September 2024 Update: I am back again with one of my favourite posts of the year- the historical fiction books that I am looking forward to! I read many genres (and I seem to find more and more I enjoy each year), but historical fiction remains my favourite fictional genre. And this year we have some incredible books set to publish. Instead of doing a separate post for the later part of 2024, I decided to add to this post in hopes that people will see the earlier books if they’ve not already come across them! I’ve decided that I am going to stick with books releasing in the first half of the year for now and I will do an update post in the spring with the second half of the year as more information is released. Let’s get into my to-read 2024 historical fiction books for the whole year!
Note: I’ve marked the books that I have eARCs for with an asterisk.
My To-Read 2024 Historical Fiction
I must say- it is no statement on a book if it is not included on this list! (I could only include so many without overwhelming everyone.) This is my updated list as of September 2024– the first five books will be releasing from September to December of 2024! (The later eight released in the first half of the year. If you’ve not read them, I would recommend putting them on your to-read list!
Mademoiselle Eiffel, Aimie K. Runyan (10 September 2024)
Claire Eiffel, the beautiful, brilliant eldest daughter of the illustrious architect Gustave Eiffel, is doted upon with an education envied by many sons of the upper classes, and entirely out of the reach of most daughters. Claire’s idyllic childhood ends abruptly when, at fourteen, her mother passes away. It’s soon made clear that Gustave expects Claire to fill her mother’s place as caregiver to the younger children and as manager of their home.
As she proves her competence, Claire’s importance to her father grows. She accompanies him on his travels and becomes his confidante and private secretary. She learns her father’s architectural trade and becomes indispensable to his work. But when his bright young protégé, Adolphe Salles, takes up more of Gustave’s time, Claire resents being pushed aside.
Slowly, the animosity between Claire and Adolphe turns to friendship…and then to something more. After their marriage in 1885 preserves the Eiffel legacy, they are privileged by the biggest commission of Eiffel’s career: a great iron tower dominating the 1889 World’s Fair to demonstrate the leading role of Paris in the world of art and architecture. Now hostess to the scientific elite, such as Thomas Edison, Claire is under the watchful eye not only of her family and father’s circle, but also the world.
When Gustave Eiffel’s involvement in a disastrous endeavor to build a canal in Panama ends in his imprisonment, it is up to Claire to secure her father’s freedom but also preserve the hard-won family legacy.
Why Do I Want to Read This…
I think I speak for all of us (or at least many of us) that our eyes have been on Paris since the end of July for the Olympics and Paralympics. When I spotted this upcoming novel, I was immediately interested- I’m somewhat familiar with Gustave Eiffel but had never heard of his daughter, and I’m quite interested to dig into her story!
The Stone Witch of Florence, Anna Rasche (8 October 2024)
1348. As the Black Plague ravages Italy, Ginevra di Gasparo is summoned to Florence after nearly a decade of lonely exile. Ginevra has a gift—harnessing the hidden powers of gemstones, she can heal the sick. But when word spread of her unusual abilities, she was condemned as a witch and banished. Now the same men who expelled Ginevra are begging for her return.
Ginevra obliges, assuming the city’s leaders are finally ready to accept her unorthodox cures amid a pandemic. But upon arrival, she is tasked with a much different mission: she must use her collection of jewels to track down a ruthless thief who is ransacking Florence’s churches for priceless relics—the city’s only hope for protection. If she succeeds, she’ll be a recognized physician and never accused of witchcraft again.
But as her investigation progresses, Ginevra discovers she’s merely a pawn in a much larger scheme than the one she’s been hired to solve. And the dangerous men behind this conspiracy won’t think twice about killing a stone witch to get what they want…
Why Do I Want to Read This…
I normally do not gravitate towards medieval stories but this one truly stood out to me. I have been trying to consciously read more female-authored books, especially those about women, so a story about a woman accused of witchcraft is right up my alley. Because claims of witchcraft were so often used to punish women, I’m interested in stories (fictional and real) where women fought back against them. Plus it seems like a very appropriate book to read in the autumn!
A Kennedy Affair / An Invitation to the Kennedys, Emily Hourican (17 October 2024)
Kathleen ‘Kick’ Kennedy, recently arrived from Boston, is already a huge hit in 1930s London society. As the daughter of the US ambassador, she is at the centre of the most elite social circles. But when she falls for a duke-in-waiting, she realises there are plenty of people who think she doesn’t belong.
Lady Brigid Guinness has no interest in love, marriage or society connections. But her brother-in-law Chips Channon has other ideas – and seems intent on pushing her towards a match with a dull German prince.
