Tuesday, October 13, 2026

This month’s best new historical fiction

 
Readworthy by BookBub
This Month’s Best New Historical Fiction
 
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Book cover for The Housekeeper by Rose Tremain
A film adaptation is already in the works for this mesmerizing gothic tale
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • When Daphne du Maurier arrives at Manderville Hall, a chance encounter sparks a dangerous, passionate affair — later inspiring her most famous novel, Rebecca
  • “A moving achievement” (Booklist) that’s “deepened by an evocative historical backdrop and a sensitive character study” (Kirkus Reviews)
  • Named a must-read book of fall by People
Learn more...
Media mentions for The Housekeeper by Rose Tremain MEDIA MENTIONS: People, The Guardian, The Times, The Times Literary Supplement, Variety, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist
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Amazon Other formats and retailers
Book cover for Odette Rising by Julianne Edwards
After her father passes away, Odette must leave her home for the first time in 10 years
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • A sparkling coming-of-age tale set in turn-of-the-century France
  • Praise from Florence Knapp and Clare Leslie Hall, who calls this “moving and fiercely clever” novel “a triumph of storytelling”
  • “Readers will fall in love with this plucky heroine” (Publishers Weekly)
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Media mentions for Odette Rising by Julianne Edwards MEDIA MENTION: Publishers Weekly
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Amazon Other formats and retailers
Book cover for Unspeakable Things by Elizabeth Hand
This ‘tantalizing historical suspense’ is ‘a dark delight’ (Publishers Weekly)
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • After a chance meeting on a windswept moor, Olivia and Tamsin are swept into a passionate affair. When a mysterious death forces them to flee, they seek refuge at a glittering estate hiding dangerous secrets…
  • A “must-read” (Booklist starred review) from the author of A Haunting on the Hill
  • Set in the English countryside during the 1920s
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Media mentions for Unspeakable Things by Elizabeth Hand MEDIA MENTIONS: The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist
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Amazon Other formats and retailers
Book cover for The Tulip Poplars by Silas House
‘A sweeping Appalachian love story’ (Library Journal) set in the early 1900s
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • “There’s much to savor in this wise tale” (Publishers Weekly) inspired by the author’s own ancestor
  • While working in the tobacco fields, Amos and Tom are drawn together — but societal conventions and Tom’s strict religious upbringing complicate things
  • “This tender, bighearted novel about the abiding power of love will move you to tears” (Thrity Umrigar, author of Reese’s Book Club pick Honor)
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Media mentions for The Tulip Poplars by Silas House MEDIA MENTIONS: The New Yorker, People, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal
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Amazon Other formats and retailers
Book cover for Mystery Play by Elizabeth Kostova
When Jay inherits a medieval book once owned by Dracula, he’s drawn into a dangerous world
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Historian delivers “a wonderfully atmospheric, gothic-infused plot” (Library Journal starred review)
  • An epistolary novel told through journal entries, letters, postcards, and old texts
  • “Readers looking for an engrossing escape will find themselves transported” (Booklist)
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Media mentions for Mystery Play by Elizabeth Kostova MEDIA MENTIONS: The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, People, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist
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Amazon Other formats and retailers
Book cover for Our Noble Selves by Kate Atkinson
The author of Life After Life pens a thrilling tale of postwar London
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • When his date goes missing during the 1951 Festival of Britain, journalist Harry must unravel the case — before he takes the fall
  • See why Gillian Flynn calls Atkinson “simply one of the best writers working today”
  • “So much fun to read… Atkinson’s signature gift as a historical writer is on display as she seamlessly shifts time frames” (NPR)
Learn more...
Media mentions for Our Noble Selves by Kate Atkinson MEDIA MENTIONS: The New Yorker, NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The Times, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Literary Hub
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Amazon Other formats and retailers
Book cover for Die Famous by Michael Koryta
Stephen King highly recommends this ‘first-class’ historical thriller
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • In early 20th-century Indiana, Savannah sets out on a cross-country journey to find Nickel — her former sweetheart who’s currently on the FBI’s Most Wanted list — before the authorities do
  • “Enthralling… An excellent bet for fans of William Kent Krueger’s historical novels” (Publishers Weekly starred review)
  • “This will be the bar to which other historical crime fiction will be measured, and I do not say that lightly. In fact, I’ve never said it before” (David Baldacci)
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Media mentions for Die Famous by Michael Koryta MEDIA MENTIONS: Library Reads, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, BookPage
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Amazon Other formats and retailers
Book cover for Murder on 34th Street by Mariah Fredericks
In 1932, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is derailed by the discovery of a corpse…
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • With her intimate knowledge of the iconic store, Grace, an assistant at Macy’s, must unravel the mystery — and catch a killer
  • “A wonderful holiday whodunit that stands out in a crowded field” (Publishers Weekly)
  • “Fredericks’s dialogue is sharp as a box cutter and her cast of characters as lively and colorful as Christmas itself” (Kirkus Reviews starred review)
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Media mentions for Murder on 34th Street by Mariah Fredericks MEDIA MENTIONS: Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews
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Amazon Other formats and retailers
Book cover for The Midnight Guests by Alex Hay
A 1920s romp perfect for fans of The White Lotus and Golden Age whodunits
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • Diana Gold throws a party to celebrate the grand opening of her palatial London hotel — but a body in the most coveted suite will change everything
  • “Dazzling… The twists come in all the right places” (Publishers Weekly)
  • The author of The Housekeepers and The Queen of Fives takes readers on a “wildly entertaining” ride (USA Today bestselling author Will Dean)
Learn more...
Media mentions for The Midnight Guests by Alex Hay MEDIA MENTIONS: The Times, Publishers Weekly
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Amazon Other formats and retailers
 
   
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