Top new historical-fiction books in September 2023
Last updated:
September 30, 2023
September 2023 featuring new releases by Ken Follett, Nathan Hill, Jessica Knoll, Sara Goodman Confino, Jeffrey Archer, Lang Leav, S.J. Bennett, Craig Johnson, Lauren Groff, Janie Chang, Kate Quinn and many more.
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The Armor of Light by Ken Follett
The long-awaited sequel to A Column of Fire, The Armor of Light, heralds a new dawn for Kingsbridge, England, where progress clashes with tradition, class struggles push into every part of society, and war in Europe engulfs the entire continent and beyond.The Spinning Jenny was invented in 1770, and with that, a new era of manufacturing and industry changed lives everywhere within a generation...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · audiobook · war · fantasy · romantic-love · politics · military · suspense -
![Wellness by Nathan Hill]()
Wellness by Nathan Hill
The New York Times best-selling author of The Nix is back with a poignant and witty novel about marriage, the often baffling pursuit of health and happiness, and the stories that bind us together. From the gritty '90s Chicago art scene to a suburbia of detox diets and home-renovation hysteria, Wellness reimagines the love story with a healthy dose of insight, irony, and heart...north-america · usa · illinois · urban · romance · fiction · literary-fiction · contemporary · audiobook · historical-fiction -
![Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll]()
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
An extraordinary novel inspired by the real-life sorority targeted by America's first celebrity serial killer in his final murderous spree.January 1978. A serial killer has terrorized women across the Pacific Northwest, but his existence couldn’t be further from the minds of the vibrant young women at the top sorority on Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee...fiction · mystery · historical-fiction · crime · historical · audiobook · true-crime · thriller · suspense · horror -
![Don’t Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino]()
Don’t Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino
In 1960, a young woman discovers a freedom she never knew existed in this exhilarating, funny, and emotional novel by the bestselling author of She’s Up to No Good . When Marilyn Kleinman is caught making out with the rabbi’s son in front of the whole congregation, her parents ship her off to her great-aunt Ada for the summer...north-america · usa · new-jersey · urban · pennsylvania · romance · historical-fiction · fiction · womens-fiction · humor -
![Traitors Gate by Jeffrey Archer]()
Traitors Gate by Jeffrey Archer
THE TOWER OF LONDON…Impenetrable. Well protected. Secure. Home to the most valuable jewels on earth. But once a year, when the Queen attends the State Opening of Parliament, the Metropolitan Police must execute the most secret operation in their armory as they transport the Crown Jewels across London. SCOTLAND YARD…For decades, the elite squad at Scotland Yard have been in charge of the operation... -
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![Others Were Emeralds by Lang Leav]()
Others Were Emeralds by Lang Leav
This debut adult novel combines her poetical lyricism and emotional acumen to create an enthralling coming of age narrative set against the backdrop of anti-Asian sentiment sweeping Australia in the late 90’s. A stirring portrayal of guilt, loss, and memory, Others Were Emeralds explores the inherent danger of allowing our misconceptions to shape our reality... -
![Murder Most Royal by S.J. Bennett]()
Murder Most Royal by S.J. Bennett
Queen Elizabeth II is looking forward to a traditional Christmas gathering with her family in Sandringham when a shocking discovery interrupts holiday plans. A severed hand has been found—but even more unsettling, she recognizes the signet ring still attached to a finger. It belongs to a scion of the St Cyr family, her old friends from nearby Ladybridge Hall...mystery · fiction · crime · cozy · audiobook · contemporary · murder · royalty · killer · law-enforcement -
![The Longmire Defense by Craig Johnson]()
The Longmire Defense by Craig Johnson
Walt Longmire faces one of his most challenging crime scenes as he tries to reckon with the revelations of his last case where he confronted the ghosts of his past and questioned the very nature of justice and mercy in the hard country of the West.Deep in the heart of the Wyoming countryside, Sheriff of Absaroka County, Walt Longmire, is called to a crime scene like few others that he has seen...mystery · western · fiction · crime · audiobook · law-enforcement · suspense · politics · police-procedural · killer -
![The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff]()
The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff
A taut and electrifying novel from celebrated bestselling author Lauren Groff, about one spirited girl alone in the wilderness, trying to surviveA servant girl escapes from a colonial settlement in the wilderness. She carries nothing with her but her wits, a few possessions, and the spark of god that burns hot within her...north-america · usa · virginia · historical-fiction · fiction · literary-fiction · historical · audiobook · outdoors · survival -
