Historical Fiction Books

Book Synopsis**WINNER OF THE CWA ENDEAVOUR HISTORICAL DAGGER **'An exceptional historical crime novel' C.J. Sansom India, 1919. Desperate for a fresh start, Captain Sam Wyndham arrives to take up an important post in Calcutta's police force. He is soon called to the scene of a horrifying murder. The victim was a senior official, and a note left in his mouth warns the British to leave India - or else. With the stability of the Empire under threat, Wyndham and Sergeant 'Surrender-not' Banerjee must solve the case quickly. But there are some who will do anything to stop them...**A THE TIMES/SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB TOP 40 BOOK OF LAST FIVE YEARS**Praise for the Wyndham and Banerjee series : 'A thought-provoking rollercoaster' Ian Rankin 'Does for the Raj what Philip Kerr did for the Reich' The Times/Sunday Times Crime Club 'Highly entertaining' Daily Telegraph If you enjoyed A Rising Man, further books in the Wyndham and Banerjee series are available now: A Necessary Evil Smoke and Ashes Death in the East The Shadows of MenTrade ReviewA joy to read -- Susan HillA journey into the dark underbelly of the British Raj... a cracking debut -- Jon Coates * Daily Express *Splendid...Captain Sam Wyndham is a winning creation * The Times, Crime Book of the Month *[A] terrific first novel...Mukherjee’s descriptions of Calcutta under the Raj are vivid, while Wyndham’s position as a newcomer with fresh eyes works brilliantly * Sunday Times, Crime Book of the Month *Enthralling... The investigation sends Wyndham and his Bengali assistant on a whirlwind circuit of the city -- Marilyn Stasio * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisPhiladelphia. The late 1870s. A city of cobblestone sidewalks and horse-drawn carriages. Home to the famous anatomist and surgeon Dr. Spencer Black. The son of a "resurrectionist" (aka grave robber), Dr. Black studied at Philadelphia's esteemed Academy of Medicine, where he develops an unconventional hypothesis: What if the world's most celebrated mythological beasts - mermaids, minotaurs, and satyrs - were in fact the evolutionary ancestors of humankind? "The Resurrectionist" offers two extraordinary books in one. The first is a fictional biography of Dr. Spencer Black, from his humble beginnings to the mysterious disappearance at the end of his life. The second book is Black's magnum opus: "The Codex Extinct Animalia, a Gray's Anatomy" for mythological beasts - dragons, centaurs, Pegasus, Cerberus - all rendered in meticulously detailed black-and-white anatomical illustrations. You need only look at these images to realize they are the work of a madman. "The Resurrectionist" tells his story.Trade ReviewNamed as Part of Bustle's Scariest Book in Your State for Pennsylvania.“Disturbingly lovely . . . The Resurrectionist is itself a cabinet of curiosities, stitching history and mythology and sideshow into an altogether different creature. Deliciously macabre and beautifully grotesque.”—Erin Morgenstern, author of The Night Circus“Color us captivated. This collection seems a treat for anatomy enthusiasts and creaturephiles alike."—io9“E.B. Hudspeth’s The Resurrectionist is PFA (that’s pretty freaking amazing).”—ComicsBeat.com “These detailed and fantastical drawings will intrigue any reader curious about the hypothetical anatomy of mythical creatures such as mermaids, minotaurs, and harpies. In the context of the story that precedes them, they prompt disquieting thoughts about the extreme lengths to which the fictional Dr. Black may have been willing to go to prove his assumptions, and what—or who—may have served as his models.”—ForeWord Reviews “A bit of Charles Darwin and a bit of P.T. Barnum.”—Inked Magazine “Doctors Moreau and Frankenstein should make room for a new member of their league of extraordinarily grotesque gentlemen, for there is a new mad scientist in pop culture.”—Aaron Sagers, MTV Geek“The vivid imagery unveiled becomes the dark fantasy response to Gray's Anatomy.”—Filter Magazine“The book is a welcome addition to any library of dark fantasy, with its beautiful portraiture and gripping description of a man’s descent into perversity.”—Publishers Weekly, “Pick of the Week” “A masterful mash-up of Edgar Allan Poe and Jorge Luis Borges, with the added allure of gorgeous, demonically detailed drawings. I’ve never seen anything quite like The Resurrectionist, and I doubt that I will ever forget it.”—Chase Novak, author of Breed“Fans of Neil Gaiman, Hieronymus Bosch, and the Mütter Museum are sure to love [The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black] and the rest will certainly be both astounded and intrigued by what you find inside!”—The Garden Island

