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Historical Fiction February 2026 |
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| The Bookbinder's Secret by A.D. BellIn this "stellar debut" (Publishers Weekly), apprentice bookbinder Lily Delaney works at her widowed father's failing bookshop in 1901 Oxford, England. After a customer gives her a burned book, she finds a cryptic 50-year-old love letter hidden in the binding that speaks of murder. Drawn into the mystery, Lily looks for other books by the obscure author, discovering she's not the only one after them. Read-alike: Jess Armstrong's Ruby Vaughn mysteries, starting with The Curse of Penryth Hall. |
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| Sharpe's Storm by Bernard CornwellAmid brutal winter conditions in 1813 France, Major Richard Sharpe is ordered to keep Rear Admiral Sir Joel Chase safe, as Chase has plans that may finally defeat Napoleon. But Sharpe's task is made difficult by Chase's extreme confidence and thirst for battle. This is the latest in the long-running Sharpe series, which started in the 1980s and spawned the popular TV series starring Sean Bean. For fans of: thrilling adventures that beautifully blend history and fiction. |
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| Daughter of Genoa by Kat DevereauxAlone and with her home destroyed, Anna is helped by Father Vittorio, a Jesuit priest who is part of a secret group helping Jewish people escape World War II-era Italy. A talented forger, Anna, who's Jewish, makes fake documents and meets the group's leader, whom she falls for. This is "one of the best works of World War II historical fiction published in recent years," raves Library Journal. For fans of: Joseph O'Connor's My Father's House. |
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| Canticle by Janet Rich EdwardsSet in medieval Bruges, this atmospheric debut follows devout teenager Aleys as she runs away from home to avoid an arranged marriage and joins a group of secular women supporting the church. Her time there isn't without incident, however, as corrupt religious officials abound and others are suspicious of her ability to read books and her supernatural healing talent. For fans of: Bright I Burn by Molly Aitken; Matrix by Lauren Groff. |
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| The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie GodfreyIn 1979, 12-year-old Miv lives with her lonely father, her opinionated Aunty Jean, and her mother, who had a breakdown and no longer speaks. With the (real-life) Yorkshire Ripper terrorizing the area, curious Miv investigates with her loyal best friend. Though steeped in crime, this isn't as much a traditional mystery as an atmospheric coming-of-age tale. Great for book clubs, it explores friendship, community, prejudice, and loss. Read-alike: Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney. |
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Fire Sword and Sea
by Vanessa Riley
In her latest, Riley provides a fresh take on high seas adventure through the eyes of the courageous, swashbuckling, based-on-a-real-life female pirate Jacquotte Delahaye. The research Riley has done on this 1600s saga is truly remarkable, second only to her depictions of the lush Caribbean setting and the diverse, multi-faceted cast of characters. This is one to be savored. --Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Queen The real Pirates of the Caribbean were Black, and women From Vanessa Riley, acclaimed author of Queen of Exiles, comes a sweeping, immersive saga based on the life of the legendary seventeenth-century pirate Jacquotte Delehaye.
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Keeper of Lost Children
by Sadeqa Johnson
In this new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve, one American woman's vision in post WWII Germany will tie together three people in an unexpected way, change the course of countless lives, and demonstrates that love in its myriad of forms--familial, parental, and forbidden, even love of self--can be transcendent.
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Fireflies in Winter
by Eleanor Shearer
A gripping novel about two women fighting for survival in the icy wilderness of Nova Scotia, and the love that simultaneously sustains them and threatens their very existence, from the author of the Good Morning America Book Club pick River Sing Me Home. 1796. Cora, an orphan newly arrived from Jamaica, has never felt cold like this. In the depths of winter, everyone in her community huddles together in their homes to keep warm. So when she sees a shadow slipping through the trees, Cora thinks her eyes are deceiving her. Until she creeps out into the moonlight and finds the tracks in the snow. Agnes is in hiding. On the run from her former life, she has learned what it takes to survive alone in the wilderness. But she can afford no mistakes.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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