Historical Fiction Titles

A genre in which stories take place in the past, but include fictionalized or dramatized elements. Settings are in the real world and use historical details and characters appropriate to the period.

Works are alphabetized by author. Era and sub-genres, if applicable, are listed beside works. For details about a specific work, refer to author’s Substack. The Library is not responsible for content on individual authors’ Substacks.

(N) Novel / (NA) Novella / (NT) Novelette (B) Nonfiction Book

(C) Complete / (I) Serial In Progress

(F) Free / ($) Paid / (F)→($) Preview Available

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Behold a White Horse | Aesop | (NA) (C) (F)

BEHOLD A WHITE HORSE is an original story based in part on the life and career of Flavius Belisarius (c. 500-565 CE), a prominent Roman general who lived during the so-called "Dark Ages," an era traditionally marked to begin with the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE. Gone are Caesar and the legions of the Rome of old. The Roman Empire of this era is not a superpower, but a nation in decline; not a conqueror, but the target of conquest. And Belisarius, thrust into the middle of world affairs at just 25 years old, must find a way to manage the worst outbreak of war in years.

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GOTHARMONY | Shadia Alfan | Thriller, Mystery, Horror, Humor, Romance (N) (I) (F)

Verity had lived the life her parents had carefully crafted for her: a sheltered existence within the confines of the Ashford Estate, where music flowed through her veins as naturally as the air she breathed. From a tender age, she was immersed in the symphonies and sonatas that adorned the Ashford legacy, her soul entwined with the melodies of her ancestors. But everything changed upon her return from the prestigious music institution. As she stepped foot back onto the familiar grounds of the estate, a sense of unease lingered in the air, as if the very notes that once brought solace now whispered secrets she couldn't decipher. 

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Book of Zaith | M. S. Arthadian | Historical Fiction, Faith & Spirituality (NT) (C) (F)

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the mind of a 1st Century follower of Jesus Christ? Well, in the Book of Zaith, you get to explore just that! Learn what it means to be a disciple of the Lord and Savior of the world in this first story from Disciple's Prayers!

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The Harvey Girl | Ann Audree | Historical, Thriller & Mystery (N) (I) (F)

In 1891, a young New York City socialite leaves home to find her missing father, becoming a Harvey Girl and solving mysteries along the way. She’ll also run into some famous characters — artists, inventors — and tangle with a darkly alluring Pinkerton agent.

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The Wistful and the Good | G.M. Baker | Historical Fiction | 8^th Century Northumbria (N) (C) (F)

Elswyth's mother was a slave, but her father is a thegn, and the man she is to marry is an ealdorman's son. Yet from the sea come Norse traders, bringing wealth, friendship, and tales of distant lands. Elswyth's wistful heart has found a new and perilous object.

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The Witch in the Mountain Pass | Daniel W. Davison | Historical Fiction, Magical Realism | 1930s Greece (N) (I) (F)

The Witch in the Mountain Pass is set in northern Greece in 1934. A witch from Dodona sets up a taverna in a mountain pass near a Greek village built on the ruins of an Ottoman garrison. The witch has been chosen to right an ancient wrong and fulfill an obscure mission on the north bank of the river Acheron before she runs out of time, or time takes her away.

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Dancing at The Orange Peel (The Kent Creek Chronicles) | Gina Hogan Edwards | Historical Fiction, Literary, Coming-of-Age (N) (I) (F)

Dancing at The Orange Peel is part of a collection of stories in “The Kent Creek Chronicles.” Set in the fictional town of Kent Creek, North Carolina, this story begins in 1968. When nine-year-old Libby and her widowed mother Gwen befriend their town’s first prominent Black businessman, they’re forced to come to terms with the reactions of their family and community... and themselves. As Libby struggles to understand her place in this world, Gwen grasps for what little remains of her own identity, her hopes, and her dreams.

