Historical Fiction Books

An enchanting mystery kept hidden for hundreds of years... 1700s Rowan Caswell leaves her village to work at the home of an English silk merchant. Very soon, she finds herself thrust into a dangerous world, where her talent for herbs and healing starts to attract unwanted attention. Mary-Louise Stephenson dreams of becoming a silk designer, a path that has remained largely forbidden to women. A length of fabric she weaves with a pattern of deadly flowers will have shocking consequences for all who dwell at the Silk House. Present Day Thea Rust arrives at an exclusive boarding school in the British countryside to look after the first intake of girls in its history. She is to stay with them in the Silk House, a converted silk factory from the 18th century, where the shadows hide secrets waiting to be discovered... Product Information: • ISBN: 9781398700185 • Author: Kayte Nunn • Publisher: Orion • Format: Paperback • Pages: 384 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.6 x 2.6 cm

What will you find from his story? Nuri is a beekeeper, his wife, Afra, an artist. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo - until the unthinkable happens. When all they care for is destroyed by war, they are forced to escape. As Nuri and Afra travel through a broken world, they must confront not only the pain of their own unspeakable loss, but dangers that would overwhelm the bravest of souls. Above all - and perhaps this is the hardest thing they face - they must journey to find each other again. Moving, powerful, compassionate and beautifully written, The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit. Told with deceptive simplicity, it is the kind of book that reminds us of the power of storytelling. Product Information:• ISBN: 9781838770013• Author: Christy Lefteri• Publisher: Manilla Press• Format: Paperback• Pages: 384• Dimensions: 12.9 x 2.8 x 19.8 cm

Two extraordinary people. A love that draws them together. A loss that threatens to tear them apart. On a summer's day in 1596, a young girl in Stratford-upon-Avon takes to her bed with a sudden fever. Her twin brother, Hamnet, searches everywhere for help. Why is nobody at home? Their mother, Agnes, is over a mile away, in the garden where she grows medicinal herbs. Their father is working in London. Neither parent knows that Hamnet will not survive the week. Hamnet is a novel inspired by the son of a famous playwright: a boy whose life has been all but forgotten, but whose name was given to one of the most celebrated plays ever written. ‘The story of Hamnet Shakespeare has been waiting in the shadows for over four hundred years. Maggie O'Farrell brings it dazzlingly, devastatingly, into the light’ – Kamila Shamsie 'A thing of shimmering wonder' – David Mitchel Product Information: • ISBN: 9781472223821 • Author: Maggie O'Farrell • Publisher: Tinder Press • Format: Paperback • Pages: 384 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 3.4 cm

Escape to the ballrooms of Regency London with this beautifully designed boxset of the first four books in the worldwide bestselling Bridgerton series, the inspiration behind the Netflix phenomenon. In this glamorous, witty series, the Bridgertons reign over the Ton, watched (and gossiped about) by a mysterious columnist known only as Lady Whistledown . . . Included in this title: • The Duke & I • The Viscount Who Loved Me • An Offer From a Gentleman • Romancing Mr Bridgerton Product Information: • ISBN: 9780349430188 • Author: Julia Quinn • Publisher: Piatkus • Format: Box Set • Dimensions: 20.2 x 9.8 x 13 cm

As a small child, Nellie Peace was always dreaming but sensed her mother’s rejection. Abandoned and sent into service at Beaumont House at an early age, Nellie is lost and alone until she meets the unpredictable and reclusive artist, Lucas Harrington and falls in love with him. This unlikely association between master and servant is encouraged by Lucas’s gentle natured Aunt Alice as Lucas sees something unusual in Nellie and is compelled to paint her. Broken promises lead to inevitable heartbreak and Nellie flees Beaumont House in disgrace for London. Alone again, Nellie must learn to live and fend for herself and her new-born child. Can Nellie win a second chance of happiness and can she solve the mystery of her mother's tortured past? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781802808544 • Author: Rosie Clarke • Publisher: Head of Zeus • Format: Paperback • Pages: 386 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.21 cm

