We asked 13 well-loved authors to each recommend a couple of historical books for Christmas 2023 to give, receive, or treat yourself with. There’s fiction and non-fiction, most published recently, with a few old favourites as well. We hope these suggestions help to inspire your Christmas reading.
Tracy Borman
Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown by Alison Weir. In this wonderful, often surprising conclusion to her best-selling Six Tudor Queens series, Alison Weir pieces together a wealth of rich period detail and eyewitness accounts to get under the skin of the man who is so often dismissed as a much-married monster. The Henry VIII of her novel is altogether more nuanced, compelling and human. Dare I say it, I actually ended up liking him.
The Gardener by Salley Vickers. One reviewer remarked that Salley Vickers writes like a ‘haunted angel’, and it is so true. Love, loss and hope are constant themes in her books — her latest one in particular. It follows the story of heartbroken artist Hassie, who moves to the country to escape her past. The cast of characters she encounters are as finely-drawn as one of her portraits and, together, help her find solace and purpose.
Tracy Borman is the chief curator for Historic Royal Palaces. Her latest book, Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Changed History, published on 18 May, 2023, tells the story of Anne Boleyn’s relationship with, and influence over, her daughter Elizabeth and sheds new light on two of the most famous and influential women in history.
JD Davies
I’m an avid reader of Shona MacLean‘s books and particularly loved her series centred on Damian Seeker, a spymaster for Oliver Cromwell’s Protectorate. The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 seemed to have brought that story to an end, but Seeker makes a return in The Winter List, albeit largely ‘off stage’ and alluded to by the other characters. This time his daughter Manon takes centre stage, along with the enigmatic Royalist spy Lady Anne Winter, who has been tasked with tracking down potential enemies of the restored monarchy. In some ways this is occupying the same territory as Robert Harris’s Act of Oblivion, but MacLean weaves an intricate and enjoyable tale of her own greatly enhanced by the unusual setting of Restoration York.
I spent much of the 1990s teaching 17th-century Swedish history to A-level students, the reasons for this unlikely topic’s prominence on the syllabus being distinctly obscure even at the time. From this I developed an abiding interest in the reigns of King Gustavus Adolphus and Queen Christina, and in the Thirty Years War as a whole, so I inevitably sought out J C Harvey‘s Fiskardo’s War novels, the first of which, The Silver Wolf, was longlisted for the HWA Debut Crown in 2022. This year saw the publication of the second title, The Dead Men, continuing Jack Fiskardo’s epic adventures in war-ravaged Germany. Excellent writing, intricate plotting and masterful senses of place and time make Harvey’s books compulsive reads.
JD Davies is a bestselling author of naval historical fiction and an award-winning historian. His novel Tyranny’s Bloody Standard, out on 26 October, 2023, is the second in his Philippe Kermorvant series, which retells the naval wars against Napoleon — from the French side.
Elizabeth Fremantle
My end-of-year-book recommendations for this year are the final part of Elodie Harper‘s riveting and accomplished Wolf Den trilogy, The Temple of Fortuna. Her weaving of friendships, loyalties and betrayals, all leading to an inevitable, explosive culmination makes for a compulsive read. If you haven’t yet read the first two then I urge you to do so.
I always look forward to Anna Mazzola‘s books and in her most recent, The House of Whispers, she is at her creepiest, Gothic best. Set in Rome in the 1930s in the grip of fascism, a sense of dread permeates the narrative and the writing is, as ever, beautiful. Just out in paperback, it would make a perfect stocking filler.
Elizabeth Fremantle‘s Disobedient, published on 27 July, 2023, is the story of 17th-century artist Artemisia Gentileschi. Her novel Queen’s Gambit, about Queen Katherine Parr, has been made into a major film, Firebrand, which premiers in June, 2024; Liz’s novel will be reissued in a new edit, also called Firebrand, in May next year.