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Of Wind and Wolves | J.M. Elliott | Historical Fiction | Ancient World-5th C. BCE Pontic Steppe (N) (C) (F)

On the ancient Skythian steppe (modern Ukraine), an ambivalent young warrior embarks on a final mission to make her first kill. To secure a vital alliance for her tribe, Anaiti must take an enemy scalp before she can wed, but hopes to evade her grim mission to delay her arranged marriage. In the untamed wilderness, life is more dangerous—and liberating—than she ever imagined, and she forges an intimate bond with her warband’s commander, a formidable warrior who believes she possesses a unique gift. The harsh elements and merciless enemies test her physical and moral courage to their limits. But will her abstinence free her from unthinkable duty, or will it threaten the lives of those she loves? A subversive retelling of events reported by Herodotus, Of Wind and Wolves explores a vanished world of astonishing brutality and beauty. Employing ancient accounts and the latest archeological discoveries, it gives voice to the lost wisdom, traditions, and beliefs of the extraordinary Skythian people whose independent women motivated Greek myths—and fears—about Amazons.

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The Second Queen of Hirta | David Finlay | Historical (NA) (C) (F)→($)

The first chapter is free. All others are available to paying subscribers.

The fictional memoir of a young woman living on the remote Hebridean archipelago of Saint Kilda in the mid to late 19th Century.

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Defying Conventions | Joseph W. Knowles | Historical Fiction, Alternate History (N) (C) (F)

Just how fragile was the political situation that yielded the United States Constitution? How easily might the Philadelphia Convention have been derailed? What could that have meant for the future of America? This short novel of alternate history follows the story of Camden Page, who finds himself apprenticed to a prominent attorney in Richmond who rubs elbows with all of Virginia's prominent political figures.

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Fit for Freedom | Joseph W. Knowles | Historical Fiction, Alternate History (N) (C) (F)

Not only the fate of a free black man, but also of the American Confederation, hangs in the balance as young Virginia lawyer Camden Page takes a case that no one else would. His story and the story of the young American states continue in this sequel to Defying Conventions.

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Sparrow Bones | Macy Lu | Historical Fiction (NT) (C) (F)

Born during a maelstrom of political upheaval in post-Imperial China, The Girl and her brother are no strangers to the extremities of human suffering. Hunger, backbreaking labor, and abuse from local authorities are the norms of everyday life. But as government morality degrades, turning hunger into starvation and abuse into corruption, The Girl must decide how far she’s willing to push her own moral boundaries in order to protect those she loves.

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On the Road to Jericho | Sue Meredith Mann | Historical | (N) (I) (F) Audiobook ($)

First installment drops on Substack Oct 3, 2024. The entire book will be published on Substack in 2x weekly installments. 

Eleanor’s timing is spot on—for better or for worse. She grows up as apartheid collapses in South Africa, becomes a diplomat amidst Israel-Palestine conflict, and moves to the U.S. a month before 9-11. Shrugging off the threat of bombs, the young Eleanor Williams starts her career as a South African diplomat witnessing Nelson Mandela’s inauguration. Thirty years later, she lies broken in the women’s bathroom of an office building in Haven, U.S.A. She’s navigated war-torn landscapes, so why does corporate scheming break her? Where does she belong? And how can she hold both adventure and loss, hope and disillusionment, lightness and abysmal darkness? Follow Eleanor’s unflinching and cathartic story, a contemporary odyssey for women who hold multitudes. Who are at times both loveable and unlikeable. Who choose the unexpected path. And who are building resilience through everyday experiences as professionals, wives, and moms.

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Franck's Wild Ride | Edward Pearlman | Historical Fiction (N) (I) (F)

An unintended joyride alters the life of a wild young man and his conservative friend, drawing them into a foreclosure scam on an old New England house, revelations about the Underground Railway from North Carolina, and intimacies they did not foresee. “I savored this sparkling first novel, laughing out loud as I read each night. Franck is undeniably impulsive and even brash, but his earnest determination to sort out a mess he has helped create is refreshingly endearing, never exasperating, as he steadfastly offends foes and charms strangers.” – K.C., Maine. "This wild ride is a timely legal thriller told in a relaxed, honest tone...The characters are loveably flawed and likeable – you'll enjoy spending time with them.” – Philip Reed, award-winning author.

