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Historical Fiction September 2026 |
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| The Half Life by Rachel BeanlandIn the 1970s, Eileen O'Malley meets and quickly marries charismatic naval officer Paul Archer. After moving to the tiny Mediterranean island
of La Maddalena, where Paul works aboard a nuclear submarine, Eileen adjusts to life as a navy wife and takes Italian cooking lessons. When she learns of local concerns about possible nuclear contamination, she finds herself divided and her marriage in trouble. You may also like Emily Dunlay's Teddy. |
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| little money in Emma. This debut novel is a darker reimagining of Jane Austen's classic in which Henrietta grows up and learns to ingratiate herself with others in order to survive. Turning into a cunning woman, she presents her public face to the world while sharing her sometimes vengeful thoughts here. This is a great books for fans of immersive novels starring Jane Austen characters. |
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| When Mikan Road Was Ours by D.K. FurutaniReeling from his father's death and his own cancer diagnosis, high school teacher Mr. Murano is in limbo. But everything changes after inheriting his great- uncle Benjiro's unpublished memoir. In this memoir, Murano learns about his Japanese family--from their bucolic farm in 1930s California to their World War II internment and beyond. This is a well-researched debut and a poignant meditation on life and family. |
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| Meet Me in the Garden by Nina LacourIn 1944 New Orleans, 18-year-old Odette from a Creole family, and her cousin Delphine share secrets, including Odette's affair with a woman and Delphine's with a married white man. To avoid Jim Crow, Odette and her sisters move to California. Passing as white, Delphine moves, too, eventually running into Odette. Inspired by the author's Creole family, this novel is "a masterpiece" (Booklist). Read-alikes: Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul; Kin by Tayari Jones. |
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| Runner by Ashton LattimoreIn 1923 Martha's Vineyard, a mysterious shipwreck kills her father and his crew, so Lena Jameson takes over his rum-running business instead of attending college. With help from her brother, her on-and-off boyfriend, and a glamorous young woman with secrets, Lena branches out to Boston and Harlem while also investigating what caused her dad's shipwreck. This book is perfect for fans of suspenseful Prohibition-era novels and atmospheric historical fiction featuring ground-breaking Black women. |
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| Chelsea Girls by Catherine LloydIn 1950s and '60s London, Mary Quant's clothes and her Chelsea boutique are all the rage. Chelsea Girls showcases three (fictional) women who are part of this scene: Chrissie, who met Mary in college
and works at the store; Daphne, a well-to-do debutante turned model; and Fern, a model from a more impoverished background. Read-alikes include Single Girls by John Searles and The Paris Gown by Christine Wells. |
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| The Parisian Heist by Jo PiazzaIn 1996 Paris, American art student Emma cleans the home of Stella Swanson, the widow of a notorious billionaire art dealer. Stella often shares family secrets, which entices Emma to plan an art museum heist. In the other story in 1891, newly widowed Jo van Gogh inherits worthless paintings by brother-in-law Vincent and champions them with help from her new friend Claire. Narrated by Emma and Claire, this atmospheric dual-timeline novel is "a satisfying caper with brains and heart" (Publishers Weekly). For fans of Joan Fernandez's Saving Vincent. |
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| Song for Another Home by Bora Lee ReedAfter China enters the Korean War in 1950, Oksoon, her mother, and her brother flee Pyongyang, even though it's winter. Banding with others, they make their way south to Seoul, where Oksoon hopes to find her father and second brother. Meanwhile, Oksoon's cousin Junho seeks refuge at an orphanage. Junho uses his basic English to write letters asking American missionaries for funding, and he falls in love with an aristocratic woman. For fans of moving debuts exploring resilience, family, and war. You may also like Eve J. Chung's The Young Will Remember. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Forsyth County Public Library
585 Dahlonega Street, Cumming, Georgia 30040
770-781-9840ForsythPL.org |
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