Felix Appius Julianus is brought to Britain in the wake of the disastrous loss of the Ninth Legion Hispana, to command its replacement, the Sixth Legion Victrix. Centurion Valerius Silvanus, posted to the doomed Ninth and arriving only in time to learn of its destruction, is instead sent to the Sixth to help integrate the […]
A Knightly Betrayal by Jill Bray
In October, 1224, Simon de Hale, Sheriff of Yorkshire, is travelling to his manor to celebrate the birth of his first grandchild. Awaiting his arrival is an unexpected guest, Lady Cecily Chalcombe, a beguiling acquaintance from his days at the royal court. Recently widowed in scandalous circumstances, Lady Cecily throws herself upon his mercy and […]
Catherine by Essie Fox
With a nature as wild as the moors she loves to roam, Catherine Earnshaw grows up alongside Heathcliff, a foundling her father rescued from the streets of Liverpool. Their fierce, untamed bond deepens as they grow – until Mr Earnshaw’s death leaves Hindley, Catherine’s brutal brother, in control and Heathcliff reduced to servitude. Desperate to […]
The Model Patient by Lucy Ashe
In the quiet hush of her therapist’s office, Evelyn Westbrook finds herself revealing secrets she’d prefer to keep hidden. Abandoning her successful modelling career to become a model wife for her husband, Henry, has left her days feeling empty. Her mother-in-law is pressing for a child that Evelyn doesn’t want. And her nights are haunted by […]
The Cromarty Library Circle by Shona MacLean
Cromarty, The Black Isle, 1831. As seagulls shriek and rise on the coastal winds, a circulating library in the bustling port town of Cromarty is meeting for the first time. Ostensibly united by a love of books, the demands of social convention have brought together a disparate group of people. Charlotte Mackenzie, the remote and […]
The Devil’s Brigade by Patrick Larsimont
In the darkest days of World War II, a top-secret experiment unites the toughest outdoorsmen: lumberjacks, cowboys, prospectors and hunters from across Canada and the United States. Their goal: to forge the First Special Service Force – an elite airborne commando unit designed to strike deep behind enemy lines – taking them utterly by surprise. […]
The 2026 HWA Crown Awards shortlists
The Historical Writers’ Association (HWA) has great pleasure in revealing the 2026 Crown Awards shortlists, celebrating the best in historical writing, fiction and non-fiction published during 2025–2026. There are three awards categories — HWA Gold Crown, HWA Non-fiction Crown, and HWA Debut Crown — and six shortlisted books in each category. The books shortlisted for […]
Twice Dead at the Tavern by TA Belshaw
In October 1939, with an injury forcing her to take time off work from the Mill, amateur sleuth Amy Rowlings has the perfect opportunity to help Inspector Bodkin with a baffling new investigation. A notorious gangster is found murdered at a local pub. But the real mystery is that Bodkin already investigated this same man’s […]