Historical Fiction Books

Book SynopsisA lustful king. A thirst for power. The terrible price of revenge… Encompassing the reigns of four of Henry's wives, from the doomed Anne to the reckless Katherine Howard, The Tudor Wife is an unforgettable story of ambition, lust, and jealousy. When we meet the shy, plain Lady Jane Parker, she feels out of place in Henry VIII's court, which is filled with glamour and intrigue. Then she meets the handsome George Boleyn and becomes overjoyed when her father arranges a match… until she meets Anne. George Boleyn is completely devoted to his sister Anne; and as Anne's circle of admirers grows, so does Jane's resentment. Becoming Henry's queen makes Anne the most powerful woman in England; but it also makes her vulnerable, as the King is desperate for an heir. When he begins to tire of his mercurial wife, the stage is set for the ultimate betrayal…Trade Review‘Classic story of a woman scorned, who is after revenge of the most bloody kind.’ Closer Magazine

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Book SynopsisTwo people. An unforgettable moment. One extraordinary love story. In Chicago, Illinois, two people are about to lock eyes across a crowded dance floor. The following moment will spark the love story of a lifetime… The year is 1944 and America has just entered the war. Young men and women are being drafted in to fight with their allies on Europe’s distant shores. Throughout America, sweethearts are saying their last goodbyes. Liz Stephens is already betrothed to budding US politician Dalton Harris, but when she meets GI Morgan McClain, she feels an instant and intense connection. But then he dances with her flirtatious best friend Betty and Liz is left feeling like just another soldier’s fancy. Betty is mesmerized by Morgan and begs Liz to write letters for her to post to him overseas. Liz reluctantly agrees, in the end anxious to retain a connection to him. As the last searing days of World War II loom, a correspondence begins that will alter the course of their lives forever.Trade Review"Letters from Home is an insightful portrait of the communion between the soldiers who fought for our country and those they left behind. A gripping and memorable story, it is a timeless lesson in love and loss and the moments that shape our lives."Pamela Jenoff, author of The Kommandant's Girl

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Book Synopsis[Published as The September Queen in the US] Set against the volatile backdrop of the English Civil War, dive into this enthralling tale of danger, bravery, and a woman who would do anything for the man she loved. It’s 1651 and Jane Lane leads a privileged life inside the walls of her family’s home. At 25 years old, her parents are keen to see her settled, but Jane dreams of a union that goes beyond the advantageous match her father desires. Her quiet world is shattered when Royalists, fighting to restore the crown to King Charles II, arrive at their door, imploring Jane and her family for help. They have been hiding the king, but Cromwell’s forces are close behind them, baying for Charles’ blood – and the blood of anyone who seeks to help him. Putting herself in mortal danger, Jane must help the king escape to safety by disguising him as her manservant. With the shadow of the gallows dogging their every step, Jane finds herself falling in love with the gallant young Charles. But will Jane surrender to a passion that could change her life – and the course of history – forever? The unforgettable true story of Charles II’s escape, and the love and bravery of the woman who made it possible. Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Elizabeth Chadwick.Trade Review“The King’s Mistress is that spellbinding combination of history, adventure, suspense and a fast-beating pulse of pure eroticism…a real romantic treat.” Lancashire Evening Post

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Book Synopsis She has a way out of the poverty-stricken life she lives – but it might just destroy her to take it… DESPERATELeft to raise eight siblings after her mother's death, 17-year-old Emma Chambers faces a daily battle with hunger and her father's drunken rages. Until she is offered a way out. If she marries landlord Horace Bell – twenty years her senior – Emma can swap abject poverty for comfort. DEGRADEDBut Horace soon reveals his true, sadistic colours. Emma is thankful when he eventually abandons her – until she realises she is again penniless and in peril. A chance meeting plants an idea in her mind. All her life, men have taken advantage of her. Now it's time to turn the tables. IN DANGER…Years later, and Emma has built up a successful business on South London's meanest streets. But then tragedy strikes – and it becomes clear that someone has been watching Emma, intent on revenge… An emotionally gripping and gritty family drama saga from the Sunday Times bestseller, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn, Nadine Dorries and Dilly Court. Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR SINS OF THE FATHER: ‘Full of drama and heartache.’Closer Magazine ‘A surprisingly gritty novel.’Lancashire Evening Post