Paradise Row, London. December 1865. Snow is falling fast and Sally Suggs is working tirelessly to bring in enough money to keep bread on the table. Her father, a skilled rag-and-bone man, has fallen ill and now Sally has taken up his trade. But this is a man’s world and competition is fierce, and Sally’s rival Finn Kelly always seems to be one step ahead. Her family’s one valuable possession is their horse, Flower, yet with no one to protect them, London’s underbelly of black-market traders circle closer. Sally needs to find help in the most unexpected places if they are to survive… Product Information: • ISBN: 9780008287870 • Author: Dilly Court • Publisher: HarperCollins • Format: Paperback • Pages: 528 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 3.3 cm

1850. When Opal Sharp finds herself and her younger siblings suddenly orphaned and destitute, she thinks things can get no worse. But soon three of them - including Opal - are struck down with the illness that took their father, and her brother Charlie makes an impossible decision.  Unable to afford a doctor, he knows the younger children will not survive. So, unbeknownst to Opal, Charlie takes their younger siblings to the workhouse. When she finds out, Opal is heartbroken, and things go from bad to worse when Charlie is accused of stealing and transported on a convict ship to Australia. Homeless and alone, Opal doesn't know where to turn, but then she manages to secure a position as a lady's maid, working for the formidable but kind-hearted Mrs King. She thinks she has finally found some security in life, until she attracts the unwanted attention of her mistress's son . . . Desperately missing her family, Opal makes a promise to reunite them all one day. But will the Sharps ever find their way back to each other? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781838772994 • Author: Rosie Goodwin • Publisher: Zaffre • Format: Paperback • Pages:528 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 3.35 cm

The village of Little Creek, the long winter of 1867  The first flakes of snow are falling when Daisy Marshall, secretly engaged to her master's son, finds herself jilted at the altar.  Heartbroken, Daisy flees to the small village of Little Creek, nestled on the coast of Essex. There she is warmly welcomed – but the village is poverty-stricken, suffering under a cruel Lord of the manor. And when cholera hits, the villagers are truly in dire straits.  Determined to help, Daisy makes new friends in earnest doctor Nicholas and dashing smuggler Jay – but also dangerous new enemies, who threaten to destroy everything she’s built. Can Daisy save the village and find happiness in time for Christmas? Product Information: • ISBN: 9780008287757 • Author: Dilly Court • Publisher: HarperCollins • Format: Paperback • Pages: 512 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 3.2 cm

It is late 1940 and the war feels closer to home than ever for Rose Neville and her staff at the Lyon’s Teashop in Margate. The worry of rationing hangs overhead as the Nippies do their best to provide a happy smile and a hot cup of tea for their customers. When a heavy bombing raid targets the Kent coastline, Lyon’s is badly hit, throwing the future of the cafe into jeopardy. The light in Rose’s life is her dashing fiancé Capt. Ben Hargreaves and planning their Christmas Eve wedding. But she must also plan to take two new step-daughters into her life and get on the right side of her wealthy mother-in-law, Lady Diana. Is Rose ready to become a mother so soon? When Rose’s half-sister Eileen makes contact, it seems that Rose’s dreams of having a sibling are coming true at long last. But her friends begin to suspect that something is not right between Eileen and her husband: just what are they hiding? As the Christmas Eve wedding draws near, the bombings intensify in Kent and London, putting everything and everyone Rose loves in danger. Only one thing is for sure: it will be a Christmas she never forgets. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529015928 • Author: Elaine Everest • Publisher: Pan • Format: Paperback • Pages: 394 • Dimensions: 19.7 x 13 x 2.6cm

