In 1948 the shadow of war still lingers over Britain and Beattie Cavendish, former Secret Operations Executive agent, refuses to settle into civilian life. When offered an undercover role at the newly-formed GCHQ, the nerve centre of Britain’s intelligence network, she doesn’t hesitate. Her first mission is to infiltrate the powerful Bowen family and find […]
Written in Blood by Fiona Forsyth
Rome’s first emperor, Augustus, is dead. The Empire’s new leader, Tiberius, is vulnerable. As mutinous legions rise and Tiberius struggles to control even his own formidable mother, Livia, the ripples of uncertainty reach even the shores of Tomis on the Black Sea. There, the exiled poet Ovid dares to hope that a new emperor will […]
A Slow and Secret Poison by Carmella Lowkis
When, in 1922, Vee Morgan accepts the job of gardener at a crumbling stately home in Wiltshire, she’s hoping for a fresh start where nobody knows her troubled history. But Harfold Manor is shadowed by grief and the memories of long-faded glory, its rooms haunted by the only surviving member of the family, Lady Arabella […]
The Berlin Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith
In September, 1930, fearless detective Miss Clara Vale is bound for Berlin, but this trip is all about la mode, not murder. Clara is set to walk the runway at Berlin Fashion Week, as a favour to her designer friend Juju, with her assistant Bella in tow. Elections loom in Germany, and among Juju’s friends, […]
Sherlock Holmes and the Widow’s Key by Linda Stratmann
It’s 1878, and elderly widow Mrs Orless has for some years been living off gifts from four gentlemen and each has been promised he will inherit her house. But when she dies, her will, made 16 years previously, leaves her estate to her maid, Mary Ann Clatterby, a niece by marriage. The gentlemen furiously demand […]
Historical books to look out for in 2026
Welcome to Historia’s most popular regular feature, our round-up of historical books published by members of the Historical Writers’ Association (HWA) to look out for this year. In 2026, there are more than 180 books so far — historical fiction, history, and biography. They range from Ancient Greece and Rome to the mid-20th century via the Viking […]
The Emperor of Seville by Matthew Carr
In the summer of 1586, when the Genoese banker Sandro Grandoni is murdered at a trade fair in the Castilian town of Medina del Campo, the Valladolid Chancery appoints the magistrate Bernardo de Mendoza to conduct the investigation. The murder takes place at a delicate political moment. King Philip II is preparing to invade England, […]
The Austen Christmas Murders by Jessica Bull
The festive season is fast approaching. Jane Austen fears that without her lively siblings at home, there won’t be much Christmas cheer in the Austen household this year. But when she uncovers a skeleton in the cellar of Deane Parsonage, Jane soon forgets her woes. For who needs merriment, when there’s a mystery to solve? […]