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Book SynopsisThe phenomenal number one bestseller and a major BBC TV series.A Richard and Judy Book Club Pick. Winner of the Specsavers National Book Award and Waterstones Book of the Year.Beautiful, intoxicating and filled with heart-pounding suspense, Jessie Burton's historical novel set in Amsterdam, The Miniaturist, is a story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution.On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman knocks at the door of a grand house in the wealthiest quarter of Amsterdam. She has come from the country to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt, but instead she is met by his sharp-tongued sister, Marin. Only later does Johannes appear and present her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. It is to be furnished by an elusive miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in unexpected ways . . .NeTrade ReviewThe kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading -- S. J. Watson, author of Before I Go to SleepA fabulously gripping read that will appeal to fans of Girl With a Pearl Earring and The Goldfinch, but Burton is a genuinely new voice with her visceral take on sex, race and class . . . Burton writes great complex female characters * Observer *A terrific novel: compelling cast, gripping plot, writing to savour -- Nathan Filer, author of The Shock of the FallA remarkable debut - complex, involving and deeply atmospheric -- Deborah Moggach, author of Tulip FeverThe Miniaturist by Jessie Burton is set in 17th century Amsterdam where a trader presents his new wife Nella with a miniature replica of their home. Its tiny occupants mirror their real-life counterparts and show Nella what grave dangers lie in wait. -- Hot Books of 2014 * Daily Express *Utterly beguiling and impeccably written. I am missing the characters already -- Emylia Hall, author of The Book of SummersA delight on every page, The Miniaturist completely immerses the reader in sumptuous but strict seventeenth-century Amsterdam. Burton's novel is lovingly done, and exquisite to read -- Naomi Wood, author of Mrs. HemingwayUtterly transporting . . . My first instinct on finishing this book was to immediately read it again -- Hannah Kent, author of Burial Rites

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Book Synopsis*THE FIGURINE, the brand-new novel from Victoria Hislop, is available to order now.*''She brings Greek history to compelling life'' The Sunday Times''Hislop has done her research and handles the great sweep of complex Greek history with skill and confidence'' Daily MailAthens, 1941. Nazi forces occupy Greece ... and a nation falls apart. Victoria Hislop''s NEW Sunday Times Number One bestseller takes you into the darker days of Greek history and, through the eyes of its extraordinary heroine, illuminates the courage it takes to live in peace.After decades of political uncertainty, Greece is polarised between Right- and Left-wing views when the Germans invade. Fifteen-year-old Themis comes from a family divided by these political differences. The Nazi occupation deepens the fault-lines between those she loves just as it reduces Greece to destitution. She watches friends die in theTrade Review'Nobody writes about Greece quite like Victoria Hislop' * Red magazine *'She brings Greek history to compelling life.....there is deep historical research here, but it never bogs down her story' * The Sunday Times *'A beautifully woven love story and a spellbinding, heart-breaking depiction of a country torn apart by hatred' * Daily Express *'Hislop has done her research and handles the great sweep of complex Greek history with skill and confidence. She makes a touching family story out of violent and divisive times and her fans will lap this up' * Daily Mail *'An eye-opening and moving read' * The Mirror *'A moving read that sweeps you through time' * S Mag *'A glorious Greek setting and rich historical detail form the backdrop of this captivating and poignant story' * Woman & Home *

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Book Synopsis*****Part of the bestselling John Shakespeare series of Tudor spy thrillers from Rory Clements, winner of the Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award*****'Does for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday TimesEngland is close to war. Within days the axe could fall on the neck of Mary Queen of Scots, and Spain is already gathering a battle fleet to avenge her. Tensions in Elizabeth I's government are at breaking point. At the eye of the storm is John Shakespeare, chief intelligencer in the secret service of Sir Francis Walsingham. When an intercept reveals a plot to assassinate England's 'sea dragon', Francis Drake, Shakespeare is ordered to protect him. With Drake on land fitting out his ships, he is frighteningly vulnerable. If he dies, England will be open to invasion. In a London rife with rumour, Shakespeare must decide which leads to follow, which to ignore. When a high-born young woman is found mutilated and murdered at an illicit printing house, it is political gunpowder - and he has no option but to investigate.But why is Shakespeare shadowed at every turn by the brutal Richard Topcliffe, the blood-drenched priest-hunter who claims intimacy with Queen Elizabeth herself? What is Topcliffe's interest in a housemaid, whose baby has been stolen? And where do two fugitive Jesuit priests fit into the puzzle, one happy to die for God, the other to kill for Him? From the splendour and intrigue of the royal court, to the sleek warships of Her Majesty's Navy and the teeming brothels of Southwark, Shakespeare soon learns that nothing is as it seems . . .Trade ReviewThis is a historical thriller to send a shiver down your spine. * Daily Mail *This is a historical thriller to send a shiver down your spine. * Daily Mail *Clements can be seen as doing for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's. * Sunday Times *Clements can be seen as doing for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's. * Sunday Times *John Shakespeare is one of the great historical sleuths. -- Barry Forshaw

