premature babies who are struggling and moves forward twenty-five years, to the life of Stella Wright who discovers a letter that brings a mystery to her life. 

The Family by Naomi Krupitsky is set in 20th century Brooklyn this a debut novel about the "tangled fates of two best friends and daughters of the Italian mafia, and a coming of age story."  

We hope these give you many ideas for your TBR list or for a quick grab when you come in. Most of these titles have multiple copies so are often available.  

Happy New Year!