![The Phoenix Crown by Janie Chang, Kate Quinn]()
The Phoenix Crown by Janie Chang, Kate Quinn
Versailles, 1912. At the height of an intoxicating Paris summer, a mysterious American millionaire attends a sumptuous costume ball with his bride, on whom he has bestowed the legendary Phoenix Crown—a priceless relic of Beijing’s fallen Summer Palace...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · mystery · suspense · romantic-love · family · espionage · crime · female-mc -
![The Secret Hours by Mick Herron]()
The Secret Hours by Mick Herron
Two years ago, a hostile Prime Minister launched the Monochrome inquiry, investigating "historical over-reaching" by the British Secret Service “to investigate historical over-reaching...mystery · fiction · espionage · historical-fiction · historical · thriller · audiobook · psychological · crime · humor -
![The Fraud by Zadie Smith]()
The Fraud by Zadie Smith
From acclaimed and bestselling novelist Zadie Smith, a kaleidoscopic work of historical fiction set against the legal trial that divided Victorian England, about who deserves to tell their story—and who deserves to be believedIt is 1873. Mrs...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · literary-fiction · industrial-era · victorian · female-author · poc-mc · slavery · family -
![The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester]()
The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester
Three generations. One chance to prove themselves. Can the women of the Bricard fashion dynasty finally rewrite their history? French countryside, Present Blythe Bricard is the daughter of famous fashion muses but that doesn't mean she wants to be one. She turned her back on that world, and her dreams, years ago...europe · western-central-europe · france · urban · new-york-state · romance · historical-fiction · fiction · historical · mystery -
![Judas 62 by Charles Cumming]()
Judas 62 by Charles Cumming
The second book in Charles Cumming’s gripping new thriller series surrounding BOX 88 – a covert intelligence organization that operates below the radar.A spy in one of the most dangerous places on Earth…1993: Student Lachlan Kite is sent to post-Soviet Russia in the guise of a language teacher. In reality, he is there as a spy...espionage · fiction · mystery · crime · historical-fiction · action-adventure · thriller · cold-war · audiobook · murder -
![The Caretaker by Ron Rash]()
The Caretaker by Ron Rash
Told against the backdrop of the Korean War as a small Appalachian town sends its sons to battle, The Caretaker by award-winning author Ron Rash ("One of the great American authors at work today" --The New York Times) is a breathtaking love story and a searing examination of the acts we seek to justify in the name of duty, family, honor, and love.It's 1951 in Blowing Rock, North Carolina...north-america · usa · north-carolina · historical-fiction · fiction · war · literary-fiction · historical · family · audiobook -
![The Last True Templar by Boyd Morrison, Beth Morrison]()
The Last True Templar by Boyd Morrison, Beth Morrison
A Perilous Quest. A Deadly Legacy.Italy, 1351. English knight Gerard Fox and the resourceful Willa have come through a death-defying journey across war-torn Europe. Now looking towards their future together, they must first find a way to reconcile with their difficult pasts.In a small village between Florence and Siena, Fox and Willa are caught up in a deadly ambush...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · mystery · action-adventure · suspense · romantic-love · crime · conspiracies · fantasy -
![The Pole by J.M. Coetzee]()
The Pole by J.M. Coetzee
A psychologically probing, compulsively readable novel about dogged love and the unpredictability of human relationships—from the Nobel Prize–winning author of Disgrace .Exacting yet maddeningly unpredictable, J. M...romance · fiction · literary-fiction · audiobook · contemporary · 21st-century · historical-fiction · male-author · urban · book -
![The Adversary by Michael Crummey]()
The Adversary by Michael Crummey
From the award-winning, critically acclaimed author of The Innocents (“Extraordinary”— Wall Street Journal ) a dark, enthralling novel about love and its limitations, the corruption of power and the power of corruption...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · literary-fiction · audiobook · family · domestic-drama · book · adult -
![The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger]()
The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger
In 1958, a small Minnesota town is rocked by the murder of its most powerful citizen, pouring fresh fuel on old grievances in this dazzling standalone novel from the New York Times bestselling author of This Tender Land...historical-fiction · mystery · fiction · literary-fiction · historical · suspense · thriller · audiobook · killer · small-town -
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![The Great Change by Joe Abercrombie]()
The Great Change by Joe Abercrombie
The Great Change (and Other Lies) is a novella-length collection that gathers four short stories related to Joe Abercrombie's The Age of Madness, featuring old friends and new: from smugglers to kings, from diamond-cutters to dress-makers, from the most apparently insignificant of slaves to the most feared man in the Union, Old Sticks himself...fantasy · fiction · high-fantasy · anthologies · dark · dark-fantasy · grim-dark · epic · historical-fiction · historical -
