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Historical Fiction May 2026 |
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Inharmonious
by Tammye Huf
A compelling love story--inspired by the author's own family history--set in the segregated South during and after World War II, perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah's The Women and Brit Bennett's The Vanishing Half.When three young Black men enlist in the US Army hoping to serve their country with honor, their lives are forever changed.When Pearl Harbor is attacked in 1941, Cora's brother, Benny, rushes to enlist against the wishes of Cora and their mother. Able to pass as white due to his pale skin and light eyes, Benny reports for duty only to realize he's been mistakenly enlisted as a white man in a racially segregated military.Lee has been friends with Benny ever since he was a troubled teenager, and he's been sweet on Cora for nearly as long. When Lee enlists without telling Cora, she is heartbroken and feels betrayed by the man she expected to spend the rest of her life with.Meanwhile, family friend Roscoe, encouraged by Benny, offers to marry Cora in order to ensure that she and her mother--who both remain home--will be provided for should Benny not make it back.Benny does return, but his new white identity leaves him struggling to find his place in between, in a country that only sees race. As America promises postwar prosperity to white veterans through the GI Bill, Black soldiers are excluded.While the war may be over, the fight has only just begun for Cora, Lee, Benny, and Roscoe.
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Death in the Palace
by Barbara Hambly
A proposal to die for . . . British widow Emma Blackstone gets mixed up in murder once again in this stunning 1920s historical mystery featuring New York high society, mobsters, and silent-movie stars! November, 1924. Beautiful silent-movie star Camille de la Rose--Kitty, to her adoring fans--is amused to receive an unusual proposal from an extremely rich stranger. Clark Dexter offers her $50,000 if she will marry and then divorce him. Young British widow Emma Blackstone, Kitty's dog walker, companion, and dearest friend, is determined to talk her employer out of it. Emma might have been living in the topsy-turvy world of Hollywood for a year now, but she knows a bad idea when she hears one. There are disturbing rumors about Mr. Dexter. And when the source of the rumors is found dead in mysterious circumstances, Emma soon finds herself plunged into a disturbing investigation that sees her mixing with New York's high society, mobsters, and movie stars . . . and a ruthless killer, who'll stop at nothing to see their evil plan through. New York Times bestselling author Barbara Hambly brings the glamor, intrigue, and dark side of Hollywood to life in the Silver Screen Mysteries--a perfect choice for fans of female-fronted historical mysteries set in the roaring twenties.
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Burn Down Master's House
by Clay Cane
Inspired by true, long-buried stories of enslaved people who dared to fight back, a searing portrayal of resistance for readers of Colson Whitehead, Jesmyn Ward, and Percival Everett, from Clay Cane, award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author of The Grift. INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY BESTSELLER As turmoil simmers within a divided nation, smoke from another blaze begins to rise. Sparked by individual acts of resistance among those enslaved across the American South, their seemingly disparate rebellions fuel a singular inferno of justice, connecting them in ways quiet at times, explosive at others. As these flames rise, so will they. Luke, quick-witted and literate, and Henri, a man with a strong and defiant spirit, forge an unbreakable bond at a Virginia plantation called Magnolia Row. Both seek escape from unimaginable cruelty. And sure as the fires of hell, Luke and Henri will leave their mark, sparking resistance among the lives they touch... One is Josephine, a young, sharp, and observant girl who wields silence as her greatest weapon. A witness to Luke and Henri's resilience, she listens, watches, waits for the moment to make her move. Then there is Charity Butler, her husband a formerly enslaved man who proved his ferocity as a young boy standing alongside Josephine. At his encouragement, Charity fights for her freedom in court and wins - only to battle a deeply unjust system designed to destroy the life they've built. And finally, there is Nathaniel, who ruthlessly exploits other Black people and mirrors the cruelty of the white men who, like him, are enslavers. A perversion of the system of slavery, his fragile and contradictory rule will become a catalyst of its own. Inspired by the true stories of the profoundly courageous men and women who dared to fight back, Burn Down Master's House is a singular tour de force of a novel--breathtaking in scope, compassion, and a timeliness that speaks powerfully to our present era.
