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Historical Fiction November 2019 |
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| The Devil's Slave by Tracy BormanWhat it is: the sequel to The King’s Witch, and the middle volume of a planned trilogy.
Starring: herbalist Frances Gorges, who lost her lover (and the father of her child) to the Gunpowder Plot; now a lady-in-waiting to Princess Elizabeth, Frances once again must navigate the swirl of courtly intrigue.
Why you might like it: Stuart England comes to life in this well-researched novel, which focuses on the court of James I. |
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When silence sings : a novel
by Sarah Loudin Thomas
In 1930, after the rival McLean clan guns down his cousin, Colman Harpe chooses peace over seeking revenge. But when he hears God tell him to preach to the McLeans, a failed attempt to run away leaves him horribly sick in their territory. But evil doesn't look how he expects
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Sword of kings : a novel
by Bernard Cornwell
A latest entry in the series that inspired, The Last Kingdom, continues the epic conquests and challenges of Uhtred of Bebbanburg as they shaped a fledgling Britain. 75,000 first printing. TV tie-in.
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| Where the Light Enters by Sara DonatiThe short version: The pursuit of justice brings the Savard cousins together in this sequel to The Gilded Hour, set in 1880s Manhattan.
The long version: Black obstetrician Sophie is mourning her husband, while white physician Anna has just lost custody (on religious grounds) of the three orphans she and her Jewish detective husband were fostering. However, they must put grief to one side to catch a serial murderer who, posing as a surgeon, mutilates women seeking abortions. |
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The poppy wife : a novel of the Great War
by Caroline Scott
Hired by other families looking for MIA soldiers, a grieving man searches for his own missing brother along the Western Front, where he photographs soldier graves while making life-changing discoveries. Original. A first novel. 75,000 first printing.
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| The Girls in the Picture by Melanie BenjaminStarring: silent film actress Mary Pickford and screenwriter Frances Marion, whose (complicated) friendship underpins their enduring creative partnership.
Read it for: an engaging story anchored by strong female characters, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the early years of America's film industry.
For fans of: Karina Longworth's podcast You Must Remember This, focusing on both famous and lesser-known figures in Hollywood history. |
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| He by John ConnollyStarring: Stan Laurel, music hall entertainer turned movie star.
What it's about: the comedian's early struggles and eventual stardom, his decades-long creative partnership with Oliver Hardy, and his complicated personal life.
Why you might like it: "a world of Dickens-like detail leaps off the page" (The Irish Times) of this meticulously researched novel, told in spare yet evocative prose.
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| Stars over Sunset Boulevard by Susan Meissner1938: Violet Mayfield and Audrey Duvall become friends while working as secretaries at Selznick International Pictures, which is producing Gone With the Wind.
2012: When a hat worn by Vivien Leigh in Gone With the Wind is accidentally donated to her vintage clothing boutique on Sunset Boulevard, Christine McAllister sets out to find the rightful owner and uncovers long-hidden secrets.
For fans of: Kate Alcott's A Touch of Stardust. |
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| The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins ReidWhat it's about: Reclusive cultural icon Evelyn Hugo taps journalist Monique Grant to write her tell-all biography. But why?
Read it for: the much-married, larger-than-life Evelyn, whose single-minded pursuit of fame and fortune took her from Hell's Kitchen to Hollywood.
Evelyn's words of wisdom: "Don't be so tied up trying to do the right thing when the smart thing is so painfully clear." |
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| All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana TrigianiIntroducing: novice nun Alda Ducci, who becomes the personal secretary of Hollywood star-on-the-rise Loretta Young.
What happens: Alda and Loretta become fast friends, but their bond is strained by Young's scandalous personal life, which includes an out-of-wedlock pregnancy that must be concealed from the public eye.
You might also like: Laura Moriarty's The Chaperone, which pairs a spirited young starlet with a conservative chaperone. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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