22 of the Best Historical Fiction Novels to Help You Escape to the Past

by HistoryExtra

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22 books

Explore our round-up of the best historical fiction novels – from royal intrigues and grand adventures, to ghost stories, social commentaries and alternate histories

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See the source list and commentary at www.historyextra.com

March Violets

A Bernie Gunther Novel

Philip Kerr, 2004

American Tabloid

James Ellroy, 2011

Orlando

Virginia Woolf, 2017

Kaputt

Curzio Malaparte, 2005

The Quincunx

Charles Palliser, 1991

The Last of the Wine

A Virago Modern Classic

Mary Renault, 2015

Sovereign

C. J. Sansom, 2015

To Calais, In Ordinary Time

James Meek, 2019

Imperial Governor

George Shipway, 2018

The Betrayal

Helen Dunmore, 2011

Dark Tides

Philippa Gregory, 2020

The Dig

John Preston, 2016

Hamnet

Maggie O'Farrell, 2020

The Hunger

Alma Katsu, 2018

Hurdy Gurdy

Christopher Wilson, 2021

The Little Stranger

Sarah Waters, 2009

Pavane

Keith Roberts, 2011

The Smallest Man

Frances Quinn, 2021

Swan Song

Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott, 2019

The Underground Railroad (Television Tie-In)

Colson Whitehead, 2021

Washington Black

Esi Edugyan, 2018

The Winter King

A Novel of Arthur

Bernard Cornwell, 2007