Historical Fiction
February 2024

Recent Releases
The Storm We Made
by Vanessa Chan

Sick of British rule over Malaya (now Malaysia), local housewife Cecily Alcantara agrees to work as a spy after a charismatic Japanese general makes the case for "Asia for Asians." A decade later and under Axis occupation, Cecily and her family must face the unanticipated consequences of her actions.
You Dreamed of Empires
by Álvaro Enrigue

Told from multiple perspectives, this is an unconventional, metafictional inside look at Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire, at the arrival of the conquistador Hernán Cortés. With Moctezuma spiraling, local nobles fall to infighting and splinter into factions at a time when they'll need unity more than ever before.
Diva
by Daisy Goodwin

Diva is a well-researched and richly detailed fictionalized account of the complex, scandalous extramarital affair between shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis and legendary opera singer Maria Callas. For fans of: An Unofficial Marriage by Joie Davidow.
Goldenseal
by Maria Hummel

After decades of estrangement from each other, former best friends Lacey and Edith examine their relationship, which dates back to the summer camp they met at in the 1930s. Over the course of a tense and revealing dinner, the two women confront the things that drove them apart and what they find left in the ruins of their friendship.
Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen
by Sarah James

Aspiring screenwriter Annie Laurence has just volunteered to work at the famous Hollywood Canteen, which offered free food and entertainment to the troops during World War II. What started as a way to make industry connections turns into a murder mystery with the death of a gossip columnist, but lucky for her, murder mysteries are Annie's speciality.
Cold Victory
by Karl Marlantes

From the author of Matterhorn comes a suspenseful and character-driven story of early Cold War tension. In 1947 Finland, two drunken diplomats (one American, one Russian) one-up each other into cross-country skiing race while their wives, who are ostensibly united raising money for an orphanage, end up facing off with much higher stakes.
The Curse of Pietro Houdini
by Derek B. Miller

Equal parts heist novel and coming-of-age story, this fast-paced tale of wartime crime follows an Italian teenager named Massimo as the titular artist saves his life, enlists his help hiding priceless art from the Nazis, and entrusts him with smuggling three undiscovered Titian paintings from the abbey at Montecassino to Naples.
Wild and Distant Seas
by Tara Karr Roberts

This lyrical reimagining of Moby Dick turns into a family saga spin-off by centering the life of Evangeline Hussey, who keeps the inn where Ishmael and Queequeg stay before setting off on Ahab's doomed voyage. This brief contact reverberates down the generations, saddling her descendants with their very own white whale to pursue.
The Lost Van Gogh
by Jonathan Santlofer

In the parallel timelines of this sequel to The Last Mona Lisa, an art historian's recently acquired painting hides what might be a missing Van Gogh self-portrait while during World War II while the French Resistance races to disperse and conceal priceless works of art as the Nazis take over Paris.
Good Taste
by Caroline Scott

Seeking an escape from her personal problems and a recipe rut, food writer Stella Douglas sets off on a journey across England during the Great Depression. Her mission: map the food history of the nation and discover the quintessential English recipe. Along the way she'll have the chance to find love, adventure, and most importantly, herself.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Sonoma County Library
707-545-0831www.sonomalibrary.org