Historical fiction is one of the most popular categories on NetGalley, and it’s no surprise why! This is a genre that allows readers to learn about our past, to explore how that past connects with our future, and to see characters living lives that are both similar and vastly different to our own. Plus it’s a perfect playground for other genres to play in (who doesn’t love a historical book with a touch of fantasy or romance or mystery?). Here you’ll find 20 historical novels hitting shelves in 2024 that you’ll want on your TBR!
The Woman in the Wallpaper by Lora Jones
Two sisters make an unsettling discovery while working at a factory during the French Revolution when they realize Madame Justine, a woman who died under mysterious circumstances, appears in the wallpaper they’re working on.
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
Stephen Graham Jones returns with a horror novel set in the American West. The discovery of a Lutheran pastor’s diary from 1912 reveals the story of a Blackfeet vampire seeking revenge and justice.
A Traitorous Heart by Erin Cotter
Young adult readers, pack your bags for Paris. It’s 1572 and lady-in-waiting (and aspiring spy) Jac decides to play matchmaker for a prince and princess in the hopes of saving her country from going to war.
A Wager at Midnight by Vanessa Riley
Scarlett Wilcox doesn’t want to marry a man who won’t allow her to pursue medical research, but when she meets Trinidadian-born physician Stephen Carew, she wonders if she’s found one who will love every part of her.
Babylonia by Costanza Casati
Costanza Casati combines myth and ancient history to transport readers to Babylonia to meet a young orphan named Semiramis, who will one day be queen and the only female ruler of the Assyrian Empire.
This Much Is True by Vivienne Lorret
A debutant playwright in need of adventure and a highwayman with a secret heart of gold (and a title no one can know about) make for a perfect match in this third installment of Vivienne Lorret’s historical romance series.
The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley
Drawing from the life of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, this YA thriller features a kidnapped African princess and her mission to take down the Crown.
A Shipwreck in Fiji by Nilima Rao
Sergeant Akal Singh is sent to the island of Ovalau to investigate a report of German soldiers, suspiciously far from the frontlines of World War I, and instead stumbles across a possible murder.
The Gods Time Forgot by Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez
Gilded Age New York gets an infusion of Irish mythology in this historical romantasy. After losing her memories, Rua is assumed to be a family’s missing daughter and assumes the role in hopes of learning more about who she is.
The Red Car to Hollywood by Jennie Liu
This YA novel takes readers to Los Angeles in 1924 where 16-year-old Ruby Chan is inspired by a young Hollywood star to build the life she wants and avoid the marriage her parents are planning for her.
The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman
Lena Conti left Germany in the 1930s to give her daughter a better life and instead they’re torn apart when the American Eugenics Office targets Lena and the new community she’s found in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.
Thus with a Kiss I Die by Christina Dodd
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, the daughter of the very-much-alive Romeo and Juliet combs the streets on the hunt for a dangerous killer while dodging the prince’s attempts to take her hand in marriage.
The Gentleman and His Vowsmith by Rebecca Ide
Rebecca Ide blends fantasy and a murder mystery into this queer historical. A lord must work with his betrothed and his former lover to solve a string of murders plaguing the Monterris Court.
Fagin the Thief by Allison Epstein
Take a trip to Dickensian London to meet Jacob Fagin before he knew Oliver Twist. From his start as a pickpocket to the creation of a found family of thieves, this story ensures you’ll never think of Fagin the same way again.
The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris
Kristina McMorris explores the anti-Chinese sentiment of Portland in the 1880s through the eyes of Celia, a woman who wakes up to discover she’s been kidnapped and brought to the infamous Shanghai Tunnels.
Never Gamble Your Heart by Lindsay Lovise
In this historical romance, Frankie Turner follows the trail of her missing sister to a gambling hell owned by Jasper Jones and applies to be the governess of his new ward in order to investigate further.
A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart by Nishant Batsha
Set at the start of World War I, this novel explores the impact of politics, war, and ideals on the marriage between a graduate student and an Indian revolutionary when the United States begins to target dissidents.
What historical fiction are you looking forward to this year?
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