Hazel Gaynor
Fair Rosaline by Natasha Solomons is pitched as a feminist ‘un-telling’ of Romeo and Juliet, and absolutely delivers on that fascinating premise. The book is beautifully written and researched with incredible detail, both in the way it honours Shakespeare’s original play, but also in transporting the reader to historical Verona. A very clever, thought-provoking spin on one of our greatest tales.
The Hidden Years by Rachel Hore is a gorgeous dual-timeline story with family secrets and mystery intricately woven between the two timelines. Set in Cornwall between the Second World War and the liberating years of the 1960s, much of the action revolves around an intriguing old house, Silverwood, where the past and the present collide with dramatic results. A wonderful historical novel to get lost in.
The House of Whispers by Anna Mazzola is the perfect gift for readers who love darker historical fiction. Set in Rome in 1938 on the brink of war, this beautifully written and creepingly unsettling tale takes us into the world of pianist Eva Valenti and the strange goings-on around her that unravel to a thrilling conclusion. Another absolute cracker from Anna Mazzola.
Hazel Gaynor is an award-winning, internationally bestselling author. Her recent novel, The Last Lifeboat, is the story of two very different women on a lifeboat which holds the survivors of a U-boat attack on an evacuee ship. It was published on 8 June, 2023.
Elodie Harper
My top tip for the book lovers in your life this Christmas is Laura Purcell‘s The Whispering Muse. It is a gothic masterpiece, as dramatic as the theatrical world where it is set, and absolutely perfect fireside reading.
I would also recommend Emma Southon‘s A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women which is an utter delight to read, full of humour and hugely informative. I loved immersing myself in the lives of so many fascinating women, including one of my favourites from Pompeii. I challenge you not to think of the Roman Empire daily after reading it!
Elodie Harper is a journalist and the author of the bestselling and award-winning Wolf Den trilogy. The final book in the series, The Temple of Fortuna, was published on 9 November, 2023, and sees Amara return to Pompeii — in AD79. It’s out in paperback on 9 May, 2024.
Alis Hawkins
The book I’m asking for this Christmas is SG Maclean’s The Winter List, set during the period after the restoration of Charles II which saw many regicides executed. The retributive climate threatens the life of Manon Ingolby – daughter of Maclean’s series character Damian Seeker – and her husband. I can’t wait to read how Manon and Lawrence Ingolby escape Lady Anne Winter and the royalist spies because I know it will be both historically convincing and a very satisfying narrative.
Books I’d recommend: This year I’ve enjoyed two very different takes on the Second World War, seen through the eyes of women. In Eliza Graham’s The Girl in Lifeboat Six, as well as being drawn in to extraordinary events by Graham’s vivid characterisation, I was fascinated to read about the scale and organisation of American opposition to the US’s entry into what opponents saw as ‘Europe’s war’. Highly recommended.
Deborah Swift’s excellent The Silk Code took me into both the work of the Special Operations Executive and the covert operation to identify Nazi sympathisers and ‘sleepers’ in Britain. Included in the novel is Jack King, whom I heard more about when I listened the Radio 4 series History’s Secret Heroes. I always love it when my reading and my radio-listening come together!
Alis Hawkins is the author of medieval mysteries and of the Teifi Coroner series. Her new Oxford Mysteries historical crime series began on 23 March, 2023, with A Bitter Remedy. The second book, The Skeleton Army, comes out on 4 April, 2024. She’s the chair of Gŵyl Crime Cymru Festival.
Tim Hodkinson
The first of the two books I would recommend is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, translated into modern English by JRR Tolkein. This Christmas tale of adventure and magic is for me the quintessential evocation of a medieval Yuletide, rendered into modern English by the master himself. Every year I dust it down and each time I never fail to find something new and mysterious in its lines. For those who prefer audiobooks, the experience can be heightened by seeking out the version narrated by the late Terry Jones, who was not just a member of Monty Python but a medievalist himself.
