Monday, September 14, 2026

This month’s best new historical fiction

 
Readworthy by BookBub
This Month’s Best New Historical Fiction
 
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Book cover for The Library of Leaving by Emily Dunlay
A librarian reckons with her past in this ‘carefully crafted historical puzzle’ (Kirkus Reviews)
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • When Helen, an American expat in Switzerland, receives a package from an ex-lover, she must confront the choices she made during World War I
  • “A top-notch escape into an alluring era” (Matthew Pearl, author of The Dante Club)
  • “Holds its own against the masters of the literary espionage novel, as intricate in its cat-and-mouse intrigue as any le CarrĂ© thriller” (Booklist starred review)
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Media mentions for The Library of Leaving by Emily Dunlay MEDIA MENTIONS: Parade, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist
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Book cover for The Oxford Guide to Scandal & Lies by Kate Westbury
After World War II, two Oxford students are recruited as secret agents for the Crown
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • A “cracking good” read (Kirkus Reviews) set in 1950s England
  • Undergraduates Gin and Sidney must unite for a common goal: find the dangerous informant hiding at their university
  • “Ginevra and Sidney are some of the most likable characters I’ve met in a long time” (Kristen Perrin, author of the Castle Knoll Files series)
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Media mentions for The Oxford Guide to Scandal & Lies by Kate Westbury MEDIA MENTIONS: Indie Next List, Library Reads, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, BookPage
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Book cover for Library of Forbidden Books by Mario Escobar
In Nazi Germany, a brave librarian risks everything to protect banned books
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • Can Helene collect and hide the books targeted for public burning by Hitler’s regime?
  • The USA Today bestselling author of Auschwitz Lullaby “crafts a beautiful story about the power of literature to resist oppression” (Vanessa Miller)
  • A powerful novel inspired by true events
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Book cover for The Lost Perfumes of Paris by Christine Wells
‘As impeccably crafted as a Dior gown… Pure reading bliss’ (Library Journal)
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • To follow in her legendary late mother’s footsteps, Elodie sets out to win a highly competitive perfume contest — but betrayal and sabotage will threaten her dreams…
  • Rave reviews from Kerri Maher, Stephanie Marie Thornton, and Natasha Lester, who calls it “a glorious showstopper of a novel”
  • “Wells excels at bringing mid 20th-century Paris to life” (Booklist)
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Media mentions for The Lost Perfumes of Paris by Christine Wells MEDIA MENTIONS: People, Library Journal, Booklist
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Book cover for Agrippa by Robert Harris
Ancient Rome comes to vivid life in this page-turner that’s ‘rich with historical detail’ (BookPage)
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • One of the most anticipated books of the year, according to The New York Times
  • While writing his memoirs, Agrippa reflects on his long, life-changing friendship with Octavius, Caesar’s cunning nephew who became Empreror Augustus
  • “You’re transported into the period, the room, and the intrigue. I gobbled up its nearly 400 pages in no time” (Irish Independent)
Learn more...
Media mentions for Agrippa by Robert Harris MEDIA MENTIONS: The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Guardian, The Times, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, BookPage
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Book cover for The Chinese Lady by Bo Wang
‘Wang’s fresh voice offers a glimpse into a forgotten woman of history’ (Library Journal)
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • In 1834, Afong Moy is put on display as part of a cruel live exhibit of the first known Chinese woman in the United States
  • Follow Afong’s journey from New York to San Francisco as she fights to define her own story in this “exceptional” and “exquisitely written” novel (Jennifer Chiaverini) based on true events
  • “Poignant and luminous… I will be recommending this phenomenal debut to everyone” (Marjan Kamali, author of The Lion Women of Tehran)
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Media mentions for The Chinese Lady by Bo Wang MEDIA MENTIONS: Library Journal, Booklist, Literary Hub
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Book cover for The Barman of the Ritz by Philippe Collin
As Nazis gather around him, a bartender in Paris hides a deadly secret
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • In 1940, Frank Meier must keep his Jewish identity hidden — while rooting out intel that could keep him and his loved ones alive
  • Inspired by a true story, “this satisfying novel honors the memory of Meier and other brave Parisians who opposed Nazi rule” (Publishers Weekly)
  • A “riveting account” that “conjures the escalating tension, perils, and absurdities of the world at war from inside the Ritz Hotel” (Booklist starred review)
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Media mentions for The Barman of the Ritz by Philippe Collin MEDIA MENTIONS: The New Yorker, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Elle, Bloomberg Businessweek, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Literary Hub
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Book cover for The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon
A dazzling high-seas adventure inspired by 16th-century Irish folklore
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • The New York Times bestselling author of The Frozen River pens a “heroic, exciting, and stormy voyage” (Kirkus Reviews)
  • Follow Grace O’Malley through her epic transformation from a chieftain’s dutiful daughter to a fearless sea captain
  • “Bold and daring, it’s a thrill-a-minute adventure with an absolute badass at the helm” (Real Simple)
Learn more...
Media mentions for The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon MEDIA MENTIONS: Book of the Month, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, Real Simple, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist
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Book cover for The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman
September’s Read with Jenna pick is ‘enrapturing, illuminating, and slyly relevant’ (Booklist)
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • The beloved author of Practical Magic and The World That We Knew “proves she’s still capable of magic” (Publishers Weekly)
  • In 1950s Massachusetts, college students Ava and Lauren are drawn into a secret organization of witches — and find their bond tested as they confront the group’s legacy
  • “I loved watching these characters fight for every hard-won moment of love and redemption. Utterly spellbinding” (Leigh Bardugo)
Learn more...
Media mentions for The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman MEDIA MENTIONS: TODAY Book Club/Read with Jenna, Book of the Month, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, People, Vanity Fair, The Boston Globe, Smart Bitches Trashy Books, Reactor, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Literary Hub
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Book cover for The Woman Who Had Everything by Stephen Greco
During one fateful summer in Italy, Elizabeth Taylor finds her legacy transformed
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • In 1967, Elizabeth’s fame reaches new heights — but behind the scenes, everything is falling apart…
  • Discover the life of an international icon in this “richly atmospheric” biographical novel (Kim van Alkemade)
  • From an author whose books are “fascinating and effervescent” (Natalie Jenner)
Learn more...
Media mentions for The Woman Who Had Everything by Stephen Greco MEDIA MENTION: Literary Hub
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Book cover for Fallen for France by Elizabeth Letts
‘Prepare to be swept away’ (Susan Meissner) by this dazzling World War I tale
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • A Moroccan boy, a young French woman, and a hardened Englishman find their lives transformed by one incredible horse
  • A #1 New York Times bestselling author “explores the connections we can forge unexpectedly with animals and one another, against all odds” (Kim Michele Richardson)
  • Take it from Helen Simonson: ‘“It’s richly immersive and a splendid read. I could not put it down”
Learn more...
Media mentions for Fallen for France by Elizabeth Letts MEDIA MENTIONS: Booklist, Literary Hub
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Your ebook bargains for Monday

