Top new historical-fiction books in September 2024
Last updated:
September 30, 2024
September 2024 featuring new releases by Richard Powers, Alice Hoffman, Graham Norton, Fiona Valpy, Alan Bradley, Wendy Webb, William Boyd, Jami Attenberg, Jodi Taylor, Marissa Stapley and many more.
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Playground by Richard Powers
Four lives are drawn together in a sweeping, panoramic new novel from Richard Powers, showcasing the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Overstory at the height of his skills. Twelve-year-old Evie Beaulieu sinks to the bottom of a swimming pool in Montreal strapped to one of the world’s first aqualungs. Ina Aroita grows up on naval bases across the Pacific with art as her only home...fiction · sci-fi · literary-fiction · outdoors · audiobook · contemporary · nautical · ai · friendship · technology -
![When We Flew Away: A Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary by Alice Hoffman]()
When We Flew Away: A Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary by Alice Hoffman
Bestselling author Alice Hoffman delivers a stunning novel about one of contemporary history's most acclaimed figures, exploring the little-known details of Anne Frank's life before she went into hiding.Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl has captivated and inspired readers for decades... -
![Frankie by Graham Norton]()
Frankie by Graham Norton
Frankie Howe has lived a long life, her small flat is crammed full of art, furniture - and memories. Damian, her young carer, listens as she gradually tells him parts of her story - a story that takes us into a progressive, daring world of New York artists on the brink of fame, aspiring writers and larger-than-life characters...fiction · historical-fiction · audiobook · contemporary · literary-fiction · lgbtq · romantic-love · realistic · coming-of-age · urban -
![The Sky Beneath Us by Fiona Valpy]()
The Sky Beneath Us by Fiona Valpy
An inspiring, uplifting story of love and loss, courage and adventure, from the bestselling author of The Skylark’s Secret.1927. Violet Mackenzie-Grant is embarking on her dream of studying at the Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women...asia · south-asia · nepal · historical-fiction · fiction · historical · audiobook · family · action-adventure · friendship -
![What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley]()
What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley
The beloved series returns as Flavia de Luce, along with her pestilent younger cousin, investigates the murder of a former public hangman and uncovers secrets that bring the greatest shock of her life.Flavia de Luce has taken on the mentorship of her odious, moon-faced cousin Undine, who has come to live at Buckshaw following the death of her mother...mystery · fiction · historical-fiction · cozy · historical · middle-grade · audiobook · young-adult · law-enforcement · children -
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![The Witches of Santo Stefano by Wendy Webb]()
The Witches of Santo Stefano by Wendy Webb
An investigative journalist uncovers the haunting secret history of her own ancestors in a bewitching novel by the bestselling author of Daughters of the Lake.When Cassie Graves discovers her husband’s affair, it’s enough to chip away at the foundation of her life. But after researching her family’s Italian ancestry, it completely crumbles beneath her... -
![Gabriel's Moon by William Boyd]()
Gabriel's Moon by William Boyd
In his most exhilarating novel yet, Britain’s greatest storyteller transports you from the vibrant streets of sixties London to the sun-soaked cobbles of Cadiz and the frosty squares of Warsaw, as an accidental spy is drawn into the shadows of espionage and obsession...europe · british-isles · united-kingdom · england · urban · poland · spain · fiction · historical-fiction · espionage -
![A Reason to See You Again by Jami Attenberg]()
A Reason to See You Again by Jami Attenberg
From New York Times bestselling author Jami Attenberg comes a dazzling novel of family, following a troubled mother and her two daughters over forty years and through a swiftly changing American landscape as they seek lives they can fully claim as their own. The women of the Cohen family are in crisis...fiction · historical-fiction · family · literary-fiction · contemporary · audiobook · drama · book · adult -
![The Ballad of Smallhope and Pennyroyal by Jodi Taylor]()
The Ballad of Smallhope and Pennyroyal by Jodi Taylor
From the globally bestselling author of the Chronicles of St Mary's and Time Police series - the origin story of bounty hunters Smallhope and Pennyroyal.Meet Lady Amelia Smallhope, for whom there is no problem that can't be solved by a drink and a think.And Pennyroyal, for whom there is no problem. Ever.Everyone's favourite bounty hunters. Sorry - recovery agents. No bad guy they can't handle...time-travel · fantasy · fiction · audiobook · action-adventure · historical-fiction · historical · humor · urban-fantasy · crime -
![The Lightning Bottles by Marissa Stapley]()
The Lightning Bottles by Marissa Stapley