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1853 | J. Purcell | Historical Fiction (N) (I) (F) →($)

Free for first half of novel/paid for 2^nd half of novel

In early 1853, New Orleans is the center of the arts, opera, and culture, and the home of a young, respected medical center, and a menagerie of people living with joie de vie. But by the fall, 8,000 New Orleanians—nearly 10% of its residents—would die, swept away by yellow fever, a gruesome disease that killed so many people so quickly, corpses were left rotting in the street—there was simply no one left to bury them. And as the city falls to its knees that summer, four different people face the plague and the city’s prejudices: James, a young doctor from Philadelphia, driven to live up to his family name; Sophie, the spoiled young French girl he grows to love, despite her hostility; Sila, the slave who rises up against her owner, the monstrous Monsieur Dubois, to work side by side with James, nursing the dying and dreaming of freedom; and Victor, a musician and member of a prominent gen de couleur libre family, who having returned home from Paris to take stage at the Orleans Ballroom, is confronted with his growing love of Sila and the deepening, dangerous racism of his homeland.

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Baron Britpop Blastfurnace | Mark Starlin | Historical Fiction, Adventure, Young Adult | 18th Century (N) (C) (F)

A tale of adventure, friendship, romance, drama, humor, action, and more. Set in the late 18th century, The Grand Story Of The Seemingly Impossible Adventures Of Baron Britpop Blastfurnace is the story of a curious young blacksmith from The Austrian Netherlands named Britpop Blastfurnace. In a moment of inspiration, Britpop invents silent horseshoes and finds himself a Baron with an estate and wealth. Before settling down as a Baron, he decides to go on an adventure to France with his valet, Andelbert. The adventure takes them across the ocean and back. Featuring historical characters and events, pirates, intriguing locations, and plenty of adventure. 

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The Journey of Rama | C.L. Steiner | Historical Fiction, Mythological - Hindu | (N) (I) (F)

Thousands of years ago, when the world was unbalanced and demons ruled, Lord Vishnu manifested on Earth as Lord Rama, destined to restore righteousness. Rama grew up as a prince, preordained to become a king, but wickedness and injustice in his own home denied him his destiny. Overcoming loss and hardship, Rama eventually faces the demon king in the ultimate battle of good versus evil.

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East Germany, 1989: A Political Novel | Pamela Urfer | Historical Fiction | (N) (I) (F)

1989 was the year the Berlin Wall came down, and the Soviet Union fell apart. There was resistance and protest in all the Soviet Bloc countries, but only in East Germany were the protests non-violent. The churches ran those protests, and Peter Hoffmann was the pastor of Nicholas Church in Leipzig, at the forefront of the resistance. His personal frustration with the regime was not so much with the deprivations and lack of freedoms but with the requirement that all citizens profess loyalty to the State, whether they believed it or not. He knew that living a lie in that way, having a two-faced relationship with their community, was damaging to the integrity of the person, a stain on their character that they might never overcome. With the help of his fiancée, Krista, and his old friend, Karl, he encouraged his parishioners, and soon all the citizens of Leipzig, to speak out against the cynicism of the authorities, including his own bishop, and refuse to sell their souls to the GDR.

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The Bashful Courtesan | Ben Woestenburg | Historical Fiction | WWI Era Europe (NA) (C) (F)

A story following two different timelines. One, in pre-WWI Vienna, about a painting, the other in Paris, days before the liberation by the Allies, and the search for the Resistance leader, code name: Renaissance.

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The Shield of Locksley | Ben Woestenburg | Historical Fantasy | (N) (I) (F)

Join Locksley, a young bachelor Knight on his adventure during the end days of Camelot, as he sets off on a reluctant quest to help a princess, and in the meantime, helps restore a kingdom…This is not your father’s King Arthur that he used to read to you as a child. A new take on an old classic, made for a more mature audience.

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THE TRUTH OF WHO WE ARE | Ben Woestenburg | Historical (NA) (C) (F)

A story told in three different time lines. A love story that takes place in Berlin and Paris for and after the war. A story of two men in love during a turbulent time and a search for the truth within themselves.

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