Historical Fiction Books

The phenomenal new novel, based on a true story, from the international bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz. 1942. Singapore is falling to the Japanese Army. English musician Norah Chambers places her eight-year-old daughter Sally on a ship leaving Singapore, desperate to keep her safe. As the island burns, Australian nurse Nesta James joins the terrified cargo of people, including the heartbroken Norah, crammed aboard the HMS Vyner Brooke. After only two days at sea, the ship is bombarded and sunk. Nesta and Norah reach the beaches of Indonesia only to be captured and held in one of the notorious Japanese POW camps, places of starvation and brutality. But even here joy can be found, in music, where Norah's 'voice orchestra' transports the internees from squalor into light. The friendships they build with the dozens of other women in the camps will give them the hope, strength and camaraderie they need in order to stay alive. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781786582218 • Author: Heather Morris • Publisher:  Zaffre • Format:  Hardback • Pages:  400 • Dimensions: 16.2 x 3.5 x 24 cm

Inspired by the true events of her family history, Millie Bobby Brown’s dazzling debut novel is a moving tale of longing, loss and secrets, and the lengths that we will go to fight for love. Love blooms in the darkest days in London, 1942. Despite the raging war, spirited 18-year-old Nellie Morris lives a quiet life in the tight-knit East End community of Bethnal Green. Her family and friends all tease that she will marry air raid warden Billy, the boy next door who’s always been sweet on her. The arrival of Ray, a handsome American airman stationed nearby, causes Nellie to question everything she thought she knew about her future. Nellie’s newfound happiness is short-lived when a tragic accident occurs during an air raid. Even the closest family can’t escape the devastation of war, and as the secrets and truth about that fateful night become clear, they threaten to tear Nellie – and those dearest to her – apart.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9780008530266 • Author: Millie Bobby Brown  • Publisher:  HQ • Format:  Hardcover • Pages:  384 • Dimensions:  15.9 x 3.6 x 24 cm

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found… For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives. But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9780008609214 • Author: Evie Woods  • Publisher:  One More Chapter • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  448 • Dimensions: 12.9 x 3.2 x 19.8 cm

Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist. Meet chemist Elizabeth Zott, she is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing. Follow Zott's story as she tackles inequality in the workplace, adopts a dog called Six-Thirty, has a daughter named Mad and becomes a famous TV chef. Your ability to change everything - including yourself - starts here! Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing. But it's the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Forced to resign, she reluctantly signs on as the host of a cooking show, Supper at Six. But her revolutionary approach to cooking, fuelled by scientific and rational commentary, grabs the attention of a nation. Soon, a legion of overlooked housewives finds themselves daring to change the status quo. One molecule at a time.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781804990926 • Author:  Bonnie Garmus • Publisher:  Penguin • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  400 • Dimensions:  12.8 x 2.4 x 19.8 cm

Wales, 1883. Young Ruth Owen, a talented musician with a scholarship to a prestigious music school, has a sparkling career ahead of her. But after a run-in with her mysterious tutor she flees to London, leaving everything and everyone behind. London, 1897. Fourteen years later, Ruth, now married with two children, finds herself struggling for money and a place to live. Left with no other option, they decide to return to Wales and live on a canal boat. Life on the canals may seem idyllic, but what troubles await her return? And can the past ever truly be forgotten? Product Information: •    ISBN: 9781838775636 •    Author: Sheila Newberry •    Publisher: Zaffre •    Format: Paperback •    Pages: 400 •    Dimensions: 19.69 x 12.7 cm

When they are little girls, Cibi, Magda and Livia make a promise to their father - that they will stay together, no matter what. Years later, at just 15, Livia is ordered to Auschwitz by the Nazis. Cibi, only 19 herself, remembers their promise and follows Livia, determined to protect her sister, or die with her. Together, they fight to survive through unimaginable cruelty and hardship. Magda, only 17, stays with her mother and grandfather, hiding out in a neighbour's attic or in the forest when the Nazi militia come to round up friends, neighbours and family. She escapes for a time, but eventually she too is captured and transported to the death camp. In Auschwitz-Birkenau the three sisters are reunited and, remembering their father, they make a new promise, this time to each other: That they will survive. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781838774592 • Author: Heather Morris • Publisher: Zaffre • Format: Paperback • Pages: 400 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.8 x 2.54 cm