The author of New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club pick Lucky returns with a love letter to rock ‘n’ roll and star-crossed love, following Jane Pyre’s road trip around Europe as she attempts to find out what really happened to her partner in love and music, who disappeared without a trace years earlier, leaving Jane to pick up the pieces...romance · fiction · mystery · historical-fiction · contemporary · audiobook · literary-fiction · female-mc · book · adult -
![Everything Glittered by Robin Talley]()
Everything Glittered by Robin Talley
It’s 1927 and the strict laws of prohibition have done little to temper the roaring 20s nightlife, even in the nation’s capitol. Everyone knows the booze has never stopped flowing, especially amongst the rich and powerful, and seventeen-year-old Gertrude and her best friends Clara and Milly are determined to get a taste of freedom and liquor, propriety be damned...historical-fiction · young-adult · historical · mystery · lgbtq · wlw · fiction · lesbian-mc · audiobook · coming-of-age -
![A Place to Hide by Ronald H. Balson]()
A Place to Hide by Ronald H. Balson
From the winner of the National Jewish Book AwardTheodore “Teddy” Hartigan is the scion of a wealthy Washington, D.C. family who place him into a comfortable job at the State Department and a placid diplomat’s career...historical-fiction · fiction · ww2 · historical · family · war · audiobook · espionage · children · womens-fiction -
![The Whisper Sister by Jennifer S. Brown]()
The Whisper Sister by Jennifer S. Brown
The author of Modern Girls delivers an atmospheric coming-of-age story set in Prohibition-era New York, tracing one immigrant family’s fortunes and a young girl’s journey from the schoolyard to the speakeasy.The streets of New York in 1920 are most certainly not paved with gold, as Minnie Soffer learns when she arrives at Ellis Island...historical-fiction · fiction · audiobook · historical · sci-fi · true-crime · coming-of-age · drama · family · romance -
![A Borrowed Path by Imogen Clark]()
A Borrowed Path by Imogen Clark
Home is where the heartache is.Eve has always had a tricky relationship with her mother, Agatha, and returning to Fox House, the family home, hasn’t made it any easier. When Eve’s daughter, Lyra, and granddaughter, Skye, unexpectedly turn up, it becomes clear that four generations of women under one roof is a recipe for trouble. Not least because Lyra clearly needs help but refuses to say why...audiobook · fiction · family · suspense · season-summer · mystery · contemporary · drama · epic · historical-fiction -
![The Cloverton Charade by Sarah E. Ladd]()
The Cloverton Charade by Sarah E. Ladd
A house party in Regency England provides the perfect opportunity for two rival antiquity brokers to scope out a potentially valuable collection while trying to keep their attraction at bay.Alicia Brannon's knowledge of antiquities is unparalleled, having learned everything she needs to know from her broker father...romance · historical-fiction · industrial-era · regency · mystery · historical · christian · audiobook · fiction · friendship -
![The Cold Light of Day by Anna Lee Huber]()
The Cold Light of Day by Anna Lee Huber
The latest novel in the action-packed historical mystery series featuring Verity Kent, fashionable former Secret Service agent turned intrepid sleuth and high-society darling on her next clandestine mission—from the USA Today bestselling author of the Lady Darby Mysteries. A treat for fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Susan Ella MacNeal...mystery · historical-fiction · fiction · historical · audiobook · cozy · espionage · politics · suspense · killer -
![A Foolish Flirtation by Alice Coldbreath]()
A Foolish Flirtation by Alice Coldbreath
At eighteen, Emmeline Ballentine’s father splashed out on one London season to introduce his daughter to polite society. Sadly, for Emmeline, polite society was not terribly receptive to a city trader’s daughter. She only ever caught one gentleman’s fancy, the dishonorable and gorgeous Jeremy Vance who made her head spin as he singled her out for attention at the balls and assemblies... -
![Secrets of the Lost Ledgers by C.J. Archer]()
Secrets of the Lost Ledgers by C.J. Archer
An invisible message from a dead man resurrects a decades-old mystery.With her sharpened magical senses, Sylvia recognizes invisible writing while cataloging an obscure book for the library. She’s shocked to discover the message, written many years earlier, pleaded for help. She’s even more shocked to discover the author of the message was married to a paper magician...historical-fiction · mystery · fantasy · alternate-history · paranormal · magical-realism · fiction · cozy · romance · suspense -
![Death by Misadventure by Tasha Alexander]()
Death by Misadventure by Tasha Alexander
In the latest installment of Tasha Alexander's New York Times bestselling series, Lady Emily must solve a string of high stakes "accidents" while trapped in a lavish villa in the Bavarian Alps.In the winter of 1906, Lady Emily and husband Colin are invited to the opulent home of Baroness Ursula von Duchtel in the Bavarian alps...mystery · historical-fiction · fiction · historical · cozy · murder · audiobook · action-adventure · suspense · 20th-century -
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![The Paris Daughter by Soraya M. Lane]()
