Top new historical-fiction books in June 2023
Last updated:
June 30, 2023
June 2023 featuring new releases by Isabel Allende, Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray, Kristin Harmel, Lisa See, Riley Sager, Fiona Davis, Beatriz Williams, Hazel Gaynor, Evie Gaughan, Evie Woods, Madeline Miller and many more.
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The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende
This powerful and moving novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea weaves together past and present, tracing the ripple effects of war and immigration on one child in Europe in 1938 and another in the United States in 2019.Vienna, 1938. Samuel Adler was six years old when his father disappeared during Kristallnacht—the night their family lost everything...20th-century · adult · book · family · fiction · hispanic · historical · historical-fiction · latinx-mc · literary-fiction -
![The First Ladies by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray]()
The First Ladies by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray
A novel about the extraordinary partnership between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune—an unlikely friendship that changed the world, from the New York Times bestselling authors of the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian...historical-fiction · historical · fiction · womens-fiction · feminism · 20th-century · politics · female-mc · black-mc · poc-mc -
![The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel]()
The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel
From the bestselling author of The Book of Lost Names comes a gripping historical novel about two mothers who must make unthinkable choices in the face of the Nazi occupation.Paris, 1939: Young mothers Elise and Juliette become fast friends the day they meet in the beautiful Bois de Boulogne...20th-century · abuse · adult · book · family · fiction · friendship · historical · historical-fiction · mystery -
![Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See]()
Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See
The latest historical novel from New York Times bestselling author Lisa See, inspired by the true story of a woman physician from 15th-century China—perfect for fans of See’s classic Snowflower and the Secret Fan and The Island of Sea Women...adult · asian-mc · book · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · literary-fiction · poc-author · poc-mc -
![The Only One Left by Riley Sager]()
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
At seventeen, Lenora HopeHung her sister with a rope Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it...adult · book · cold-case · contemporary · fiction · gothic · historical-fiction · horror · killer · murder -
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![The Spectacular by Fiona Davis]()
The Spectacular by Fiona Davis
New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis transports us back to 1950s Manhattan and the glamorous Radio City Music Hall. . . .New York City, 1956: Nineteen-year-old Marion is over the moon to have been selected to be one of the Rockettes, Radio City Music Hall’s glamorous precision-dancing troupe. It’s an honor to perform in the world’s most spectacular theater, an art deco masterpiece...adult · book · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · literary-fiction · mystery · psychological -
![The Beach at Summerly by Beatriz Williams]()
The Beach at Summerly by Beatriz Williams
New York Times bestseller Beatriz Williams returns with a ravishing summer read, taking readers back to a mid-century New England rich with secrets and Cold War intrigue.June 1946...historical-fiction · historical · fiction · secrets · suspense · romantic-love · mystery · family · espionage · political-intrigue -
![The Last Lifeboat by Hazel Gaynor]()
The Last Lifeboat by Hazel Gaynor
Inspired by a remarkable true story, a young teacher evacuates children to safety across perilous waters, in a moving and triumphant new novel from New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor.1940, Kent Alice King is not brave or daring--she's happiest finding adventure through the safe pages of books...20th-century · action-adventure · adult · book · drama · female-mc · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · ww2 -
![The Lost Bookshop by Evie Gaughan, Evie Woods]()
The Lost Bookshop by Evie Gaughan, Evie Woods
On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books...romance · fantasy · fiction · historical-fiction · magical-realism · historical · mystery · season-autumn · audiobook · magic -
![Untitled #2 by Madeline Miller]()
Untitled #2 by Madeline Miller
In an Instagram post, Miller wrote, "Some news about my current novel-in-progress. I know I said I was working on the Tempest. Turns out the Tempest is going to have to wait. She grabbed me with both hands. #persephone...myths · fantasy · retellings · fiction · historical-fiction · literary-fiction · historical · book · adult -