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a ghost story, so for my second book is In a Glass Darkly by the master of creepy writing, JS LeFanu. This Victorian collection contains easily his best five stories, each one guaranteed to send shivers down the spine that are nothing to do with the cold. As an added bonus, this book contains Carmilla, the seminal vampire tale which influenced so many more writers from Bram Stoker to Steven King.
Tim Hodkinson is the author of the Whale Road Chronicles, set in the Norse world of the 10th century. Appropriately, Blood Eagle, which came out on 2 March, 2023, opens during a Viking Christmas which the main characters describe as the “worst Yule ever”. Historia suspects that reading Tim’s suggestions will mean you’re likely to have a most enjoyable Yule.
Vaseem Khan
Viper’s Dream by Jake Lamar. Viper’s Dream explores a vital time and place in American history: Harlem from the 1930s through to the post-war period. A coming of age tale that follows the eponymous Clyde ‘Viper’ Morton, Lamar’s narrative conjures up the evolution of Harlem, ‘Black America’, and Viper’s own journey from country bumpkin with dreams of musical stardom to ruthless killer and drug kingpin. A jazz-infused crime odyssey.
One Fine Day by Matthew Parker. Parker’s meticulously-researched book takes a unique look at the British Empire — on the day that marked its zenith, 29 September, 1923. By bringing to life voices from across an empire that stretches to a quarter of the globe, this book informs current debates that we’re having about the legacy of that empire.
Vaseem Khan is an award-winning crime fiction author and the chair of the Crime Writers’ Association. Death of a Lesser God, the fourth in his Malabar House series, set in India just after independence, was published on 10 August, 2023, and is out in paperback on 14 March, 2024.
Giles Kristian
As a judge for this year’s Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize, I came across My Name is Yip by Paddy Crewe, and I loved it. As a character, Yip Tolroy is both extraordinary and yet heart-achingly real. His sidekick, Dud Carter, is charismatic and complex. At times I thought I was reading Cormac McCarthy; such is the author’s literary power and understanding of the human condition. This a unique tale, colourfully, evocatively, wonderfully told.
I’m currently reading Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris, about two of the regicides (those men who signed the death warrant of King Charles I) and the man tasked with tracking them down. Having written in this period (or thereabouts) myself, I’m reminded how rich it is, how brutal and complicated too. This is my first Robert Harris book, for which I’m kicking myself, for here is a master of the craft, and this is a compelling, beautifully detailed historical thriller.
Giles Kristian is the bestselling author of the Raven series of Viking novels as well as two set during the first English Civil War. His 2022 thriller, Where Blood Runs Cold, won that year’s Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. Arthur, the much-anticipated follow-up to Lancelot and Camelot, will be published on 6 June, 2024.
Anna Mazzola
I find that the perfect antidote to too much faux Christmas cheer, consumerism and family is to scare myself witless with ghost stories, or other frightening fare. This year I’d highly recommend The Winter Spirits anthology for those who prefer Krampus to Christmas cake. Back to back bangers from some of our finest Gothic and historical writers, including Laura Purcell, Susan Stokes Chapman, Catriona Ward, Stu Turton, Andrew Michael Hurley, Laura Shepherd Robinson, Bridget Collins, Natasha Pulley, Elizabeth Macneal and Imogen Hermes Gower. Individually, the stories are wonderfully chilling, and it really works as a collection to curl up with on a winter’s eve.
Another book I’ve particularly enjoyed this year is How to be a Renaissance Woman: The Untold History of Beauty and Female Creativity by Jill Burke. I came across it when researching for my next novel, The Book of Secrets, and it gave me a new insight into women’s lives in the Renaissance era. In an entertaining and accessible exploration, Jill Burke invites us to rediscover cosmetic recipes or ‘secrets’ of the age, and to consider the beauty standards to which women are still held today. You can spend Boxing Day mixing yourself some of her Renaissance face tonics.
