Historical Fiction

Humble layman Will Bowman lives in the countryside with his pregnant wife, when soldiers from Richard Lionheart's army tear through his home. Will is beaten unconscious, and awakes to find his wife murdered, his farm burnt down, and his life forever changed. In vengeance, Will infiltrates Richard's army to find the marauding gang, and finds himself swept along in the march of the Crusades. With the help of new allies and fuelled by his loss, Will crosses Europe with the King's army.

May 1941. One of the senior choristers of St Paul's Cathedral choir, Dr Edwin Roberts, is found beaten to death in the crypt of the Cathedral. Coburg and Lampson are called in to investigate, and when they get there, Coburg is pleasantly surprised to be greeted there by Arthur Waterson, now sporting a dog collar, someone he was at Eton with many years before. Waterson believes that there may be a connection between the very precious books that are houses in the Crypt and Dr Roberts' work at Bletchley Park.

It is Christmas Eve 1932, and the Kluger family are celebrating at home. Their only daughter Lexa is excited about her upcoming summer wedding to Moritz Weissmann, a promising young doctor. Lexa has many admirers, but her heart belongs to Moritz, who is initially welcomed by her parents and two brothers, Helmy and Erich. As the year progresses, Lexa enjoys skiing, swimming and going to parties with Moritz and her friends. But little by little Moritz is excluded from the pool, the library, and eventually his own home.

Princess Grace of Monaco has invited the world-famous Forsyth Variety Company to perform at her annual high society ball. Monaco is in the heat of its preparations for the Grand Prix when the Forsyth family makes their emotional return to the city, stirring up painful memories for father Ed Forsyth. When daughter Evie Forsyth meets Formula 1 driver Charles, their chemistry is unforgettable and a passionate affair begins. Meanwhile her brother Cal Forsyth is on location with Hollywood's biggest star, his new glittering career shaken by the arrival of a stranger from his past.

In 1218 an extraordinary princess is born. Her mystical powers and unquenchable spirit will alter the course of history. Raised by her fiercely Welsh nurse to support the Celtic cause against the predatory English king, Princess Eleyne is taught to worship the old gods and to look into the future and the past. However, unable to identify time and place in her terrifying visions, she is powerless to avert forthcoming tragedy.

Der zweite Roman von Lucinda Riley, den sie mit 26 Jahren verfasste – erstmals auf Deutsch erhältlich. Leah Thompson wächst in den 1970er Jahren in einfachen Verhältnissen im ländlichen Yorkshire heran. Niemand kann ahnen, dass sie eines Tages die Laufstege dieser Welt im Sturm erobern wird. Aber die schicksalshafte Verbindung mit der Familie Delancey bestimmt ihr Leben – und zieht sie in einen Strudel von Ereignissen, der im Zweiten Weltkrieg seinen Ausgang nahm und in einer längst vergessenen Prophezeiung aus der Vergangenheit endet.

Lady Jennifer Sinclair is halfway through her second season and thoroughly disillusioned with the marriage mart. After one discretion too many, the headstrong only daughter of the powerful Duke of Blackmore finds herself on the way to Scotland in the company of her older brother Peter who’s been tasked by his father to inspect the family estate north of the border. Once at Caerlaverock, the Duke’s estate on the shores of Loch Lomond, Jennifer is surprised to discover an unexpected sense of peace. But that peace is not to last…

Widely considered as one of the finest historical novelists of the 20th century, Mary Renault brought the ancient world alive, turning age-old myths of gods and monsters into compelling human stories. In The King Must Die and its sequel, The Bull from the Sea, she retells the legend of Theseus, one of the greatest heroes of Ancient Greece.

After a family tragedy and a broken engagement dramatically alter her circumstances, Lady Elizabeth Ingham seeks employment by training to be a nanny. Known only as Lizzie, she secures a post at Alstone-in-the-Dale Manor to care for a four-year-old boy, Charlie, who badly needs her kindness and understanding. When Lizzie arrives at the manor, she is appalled at Charlie’s condition. He is a little wild thing; his hair is a tangled mass of ringlets, and he does not speak but screams and kicks most of the time. The family and staff are at their wits’ end and no one expects Lizzie to stay.

When Charlemagne the Holy Roman Emperor declares war on the pagans of Denmark, Pomerania and the Baltic lands, he is unaware of the true might of the storm he is about to unleash. Meanwhile, in a small fjord in the north of Norway, a young Norse warrior is about to embark on a journey that will take him far to the south, beyond the land of the Angles and the Franks.