 
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Your Ebook Deals
 
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The Bones Beneath My Skin
The Bones Beneath My Skin
By TJ Klune
An instant New York Times bestseller from the author of The House in the Cerulean Sea: Looking for a sense of purpose, Nate retreats to his family’s cabin. But there, he discovers a unique young girl and her guardian — and is launched on a quest to protect her… “Heartwarming” (The New York Times).
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Caledonian Road
Caledonian Road
By Andrew O’Hagan
“An absolute joy to read” and “impossible to put down” (Bloomberg): Over the course of one year in London, the lives of five families intertwine as their fortunes rise and fall… “I was totally blown away by Caledonian Road — it is a towering accomplishment” (Douglas Stuart, author of Shuggie Bain).
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The Boleyn Secret
The Boleyn Secret
By Alison Weir
From a New York Times bestselling author: In King Henry VIII’s court, young Katherine bonds with her cousin Elizabeth, daughter of Anne Boleyn. Now, Elizabeth is queen — and Katherine must confront the secret her family has been keeping for years… A “simply unmissable” recent release (New York Times bestselling author Tracy Borman).
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Swift River
Swift River
By Essie Chambers
This Read with Jenna Book Club pick and NPR Best Book of 2024 is “a rare and rewarding thing: a fast-moving novel that you want to slow down and savor” (The Washington Post). After receiving a letter from a relative she’s never met, Diamond starts to piece together her family’s buried history…
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Slaves in the Family
Slaves in the Family
By Edward Ball
From a National Book Award–winning, New York Times bestselling author: In this unflinching look at one family’s slaveholding past, a descendant of powerful Southern plantation owners seeks out the modern-day relatives of the people his ancestors enslaved. “Magnificent” (#1 New York Times bestselling author Pat Conroy).
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True Believer
True Believer
By Nicholas Sparks
From a #1 New York Times bestselling author: In a quiet North Carolina town, librarian Lexie — the granddaughter of the local psychic — finds her life transformed by the arrival of newcomer Jeremy, a science journalist… “Poignant, intimate, and hopeful, this is a novel to read, treasure, and share” (Library Journal).
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The Chancellor
The Chancellor
By Kati Marton
This “compelling and memorable” New York Times Notable Book (Jon Meacham) traces the unlikely rise and eventful chancellorship of German stateswoman Angela Merkel. “An intimate, insightful portrait of an extraordinarily private leader” (Walter Isaacson), with over 3,700 five-star ratings on Goodreads.
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Who Are You?
Who Are You?
By R.T. Lund
A city council leader is dead. Now, Minneapolis detective Lincoln Barnes must find her killer — who may be closer than she realizes… “Lund has created a fantastic mystery that has thrilling plot twists and a standout cast” (Kirkus Reviews).
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Trust Me on This
Trust Me on This
By Donald E. Westlake
From an Edgar Award–winning author who “has no peer in the realm of comic mystery novelists” (San Francisco Chronicle): Young reporter Sara Joslyn encounters her first dead body before she even arrives at the desk of her new job… “Another offbeat story… in [Westlake’s] inimitably satiric, irresistible style” (Publishers Weekly).
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Shadow Chasers
Shadow Chasers
By S J Richards
In this atmospheric crime novel, ex-DCI Luke Sackville sends his team undercover on a reality TV competition where contestants chase historical mysteries for a £2 million prize. When someone turns up dead, Luke must uncover the murderer hiding among the contestants — before the cameras stop rolling and a killer claims the crown.
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Confiscated Conception
Confiscated Conception
By Delores Fossen
From a USA Today bestselling author: To keep Rachel from testifying against her former boss, one of her frozen embryos is stolen and delivered via surrogate. Now Rachel and her estranged husband, police lieutenant Jared, must rescue their baby before it’s too late.
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