It is 1981. Glasgow is dying and good families must grift to survive. Agnes Bain has always expected more from life. Abandoned by her philandering husband, she and her three children find themselves trapped in a decimated mining town. As she descends deeper into drink, one by one her children also abandon her to save themselves. It is her son Shuggie who holds out hope the longest. Shuggie is different. The miners' children pick on him and adults condemn him as no’ right. But Shuggie believes that if he tries his hardest, he can be normal like the other boys and help his mother escape this hopeless place. A heart breaking story of addiction, sexuality, and love, Shuggie Bain is an epic portrayal of a working-class family that is rarely seen in fiction. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529019292 • Author: Douglas Stuart • Publisher: Picador • Format: Paperback • Pages: 448 • Dimensions: 19.7 x 13 x 2.9 cm

She turned the picture of the Christmas card over with her frozen hands, a pretty picture of a family gathering at Yuletide. How different from her own life; stiff with cold on the icy cobbles, aching for shelter . . . When her father dies leaving Alice and her ailing mother with only his debts, the two grieving women are forced to rely on the begrudging charity of cruel Aunt Jane. Determined to rid herself of an expensive responsibility, Jane tries forcing Alice into a monstrous marriage. And when Alice refuses, she is sent to work in a grand house to earn her keep. Finding herself in sole charge of the untameable and spoilt young miss of the house, Alice’s only ally is handsome Uncle Rory, who discovers that Alice has talents beyond those of a mere servant. But when someone sets out to destroy her reputation, Alice can only pray for a little of that Christmas spirit to save her from ruin . . . Product Information: • ISBN: 9780008137380 • Author: Dilly Court • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers • Format: Paperback • Pages: 496 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 3.1cm

London, 1940. When tragedy strikes, Libby Gilbert is left homeless and destitute, fending for herself on the capital's most dangerous streets. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Libby is on the cusp of making a decision that could jeopardise her future when a local boy saves her from ruin. The kindness of this stranger sets her on a different path, and Libby heads to Liverpool with a determined mind and hope in her heart. There, she reconnects with long lost family - but will she be able to uncover the truth that tore them apart all those years ago? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781804942437 • Author: Katie Flynn • Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd • Format: Paperback • Pages: 368 • Dimensions: 20.32 x 12.7 x 2.29 cm

Poland, 1942. After witnessing the destruction of her hometown in Warsaw, Anna Kowalski joins the Polish Resistance. She is tasked with smuggling as many children as possible out of the Warsaw Ghetto through the sewers and relocating them to safety. Through her work, Anna meets Johnnie Nowak, an RAF pilot who had managed to escape from a prisoner of war camp. He's not safe in Warsaw, so Anna leads him out of the city to protect him... But suddenly Anna is caught by the SS and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp where she is surrounded by even more horror and despair. A female guard, known as The Beast, is renowned for her violence and aggression towards her prisoners, and she's set her sights on Anna. When Anna is relocated to a different camp, she finds herself reunited with Johnnie Nowak, the pilot she had saved. Desperate to escape, the two of them devise a plan that, if caught, could mean a fate far worse than death. Will Anna and Johnnie finally find freedom, and survive the war together? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781399744881 • Author: Joanne Kormylo • Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton • Pages: 384 • Format: Paperback • Dimensions: 19.69 x 12.7 x 2.54 cm

A gripping and heart-warming new saga of love, betrayal and secrets from Lynne Francis, author of A Maid’s Ruin, perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin Kent, 1828. Lizzie Carey of Castle Bay is trapped in a life she never chose – endless days of cooking, cleaning, and caring for her five younger siblings after her elder sister Nell’s marriage. She longs to escape, but it seems like an impossible dream. That is, until she meets the enigmatic Mrs. Simmonds, who promises Lizzie a future far beyond the confines of her small town. The allure of a new life in Canterbury draws Lizzie into a world she never imagined, but it soon becomes clear that nothing is as it seems . . . Torn between family loyalty and the tantalising unknown, Lizzie is drawn into a situation she would never have thought possible. How far will she go for freedom? Product Information: • ISBN: 9780349433684 • Author: Lynne Francis • Publisher: Little Brown • Format: Paperback • Pages: 368 • Dimensions: 19.56 x 12.19 x 2.79 cm