The Paris Daughter by Soraya M. Lane
Paris, 1939: Gazing out at the glittering skyline, Evelina clutches the letter from her love in shaking hands. “I know I do not deserve you, my darling, but I pray that you will change your mind. You have my heart, and I hope that nothing will keep us apart…”London, present day...romance · audiobook · historical-fiction · fiction · historical · ww2 · war · mystery · 20th-century · violent-conflict -
![Lucy Undying by Kiersten White]()
Lucy Undying by Kiersten White
In this epic and seductive gothic fantasy, a vampire escapes the thrall of Dracula and embarks on her own search for self-discovery and true love. Her name was written in the pages of someone else's story: Lucy Westenra was one of Dracula's first victims. But her death was only the beginning... -
![Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi]()
Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
This heartfelt coming-of-age novel in verse tells the powerful story of a seventh grade Syrian-American boy and his struggles, big and small, as he navigates middle-school.Seventh grade begins and Kareem’s fall should be off to a great start. But he’s already fumbled it...middle-grade · sports · realistic · audiobook · family · fiction · young-adult · historical-fiction · friendship · children -
![The Art of Belonging by Eleanor Ray]()
The Art of Belonging by Eleanor Ray
Grace's life is perfectly fine, thank you very much. A widow of seventy-two, she lives quietly, and although hearing a little more from her daughter and granddaughter would be nice, she has her health, her friends, her octogenarian yoga (however reluctantly attended) and most of all her weekly club where she creates exquisite, miniature train sets... -
![Murder at King’s Crossing by Andrea Penrose]()
Murder at King’s Crossing by Andrea Penrose
For fans of Miss Scarlet and the Duke and Bridgerton—a masterfully plotted mystery that combines engaging protagonists with rich historical detail and “an unusually rich look at Regency life,” (Publishers Weekly), plus a touch of romance that readers of Amanda Quick and Deanna Raybourn will savor...mystery · historical-fiction · historical · fiction · industrial-era · regency · murder · suspense · killer · audiobook -
![A Cure for Sorrow by Jen Wheeler]()
A Cure for Sorrow by Jen Wheeler
From the author of The Light on Farallon Island comes a haunting novel about the power of science, the nature of love, and the enigma of the supernatural.Convention-flouting Nora Harris is a determined young medical student in Gilded Age Manhattan. A surgeon’s daughter, she always leads with her head—until her father’s latest protégé, Euan Colquhoun, steals her heart...historical-fiction · gothic · historical · romance · literary-fiction · ghosts · paranormal · horror · audiobook · fiction -
![The Masquerades of Spring by Ben Aaronovitch]()
The Masquerades of Spring by Ben Aaronovitch
Meet Augustus Berrycloth-Young—fop, flaneur, and Englishman abroad—as he chronicles the Jazz Age from his perch atop the city that never sleeps...fantasy · urban-fantasy · fiction · audiobook · mystery · historical-fiction · magic · historical · crime · lgbtq -
![The Essential Elizabeth Stone by Jennifer Banash]()
The Essential Elizabeth Stone by Jennifer Banash
From the author of The Rise and Fall of Ava Arcana comes an emotional and empowering multigenerational family saga about a mother and daughter, and the secrets they keep from each other—and from themselves.For more than thirty years, Elizabeth Stone has been an irreplaceable fixture in homes around the world, a food and lifestyle icon with a brand as warm and inviting as New England brown bread...contemporary · fiction · audiobook · family · culinary · death · mystery · historical-fiction · mental-illness · coming-of-age -
![The Wildes: A Novel in Five Acts by Louis Bayard]()
The Wildes: A Novel in Five Acts by Louis Bayard
From the bestselling author of The Pale Blue Eye, Louis Bayard, comes Atonement meets The Paris Wife, a brilliantly original, profoundly empathetic story about Oscar Wilde's wife Constance and their two sons in the aftermath of the famous playwright's imprisonment for homosexuality, told against the backdrop of Victorian England and World War I...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · audiobook · lgbtq · literary-fiction · family · book · adult -
![The Parlor Game by Ashtyn Newbold]()
The Parlor Game by Ashtyn Newbold
Love might be the most dangerous game of all. After enduring a loveless marriage, Anne, the widowed Lady Daventry, hopes to find happiness with her first love, Miles, upon his return from India. Knowing his plans to settle in London, she accepts an invitation to a house party in Town, hosted by the eccentric Lady Tottenham... -
![Last Couple in Hell by K.J. Charles]()
Last Couple in Hell by K.J. Charles
Please note, this is on hold until further...romance · historical-fiction · historical · fantasy · paranormal · lgbtq · mlm · fiction · urban-fantasy · wlw -
![So True a Love by Joanna Barker]()
So True a Love by Joanna Barker