When Chips invites the Kennedys and a select group of friends and family to Kelvedon Hall, his country estate, Brigid and Kick discover that beneath the brittle facade of politeness, marriages are on the rocks, political intrigue abounds and nothing is really as it seems – all while the war in Europe grows closer by the day.
By the time their week in Essex has ended, both Kick and Brigid realise that their world is changing rapidly, and their hopes and plans for the future may have to change too . . .
Why Do I Want to Read This…
Note: This book has two different titles, depending on where you live. I’ll be honest- I hate that Hachette does this because we are in a global society and it makes it difficult when looking for books but I love Hourican’s historical fiction.
Hourican’s Guiness Girls series has been one of my quiet favourites of the last few years. While I’m not over-the-top interested in the Kennedy clan, I know that many others are and her storytelling is more than enough to draw me in! (Especially as we have another Guinness girl in the mix…)
Christmas With the Queen, Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb (19 November 2024)
December 1952. While the young Queen Elizabeth II finds her feet as the new monarch, she must also find the right words to continue the tradition of her late father’s Christmas Day radio broadcast. But even traditions must evolve with the times, and the queen faces a postwar Britain hungry for change.
As preparations begin for the royal Christmas at Sandringham House in Norfolk, old friends—Jack Devereux and Olive Carter—are unexpectedly reunited by the occasion. Olive, a single mother and aspiring reporter at the BBC, leaps at the opportunity to cover the holiday celebration, but even a chance encounter with the queen doesn’t go as planned and Olive wonders if she will ever be taken seriously.
Jack, a recently widowed chef, reluctantly takes up a new role in the royal kitchens at Sandringham. Lacking in purpose and direction, Jack has abandoned his dream to have his own restaurant, but his talents are soon noticed and while he might not believe in himself, others do, and a chance encounter with an old friend helps to reignite the spark of his passion and ambition.
As Jack and Olive’s paths continue to cross over the following five Christmases, they grow ever closer. Yet Olive carries the burden of a heavy secret that threatens to destroy everything.
Christmas Day, December 1957. As the nation eagerly awaits the Queen’s first televised Christmas speech, there is one final gift for the Christmas season to deliver…
Why Do I Want to Read This…
I’ll be entirely honest- this is a novel that takes place over several holiday seasons and features a young Queen Elizabeth II and covers her Christmas speeches. If a book was written for me, it is this book…
White Mulberry, Rosa Kwon Easton (1 December 2024)
1928, Japan-occupied Korea. Eleven-year-old Miyoung has dreams too big for her tiny farming village near Pyongyang: to become a teacher, to avoid an arranged marriage, to write her own future. When she is offered the chance to live with her older sister in Japan and continue her education, she is elated, even though it means leaving her sick mother—and her very name—behind.
In Kyoto, anti-Korean sentiment is rising every day, and Miyoung quickly realizes she must pass as Japanese if she expects to survive. Her Japanese name, Miyoko, helps her find a new calling as a nurse, but as the years go by, she fears that her true self is slipping away. She seeks solace in a Korean church group and, within it, finds something she never expected: a romance with an activist that reignites her sense of purpose and gives her a cherished son.
As war looms on a new front and Miyoung feels the constraints of her adopted home tighten, she is faced with a choice that will change her life—and the lives of those she loves—forever.
Why Do I Want to Read This…
I think both the book and show Pachinko have “introduced” Korea and Japan’s incredibly complex history to the west, and I was immediately drawn in when I came across this book. While military and war history has always been something I struggle with, stories like these bring real human stories to life and I think that fictional books are an important way to help all of us understand history. And given that the author is writing about her grandmother’s experiences, it is absolutely grounded in history!
To Woo and To Wed, Martha Waters- 6 February 2024*
West, the Marquess of Weston, and Sophie, Lady Fitzwilliam Bridewell, have lately been spending a considerable amount of time together. But West and Sophie are not new acquaintances. In fact, years ago, they had once been nearly engaged until West’s almost fatal curricle accident and his meddling father threw them off course.
Now recently widowed, Sophie has put aside all thoughts of romance. But when her widowed sister, Alexandra, mentions a fondness for an earl, Sophie realizes that she may be holding her sister back. Alexandra won’t move forward with an engagement until Sophie, too, settles down again, and so Sophie approaches West with a plan. They will announce their engagement and break things off once Alexandra is happily married. It’ll be simple. After all, it’s not like she is going to fall for West a second time, not when Sophie has sworn not to risk her heart again.
Why Do I Want to Read This…
I have read and reviewed all of the books in the Regency Vows series starting with To Have and To Hoax, so I obviously could not miss the last book. Am I heartbroken that this series is ending? Yes, but I know that Martha has more to come so at least we have more to look forward to! This is a Regency romance somewhat akin to the Bridgerton books, but I find these to have a lot more banter and humour.
