He is immediately overwhelmed by the heady vibrancy of the tropical city, but with barely a moment to acclimatize or to deal with the ghosts that still haunt him, Wyndham is caught up in a murder investigation that threatens to destabilize a city already teetering on the brink of political insurgency. Desperately seeking a fresh start after his experiences during the Great War, Wyndham has been recruited to head up a new post in the police force. Captain Sam Wyndham, former Scotland Yard detective, is a new arrival to Calcutta. A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjeeĭescription: Calcutta, 1919. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery.īrimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. The Best Historical Fiction Booksĭescription: In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. All book descriptions come from Amazon.Īnd, with that, read on for the best historical fiction books for adults. I’ve also only included one book per author to increase our reach here. This is a general approximation, only usually giving the first setting and time period from a book as many of these span multiple generations and regions. 28 Fabulous Works of Queer Historical FictionĪlong with this list, that gives you 678 of the best historical fiction books to work through (#sorrynotsorry to your TBR pile).Įach book in the following list notes the setting and time period.50 Must-Read Historical Fiction Picture Books.50 Must-Read Historical Fiction Books For Kids.100 Must-Read Medieval Historical Fiction.Since we also have some fantastic lists on other historical fiction sub-genres, I’ve refrained from including as many historical fiction books on the following topics (though some definitely do appear). Some will have very recognizable historical figures starring as main characters, while others will tell the lesser known stories of people from the past. In the following list, you’ll see books with fantastical elements, mystery, and romance. Some notes on this historical fiction list You can also read a more in-depth discussion of this at the Historical Novel Society. Find more of our favorite historical fiction authors writing today here. The time period of the book and the real historical events that occurred during that time play as crucial of a role in the story as any character or plot twist. Because of this, I believe historical fiction books are also those that simply couldn’t have happened in any other time or place. Genre-bending books, though, have shown how a bit of fantasy or magical realism can enhance our understanding of the past. In addition, historical fiction is usually considered more realistic in nature. While some of it may be remembered from a lived experience, a lot of a historical fiction novel’s conception comes from research. Typically, historical fiction books are written at least 30–50 years after the event or time period has taken place. Now, who’s ready to travel time and space with me? What is historical fiction?Ī historical fiction definition seems simple enough: it’s fiction that takes place in the past. This list, I believe, gives you the broadest view of our world’s shared past. We read historical fiction because we want to travel through time and space. Instead of putting together a list of the 223,546 best historical fiction books, I opted instead for adult historical fiction showstoppers that present a wide array of time periods, places, characters, and more. Whittling all historical fiction books into one manageable list is impossible, truly.