![Watch Us Shine by Marisa de los Santos]()
Watch Us Shine by Marisa de los Santos
“Bring me the Northern Lights.”Cornelia Brown is reeling from a terrifying act of violence when she gets word that her mother has been badly injured in an accident...fiction · audiobook · historical-fiction · female-author · contemporary · 21st-century · female-mc · breakup · domestic-drama · family -
![A Fatal Illusion by Anna Lee Huber]()
A Fatal Illusion by Anna Lee Huber
New parents Lady Kiera Darby and Sebastian Gage look forward to introducing Sebastian’s father to his granddaughter, but instead find themselves investigating an attempt on his life...Yorkshire, England. August 1832. Relations between Sebastian Gage and his father have never been easy, especially since the discovery that Lord Gage has been concealing the existence of an illegitimate son... -
![Crow Mary: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom]()
Crow Mary: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom
The New York Times bestselling author of the “touching” (The Boston Globe) book club classics The Kitchen House and the “emotionally rewarding” (Booklist) Glory Over Everything returns with a sweeping saga inspired by the true story of Crow Mary—an indigenous woman torn between two worlds in 19th-century North America... -
![The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson]()
The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
‘My father had spelt it out to me. Choice was a luxury I couldn’t afford. This is your story, Red. You must tell it well . . .’A girl known only as Red, the daughter of a Cornish fortune-teller, travels with her father making a living predicting fortunes using the ancient method: the Square of Sevens. When her father suddenly dies, Red becomes the ward of a gentleman scholar...historical-fiction · fiction · mystery · historical · fantasy · magical-realism · audiobook · gothic · crime · suspense -
![Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison]()
Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison
In 1942, Hazel Francis left Wichita, Kansas for California, determined to do her part for the war effort. At Douglas Aircraft, she became one of many “Rosie the Riveters,” helping construct bombers for the U. S. military. But now the war is over, men have returned to their factory jobs, and women like Hazel have been dismissed, expected to return home to become wives and mothers...romance · historical-fiction · fiction · audiobook · historical · ww2 · womens-fiction · season-summer · friendship · war -
![Farrell Covington and the Limits of Style by Paul Rudnick]()
Farrell Covington and the Limits of Style by Paul Rudnick
From the acclaimed writer Paul Rudnick, a riotously funny, perceptive, and life-affirming novel following the decades-long, rule-breaking romance between the son of one of American’s wealthiest families and a middle-class aspiring author.Devastatingly handsome and insanely rich, Farrell Covington is capable of anything and impossible to resist...romance · fiction · lgbtq · historical-fiction · contemporary · humor · audiobook · literary-fiction · realistic · mlm -
![A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality by Kate Khavari]()
A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality by Kate Khavari
1920s London isn’t the ideal place for a brilliant woman with lofty ambitions. But research assistant Saffron Everleigh is determined to beat the odds in a male-dominated field at the University College of London. Saffron embarks on her first research study alongside the insufferably charming Dr. Michael Lee, traveling the countryside with him in response to reports of poisonings...romance · mystery · historical-fiction · fiction · audiobook · historical · cozy · murder · dark-academia · law-enforcement -
![Remember Me by Mary Balogh]()
Remember Me by Mary Balogh
Can Lady Philippa Ware forgive the man who once shattered all her youthful dreams? Discover the passionate and heartwarming new novel on the redemptive power of love from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh.Philippa, elder daughter of the Earl of Stratton, grew up eagerly anticipating a glittering debut and a brilliant marriage...adult · book · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · industrial-era · medieval · regency · religion · spirituality -
![The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman]()
The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman
In The Last Drop of Hemlock, the dazzling follow up to Last Call at the Nightingale, even a dance can come with a price...The rumor went through the Nightingale like a flood, quietly rising, whispers hovering on lips in pockets of silence.New York, 1924...mystery · historical-fiction · fiction · historical · cozy · lgbtq · wlw · audiobook · murder · law-enforcement -
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![The Notorious Lord Knightly by Lorraine Heath]()
The Notorious Lord Knightly by Lorraine Heath