Danger and passion collide when a plucky young woman becomes embroiled in a Bow Street investigation alongside a handsome officer. London, 1803As the daughter of a renowned actress, Verity Travers is a privileged lady of high society —and the last woman one would suspect of working as a private investigator...romance · historical-fiction · industrial-era · regency · mystery · historical · audiobook · suspense · fiction · action-adventure -
![Westfallen by Ann Brashares, Ben Brashares]()
Westfallen by Ann Brashares, Ben Brashares
From #1 New York Times bestselling Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants author Ann Brashares and her brother Ben Brashares comes an action-packed middle grade alternate history thriller that asks what it would be like to wake up in present-day America if Germany had won World War II.Henry, Frances, and Lukas are neighbors, and they used to be best friends... -
![Haunted by Kat Martin]()
Haunted by Kat Martin
In this spine-tingling tale the New York Times bestselling author melds love story with historical mystery as past meets present in Jerome, Arizona.1898: Robbery, prostitution, and violence are commonplace in the fabulously rich copper mining city of Jerome. But a brutal murder sets the stage for a series of strange events that will echo far into the future...romance · mystery · historical-fiction · fiction · paranormal · historical · western · suspense · ghosts · audiobook -
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![The Parlour Wife by Foluso Agbaje]()
The Parlour Wife by Foluso Agbaje
Kehinde must put everything on the line to find herself during a time of war.Lagos, 1939With the announcement of World War Two and a change that sends shockwaves through her family, Kehinde is forced to put aside her dreams of writing and become the third wife of Mr Ogunjobi.Kehinde makes her peace by selling snacks at a small market...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · poc-author · audiobook · realistic · ww2 · 20th-century · book · adult -
![The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount by Vivienne Lorret]()
The Trouble with Inventing a Viscount by Vivienne Lorret
Honoria Hartley enjoys flirting far too much to consider marrying. And besides, she’s been betrothed since birth to the long-lost Viscount Vandemere. But no one has actually ever met the viscount and, without an heir, the title will soon become extinct. So she’s willing to do anything to keep her viscount alive, even if she has to invent him herself.Oscar Flint is a first-rate gambler...romance · historical · industrial-era · regency · fiction · historical-fiction · steamy · humor · book · adult -
![Starlight Mates by G. Bailey]()
Starlight Mates by G. Bailey
They shouldn’t want me.I rejected them and ran…and I’ll find a way to escape again.I grew up knowing three important facts.One, my parents hated Nexus shifters.Two, I was taught everyone should be scared of me, and they should be.Three, I’m a monster...romance · fantasy · reverse-harem · paranormal · shapeshifters · dark · enemies-to-lovers · fated-mates · revenge · historical-fiction -
![Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor by Roseanna M. White]()
Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor by Roseanna M. White
The Nutcracker and Edwardian-era England combine to weave a magical tale of love and friendship at Christmastime. As the beloved stepdaughter of the Earl of Castleton, Lady Mariah Lyons cherishes her home at Plumford Manor, but her idyllic world will be threatened when the estate passes to Cyril Lightbourne, a childhood friend she hasn’t seen or heard from in years...romance · historical-fiction · christian · fiction · historical · audiobook · industrial-era · edwardian · retellings · season-winter -
![A Measure of Menace by Jennifer Ashley]()
A Measure of Menace by Jennifer Ashley
October 1883When cook Kat Holloway and the kitchen staff maintain the empty Mayfair house while the family resides in the country, Lord Clifford, Lady Cynthia’s confidence-trickster father, arrives in London and asks Kat and Daniel McAdam for help. Lord Clifford might be accused of murder but won't go to the police because his involvement with the victim will implicate him in another crime...romance · historical · mystery · historical-fiction · industrial-era · victorian · cozy · murder · fiction · female-mc -
![Anger by Mary Kingswood]()
Anger by Mary Kingswood
One man with a secret. A family torn apart by the consequences.The Earl of Rennington’s daughter, Lady Isabel, has done well for herself. Married for five years to an indulgent viscount, with two small daughters, she lives her life in the centre of a social whirl, respected and admired for her beauty, her elegance and her liveliness...romance · fiction · mystery · historical · historical-fiction · industrial-era · regency · young-adult · religion · spirituality -
![Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Dan Kois]()
Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Dan Kois
"Marvelous, tender, and unpredictable, Hampton Heights captures the uncanniness and discomfort of early adolescence. There’s a pinch of Ray Bradbury, a soupçon of Stephen King, a dash of fairy tale logic, but Dan Kois makes something entirely his own out of this familiar and always pleasurable territory...horror · fiction · season-winter · historical-fiction · paranormal · humor · fantasy · spooky · lgbtq · suspense