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Book SynopsisA rich and beautiful story, set in a quiet cathedral city.When cathedral dean Adam Ayscough encounters clockmaker Isaac Peabody, their unlikely friendship touches the lives of the entire community. Behind the dean''s fearsome reputation lies a humble man crippled by shyness. Desperate to leave behind a lasting legacy of goodness, his only wishes are to serve God and his parishioners, and to be loved by his young and dissatisfied wife.Haunted by the memories of a miserable childhood, gifted clockmaker Isaac Peabody has spent a lifetime perfecting his craft and rejecting all belief in God.Despite their fundamental differences, both men find a common understanding, and discover that faith can come in many different guises.What readers are saying about THE DEAN''S WATCH''Goudge in the class of Victor Hugo, or Dickens'' - 5 STARS''Beautifully written, simply couldn''t put iTrade ReviewAbout the novels of Elizabeth Goudge there is always something of the fairy-tale, and THE DEAN'S WATCH is full of the enchantment of goodness - it has that timelessness which marks the author's best work. - The Scotsman

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Book SynopsisRomance, intrigue, and dangerous ambitions combine to create the perfect escape: welcome back to the beautiful Hotel Portofino on the magical Italian Riviera. HOTEL PORTOFINO: LOVERS AND LIARS IS OUT NOW! ***NOW A MAJOR ITV DRAMA*** A heady historical drama about a British family who open an upper-class hotel on the magical Italian Riviera during the ‘Roaring 20s’. Hotel Portofino has been open for only a few weeks, but already the problems are mounting for its owner Bella Ainsworth. Her high-class guests are demanding and hard to please. And she’s being targeted by a scheming and corrupt local politician, who threatens to drag her into the red-hot cauldron of Mussolini’s Italy.   To make matters worse, her marriage is in trouble, and her children are still struggling to recover from the repercussions of the Great War. All eyes are on the arrival of a potential love match for her

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Book SynopsisSister Fidelma follows a trail that is as suspenseful as it is tortuous in the riveting third novel in Peter Tremayne''s unputdownable series. PRAISE FOR THE SISTER FIDELMA SERIES: ''Tremayne''s super-sleuth is a vibrant creation'' Morgan Llywelyn, ''A brilliant and beguiling heroine. Immensely appealing'' Publishers Weekly In the mid-7th Century AD, the Venerable Dacán, a much respected and beloved scholar of the Celtic Church, has been found murdered while on a visit to a remote abbey in the Irish Kingdom of Muman. When Dacán''s foul death is used by a neighbouring kingdom to demand reparation from Muman, bloody war seems imminent. Summoned by Muman''s dying king to investigate, Sister Fidelma is asked to solve the mystery of the brutal killing and by doing so to prevent the inevitable war breaking out between the two opposing kingdoms. She sets out for the remote abbey with a warrior named Cass - and very little time. But there are more sinist

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE DUBLIN LITERARY AWARDAn enthralling novel about the corruption of power and the power of corruption from the award-winning, bestselling author of The InnocentsPOTENT...A VIBRANT HISTORICAL NARRATIVE?The New YorkerA FLAWLESSLY CRAFTED NARRATIVE?Wall Street JournalMASTERPIECE?Publisher''s Weekly (Starred Review)CEASELESSLY ENTERTAINING ?Kirkus (Starred Review)ONE OF OUR BEST WRITERS ?Booklist (Starred Review)In an isolated outport on Newfoundland''s northern coastline, Abe Strapp is about to marry the daughter of a rival merchant to cement his hold on the shore when the Widow Caines arrives to throw the wedding and Abe''s plans into chaos.That ruthless act of sabotage is the opening salvo in a battle between the man and woman who own Mockbeggar''s largest mercantile firms, each fighting for the scarce resources of the north Atlantic fishery, each seeking a measure of revenge on the person they despise most in the world. As their unshakeable animosity spirals further each year into vendettas and violence, the community is increasingly divided and even the innocents in Mockbeggar find themselves forced to take sides, with devastating consequences.Through merciless seasons of uncertainty and want, through predatory storms and pandemics and marauding privateers, it is the human heart that reveals itself to be the most formidable and unpredictable adversary for each person drawn, inevitably and helplessly, into that endless feud.Compulsively readable and uncompromising, The Adversary is a masterful evocation of a lost time, and a shadowed mirror to our modern politics of grievance and retribution.