Who is the villainous Lord K? New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath’s next novel in The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction series where revenge is best served hot… A scandalous book by an anonymous author takes London by storm, and everyone is convinced its villainous “Lord K” is the greatly admired Earl of Knightly...romance · historical · historical-fiction · industrial-era · victorian · fiction · enemies-to-lovers · female-mc · book · adult -
![Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke]()
Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke
Fans of Lisa Kleypas and Julia Quinn will adore this opposites-attract romance featuring a dashing duke, a shy bookshop owner, and a wager that will change their lives forever.Evie Harlow runs a quaint little bookshop in London, which is the biggest adventure an unmarried woman with no prospects could hope for...romance · historical-fiction · historical · fiction · female-author · industrial-era · victorian · multi-pov · retellings · epic -
![Manslaughter Park by Tirzah Price]()
Manslaughter Park by Tirzah Price
In this queer retelling of the classic novel and third book in Tirzah Price's Jane Austen Murder Mystery series, Mansfield Park is the center of a deadly accident (or is it). Perfect for fans of the Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper. Aspiring artist Fanny Price is an unwelcome guest at her uncle Sir Thomas Bertram’s estate...romance · mystery · retellings · historical-fiction · young-adult · fiction · industrial-era · regency · historical · lgbtq -
![We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian]()
We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
Casey McQuiston meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in this mid-century romdram about a scrappy reporter and a newspaper mogul's son--perfect for Newsies shippers. Nick Russo has worked his way from a rough Brooklyn neighborhood to a reporting job at one of the city's biggest newspapers. But the late 1950s are a hostile time for gay men, and Nick knows that he can't let anyone into his life...romance · lgbtq · historical-fiction · historical · fiction · mlm · friends-to-lovers · found-family · slow-burn · new-adult -
![Fireworks Every Night by Beth Raymer]()
Fireworks Every Night by Beth Raymer
A young woman trapped in a deeply dysfunctional family in the seedy wilds of 1990s South Florida has to make a choice—save her family, or save herself—in this larger-than-life debut novel from the acclaimed author of Lay the Favorite.“Florida, we got it all. Motorsports, ribs, beer. You can drive on the sand right on up to the ocean. Fireworks every night... -
![Notre-Dame de Paris - Vol 1 by Victor Hugo]()
Notre-Dame de Paris - Vol 1 by Victor Hugo
Notre-Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre-Dame) - Vol 1 (of 3) [French English Bilingual Edition]by Victor HugoVictor Hugo is an eminent 19th century French novelist (and poet). Les Miserables is considered one of the most influential works of literature in the 19th century...classics · fiction · historical-fiction · literary-fiction · audiobook · dark · book · literary · adult -
![The Devil's Playground by Craig Russell]()
The Devil's Playground by Craig Russell
A riveting 1920s Hollywood thriller about the making of the most terrifying silent film ever made, and a deadly search for the single copy rumored still to exist, from the internationally acclaimed author of The Devil Aspect .1927: Mary Rourke—a Hollywood studio fixer—is called urgently to the palatial home of Norma Carlton, one of the most recognizable stars in American silent film...horror · mystery · historical-fiction · fiction · historical · noir · suspense · audiobook · crime · fantasy -
![Maddalena and the Dark by Julia Fine]()
Maddalena and the Dark by Julia Fine
A novel set in 18th-century Venice at a prestigious music school, about two girls drawn together by a dangerous wagerVenice, 1717. Fifteen-year-old Luisa has only wanted one thing: to be the best at violin. As a student at the Ospedale della Pietà, she hopes to join the highest ranks of its illustrious girls’ orchestra and become a protégé of the great Antonio Vivaldi...historical-fiction · gothic · fiction · historical · fantasy · lgbtq · dark-academia · wlw · horror · literary-fiction -
![Appointment in Bath by Mimi Matthews]()
Appointment in Bath by Mimi Matthews
A chance meeting between the sheltered daughter and the forward-thinking son of rival Victorian families sparks a forbidden romance in USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews's fourth book in her acclaimed Somerset Stories series.Shy and stammering Meg Burton-Smythe has spent the whole of her life living on the fringes of local society... -
![Some Shall Break by Ellie Marney]()
Some Shall Break by Ellie Marney
This sequel to the New York Times bestselling None Shall Sleep is an equally electrifying, chilling thriller that brings us back into the lives of junior FBI consultants Travis Bell and Emma Lewis with a new case that may unravel everything they’ve been working for...mystery · young-adult · horror · crime · fiction · historical-fiction · historical · suspense · audiobook · secrets -