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Crown City
by Naomi Hirahara
Pasadena, 1903: Eighteen-year-old Ryunosuke Ryui Wada staggers off the boat from Yokohama, Japan, ready to reinvent himself after the untimely deaths of his parents. Though battling loneliness and culture shock, Ryui does his best to settle into his work as an art dealer's apprentice while adjusting to his new home. From his enigmatic photographer roommate, Jack, to the beautiful seamstress living downstairs, Ryui finds himself surrounded by colorful characters and unbelievable opportunities and is soon utterly swept up in all Crown City has to offer. But tensions are seething under Pasadena's bustling prosperity. Ryui is the victim of an anti-Japanese attack, and a painting is stolen from the studio of Toshio Aoki, Pasadena's most successful Japanese artist, who then hires Ryui and Jack to investigate. It's not long before their sleuthing leads them into real danger. Ryui is a naive young man in a foreign country-has he bitten off more than he can chew? In this fish-out-of-water mystery, studded with cameos by real historical figures, Edgar Award-winner Naomi Hirahara brings to life a fascinating slice of California history-- Provided by publisher.
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| I Hope You Find What You're Looking for by Bsrat MezghebeFlashing back to pivotal 1970s events, this thoughtful novel explores the lives of Eritrean immigrants in 1991 Alexandria, Virginia. Widowed ex-rebel fighter Elsa and her 13-year-old daughter, Lydia, host a newly arrived teenaged cousin, and he pushes Lydia learn more about her dad, who died fighting for independence. Meanwhile, an older relative ponders her last chance at marriage. For fans of: moving immigrant stories; One Blood by Denene Millner. |
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Sacred Light
by Kathryn Lasky
Under the spellbinding stars of the New Mexico desert, a bloodied axe carves through the night--its story buried in silence and sand . . . New Mexico, 1937. Painter Georgia O'Keeffe is excited for her trip to the intriguing wilderness of the Bisti Badlands--a common site for archaeological excavations, it's a historical place with enchanting desertscapes but also perilous natural structures. Her trip is overshadowed by the sad news of her friend and native Juan Nez going missing. No one knows where he is, and it's unlikely he's gotten lost. He knows these lands like the back of his hand. Has something happened to him and, if so, was it an accident, or has a horrible crime taken place? Trying to make sense of the situation, Georgia seeks solace in her art, but soon comes face-to-face with a dangerous reality and an even deadlier disaster . . . For fans of Stephanie Barron, Nicola Upson, and Bella Ellis. A compelling mystery (Booklist on A Slant of Light) featuring real-life painter Georgia O'Keeffe.
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| Evil Genius by Claire OshetskyIn 1970s San Francisco, 19-year-old Celia works at the telephone company, where an adulterous coworker has been murdered by her husband. Unhappily married to a controlling man 11 years her senior, Celia finds the sex and violence of the story tantalizing, and begins to dream of freedom and killing her spouse in this slightly surreal and darkly humorous novel. Try this next: Alex Kadis' Big Nobody. |
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The Widow Hamilton: An Eliza Hamilton Mystery
by Mollie Ann Cox
The widow of Alexander Hamilton faces another mystery in the second Eliza Hamilton mystery, perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn. It's December 1805, and Eliza Hamilton is determined to seek justice. One young woman is dead, another has vanished--both residents of a house where Eliza's friend, Alice, lives among other craftswomen struggling to survive in a city unforgiving toward widows and orphans. With no help from the constabulary because the young woman's body was found in a bad part of town-and was dressed as a man-Eliza vows to protect the women and uncover the truth. She suspects a connection between the death and the disappearance, especially given that the young lady who disappeared went missing while searching for the woman who was later found dead. As Eliza traces their last known steps, she unearths a hidden world of dangerous secrets lurking beneath the city--secrets that could tear apart everything she holds dear. This pulse-racing historical mystery will intrigue and delight anyone fascinated by the Founding Fathers and feminist history.
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Red River Rose
by Carole Lindstrom
This adventurous historical novel by bestselling author of We Are Water Protectors Carole Lindstrom offers readers a dramatic portrayal of a young Métis girl who takes a stand to protect her way of life. Perfect for fans of Linda Sue Park and Pam Muñoz Ryan.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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