5 Inspiring Books for Those Who Love Historical Dramas
Can’t get enough of shows like Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife, and Mr. Selfridge? Do you enjoy immersing yourself in the worlds of times gone by; historical periods filled with big dresses, big battles, and even bigger characters?
In that case, we have gathered a list of 5 fantastic historical novels that you will (most likely) enjoy. Whether you’re into sweeping generational sagas, epic war and post-war stories, novels featuring dashing aristocrats or tales set in small villages with big secrets, there’s something for every historical fiction fan here.
- From the author of the debut novel The Nostradamus Prophecies sold in 38 countries – The Occupation Secret by Mario Reading
- With 644 romance books with worldwide sales of over 1 billion copies – The Earl in Peril by Barbara Cartland
- Adapted for television by BBC three times, and the latest version from 2007 featured Dame Judy Dench and Dame Eileen Atkins – Cranford by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
See the full list of metadata by downloading below.
A powerful, posthumous novel from bestselling author Mario Reading
Relegated to an isolated provincial town in France after years spent fighting on the Eastern Front, German commander Maximilian von Aschau finds an unexpected distraction in the form of beautiful and reserved Lucie Léré.
He’s seen every horror of the human experience. She’s never left her village. Opposites in every way, Max and Lucie manage to find common ground. But love is the most dangerous element of war. It makes you vulnerable… and careless.
With the Allied invasion imminent and tensions high, Max and Lucie will have to turn their backs on everything they’ve known and anyone they once trusted in order to protect their secret – and their lives.
A poignant, spellbinding historical novel of love and war, set against the backdrop of World War 2 Germany, that will appeal to fans of Anthony Doerr, Otto B Kraus, and Heather Morris.
Assassination plots, inherited estates, and witty ploys abound in this Victorian and historical love story
Lorena Conway has devoted most of her life to being a secretary to her father, the noted historian, Sir Arthur who suddenly dies and leaves Lorena with too little money to maintain her lavish childhood home.
Wondering how she will ever survive, Lorena overhears a friend of her neighbor plotting to kill the Earl of Bramfield, who has recently and unexpectedly inherited from his father and whose vast estates lie near her home. Lorena knows that she must try to warn the Earl of the peril he is in and sets out to inform him.
When his elder brother died, the new Earl had to give up an Army career and return home. Now having inherited the title and estates, he is finding it difficult to adjust to his new position. He welcomes Lorena and listens to her tale, but cannot accept that his life is in danger and will heed her warning no further.
However, once acquainted with her own plight, the Earl offers Lorena a temporary job whereby utilising her secretarial skills she may aid him in sorting out his own disorganised office.
It’s not long before the Earl realises that the danger to his life is in fact very real indeed and Lorena finds herself having to use all her wits to keep safe the man she rapidly becomes attracted to in a way that she never expected. When the Earl’s younger brother, the Honourable Andrew, arrives home, life at Bramfield becomes ever more complicated…and perilous.
When a Scottish village is struck by grief, those left behind must help one another find hope
It is 1881, and when a violent storm devastates the Scottish fishing village of Eyemouth, few families escape unscathed. Newlywed Rosabelle Maltman loses her husband, and her mother-in-law Effie loses her husband and three sons. For these women and their neighbours in the close-knit community, life will never be the same again. Yet as the months pass, the women must learn to look to the future, to live, and to love again.
A dramatic and heart-breaking historical saga based on true events for fans of Ellie Dean, Anna Jacobs, and the Netflix series Outlander.
A captivating foray into the drama of living in a small town in 19th Century England
The humour in ‘Cranford’ (1853) is so sly it can be hard to believe it was written over 150 years ago! Originally published in installments and edited by Charles Dickens, the novel follows a delightful group of women in a small town who are united by all being single, poor, and proud.
Written with acute observation, ‘Cranford’ is in equal parts affectionate, moving and darkly satirical.
The country is in turmoil in this thrilling historical adventure of the English Civil War
It is 1643, and the struggle between Parliament and the King erupts in the West Country, tearing families apart and setting village against village. But for some, this fight is not only about the crown and country: it is far more personal than that. Royalist soldier Hugo Telling wishes Parliamentarian William Sparrow dead. This rivalry will take them across battlefields the breadth of England, and all for the love of a beautiful woman…
An action-packed historical adventure, the first in The Shadow on the Crown series, is perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell.
For more information about these titles, or our full English catalogue contact Nadia on – nadia.lamond@sagaegmont.com or simply book a meeting.