![A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao]()
A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao
A charming and atmospheric debut mystery featuring a 25-year-old Indian police sergeant investigating a missing persons case in colonial Fiji1914, Fiji: Akal Singh would rather be anywhere but this tropical paradise—or, as he calls it, “this godforsaken island...oceania · melanesia · fiji · mystery · historical-fiction · fiction · historical · crime · audiobook · journey -
![The Antiquity Affair by Lee Kelly, Jennifer Marie Thorne]()
The Antiquity Affair by Lee Kelly, Jennifer Marie Thorne
An archaeologist’s estranged daughters.1907: The dawn of Egyptology is a time of imperialism and plunder, opulence and unrest, and Dr. Warren Ford, esteemed archaeologist, is the man of the hour... -
![Our Place on the Island by Erika Montgomery]()
Our Place on the Island by Erika Montgomery
For decades, the Campbell women have reunited at the family’s rambling seaside cottage known as Beech House to celebrate life’s many occasions. But this year, they will be called back to Martha's Vineyard for a celebration of a different their beloved matriarch Cora is getting remarried...romance · fiction · contemporary · womens-fiction · historical-fiction · family · season-summer · audiobook · 20th-century · female-mc -
![A Noble Inheritance by Kasey Stockton]()
A Noble Inheritance by Kasey Stockton
They say reformed rakes make the best husbands... Lady Verity wants nothing more than to provide a safe home for her sister, whose simple-mindedness is often misunderstood. When Lady Verity's father and husband both die, passing their house to a stranger, she vows to do whatever she must to ensure her sister's safety... -
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![Lay Your Body Down by Amy Suiter Clarke]()
Lay Your Body Down by Amy Suiter Clarke
A young woman returns to her rural Minnesota hometown, where a radical evangelical pastor has poisoned everyone’s minds—and may be covering up a murder. After Del Walker fled her small hometown and its cult-like church, she vowed to never return...mystery · fiction · suspense · contemporary · cults · historical-fiction · thriller · horror · psychological · murder -
![The Husband List by Ella Quinn]()
The Husband List by Ella Quinn
By popular demand, USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn returns Regency England’s beloved extended family, The Worthingtons, for the second in a sparkling spin-off series! Determined to tame the marriage market on their own terms and make advantageous love matches, three confident sisters draw up a list of qualities they expect their new beaus to meet...romance · historical · industrial-era · regency · historical-fiction · fiction · georgian · family · legal · insta-love -
![An Autumn Courtship by Mary Kingswood]()
An Autumn Courtship by Mary Kingswood
A family in trade moving up in the world. A family of landed gentry stepping aside for them. And the sons and daughters caught in the middle.Johnny Fletcher is exactly where he wants to be - a Fellow at Cambridge, with a lifetime of scholarly pursuits in front of him. He’s not allowed to marry, but he has no need for a wife when he has his books for company...romance · historical · fiction · industrial-era · regency · historical-fiction · religion · spirituality · book · adult -
![The Wicked Unseen by Gigi Griffis]()
The Wicked Unseen by Gigi Griffis
The new girl in town is having trouble fitting into a community that believes there's a secret Satanic cult conducting rituals in the woods. When her crush goes missing, she starts to wonder if the town's obsession with evil isn't covering up something far worse. Perfect for fans of Fear Street!To say sixteen-year-old Audre doesn't fit in would be the understatement of the century...horror · young-adult · wlw · mystery · lgbtq · historical-fiction · fiction · contemporary · lesbian-mc · children-books -
![Marion Lane and the Raven's Revenge by T.A. Willberg]()
Marion Lane and the Raven's Revenge by T.A. Willberg
The raven had struck. And thing was, she knew exactly who was next… London, 1960. Marion Lane, a twenty-five-year-old apprentice detective at the elusive Miss Brickett’s Investigations & Inquiries, is busier than ever and determined to prove herself worthy of an official Inquirer badge... -
![A Rogue at Stonecliffe by Candace Camp]()
A Rogue at Stonecliffe by Candace Camp
New York Times bestselling author Candace Camp invites you back to Stonecliffe, where an unwelcome reunion between a lady and a rogue calls up old feelings…and new dangers. When the love of her life left without any explanation, Annabeth Winfield moved on despairingly, knowing she’d never have a love as thrilling as her first ever again...romance · historical-fiction · fiction · industrial-era · regency · historical · cozy · mystery · action-adventure · book
