Explore Historical Fiction Books

Historical fiction brings the past to life through the lens of imagination. It’s a genre where stories unfold in real historical settings, blending fact and fiction to create something deeply immersive.

At its heart, historical fiction includes:

• A reimagined past, grounded in real places and time periods.

• A seamless mix of true events and imaginative storytelling to fill in the blanks.

• Characters who might be entirely fictional, inspired by real people, or a blend of both.

The time period isn’t just a backdrop—it shapes the entire story. Books like Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward or Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell show how deeply setting influences the plot and mood.

But historical fiction doesn’t always mean ancient history. The River We Remember is set in 1958, and Daisy Jones & The Six takes you into the 1970s music scene. Whether you’re stepping into Elizabethan England or mid-century America, the best historical fiction is thoroughly researched and transports you to another world.

This genre spans every type of story—romance, thrillers, mysteries, fantasy, and more. You can dive into a feminist retelling of the Perseus myth with The Shadow of Perseus, or experience true events through fiction in Lady Tan’s Circle of Women or The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Explore the strange and scandalous Tichborne Trials in Zadie Smith’s The Fraud, or face haunting isolation in Victor LaValle’s Lone Women.

And of course, don’t miss the works of iconic historical fiction authors like Ken Follett, Hilary Mantel, and Diana Gabaldon—masters of turning the past into unforgettable stories.