Superb Historical Fiction in 2008
Discover the best historical fiction books of 2008 with our curated list of superb reads. Immerse yourself in captivating stories and rich historical detail from top authors.
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Devil's Brood
by Sharon Kay Penman
The third installment of a trilogy about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine traces the collapse of the royal family in the aftermath of Henry's …
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The Other Queen
by Philippa Gregory
Presents a tale inspired by the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, in a work that follows the doomed monarch's long imprisonment in the household …
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The Serpent's Tale
by Ariana Franklin
Ordered by Henry II to establish the possible role of Eleanor of Aquitaine in the poisoning death of Henry's mistress, a reluctant Adelia Aguilar joins …
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The Serpent Garden
by Judith Merkle Riley
In the court of Henry VIII, there are many secrets—and some people will kill to keep them hidden.Susanna Dallet is the daughter of a Flemish …
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Crossed
by Nicole Galland
In the year 1202, tens of thousands of crusaders gather in Venice, preparing to embark for Jerusalem to free the Holy City from Muslim rule. …
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Lady of the Roses
by Sandra Worth
During her short time as a ward in Queen Marguerite's Lancastrian court, fifteen-year-old Isobel has had many suitors ask for her hand, but the spirited …
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The Secret Bride
by Diane Haeger
For fans of The Tudors comes a captivating drama about the only woman who could defy Henry VIII -and keep her life. Mary Tudor, the …
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Mistress of the Revolution
by Catherine Delors
Forced to marry an elderly baron instead of a man she loves, impoverished noblewoman Gabrielle de Montserrat is condemned to death at the height of …
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All for Love
by Amanda Elyot
A fictional portrait of eighteenth-century British actress Mary Robinson follows her life from the harsh poverty of debtors' prison, to the glamour, success, and scandal …
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Stealing Athena
by Karen Essex
The complex history of the Elgin Marbles is viewed through the lives of two women--Aspasia, an ancient Greek female philosopher, and Mary Nisbet, wife of …
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Black Ships
by Jo Graham
Counseling the rulers of a world beset by dangerous enemies and natural disasters, oracle Gull is forced to choose between her calling and an effort …
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The Wise Woman
by Philippa Gregory
#1 New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory weaves an unforgettable tale of a young woman’s sorcery and desire in Henry VIII’s England, where magic, …
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The King's Favorite
by Susan Holloway Scott
The acclaimed author of Duchess and Royal Harlot returns with the unforgettable story of a king's last love and London's darling? BRNell Gwyn has never …
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The Enchantress of Florence
by Salman Rushdie
"The Enchantress of Florence" is the story of a woman attempting to command her own destiny in a man's world. Vivid, gripping, and profoundly moving, …
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The Virgin Queen's Daughter
by Ella March Chase
A historical novel based on long-standing rumors that Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen, had given birth to an illegitimate child follows young Elinor de Lacy--the …
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Mistress of the Sun
by Sandra Gulland
An eccentric young woman's love for a wild white stallion tempts her into using an ancient magic that overshadows her subsequent life and leads to …
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Drood
by Dan Simmons
A tale inspired by the mysterious final years of Charles Dickens finds the fifty-three-year-old literary master irrevocably changed when a train journey with his mistress …
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Hand of Isis
by Jo Graham
Serving as a handmaiden to Queen Cleopatra, Charmian, the queen's half-sister, taps into ancient memories using oracle powers that also provide her with clues on …
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Cathedral of the Sea
by Ildefonso Falcones de Sierra
Follows the fortunes of the Estanyol family in medieval Barcelona, whose rise from peasantry is marked by their stoneworker son's role in building the Santa …
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The Heretic's Daughter
by Kathleen Kent
Martha Carrier was one of the first women to be accused, tried, and hanged as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts. This is the haunting story …
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The Memorist
by M. J. Rose
A gripping novel about a woman paralyzed by the past, a man robbed of his future, and a centuries-old secret.
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The Glass of Time
by Michael Cox
"In the autumn of 1876, nineteen-year-old orphan Esperanza Gorst arrives at the great country house of Evenwood in Northamptonshire. There she will serve as the …
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Immortal
by Traci L. Slatton
In an age of wonderous beauty and terrible secrets, one man searches for his destiny... In the majestic heart of Florence, a beautiful golden-haired boy …
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Company of Liars
by Karen Maitland
Maitland writes the stories of nine characters trying to escape the Black Death in her novel inspired by Chaucer's Canterbury tales.
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The Jewel Trader of Pegu
by Jeffrey Hantover
Adventure, treasure, and forbidden love are interwoven in this beautiful and original debut novel set in the lush land of 16th-century Southeast Asia.
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The Romanov Bride
by Robert Alexander
The next in the bestselling trilogy -the drama of a grand duchess and the peasant who determines her fate As the Russia of Nicholas and …
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The Tsarina's Daughter
by Carolly Erickson
From the bestselling author of The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette comes a dramatic novel and powerful love story about the last Russian imperial family. …
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Grave Goods
by Ariana Franklin
When the bodies of two people are discovered in the remains of an arson fire that destroyed Glastonbury Abbey, Adelia Aguilar, Mistress of the Art …
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The King's Grace
by Anne Easter Smith
The bestselling author of A Rose for the Crown and Daughter of York takes a young woman that history noticed only once and sets her …
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Signora Da Vinci
by Robin Maxwell
An enchanting novel on the life and origins of Leonardo da Vinci’s mother, as imagined by the author of the “absolutely superb” (Diane Haeger, author …
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Secrets of the Tudor Court: The Pleasure Palace
by Kate Emerson
Basing her gripping tale on the life of the real Jane Popyncourt, gifted author Kate Emerson brings the Tudor monarchs, their family, and their courtiers …