1346. France. King Edward III is restless. Despite earlier victories the French crown remains intact. Determined to bring France under his own rule, Edward has devised a new plan of attack – one which he believes will finally bring the French army to its knees: a final, cataclysmic battle ... Berenger Fripper, Vintener of a pox-ridden mob of sixteen who make up the Vintaine of Sir John de Sully, storms the beaches of Normandy to bring victory to their king. But the French are nowhere to be seen…

At eighteen, Emmeline Ballentine’s father splashed out on one London season to introduce his daughter to polite society. Sadly, for Emmeline, polite society was not terribly receptive to a city trader’s daughter. She only ever caught one gentleman’s fancy, the dishonorable Jeremy Vance who made her head spin as he singled her out for attention at the balls and assemblies. Her worldly chaperone warned her he was making a May game of her, but Emmeline had not heeded her warning. Consequently, her dreams were dashed, when at the close of the season, Jeremy announced his engagement to another.

The search for his missing son takes Joseph Radcliffe from the streets of Dublin, smouldering with rebellion, to the trackless veld of South Africa and the bloody brutality of the Anglo-Boer War. As a former cavalryman in the US army, Radcliffe is no stranger to war, but 800 miles north of Cape Town, under fire from Boer commandos and distrusted by the British forces, he will find his survival skills tested to the hilt. The Last Horseman is an epic tale of heroism and treachery, love and loyalty, set against the backdrop of a conflict that shook an empire to its core.

Her head buzzed with long-forgotten memories, fleeting images that flickered in and out of her mind. Nothing tangible, and not a single one fully formed, but teasing and tantalising, as if they wanted to surface but didn't know how. AD 80. Duro of the Iceni tribe escaped life as an enslaved gladiator and is now finally home in Britannia with one thing on his mind: vengeance. For 20 years he has sought the Roman legionary who destroyed his family. What he didn't expect was Gisel: a fierce Germanic woman with long white-blonde hair, forced into slavery by the Romans.

In this Austenesque Adventure, the courtships of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, as well as Mr. Bingley and Jane Bennet, begin the day after the Netherfield Ball. A new sense of understanding between the couples paves the way for early declarations of affection, setting them on the path to happiness sooner than expected. However, as romance blossoms, unexpected family matters take center stage. Lady Catherine de Bourgh, known for her imperious nature, is suddenly redeemed in the eyes of her family when it is revealed that she is gravely ill.

Lady Vivienne Harlowe doesn't fear much, and delves into life's experiences head on. But for years she's been plagued by the unsolved murders of her parents and the strange disappearance of other family members. Now, in the face of a new tragedy, she vows to follow every twist and turn until she's solved the dark deeds at Mablethorpe Castle.

Sara Schönflies, a young Jewish woman from a line of gifted tailors and seamstresses, finds her world shattered by the rise of the Nazi regime. When Sara and her sisters are transferred to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, their talent becomes a lifeline. Their survival hinges on sewing beautiful dresses for the wives of SS officers and Nazi dignitaries. Amidst the horrors and suffering, Sara's determination, her sisters' unwavering courage, unyielding defiance, and the unexpected friendship with a member of the Sonderkommando become beacons of hope.

1914: Anticipating a long summer of freedom at her friend's family estate in Cambridge, Grace Villiers is disappointed by an unexpected addition to their party. Then the new arrival offers to teach Grace to swim, and she is forced to see there is more to Algernon Lake than his reputation. But, with war brewing across Europe, this will be a summer that changes everything.

It's 1973 and Mona Glass is a 24-year-old amateur tennis star in a long-running affair with Saul Plotz, her former college professor. Her parents like Saul and desperately want the free-spirited Mona to marry. But 34-year-old Saul already has a wife and two children. One day, Saul happens on an idea: stage a fake wedding for the benefit of her old world parents, invite a few friends in on the joke, and go about their lives. The ruse works. Except Saul realizes he actually wants to marry Mona, who vows never to permanently tie herself to a man.

Aleksi, the charming and charismatic god of love, is dying. But nothing can stop the Lover from completing his final quest: a dangerous diplomatic visit to a former adversary. Setting sail for a mystical kingdom of ice, Aleksi is joined by Einar the Kraken, infamous pirate lord, and Naia, a sweet young water nymph. Intoxicated by the pair’s electric connection, Aleksi vows to enjoy his last days by playing matchmaker, pushing away his own desires for the sake of theirs. But he’s unexpectedly caught up in a raging game of seduction.

Majestically it rose from the icy waters, the gateway to the awesome wilderness of Alaska. Sitka drew all brand of adventurers, con men, criminals, and pioneers—men such as trail-tough, battle-hardened Jean LaBarge. He left the swamps of the Susquehanna behind for the rugged beauty—and deadly challenges—of this frozen frontier. But the empire-hungry Russians had already established a foothold in Sitka and they wouldn’t give it up without a fierce and treacherous struggle that stretched from San Francisco to the palaces of St. Petersburg.

