Autumn, 1728. Life is good for Thomas Hawkins and Kitty Sparks. The Cocked Pistol, Kitty’s wickedly disreputable bookshop, is a roaring success. Tom’s celebrity as ‘Half-Hanged Hawkins’, the man who survived the gallows, is also proving useful. Their happiness proves short-lived. When Tom is set upon by a street gang, he discovers there’s a price […]
Review: A Map of the Damage by Sophia Tobin
When Historia asked acclaimed author Antonia Hodgson to review Sophia Tobin’s latest novel, there was only one problem. She’d love to do it, she said, but her copy wasn’t where she could get at it. Sophia’s publisher, like so many others during these difficult times of lockdown, was efficient and helpful and sent an ebook […]
Books to look out for in 2020
A new year, and new historical books, both fiction and non-fiction, to look out for, written by HWA members. The Second World War continues to be popular, and there are refreshingly different takes on the Tudor era. The medieval period makes a strong showing. There are new additions to well-loved series and second books from […]
Summer reading for history lovers
Recommended summer reading books, both history and historical fiction, from Historical Writers’ Association authors,
The best historical books of 2018
2018 has been an exciting year for historical writing, both fiction and non-fiction. With the holidays coming up, Elizabeth Fremantle asked fellow HWA members to choose three outstanding books each to recommend as the year’s highlights (and a few older favourites have popped up as well). We hope this selection inspires you, whether you’re looking […]
Historia Interviews: Antonia Hodgson and M J Carter
MJ (Miranda) Carter is the author of three books featuring 19th century detective duo Blake and Avery; Antonia Hodgson writes books featuring louche but good-hearted 18th century gentleman, Thomas Hawkins. Both write as their male first person narrators, and both their first novels, The Strangler Vine, and The Devil in the Marshalsea, were shortlisted for […]
Historia Interviews: Antonia Hodgson
Antonia Hodgson’s new novel, A Death at Fountains Abbey, is released on 25 August. Continuing the award-winning Thomas Hawkins series (The Devil in the Marshalsea, The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins) the book finds our eponymous hero blackmailed into investigating a murder threat, forced to leave London for Yorkshire, where he must hunt down those responsible or lose […]
Historia Interviews: The Debut Crown Shortlist
The winner of the HWA Debut Crown Award 2015 will be announced at the Harrogate History Festival on 22 October. The award, now in it’s fourth year, celebrates the best emerging voices in historical fiction. Readers can win all six titles in our amazing giveaway over on the HWA website. Five of the shortlisted authors will […]