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Book SynopsisLOVE. GLAMOUR. SECRETS.A stunning historical love story from the bestselling author of The Secret Wife. Rome, 1961. As the cameras roll on Cleopatra, the world is transfixed by the love affair emerging between Hollywood’s biggest stars: Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. But on the film set, tensions are running high. The money is running out, and a media storm is brewing over the Taylor-Burton relationship. When historical advisor Diana Bailey starts work on the film, she wants nothing more than to escape from her own troubled marriage and start anew. But as the heady world of Hollywood envelops her, secrets begin to emerge in the cast and crew. Is everything as it seems? And what really hides beneath the glamour of the famous film? An enthralling story of love and passion from the bestselling author of The Secret Wife, set against the stunning backdrop of one of the most iconic Hollywood movies ever made. Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR GILL PAUL: ‘With beautifully drawn characters and sensitive detail, The Affair draws you in and you won't want it to end. An accomplished, energetic, original new voice in fiction’ Kate Kerrigan ‘A fabulous evocation of sixties Rome and film star glamour, full of passion and romance – I loved this delicious novel’ Lulu Taylor ‘A page-turner of a novel’ Hello! magazine ‘Meticulously researched and evocatively written, this sweeping story will keep a tight hold on your heartstrings until the final page’ Iona Grey ‘A cleverly crafted novel and an enthralling story: the heartbreak genuine, the research brilliant. I love the way the present narrative throws light on the past story so that the transitions are smooth. A triumph.’ Dinah Jefferies ‘This was just magical. At the last line, tears rolled down my cheeks. Highly recommended.’ Louise Beech 'A heart-warming affirmation of the tenacity of human love' Liz Trenow 'Gill Paul has crafted a beautiful book. The passages set in Russia in 1914 are so richly described and researched that I felt as if I was living in the pages myself. I adored it.' Amanda Jennings ‘Gill Paul has clearly done her research in this absorbing story that cleverly blends imagination with historical fact. Tragic, touching and authentic-feeling.’ Kate Riordan ‘A terrific adventure story, full of romance and atmospheric detail – a great escapist read’ Liz Trenow ‘Paul’s beguiling and compelling story captures all the thrilling and sometimes tawdry realities of life on a film set with its warring egos, inherent glamour and fascinating backstage detail as well as delivering a pulsating parallel love story to the famous Taylor-Burton romance. A gripping read perfect for those lazy summer days!’ Blackpool Gazette

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Book SynopsisWhen Bonnie runs away from home she leaves her mother Grace and sister Rita heartbroken. Each of their lives are in turmoil but their love for each other will see them through the most troubled of times. Worthing, 1947 Widowed Grace Roberts comes home from her factory job one day to find that her eldest daughter Bonnie has run away to London. Utterly distraught she has no choice but to carry on with her life, struggling to make ends meet for her and youngest daughter Rita. Her boss, Norris Finley is a powerful and calculating man. He promises to assist Grace, but his help will come at a hefty price… Pregnant Bonnie arrives in London eager to be reunited with George so they can begin their new life together. But while she waits anxiously on the platform at Victoria station, he never turns up. Unable to return home as she can’t bear the thought of bringing shame to her family, she is left to fend for herself and her unborn baby. Disturbed by the apparent relationship between her mother and Norris, Rita flees home and meets Emilio who she marries. Yet Emilio is guarding a deep secret and when Rita uncovers the truth, she is left heartbroken. Caught in the very worst of times and separated from one another, can the strong bond of family love eventually bring Grace, Bonnie and Rita back together again?Trade Review‘A heartrending story about mothers and daughters’ Kitty Neale Praise for There’s Always Tomorrow: ‘What a terrific read – Saga fans everywhere will love it and be asking for more from this talented new author.’ Annie Groves ‘Pam has written a vivid and realistic tale about life just after the war and into the fifties. There is a real sense of time and place and the characters are so richly drawn and authentic that they pull the reader along through the story effortlessly. This book is a real page turner, which I enjoyed very much.’Anne Bennett

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Book SynopsisConnie and Eva are best friends but their families are the worst of enemies… During the VE Day celebrations, two women meet completely by chance. As Connie and Eva talk they discover they are from feuding families, the Maxwells and the Dixons. But when they both begin nurses’ training, they can’t deny their natural bond of friendship and become more like sisters. Their lives intertwine as Connie starts courting Eva’s brother, Roger, a bomb disposal expert. In her heart, Connie holds a torch for local artist and freespirit Eugene, but a dark memory from her past makes her wary of trusting any man. The two women are determined to uncover the secrets that have plagued them and kept the two families at war for so long. But can their friendship survive the shocking truth? A moving family drama for fans of Maureen Lee and Katie Flynn.Trade ReviewPraise for Pam Weaver: ‘A heartrending story about mothers and daughters’ Kitty Neale ‘What a terrific read – Saga fans everywhere will love it and be asking for more from this talented new author.’ Annie Groves ‘The characters are so richly drawn and authentic that they pull the reader along through the story effortlessly. This book is a real page turner, which I enjoyed very much.’ Anne Bennett

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Book SynopsisFamily secrets. Forbidden love. And the true price of wealth. Thomas is a small-town boy and when Lily invites him to a dinner party, he gains access to the exclusive upper echelons of Hollywood society. As he enters a world of private jets and sprawling mansions, his life and career take off beyond his wildest dreams. Then he meets Matilda Duplaine. Beautiful and mysterious, Matilda has spent her entire life within the walls of her powerful father’s Bel-Air estate and Thomas is immediately entranced by her. But what starts as an enchanted romance soon threatens to destroy their lives and the lives of everyone around them.