Manchester, 1940. War is raging and these girls will do everything they can on the home front – but is a happy ever after possible in such uncertain times? The minute war was declared, best friends Sally and Deborah volunteered for the home guard. Stationed at the salvage depot, working amidst the scrap metal isn’t quite what Sally imagined. Then she meets Andrew, a carpenter with a heartbreaking smile, who helps her to finally feel like her efforts are making a difference. But just as she’s feeling hopeful, a devastating air raid threatens everything Sally holds dear. With the salvage yard in flames and Andrew out rescuing families from the rubble, will they get the happy ending they deserve? Or will Sally’s chance at true love be lost forever as the morning dawns…? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781836182788 • Author: Susanna Bavin • Publisher: Orion Publishing • Pages: 368 • Format: Paperback • Dimensions: 19.69 x 12.95 x 2.54 cm

Three sisters. Three journeys. One destination. In 1863 the authorities send Irish orphans Ismay and Mara to Australia against their will. Just when they thought it couldn't get any worse, on arrival they're separated from one another. While Ismay is forced to take a job as a maid miles away in the country, Mara must stay in the care of the catholic mission. Desperate to be reunited, they both run away but Ismay soon runs into danger out in the bush. She is saved by Malachi Firth, but although he's attracted to her, he doesn't want to be encumbered with a wife. Meanwhile, their elder sister Keara has not forgotten them. But she has had her own struggles to face and by the time she reaches Melbourne in search of her sisters, she finds that the trail is cold. Danger continues to threaten all three girls and they start to wonder: will they ever see one another again? Product Information: • ISBN: 9780340821381 • Author: Anna Jacobs • Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton • Format: Paperback • Pages: 368 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 2.6 cm

Under what was left of the roof of the ruined cottage, a girl with pigtails perched on a pile of rubble, hunched over a book… 1918: As the Great War rages, Jessie Carson takes a leave of absence from the New York Public Library to work for the American Committee for Devastated France, a group of women determined to rebuild devastated French communities just miles from the front. Upon arrival, Jessie strives to establish something that the French have never seen – children’s libraries. She turns ambulances into bookmobiles and trains the first French female librarians. Then she disappears. 1987: When NYPL librarian and aspiring writer Wendy Peterson stumbles across a passing reference to Jessie Carson in the archives, she becomes consumed with learning her fate. In her obsession, she discovers that she and the elusive librarian have more in common than their work at New York’s famed library, but she has no idea their paths will converge in surprising ways across time. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781035417902 • Author: Janet Skeslien Charles • Publisher: Hodder Headline • Format: Paperback • Pages: 336 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 2.8 cm

Inspired by the unforgettable true story of Alma Rosé, The Violinist of Auschwitz brings to life one of history’s most fearless, inspiring and courageous heroines. Alma’s bravery saved countless lives, bringing hope to those who had forgotten its meaning… In Auschwitz, every day is a fight for survival. Here, Alma is inmate 50381, the number tattooed on her in blue ink. But in her previous life, she was an esteemed violinist, her performances leaving audiences spellbound. When Alma is appointed as the conductor for the camp orchestra, performing for high-ranking Nazis, she refuses: “They can kill me but they won’t make me play.” But soon she realises the power this position offers. How many others can she save from the clutches of death? Her new role leads her to Miklos, a talented pianist. Surrounded by despair, they find happiness in secret notes and joint concerts. But in Auschwitz, the very air is tainted with loss, and tragedy is the only certainty… In such a hopeless place, can their love survive? This devastatingly heartbreaking yet beautifully hopeful tale proves that even in the darkest of days, love can prevail–and give you something to live for. Fans of The Choice, The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The Orphan Train will lose their hearts to this magnificent tale. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781836182672 • Author: Ellie Midwood • Publisher: Orion Publishing • Pages: 416 • Format: Paperback • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 3.2 cm

A festive instalment in Patricia McBride's acclaimed Lily Baker series - guaranteed to make you smile! Will this finally be a Christmas to celebrate? For the courageous Bletchley Park girls, the fourth Christmas of the war is approaching fast. It should be a happy time, yet life throws them challenges they could never have imagined. Lily's heart is torn in two when her boyfriend, Grant, is badly injured in an air raid. As he spirals into despair, she must find a way to give him hope again. Bronwyn has a new romance on the horizon. But will the widower's young daughter accept her, or will she jeopardise Bronwyn's hopes for love? Peggy is terrified her secret will be disclosed when she has to look after her sister's daughter. Can she escape the shame of her past? Caroline has had a sheltered, privileged upbringing. Will her natural confidence be shattered when she learns about her boyfriend's hidden life? Despite rationing, heartache, and the endless war, the Bletchley Park girls prepare for an unforgettable Christmas. From the bestselling author of the Library Girls of the East End series, a heartwarming and riveting wartime saga Product Information: • ISBN: 9781805576099 • Author: Patricia McBride • Publisher: Boldwood Books Limited • Format: Paperback • Pages: 216 • Dimensions: 19.81 x 12.9 x 1.3 cm