Dolly Perkins and Jack Larkin have grown up in the notorious gin palaces of Birmingham. It’s a world of happiness and friendship, but also violence and poverty. Now that Dolly runs the Daydream Gin Palace on Gin Barrel Lane she can finally control her own destiny, but sometimes fate still plays its hand. Keen to expand her empire, Dolly and Jack take on a new pub, but they are in for a shock when a foul smell in one of the bedrooms turns out to come from a body hidden in the wall. As the police hunt for their suspect, rumours abound, spread by the local urchins – happy to be used as runners for a little bit of food and a coin or two. But rumours can be dangerous, and as one of the worst winters on record covers everything in snow, Dolly and Jack have to fight for the lives they have made for themselves, and for the urchins that they have come to think of as family. Will the arrival of a new baby on Gin Barrel Lane bring the promise of new hope, or will the long-awaited thaw uncover new secrets and new tragedies… Product Information: • ISBN: 9781802808599 • Author: Lindsey Hutchinson • Publisher: Boldwood Books • Format: Paperback • Pages: 340 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 1.96 cm

Liverpool, 1940 When war comes to Britain, Jessica Wilson and her friend Ruby seize the opportunity to leave behind the orphanage they grew up in and start new lives in the NAAFI. With only forged papers as identification the girls expect to be turned away but are delighted with an offer of work. For the first time in their lives they experience real independence and it isn't long before they're spending their evenings enjoying the delights of Liverpool. When Jessica meets the handsome Tom, she feels as though her life is complete, but after a chance encounter with a friend, she soon learns that not everything is as it seems. As Jessica begins to uncover the truth, she unravels a web of lies, starting with the night of her birth, and she will need the support of her friends if she is to get her Christmas wish . . . Product Information: • ISBN: 9781787468566 • Author: Katie Flynn • Publisher: Arrow • Format: Paperback • Pages: 416 • Dimensions: 19.81 x 12.9 x 2.54 cm

One house, two women, a lifetime of secrets... Following the death of her mother, Becky begins the sad task of sorting through her empty flat. Starting with the letters piling up on the doormat, she finds an envelope post-marked from Cornwall. In it is a letter that will change her life forever. A desperate plea from her mother's elderly cousin, Olivia, to help save her beloved home. Becky arrives at Chynalls to find the beautiful old house crumbling into the ground, and Olivia stuck in hospital with no hope of being discharged until her home is made habitable. Though daunted by the enormity of the task, Becky sets to work. But as she peels back the layers of paint, plaster and grime, she uncovers secrets buried for more than seventy years. Secrets from a time when Olivia was young, the Second World War was raging, and danger and romance lurked round every corner... Product Information: • ISBN: 9781789545180 • Author: Jane Johnson • Publisher: Head of Zeus • Format: Paperback • Pages: 416 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.8cm

Sunderland, 1943: As Christmas approaches in the shipyards, everyone is hoping for a little magic... Helen would love to find the courage to tell the dashing Dr Parker of her true feelings for him. But how can she when he clearly has eyes for someone else? More than a year has passed since Bel's wedding to sweetheart Joe. She knows she has much to feel thankful for and yet there is still one burning desire which she cannot ignore. And as Polly grows with child, she hopes against hope for a safe delivery - and that her husband Tommy can soon return from the front line to meet their new arrival. There will be storms to weather, but guided by their strength and friendship there is still hope for each of the shipyard girls that their Christmas wishes will come true. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781787468535 • Author: Nancy Revell • Publisher: Arrow • Format: Paperback • Pages: 480 • Dimensions: 19.81 x 12.9 x 3.05 cm

After failing to help evacuee siblings whom she witnesses being separated, May wishes she'd had the confidence to speak up.  When Jess suggests a pantomime to boost morale on the station, May is desperate to help - but is held back by her own insecurities. With her low self-esteem also affecting her relationship with Squadron Leader Peter Travis, May is fed up with being her own worst enemy and decides to take charge of her destiny. But the past she ran from plus a crisis with one of the evacuees throw May into the midst of a drama that will test all of her newfound confidence. May, Jess and Evie must work together once again to help each other through the challenges of war and of their own hearts. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781800320925 • Author: Vicki Beeby • Publisher: Canelo Saga • Format: Paperback • Pages: 336 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2cm