The Phoenix Crown, Kate Quinn, Janie Chang- 13 February 2024
From bestselling authors Janie Chang and Kate Quinn, a thrilling and unforgettable narrative about the intertwined lives of two wronged women, spanning from the chaos of the San Francisco earthquake to the glittering palaces of Versailles.
San Francisco, 1906. In a city bustling with newly minted millionaires and scheming upstarts, two very different women hope to change their fortunes: Gemma, a golden-haired, silver-voiced soprano whose career desperately needs rekindling, and Suling, a petite and resolute Chinatown embroideress who is determined to escape an arranged marriage. Their paths cross when they are drawn into the orbit of Henry Thornton, a charming railroad magnate whose extraordinary collection of Chinese antiques includes the fabled Phoenix Crown, a legendary relic of Beijing’s fallen Summer Palace.
His patronage offers Gemma and Suling the chance of a lifetime, but their lives are thrown into turmoil when a devastating earthquake rips San Francisco apart and Thornton disappears, leaving behind a mystery reaching further than anyone could have imagined . . . until the Phoenix Crown reappears five years later at a sumptuous Paris costume ball, drawing Gemma and Suling together in one last desperate quest for justice.
Why Do I Want to Read This…
Although I actually have only read one of Kate Quinn’s books (which I enjoyed), I have loved all of Janie Chang’s books (including The Library of Legends and The Porcelain Moon) so this is definitely at the top of my to-read list. I’ve actually not read many fiction books with multiple authors, so I am interested to see how this reads, too.
Once Upon a Murder, Samantha Larsen- 20 February 2024*
Miss Tiffany Woodall must sleuth the slaying of a footman to clear her beloved’s name in the second Lady Librarian mystery, in the vein of Deanna Raybourn and perfect for fans of Bridgerton.
1784 England. Officially hired as the librarian for the Duchess of Beaufort, Miss Tiffany Woodall is through with masquerades and murders for good. That is, until she stumbles upon the frozen dead body of former footman Mr. Bernard Coram. The speed with which her peaceful new life is upended is one for the record the justice of the peace immediately declares her the primary suspect in the murder.
As Tiffany hunts for the truth to clear her name, she learns that Bernard got into a fight over a woman at the local pub the night of his death–but he was also overheard blackmailing Samir. The justice of the peace arrests Samir, and Tiffany realizes that her life may have more in common with a tragic play than a light-hearted romance.
With her love locked up in jail and her own reputation on the line, Tiffany must attempt to solve the murder before the book closes on her or Samir’s life.
Why Do I Want to Read This…
Samantha Larsen’s A Novel Disguise was one of my top 10 books of 2023, and I have been avidly waiting for this book. A historical mystery series with a female protagonist who also happens to be a librarian? And author that I already love? Say less, friends. I have an eARC waiting for me and will be curling up with it very soon. (Probably by the time you are reading this!)
The Tower, Flora Carr- 5 March 2024
Scotland, 1567. A pregnant Mary, Queen of Scots is dragged out of her palace by rebel lords and imprisoned in the isolated Lochleven Castle, an ancient fortress surrounded by a vast lake. Her infant son and heir, James, has been captured by her enemies.
Accompanying Mary are two inconspicuous serving observant, ambitious Jane and romantic, quick-tempered Cuckoo, who endeavor to keep their mercurial mistress company while sharing the space of a claustrophobic room over the course of their eleven-month forced stay. Their hosts want them dead. They’ll settle for Mary’s abdication.
After Mary reluctantly surrenders her throne, her closest friend, the reserved, devoted Lady Seton, is permitted to join the captive women. Against the odds, as they hatch a perilous getaway plan, the four women form a bond that transcends class and religion, and for Jane and Seton, becomes something even deeper. At the center of it all is Mary–calculating, charming, brave, and unbowed. Flora Carr’s thrilling, feverish debut is a celebration of resilience, a meditation on the meaning of power, and a testament to the unshakeable strength of female friendship, starring one of history’s most charismatic leaders.
Why Do I Want to Read This…
Everyone has that historical figure or event that they will read about no matter what, and for me, that is Mary, Queen of Scots. I’ve actually not read many fictional tellings of Mary Stuart’s life, so I’m intrigued to delve away from my non-fiction books for this one. (Plus a debut author- I don’t know that I’ve read a debut novel in several months.)
The Murder of Mr. Ma, John Shen Yen Nee, SJ Rozan- 2 April 2024
For fans of Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films, this stunning, swashbuckling series opener by a powerhouse duo of authors is at once comfortingly familiar and tantalizingly new.
Two unlikely allies race through the cobbled streets of 1920s London in search of a killer targeting Chinese immigrants.