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Book SynopsisLondon, June 1942. The bombs are falling, the music plays on, but can the Good Time Girls keep dancing?Everything has finally fallen into place for Renee. So when vicar Roger asks her to support a new dance hall, it should be a great way to give back to the community. Except Renee has a terrible secret she is holding onto. One that Roger can never know about...Nancy will keep Renee's secret. But she's got her own problems: handsome GI Jack has turned her head, and the American soldiers are causing a stir. Temperance has made a new friend - but now that she has someone who can understand the challenges she faces, will her relationship with Archie survive?All Violet wants is to spend every minute with her precious baby Eamon. But with her sweetheart dead and cruel gossips making life a misery for her and her mixed-race son, will she be able to weather the hostility she's forced to face every day?Things have never been so tough for the Good Time Girls, but they'll get through it as long as they have each other... An absolutely gripping and heart-warming wartime saga about the power of love and friendship. Perfect for fans of Pam Howes, Vicki Beeby and Nancy Revell.

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Book Synopsis''A superb book, illuminating a fascinating and turbulent era. It is the figure of Matilda who rightly commanded the stage in all her power and complexity'' Nicola Cornick''Packed with romance, real history, a cast of superbly imagined characters . . . The Stolen Crown is an entertaining tour-de-force'' Lancashire Post''A well-researched adventure about a strong medieval woman fighting the odds against her'' Historical Novels ReviewWhen Empress Matilda is eighteen years old, tragedy strikes the royal family, and she becomes the only child of the king of England - the de facto heir to the throne. As her dying father persuades the barons to pledge allegiance to her, Matilda returns to England - but the lords and clergy do not like an independent woman. And Matilda is nothing if not headstrong . . .When the old king dies, the country is plunged into instant chaos. So begins a fierce battle beTrade ReviewAs two women's lives entwine, the daughter of the King and the illegitimate daughter of a baron, they both battle for their place in the world, one as queen and one as mistress of her own fate. Carol McGrath weaves a tale of two unlikely friends, taking you deep into their worlds as they strive to protect each other and those they love * Alexandra Walsh, author of The House in Crete *A triumph. A superb use of authentic historical detail lifts the life of Matilda off the page and involves the reader in a struggle for power that is both engrossing and exciting * Liz Harris *The Stolen Crown features Carol McGrath's best heroine yet. Anyone who loves accurate portrayals of medieval life will delight in this skilful re-telling of history * Deborah Swift *A superb book, illuminating a fascinating and turbulent era. It is the figure of Matilda who rightly commanded the stage in all her power and complexity * Nicola Cornick *McGrath has given this remarkable star of the Anarchy period the perfect stage on which to prove her impressive credentials. Packed with romance, real history, a cast of superbly imagined characters . . . The Stolen Crown is an entertaining tour-de-force -- Pam Norfolk * Lancashire Post *A well-researched adventure about a strong medieval woman fighting the odds against her -- Kate Pettigrew * Historical Novels Review *

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Book Synopsis*****Part of the bestselling John Shakespeare series of Tudor spy thrillers from Rory Clements, winner of the Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award*****'[Clements] does for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday Times**********Spring 1593. England is a powder keg of rumour and fear. Plague rages, famine is rife, the ageing Queen's couriers scheme: Elizabeth's Golden Age is truly tarnished. Meanwhile Spain watches and waits - and plots.Into this turmoil a small cart clatters through the streets of London, carrying a deadly load. It is the first in a wave of horrific bombing attacks on the Dutch immigrant community that will change John Shakespeare's life for ever.Driven on by cold rage, Shakespeare's investigations will take him from magnificent royal horseraces to the opulent chambers of Black Luce's brothel, from the theatrical underworld of Marlowe and Kyd to the pain-wracked torture cells of priest-hunter Richard Topcliffe, and from the elegant offices of master tactician Robert Cecil to the splintering timbers of an explosive encounter at sea.As Shakespeare delves ever deeper, he uncovers intricate layers of mystery and deception that threaten the heart not only of the realm, but of all that he holds dear.Trade ReviewBeautifully done . . . alive and tremendously engrossing. * Daily Telegraph *Beautifully done . . . alive and tremendously engrossing. * Daily Telegraph *Enjoyable, bloody and brutish. * Guardian *Enjoyable, bloody and brutish. * Guardian *

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