Cathy was a happy, blushing bride when Britain went to war with Germany three years ago. But her youthful dreams were crushed by her violent husband Stanley's involvement with the fascist black-shirts, and even when he's conscripted to fight she knows it's only a brief respite - divorce is not an option. Cathy, a true Brogan daughter, stays strong for her beloved little son Peter. When a telegram arrives declaring that her husband is missing in action, Cathy can finally allow herself to hope - she only has to wait 6 months before she is legally a widow and can move on with her life. In the meantime, she has to keep Peter safe and fed. So she advertises for a lodger, and Sergeant Archie McIntosh of the Royal Engineers' Bomb Disposal Squad turns up. He is kind, clever and thoughtful; their mutual attraction is instant. But with Stanley's fate still unclear, and the Blitz raging on over London's East End, will Cathy ever have the love she deserves? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781838950927 • Author: Jean Fullerton • Publisher: Corvus • Format: Paperback • Pages: 416 • Dimensions: 19.69 x 12.7 x 2.54 cm

A gripping, heartwrenching saga for fans of Dilly Court and Kitty Neale. Harmony 'Harry' Loveridge is growing up on a farm in post-war Kent. With a Gypsy for a father, she has had a somewhat unconventional, yet happy life. But Harry has always hoped for more. And with ambitions to go to university, and a scholarship in sight, it looks as though she is about to get what she wants. That is until one fateful night, during the yearly hopping, when something happens to Harry. Refusing to give up on her dreams Harry must draw on all her strength and courage as she embarks on her new life in Nottingham. Will she be able to escape the tragedies of her past, or is history doomed to repeat itself? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781838770372 • Author: Katie Hutton • Publisher: Zaffre • Format: Paperback • Pages: 400 • Dimensions: 19.69 x 12.7 cm

CHRISTMAS, 1918. August 1914, and a terrible war begins, one that will affect the lives of everyone in the village of Beckindale.  For Maggie Sugden, left to run Emmerdale Farm on her own while her husband, Joe, is at the front, it will bring grief and loss but also independence and the chance to find a place to belong - and perhaps even to love again. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781409185000 • Author: Pamela Bell • Publisher: Trapeze • Format: Paperback • Pages: 304 • Dimensions: 19.69 x 12.7 x 2.22 cm

With husbands and sons fighting for freedom, the women of Harpers are left to tackle the day-to-day affairs at home and work. With Ben Harper away, Sally fears she is being followed by a mysterious woman. Who is she and what does she want? Maggie Gibbs collapses seriously ill in the frontline hospitals and is brought back to England close to death. Can she be saved and what does the future hold for her and her broken heart? Marion Jackson’s father is on the run from the Police already wanted for murder. She fears he will return to threaten his family once more. And Beth Burrows is pregnant with her second child, worried and anxious for her husband Jack, who has been many months at sea. As Christmas 1917 approaches what will the future hold for Harpers, its girls and their men at War? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781802808582 • Author: Rosie Clarke • Publisher: Boldwood Books • Format: Paperback • Pages: 344 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 1.98 cm

The prefect seasonal gift full of nostalgia and charm, perfect for fans of Coronation Street and readers who love Fiction set in times past. When Lizzie moves with her mother and her brothers to No.9 Coronation Street at the end of the Second World War, it’s a new start for all of them after the loses and heartache they’ve endured. Their new neighbour, Elsie Tanner, tells them that the house is said to have bad luck, but things look up for Lizzie when she lands a job as a barmaid in a local pub, the Pride of Weatherfield. There she makes friends with the young and giddy Hilda Ogden, still waiting for her wayward husband, Stan, to come home from the war. It isn’t long before they realize that the place isn’t quite it seems, but Lizzie has been keeping secrets too and as winter draws in, there are a few surprises in store for Coronation Street … Product Information: • ISBN: 9780008255183 • Author: Maggie Sullivan • Publisher: HarperCollins • Format: Paperback • Pages:320 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.3 cm • Book three in the Coronation Street Series