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Historical Fiction December 2025 |
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| Boleyn Traitor by Philippa GregoryWhat it is: Set during the turbulent reign of Henry VIII, this latest from bestselling British author Philippa Gregory explores the life of Jane Boleyn, the wife of Anne Boleyn's brother. Jane serves five of Henry’s wives as lady-in-waiting and works with Thomas Cromwell as a spy in this atmospheric novel full of court intrigue.
Read-alike: Oliver Clements’ The Eyes of the Queen. |
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| The Elopement by Gill HornbyWhat it is: Fanny Austen, a niece of Jane Austen, marries widowed Sir Edward Knatchbull in 1820 and parents his children, including teenage Mary Dorothea. Though she’s not fond of her new stepmother, Mary Dorothea does like the rest of the family, especially Fanny’s handsome brother Edward.
Try these next: Gill Hornby’s Godmersham Park or Paula Byrne’s Six Weeks by the Sea. |
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| The Gun Man Jackson Swagger by Stephen HunterWhat it's about: In 1897 Arizona Territory, sharpshooter and Civil War vet Jack Swagger takes a job guarding deliveries to and from Mexico for prosperous rancher Colonel Callahan. But not everything is as it seems in this western by Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Hunter, which is “reminiscent of Larry McMurtry” (Booklist).
For fans of: Hunter’s Bob Lee Swagger novels (which star a descendent of Jack); William W. Johnstone’s westerns. |
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| The Silver Book by Olivia LaingWhat happens: Leaving London after an unspecified incident, art student Nicholas Wade heads to Italy in 1974. In Venice, he has a one-night stand with famed production and costume designer Danilo Donati and becomes his assistant, working with celebrated directors Federico Fellini and Pier Paolo Pasolini. But the country is in turmoil, which leads to murder in this “mesmerizing, contemplative, and haunting work” (Kirkus Reviews).
Try this next: Isa Arsen’s The Unbecoming of Margaret Wolf. |
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| Christmas at the Women's Hotel by Daniel M. LaveryWhat it's about: At New York’s Biedermeier Hotel in the 1960s, where unmarried working class women of all ages live, Christmas means jobs, some more legal than others. Meanwhile, the hotel manager ponders a large phone bill, secretive tenants, and missing jewels.
Sequel alert: Full of period charm and witty narration, this holiday follow-up novella to Women's Hotel will please fans. |
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Folded Corners
by Jean Grainger
What it's about: Knocknashee, County Kerry, Ireland 1941. For twenty-one-year-old Grace Fitzgerald, life is finally looking bright. Orphaned as a child and later struck down by polio, she then endured years of indifference at the hands of her sister Agnes. Now, with Agnes gone, Grace has found love with her husband and peace surrounded by friends in her home village of Knocknashee and in her friendship with the American journalist Richard Lewis. But just as Grace begins to enjoy her freedom, a shadow falls, and her dearest friend Tilly may be entangled in the sinister events unfolding around her.
Series alert: This is the fifth entry in The Knocknashee Story series.
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| Bog Queen by Anna NorthWhat it's about: This immersive dual-timeline novel follows a young druid priestess from two thousand years ago and an American forensic anthropologist, Dr. Agnes Linstom, who’s been called to examine a body found in an English bog. As Agnes battles both a corporation and climate activists for access, the priestess deals with local rivals and an influx of Romans.
Reviewers say: Author Anna North “reaches new heights with this brilliant novel,” raves Publishers Weekly. |
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| The Hitchhikers by Chevy StevensWhat it's about: After a loss, Tom and Alice try to save their marriage and heal by taking an RV trip across Canada in 1976. But giving a ride to a young couple who are far more dangerous than they appear leads to stunning consequences in this gritty, slow-burn historical thriller that’ll please fans of twisty plotting and memorable characters.
For fans of: Simone St. James’ Murder Road. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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