London, 1924. When shy academic Lao She meets larger-than-life Judge Dee Ren Jie, his life abruptly turns from books and lectures to daring chases and narrow escapes. Dee has come to London to investigate the murder of a man he’d known during World War I when serving with the Chinese Labour Corps. No sooner has Dee interviewed the grieving widow than another dead body turns up. Then another. All stabbed to death with a butterfly sword. Will Dee and Lao be able to connect the threads of the murders—or are they next in line as victims?
John Shen Yen Nee and SJ Rozan’s groundbreaking collaboration blends traditional gong’an crime fiction and the most iconic aspects of the Sherlock Holmes canon. Dee and Lao encounter the aristocracy and the street-child telegraph, churchmen and thieves in this clever, cinematic mystery that’s as thrilling and visual as an action film, as imaginative and transporting as a timeless classic.
Why Do I Want to Read This…
I won’t lie- essentially every aspect of this book blurb pulled me. 1920s London, an academic, and a Sherlock Holmes-esque mystery? Yes, please. Also, after learning more about the Chinese Labour Corps in Janie Chang’s The Porcelain Moon, I’m definitely interested to learn more. (And it’s another dual author book- perhaps 2024 is the year of multiple authors for me…) Also, the cover is simply perfect!
A Crane Among Wolves, June Hur- 14 May 2024*
Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly.
1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings.
Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.
Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he’ll need help to pull it off—but there’s no way to know who he can trust.
When Iseul’s and Daehyun’s fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever
Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.
Why Do I Want to Read This…
If I am honest, I have already read this book and it is brilliant. Hur has described it as a novel written like a K-Drama; that description nails it. The writing is fantastic, the plot grabs you and doesn’t let you go, and the characters slowly pull you in until you realise that you have completely changed your opinion of them. 10/10, will recommend any chance I get!
Goddess of the River, Vaishnavi Patel- 23 May 2024
A mother and a son. A goddess and a prince. A curse and an oath. A river whose course will change the fate of the world.
Ganga, joyful goddess of the river, serves as caretaker to the mischievous godlings who roam her banks. But when their antics incur the wrath of a powerful sage, Ganga is cursed to become mortal, bound to her human form until she fulfills the obligations of the curse.
Though she knows nothing of mortal life, Ganga weds King Shantanu and becomes a queen, determined to regain her freedom no matter the cost. But in a cruel turn of fate, just as she is freed of her binding, she is forced to leave her infant son behind.
Her son, prince Devavrata, unwittingly carries the legacy of Ganga’s curse. And when he makes an oath that he will never claim his father’s throne, he sets in motion a chain of events that will end in a terrible and tragic war.
As the years unfold, Ganga and Devavrata are drawn together again and again, each confluence another step on a path that has been written in the stars, in this deeply moving and masterful tale of duty, destiny, and the unwavering bond between mother and son.
Why Do I Want to Read This…
While I do enjoy a good mythological retelling, I will admit, I’m largely starting to check out of Greek retellings. (It does not mean that they aren’t spectacular books, simply that my preferences are changing!) However, I am very interested in this book. I’m only minorly familiar with Hindu mythology/epics, and while novels are considered gospel nor academic texts, they are often a wonderful window into a story. (And they usually lead to me reading more of the source materials…)
The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Claudia Gray- 18 June 2024
Someone is trying to kill Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Esteemed aunt of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, generous patroness of Mr. William Collins, a woman of rank who rules over the estate of Rosings Park with an unimpeachable sense of propriety—who would dare ? Lady Catherine summons her grand-nephew, Mr. Jonathan Darcy, and his investigative companion, Miss Juliet Tilney, to find out.
After a year apart, Jonathan and Juliet are thrilled to be reunited, even if the circumstances—finding whoever has thus far sabotaged Lady Catherine’s carriage, shot at her, and nearly pushed her down the stairs—are less than ideal. Also less than their respective fathers, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Mr. Henry Tilney, have accompanied the young detectives to Rosings, and the two men do not interact with the same felicity enjoyed by their children.
With attempts against Lady Catherine escalating, and no one among the list of prime suspects seemingly capable of committing all of the attacks, the pressure on Jonathan and Juliet mounts—even as more gentle feelings between the two of them begin to bloom. The race is now on to provoke two one from the attempted murderer before it is too late—and one, perhaps, of love.
Why Do I Want to Read This…
This is the third series that I’m including in this list, but the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mysteries are absolutely one of my favourites. Both The Murder of Mr. Wickham and The Late Mrs. Willoughby are fantastic novels that draw on Jane Austen’s world and characters without retreading the same stories over and over again. I also have to fully admit, every once in a while it is nice to see a hated Austen character get what is coming to them…
♠
What books on your to-read 2024 historical fiction list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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