![From Dust to Stardust by Kathleen Rooney]()
From Dust to Stardust by Kathleen Rooney
From the bestselling author of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk comes a novel about Hollywood, the cost of stardom, and selfless second acts, inspired by an extraordinary true story.Chicago, 1916. Doreen O’Dare is fourteen years old when she hops a Hollywood-bound train with her beloved Irish grandmother...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · 20th-century · feminism · audiobook · urban · female-mc · literary-fiction · romance -
![A Storm of Infinite Beauty by Julianne MacLean]()
A Storm of Infinite Beauty by Julianne MacLean
From the bestselling author of Beyond the Moonlit Sea comes an atmospheric tale of how one woman’s search for the truth uncovers long-hidden secrets and rocks the very foundation of her world.Scarlett Fontaine is a true Hollywood legend—a singer, actress, and beloved fashion icon. But Scarlett dies tragically at just thirty-six years old, leaving behind no children...north-america · usa · alaska · romance · fiction · realistic · womens-fiction · contemporary · historical-fiction · drama -
![EWB: Enemies With Benefits by N.R. Walker]()
EWB: Enemies With Benefits by N.R. Walker
MarshallI hate Valentine Tye.I’ve hated him since we were ten years old. I hate everything he is, everything he stands for. Even the mention of his name gets my back up.And when I see him?My blood boils. My jaw clenches and my hands curl into fists. That’s how much I hate him.I want to cause him pain. I want to hold him down and actually hurt him...romance · mlm · contemporary · lgbtq · sports · mental-illness · enemies-to-lovers · workplace · steamy · boss-employee -
![The Novelist from Berlin by V.S. Alexander]()
The Novelist from Berlin by V.S. Alexander
An engrossing novel inspired by the mysterious true story of Irmgard Keun, a female novelist who defied all the rules during Berlin’s volcanic post-WWI years, as a young German writer exiled for her ideas flees her country and her Nazi-supporting husband, fighting for her art, her life, and her child.1920s Though the world has changed in the wake of the Great War, it is still ruled by men...historical-fiction · ww2 · fiction · historical · war · ww1 · 20th-century · female-mc · violent-conflict · book -
![A Beautiful Rival: A Novel of Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden by Gill Paul]()
A Beautiful Rival: A Novel of Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden by Gill Paul
In this stunning new novel, bestselling author Gill Paul reveals the unknown history of cosmetic titans Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein and their infamous rivalry that spanned not only decades, but also broken marriages, personal tragedies, and a world that was changing dramatically for women—perfect for fans of Fiona Davis, Marie Benedict, and Beatriz Williams...historical-fiction · historical · fiction · audiobook · drama · womens-fiction · royalty · aristocracy · friendship · 20th-century -
![A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by K.J. Charles]()
A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by K.J. Charles
Major Rufus d'Aumesty has unexpectedly become the Earl of Oxney, master of a remote Norman manor on the edge of the infamous Romney Marsh. There he's beset on all sides, his position contested both by his greedy uncle and by Luke Doomsday, son of a notorious smuggling clan...romance · historical · historical-fiction · lgbtq · fiction · mlm · industrial-era · regency · suspense · mystery -
![North Woods by Daniel Mason]()
North Woods by Daniel Mason
A sweeping novel about a single house in the woods of New England, told through the lives of those who inhabit it across the centuries—a daring, moving tale of memory and fate from the Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of The Piano Tuner and The Winter Soldier...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · outdoors · literary-fiction · family · audiobook · male-author · book · adult -
![The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab]()
The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and set in the world of A Darker Shade of Magic, V. E. Schwab opens a new door into perilous adventure and tangled schemes with The Fragile Threads of Power.Once, there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power, and connected by a single city: London...fantasy · fiction · high-fantasy · magic · historical-fiction · young-adult · action-adventure · gaslamp · industrial-era · historical -
![All You Have to Do Is Call by Kerri Maher]()
All You Have to Do Is Call by Kerri Maher
A dramatic and inspiring novel based on the true story of the Jane Collective and the brave women who fought for the right to choose, from the national bestselling author of The Paris Bookseller.Chicago, early 1970s Who does a girl call when she needs help? Jane...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · feminism · audiobook · female-mc · friendship · book · adult -
![The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis]()
The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis
