|
|
|
|
Historical Fiction February 2026 |
|
|
|
| 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. |
|
|
|
The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes
by Chanel Cleeton
A 2025 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee This captivating story is an ode to book lovers --Woman's World A mysterious book with a legacy spanning from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present day unites three women--and their secrets--in this unforgettable novel from New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton. London, 2024: American expat Margo Reynolds is renowned for her talent at sourcing rare antiques for her clients, but she's never had a request quite like this one. She's been hired to find a mysterious book published over a century ago. With a single copy left in existence, it has a storied past shrouded in secrecy--and her client isn't the only person determined to procure it at any cost.Havana, 1966: Librarian Pilar Castillo has devoted her life to books, and in the chaotic days following her husband's unjust imprisonment by Fidel Castro, reading is her only source of solace. So when a neighbor fleeing Cuba asks her to return a valuable book to its rightful owner, Pilar will risk everything to protect the literary work entrusted to her care. It's a dangerous mission that reveals to her the power of one book to change a life.Boston, 1900: For Cuban school teacher and aspiring author Eva Fuentes, traveling from Havana to Harvard to study for the summer is the opportunity of a lifetime. It's a whirlwind adventure that leaves her little time to write, but a moonlit encounter with an enigmatic stranger changes everything. The story that pours out of her is one of forbidden love, secrets, and lies... and though Eva cannot yet see it, the book will be a danger and salvation for the lives it touches.
|
|
| 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. |
|
|
|
Rings of Fate (Standard Edition)
by Melissa de la Cruz
Princess Bride meets The Wheel of Time, in an epic romantasy where a sharp-tongued barmaid and an infuriatingly handsome prince agree to a fake engagement to stop a deadly magical power.
|
|
|
|
Calder Strong
by Janet Dailey
It's 1929 and a rugged new generation is taking the helm of Blue Moon, Montana's most infamous and powerful families. But even as the future burns bright, old rivalries, heartbreaks, buried secrets, and ranching feuds still loom as large as the western sky in a tale perfect for fans of Yellowstone craving western familial sagas. At 25, Joseph Dollarhide is struggling to find his place as the future head of his ranching family. His father, Blake, though disabled in an accident, is as domineering as ever. Joseph's childhood friend, Chase Calder, has inherited the rival Calder operation, and for both young men, longstanding battles over water and grass continue. But there's yet another weight on Joseph's shoulders. Years ago, Joseph abandoned his teenage love, Annabeth, to court glamorous Lucy Merriweather, a seductive trickster. The affair of course imploded, and Annabeth married a farmer, Silas Mosby, and had two children. But now Joseph has spotted Annabeth and her family in town . . . and he has no doubt that her oldest, a boy, is his. Joseph's love for Annabeth never died--and Annabeth, too, still has feelings for him, though they're tainted by anger. Learning that Silas is involved in a bootlegging ring leaves Joseph troubled. Seeking advice, he turns to his natural father, Mason, a reformed bootlegger. They've been estranged, but perhaps that can change. Meanwhile, Joseph feels pressed to start his own family. The town's sweet new schoolteacher seems a perfect match. But as the strain of longstanding feuds persist, and Lucy reappears, flush with stolen money and armed with blackmail, Joseph and some others in Blue Moon will find out just how strong they really are. The epic tale of the settling of the American West comes to vivid life in this inspiring saga of love, hope, and endurance.
|
|
| 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. |
|
| Rules of the Heart by Janice HadlowAt 33, Lady Harriet Bessborough is unhappily married and the mother of four. So when she's pursued by a charming younger man, she begins an affair. This isn't unusual in her circle, but she must follow the rules: don't embarrass your husband, be discrete, and don't fall in love. The affair lasts for years, but Harriet doesn't follow the last rule, resulting in heartbreak. For fans of: well-researched historical novels starring real people; leisurely paced, emotional tales of love. |
|
|
|
A Slow and Secret Poison
by Carmella Lowkis
In the early 1900s, a young gardener at a lush English manor falls in love with her employer whose past is shrouded in deadly secrets--from the author of the twisty, Gothic thriller (Entertainment Weekly) Spitting Gold. 1922, Wiltshire: When Vee Morgan accepts the job of gardener at a crumbling stately home in southwest England, she's hoping it's a fresh start. But Harfold Manor is shadowed by its own grief and the memories of long-faded glory, its rooms haunted by the only surviving member of the family, Lady Arabella Lascy. Vee is fascinated by her enigmatic new employer, a woman obsessed with the curse she believes has killed her family one by one and is coming for her next. Her only hope for escape is a local folktale: the elusive dancing hare that gave her ancestor its blessing and the house its name. But even as Vee falls deeper under the thrall of Harfold and Lady Arabella, her own dark past finally catches up to her in this lush and atmospheric novel.
|
|
|
|
The Infamous Gilberts
by Angela Tomaski
The Remains of the Day meets The Royal Tenenbaums in this darkly funny debut novel about a wealthy, eccentric family in decline and the secrets held within the walls of their crumbling country manor.Thornwalk, a once-stately English manor, is on the brink of transformation. Its keys are being handed over to a luxury hotelier who will undertake a complete renovation--but in doing so, what will they erase? Through the keen eyes of an enigmatic neighbor, the reader is taken on a guided tour into rooms filled with secrets and memories, each revealing the story of the five Gilbert siblings. Spanning the eve of World War II to the early 2000s, this contemporary gothic novel weaves a rich tapestry of English country life. As the story unfolds, the reader is drawn into a world where the echoes of an Edwardian idyll clash with the harsh realities of war, neglect, and changing times. The Gilberts' tale is one of great loves, lofty ambitions, and profound loss, and Angela Tomaski's mordantly witty yet loving account is an immersive experience. Reminiscent of the haunting atmospheres in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca and Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle, The Infamous Gilberts offers a fresh take on a classic genre, capturing the essence of a troubled but fascinating family.
|
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
Michigan City Public Library
100 E. 4th Street
Michigan City, Indiana 46360
219-873-3044mclib.org/ |
|
|
|