London, 1928. Lucy Darkwether has always made her own rules. After breaking off her engagement to pursue a degree in Ancient History, she’s now the proud owner of London’s newest bookshop. So when a rival shop in Cecil Court is chosen to host an exhibition of Egyptian treasures, Lucy’s pride is stung – until the grand opening ends in a gruesome murder. Is this the revenge of a disgraced colleague? A private vendetta? Or a curse visited upon those who disturb the past? Ignoring the Inspector’s warning to stay out of it, Lucy refuses to stick to the script. But murder isn’t a game – and what she uncovers will have consequences for them all . . . Product Information: • ISBN: 9781399704281 • Author: Jennifer Gladwell • Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton • Pages: 320 • Format: Paperback • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 2.8 cm

London, October 1940. As German bombers increase their nightly raids on the capital, the Blitz Girls must be braver than ever to protect innocent lives and keep the fight against Hitler alive. Dot, encouraged by her friends, is finding her independence and takes a full-time role as an ARP warden. As she finds new courage in the blackouts, her past might still be lurking in the shadows Peggy makes it her mission to help children caught up in the bombing find safety at her parents’ large house in the country. When she returns home, however, she realises her own family need her more than ever. But can she leave her friends in the line of fire? Vivian spends every moment not behind the wheel of her ambulance at the bedside of the man she loves, helping him recover from a terrible crash while defending the British skies. When she is torn between his hospital ward and the site of the latest blast, she faces a heartbreaking choice. As each night becomes more dangerous for the Blitz Girls, will they have the strength to help each other through and keep the light alive in the darkness? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781399708791 • Author: Johanna Bell • Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton • Format: Paperback • Pages: 336 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 3 cm

A Regency Romance for all Austen fans! From bestselling author Fenella J Miller Miss Kitty Bennet is travelling to Pemberley in order to become a companion and friend to Miss Georgiana Darcy when the coach she is travelling in crashes. Bingley is hurt in the accident and help arrives in the form of Adam Denney, the Rector of Bakewell who comes to their aid. Jane and Bingley are obliged to remain at The Rectory, whilst Kitty continues her journey alone. But the coach accident is just the first of many terrifying incidents that occur once Kitty is established at Pemberley. But when Kitty's sister, Elizabeth is placed in danger, Darcy is determined to do all he can to keep her safe. But can the darkness at Pemberley ever be overcome or will Pemberley and all its occupants be destroyed?  Product Information:  • ISBN: 9781805577218 • Author: Fenella J Miller • Publisher: Boldwood Books • Format:  Paperback • Pages: 354 • Dimensions: 15.6 x 2.24 x 23.39 cm

Immerse yourself in the World War II saga from bestselling author Chrissie Walsh As World War II takes its toll on Liverpool, only friendship and community can keep the women of Weaver Street smiling. The neighbours on Liverpool’s Weaver Street have always looked after each other, but when the Second World War takes many of the husbands, brothers and sons away to fight, the women’s friendships are more important than ever. Matriarch Kitty Conlon is missing her son Patrick, proud but fearful of the fate of his Spitfire, while spinster Mavis welcomes a new lodger, WAAF Anna Carswell who is delighted by the Weaver Street welcome after a loveless childhood. At number nine, Maggie Stubbs worries nightly as her daughter Lily patrols the streets to protect the neighbours during air raids in her role as ARP Warden, and when an unexploded bomb is discovered at the allotment, danger comes terrifyingly close to Weaver Street. With war raging and Liverpool bearing the brunt of seemingly non-stop bombing, the friends must share the burden of rationing, blackout and news from the front, while helping one another capture all the moments of joy they can. All the time wishing and hoping that soon news of peace will come and finally their lives can start again. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781806583928 • Author: Chrissie Walsh • Publisher: Boldwood Books Limited • Format: Paperback • Pages: 328 • Dimensions: 19.81 x 12.9 x 1.98 cm