Anna Mazzola is an award-winning and bestselling author of Gothic novels. Her most recent, The House of Whispers, is set in Rome in 1938, as Fascism grows. It was published in hardback on 6 April, 2023, and in paperback on 12 October. Her next, The Book of Secrets, takes place in the same city but in 1659. It’s out on 21 March, 2024.
Julie Owen Moylan
My first pick is perfect for a cosy winter’s evening and it’s Emma Flint‘s fabulous literary crime novel Other Women. Emma brings a true crime to life in all its 1920s glory. Her attention to detail is superb and I highly recommend it.
My second choice is Barbra Streisand‘s memoir My Name is Barbra. Even if you’re not a huge fan of her work this is a terrific read for female creative artists of any kind. If you need a lesson in persistence and passion for your craft this will inspire you.
And finally given the sad death of AS Byatt I think we should all treat ourselves to another read of Possession. A former Booker Prize winner, this tale of two academics researching a love affair between two Victorian poets is absolute perfection.
Julie Owen Moylan‘s second novel, 73 Dove Street, unravels the tangled lives of three women living in a shabby boarding house in 1950s London. It was published on 20 July, 2023. Her third, Circus of Mirrors, is expected on 12 September, 2024.
Simon Turney
Caesar’s Soldier by Alex Gough. One of Rome’s most famous names as you’ve never seen him before. Everyone is familiar with the Mark Antony who fought with Caesar against Pompey and who then fell for Cleopatra, but with Gough’s new opus we are treated to a view of the young Antony, still trying to make his mark in the world. A superb start to a much anticipated series.
Roman Special Forces and Special Ops by Simon Elliott. Books about the Roman military are common — some excellent, some more entry-level. What is rare is a new subject. Very little has been written about Rome’s scouts, spies and assassins, so this excellent tome, written by a true expert, is very welcome.
Simon Turney has published more than 50 books. He is currently writing novels set during the Roman Empire and, as SJA Turney, the Wolves of Odin series. Wolves around the Throne is book four in the saga of Halfdan and the Wolves and was published on 23 November, 2023. His Agricola: Architect of Roman Britain, a biography of the general who became governor of Britannia, came out on 15 February, 2023..
Mark Turnbull
Dominic Pearce’s new biography The King’s Only Champion tells the remarkable story of the First Marquis of Montrose, but what sets it apart is the fine context and background. Readers are seamlessly inducted into Montrose’s turbulent 17th-century world; from his family history, Stuart marriages and Reformed Protestant beliefs, to the strange tales and travels of his embalmed heart. With a solid grip of Scottish history from Fergus I to Charles I, this book offers so much to anyone with a passion for history. Montrose’s reputation through the centuries is also explored. This is a rounded biography of a fascinating character and a great read.
Now to Rome, 45BCE. Fiona Forsyth’s novella Rome’s End is book one of a series of three. In a truly ‘carpe diem’ moment I seized the chance to delve into a different era and was not disappointed! 23-year-old Lucius Sestius Quirinalis is a lawyer investigating a murder with a twist. Before long, Lucius and his family are embroiled in a matter of state with the most devastating consequences. Lucius soon finds himself being investigated in a role reversal that leads to his flight, but he does not give up on his quest for truth. The political threads unravel in this gripping thriller, which plays out against the backdrop of Caesar’s assassination. Will Rome’s Republic endure? Will the Sestius family survive?
Mark Turnbull is an expert on the Wars of the Three Kingdoms (British Civil Wars) and produces the podcast CavalierCast — The Civil War in Words. In Charles I’s Private Life, out on 30 August, 2023, he presents a more intimate, less polarised, portrait of the king. Mark is a regional chair of the Battlefields Trust.
I hope you’ve enjoyed our authors’ suggestions for the best historical books for Christmas reading. If you’d like some ideas for books to read next year, come back on 1 January when we’ll be publishing our round-up of books by HWA authors coming out during 2024. There were over 150 in 2023; can we beat that next year?
Image:
Girl Reading by Magnus Enckell, 1921–22: Finnish National Gallery (copyright free)