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Book SynopsisAs the First World War looms, Anna-Rose and Anna-Felicitas, seventeen-year-old orphan twins, are thrust upon relatives. But Uncle Arthur, a blustering patriot, is a reluctant guardian: the twins are half-German and, who knows, they could be spying from the nursery window... Packed off to America, they meet Mr Twist, a wealthy engineer with a tendency to motherliness, who befriends them on the voyage. However, he has failed to consider the pitfalls of taking such young and beautiful women under his wing, especially two who will continue to require this protection long after the ship has docked, and who are incapable of behaving with tact. Many adventures ensue (and befall them) in this sparklingly witty, romantic novel in which Elizabeth von Armin explores the suspicions cast upon the two Annas and Mr Twist in a country poised for war.Trade ReviewA mistress of irony * Lisa St Aubin de Teran *An extremely talented writer...Elizabeth von Armin has a neat wit, a wild sense of comedy, and a vision continually thwarted though it was- of potential happiness. * Penelope Mortimer *

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Book SynopsisIslanders is Margaret Elphinstone's first novel, written when she lived at Northbanks, Papa Stour in 1979. It is the author's expression of the seven years she lived in Shetland, during which she explored Shetland by land and sea, discovered the sagas while working in Shetland Library, learned to watch birds on Fair Isle, Noss and other islands, and spent several summers as a volunteer on a dig at Da Biggings, Papa Stour, excavating a Norse farm. The novel was re-written in the early 1990s, partly in the National Library of Scotland, partly in Shetland, and partly (thanks to a Scottish Arts Council travel grant) in Iceland. Islanders was first published in 1994. It is now (2008) nearly thirty years since the first draft was written; since then Margaret Elphinstone has lived in other places and written other books. But it was Shetland, and Islanders, that first inspired and formed her as a writer.Trade Review'...from the opening pages with their map of the islands which turns north and south upside down to reflect the orientation of the island worldview, the reader's conventional perspectives on peripheral cultures is destabilised, and resettled in a view from a rock perched far in the Atlantic, looking at Europe, Britain, and even Orkney and Shetland from a very different value-centre.' Douglas Gifford, A History of Scottish Women's Writing.

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Book SynopsisThe Grey Man is a fast-paced adventure romance set in Ayrshire, Scotland, in the reign of James VI. Written when S.R. Crockett was at the height of his power and popularity as a novelist, the story deals with the violent feud between the Kennedys of Cassillis and the Kennedys of Bargany and introduces some of his most memorable characters drawn from local folklore. The fearsome grey-clad figure of John Mure of Auchindrayne and the legendary cannibal, Sawny Bean, stalk the canvas of a novel that captures the turbulence of Scottish history. With a new introduction that draws on unpublished material to trace Crockett's composition of the story and his transformation of historical sources, this edition offers an authoritative text of this once popular work which topped the best-seller charts of 1896. Richard D. Jackson is a graduate of the University of St Andrews. A former schoolteacher, HM Inspector of Schools and retired senior administrative civil servant, he co-edited The Forest Minstrel for The Collected Works of James Hogg, contributes regularly to Studies in Hogg and his World and has published essays in other journals on Walter Scott, John Buchan and Philip Larkin.

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Book SynopsisNinety-three, the last of Victor Hugo's novels, is regarded by many -- including such diverse critics as Robert Louis Stevenson and Andre Maurois -- as his greatest work. 1793, Year Two of the Republic, saw the establishment of the National Convention, the execution of Louis XVI, the Terror, and the monarchist revolt in the Vendee, brutally suppressed by the Republic. Hugo's epic follows three protagonists through this tumultuous year: the noble royalist de Lantenac; Gauvain, who embodies a benevolent and romantic vision of the Republic; and Cimourdain, whose principles are altogether more robespierrean. The conflict of values culminates in a dramatic climax on the scaffold. Following a distinguished career as a civil servant, James Hogarth acquired a reputation as a versatile and punctilious translator. His translations span travel guides, archaeological texts, and novels. In 2002 he won the French-American Foundation Translation Prize for his English translation of Victor Hugo's Travailleurs de la Mer. He died in 2006.

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