"Good men are scarce—but there are fools aplenty," Colonel Fitzwilliam declares during an impromptu stroll through Rosings Park. Elizabeth's recent experiences with Mr. Darcy have confirmed her belief that good men are very scarce indeed, so imagine her shock when she discovers that the colonel is speaking about Mr. Bingley.

Wetion is an imaginative tale about the importance of communication in our survival. From the time of Adam and Eve, the storyline describes the defining moments of 2,000 generations since. Listeners will experience early Africa, ancient Babylonia, Europe’s coming of age, and the allure of early America. Come ponder the history of writing and its role in the making of laws, lore, class, and cures—enlighten it will!

It is the sixth century. The Romans have been gone for over 100 years, and Britannia is sinking into darkness. Kingdoms clash, and invaders flood the shores – the Jutes, the Angles, and now the bloodthirsty Saxons. Only Uther Pendragon has kept the West safe, defying, too, the rising tide of Christianity. But now, Uther is dead. And if the West falls, all of Britannia will follow. Deep in a secluded valley, hidden from the world, Arthur and Morgan have grown to adulthood under the care of their foster parents.

Arkady Kirsanov is due to move back home after attending university, much to his father’s delight. He also brings with him a close friend, Eugene Barazov, who Arkady’s father warmly receives. But before long, tensions begin to rise in the household: Arkady and Eugene’s philosophies – promoting concepts such as nihilism – are beginning to make Arkady’s father uneasy. Their views are too radical – and they reject the traditional Russian life Arkady’s father so carefully created for himself and the family.

Última rainha de Portugal, D. Amélia viveu durante 24 anos num país que amou como seu, apesar de nele ter deixado enterrados uma filha prematura que morreu à nascença, o seu primogénito D. Luís Filipe, herdeiro do trono, e o marido D. Carlos assassinados em pleno Terreiro do Paço a tiro de carabina e pistola.

Com 23 anos, a infanta Catarina de Bragança, filha de D. Luísa de Gusmão e de D. João IV, deixou para trás tudo o que lhe era querido e próximo para navegar rumo a uma vida nova. No coração, um misto de tristeza e alegria. Saudades da sua Lisboa, de Vila Viçosa, do cheiro a laranjas, dos seus irmãos que já haviam partido deste mundo e dos que ficavam em Portugal a lutar pelo poder. Mas os seus olhos escuros deixavam perceber o entusiasmo pelo casamento com o homem dos seus sonhos, Charles de Inglaterra, um príncipe encantado que Catarina amava perdidamente ainda antes de o conhecer.

口入屋『佐賀屋』の主夫婦が惨殺された。死体は何かに驚いたまま死んだようだった。北町奉行所定町廻り同心の木暮信次郎は岡っ引きの伊佐治に命じて事件の謎を追わせる。

小間物問屋〈遠野屋〉の元番頭が亡くなった。その死を悼む主の清之介は、火事で焼けた仕舞屋で見つかった若い女が殺されていたと報される。

北町奉行所定町廻り同心、木暮信次郎が腹を刺された。信次郎から手札を預かる岡っ引の伊佐治、信次郎と旧知の小間物問屋・遠野屋清之介に衝撃が走る。襲った男は遺体で大川に上がる。

「きやぁぁっ」老舗の油問屋で悲鳴が上がる。大店で知られる東海屋の主が変死した。内儀は、夫の口から牡丹の花弁が零れているのを見て失神し、女中と手代は幽霊を見たと証言した。

牢屋敷の首打役と刀の試し斬り御用を生業にする浪人、別所龍玄。ときに切腹の介錯を務めることもある。ある日首を打った僧侶の末期の声を聞いた龍玄は、幼い頃父親と訪ねた母子の店のことを思い出す（「妻恋坂」）。

幕末から維新、明治と激動の時代の外交を料理で支えた男がいた――長崎生まれの料理人・草野丈吉で、店の名は「自由亭」。

シリーズ化も決定！　西條奈加の〈ど真ん中〉傑作人情時代小説

葉茶屋・青陽堂の嫁として初めての新年を迎えた律。若おかみの務めと上絵師の仕事――その両立に励む折り、懐妊の兆しに気づく。喜びと不安に揺れる律に、女形の役者から着物の仕事が舞い込んだ。

辻斬りで母を亡くし、上絵師の父も失意のうちに死んだ。律は、幼い弟のためにも、父の跡を継ぎ、布に家紋や絵を描く上絵師としての独り立ちを目指していた。

父の跡を継ぎ、上絵師として身を立てたい律だが、ままならず落ち込むことも多い。幼馴染みの涼太への想いも、深く胸に秘めるばかりだ。しかし副業の似面絵の評判は上々で、引きも切らず注文が舞い込んでいた。