Best historical fiction novels

Kelly Rimmer is known for crafting moody and compelling stories with braided timelines, and this modern gothic novel about inheritance and truth promises to be another captivating read. It blends historical elements with mystery.

From the Booker Prize-winning author of 'Life of Pi,' this novel resurrects a lost Greek epic, blending ancient history with modern scholarship. It explores how stories survive and shift across centuries.

This novel offers a unique premise, connecting two women across decades through a celestial event and a family's soap company. It blends historical fiction with women's fiction, providing a fresh take on the genre.

Sadeqa Johnson, a master storyteller, explores race, belonging, and chosen family across continents and generations, focusing on children left behind by African-American GIs. It's a powerful meditation on the aftermath of war.

Set in 1911 Shanghai, this novel offers a captivating glimpse into a specific historical period and location in Asia. It promises a rich cultural and historical narrative.

From a celebrated author, this dual-timeline novel promises an emotionally rich exploration of Parisian history and Irish struggles across centuries. Its scope and depth make it a highly anticipated historical fiction release for 2026.

This multi-generational saga with magical realism elements sheds light on the Japanese invasion of Korea and the atrocities faced by 'comfort women.' It offers a powerful and important historical perspective.

This sweeping novel explores the paths of two twins during WWII and a decades-long search for answers. It's anticipated to be a standout for its emotional depth and portrayal of wartime sacrifice.

This debut novel vividly portrays an isolated 18th-century Scottish island community, blending historical setting with mystery and whispers of witchcraft. Its atmospheric quality makes it a compelling read.

This brutal and immersive tale transports readers to the 18th-century Arctic, exploring greed and moral collapse at the edge of empire. It offers a unique and intense historical setting.

This taut spy novel explores the personal cost of psychological warfare and the fragile line between loyalty and betrayal in post-WWII Europe. It offers a compelling look at women's roles in espionage.

Ariel Lawhon's sweeping tale of Grace O'Malley, a 16th-century Irish chieftain's daughter who becomes a legendary pirate, promises an audacious and devoted story of a powerful historical woman. It's a highly anticipated epic.

This novel offers a fresh, sensual, and propulsive epic told in Cleopatra's own voice, reimagining her not as a seductress but as a strategist and sovereign. It's a unique take on a legendary figure.

From the award-winning author of 'Hamnet,' this novel is set in Ireland before and after the Great Hunger, exploring themes of survival, tragedy, and rebellion. It's anticipated to be a spellbinding historical story.

This debut novel offers a unique, genre-bending take on Anne Boleyn, imagining her waking after execution to seek justice. Steeped in Arthurian legend and magic, it provides a fresh perspective on a famous historical figure.

This feminist reimagining of 'Moby-Dick' offers a young woman's perspective on a 19th-century whaling ship, unsettling Melville's mythology from within. It's praised for its political intent and unstoppable energy.

This novel presents an intriguing premise for lovers of books and historical crafts, following a bookbinder whose lovingly built creations begin to return to him. It explores the life and legacy of a unique artisan.

This novel combines two distinct time periods and locations—Guernsey in 2010 and Paris in 1941—with an intriguing premise that juxtaposes knitting with wartime resistance. It offers a unique perspective on courage.

Praised as one of the best books of 2024, this reimagining of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' from Jim's perspective offers a critical and insightful re-examination of a classic American story, making it highly relevant for 2026.