From the best-selling author of The Twelve Tribes of Hattie comes a searing multi-generational novel—set in the 1980s in racially and politically turbulent Philadelphia and in the tiny town of Bonaparte, Alabama—about a mother fighting for her sanity and survival... -
![The Golden Gate by Amy Chua]()
The Golden Gate by Amy Chua
Amy Chua's debut novel, The Golden Gate, is a sweeping, evocative, and compelling historical thriller that paints a vibrant portrait of a California buffeted by the turbulent crosswinds of a world at war and a society about to undergo massive change...historical-fiction · mystery · fiction · crime · historical · ww2 · audiobook · law-enforcement · police-procedural · horror -
![The Untitled Books by C.J. Archer]()
The Untitled Books by C.J. Archer
A curated collection of magic…and murder.When a set of bound manuscripts written on magician-made paper is brought to the Glass Library, Sylvia and the professor send the owner away. After all, the library collects books about magic, not containing it.But the murder of the bookbinder who bound them sees the books returned to the library, along with Gabe in his role as consultant for Scotland Yard...romance · fantasy · mystery · historical-fiction · audiobook · fiction · magic · historical · paranormal · magical-realism -
![The Poppy Sisters by Deborah Carr]()
The Poppy Sisters by Deborah Carr
Divided by war. Reunited by courage.Two sisters, torn apart by war, face daily battles to save the lives of the wounded soldiers in their care…Older sister Phoebe is a VAD at a Base Hospital in Étaples, France, treating men who’ve served at the Front...romance · historical-fiction · war · ww1 · audiobook · historical · 20th-century · family · fiction · military -
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![Into the Bright Open: A Secret Garden Remix by Cherie Dimaline]()
Into the Bright Open: A Secret Garden Remix by Cherie Dimaline
In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelming cishet, white, and male canon. This queer YA reimagining of The Secret Garden subverts the cishet and white status quo of the original in a tale of family secrets wonderful and horrifying...young-adult · retellings · historical-fiction · historical · fantasy · lgbtq · fiction · female-author · wlw · loner-mc -
![Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch]()
Every Duke Has His Day by Suzanne Enoch
Michael Blumley, Duke of Loriton (age 28), is viewed as an eccentric by his peers in the ton. He does his duty, of course, but his interest—and talent—lies in the science of electricity. He has no interest in what the frivolities of Society...romance · historical-fiction · fiction · animals · industrial-era · regency · humor · female-mc · historical · book -
![Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian]()
Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian
A folk horror epic about a ragtag posse that must track down a witch through a wild west beset by demons and ghosts―and where death is always just around the bend.Sadie Grace is wanted for witchcraft, dead (or alive). And every hired gun in Kansas is out to collect the bounty on her head, including bona fide witch hunter Old Tom and his mysterious, mute ward, Rabbit...horror · fantasy · historical-fiction · western · fiction · historical · witches-wizards · paranormal · audiobook · spooky -
![Her Wicked Rogue by Scarlett Scott]()
Her Wicked Rogue by Scarlett Scott
Archer Tierney has devoted his life to becoming one of the most powerful men in London. He’s cutthroat and merciless to anyone who crosses him and ruthless in his determination to always maintain the upper hand over friends and foes alike. There’s no situation he can’t control, no battle he can’t win... -
![A Comprehensive Guide to Sea Serpents by A.J. Sherwood]()
A Comprehensive Guide to Sea Serpents by A.J. Sherwood
Two new apprentices. One charming engineer. A potential battle with both sea serpents and evil sorcerers.When Sorcerer Adrien Danvers takes on a job that leads him into the slums of England, he never imagined he’d end up with not one, but two apprentices. Despite his doubts in himself, he’s the only chance the two pre-teens have to escape their hellish life...romance · fantasy · magic · mlm · historical · paranormal · lgbtq · witches-wizards · action-adventure · slow-burn -
![The Gilded Lily by Irina Shapiro]()
The Gilded Lily by Irina Shapiro
Every old house has its secrets, so it comes as no surprise when a relic of a noble Victorian family is discovered in the new home of historical author Nicole Rayburn and her husband Kyle. Curious about the lovely young woman in the sepia photograph, Nicole delves into the history of the family and stumbles on a long-forgotten mystery... -
![All the Dead Shall Weep by Charlaine Harris]()
All the Dead Shall Weep by Charlaine Harris
#1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author returns with the fifth installment in the bestselling Gunnie Rose series as sisters Lizbeth Rose and Felicia as well as brother Eli and Peter, are reunited in Texoma only to break apart before the Wizard’s Ball held in San Diego, which will determine all their fates...north-america · usa · california · urban · romance · fantasy · magic · urban-fantasy · alternate-history · fiction
