This fall cuddle up with your warmest socks and coziest blanket and transport yourself to another time and place with any of these thrilling and intricately plotted historical reads. Plenty of adventure and mystery await readers in these pages…
Murder at the Merton Library by Andrea Penrose
Join Wrexford and Lady Charlotte in the atmospheric world of Regency England. When the reclusive librarian of Oxford University is murdered, and a rare manuscript disappears, Wrexford is drawn into a perplexing investigation where his own name becomes a clue. Meanwhile, Charlotte, writing under her pen name, A. J. Quill, must uncover the truth behind a suspicious laboratory fire and its connection to a high-stakes race to build a revolutionary steam-powered ship. As they untangle the baffling clues, Wrexford and Charlotte realize that a sinister conspiracy lurks in the shadows. Get ready for a riveting tale where deception and danger intertwine, and only their wit and determination can save the day.
The Novelist from Berlin by V.S. Alexander
Delve into the captivating world of post-WWI Berlin in this gripping novel inspired by the audacious true story of Irmgard Keun. Niki Rittenhaus, a brilliant and resourceful woman, defies societal norms to survive in a city simmering with volatility. Her escape from a marriage to a Nazi-supporting husband propels her on a perilous journey for her art, her life, and the safety of her child. From pseudonymous literary success to life on the run, Niki’s unyielding spirit leads her through a web of danger, resistance, and war-torn landscapes. This engrossing tale transports readers into a tumultuous era, where a courageous woman fights for freedom and the power to pen her own destiny.
Murder Wears a Hidden Face by Rosemary Simpson
Dive into the dark underbelly of Gilded Age New York where Prudence MacKenzie, heiress-turned-lawyer, and former Pinkerton Geoffrey Hunter are drawn away from the glittering mansions of high society to the gritty streets of Chinatown when a diplomat’s murder shocks the city. As they investigate the assassination of Lord Peng, they’re thrust into a complex web of cultural complexities, alliances with dangerous Tongs, and a relentless killer seeking revenge. Simpson weaves a gripping tale that immerses readers in a richly atmospheric historical mystery, where every step into the labyrinthine streets could be their last.
Take the Long Way Home by Rochelle Alers
Embark on a mesmerizing journey spanning decades and continents in this vivid narrative that follows one woman through the sweeping tides of history. From a cloistered 1950s Mississippi town to the vibrant streets of 60s and 70s Paris and Rome, from the glitz of 80s Wall Street to present-day New York. Claudia Patterson is a freedom fighter, a devoted wife, a master of languages, and a savior of a European dynasty who shapes her own destiny but is changed by four remarkable men she meets along the way. Rochelle Alers delivers a powerful, richly historic narrative, a captivating epic of triumph over adversity, and the indelible impact of love throughout the ages.
The Queen of the Valley by Lorena Hughes
Step into the lush yet wounded landscape of 1920s Colombia on the brink of a cholera epidemic in this enthralling tale that weaves together the lives of three strangers. A daring photographer, a Spanish chocolatier in disguise, and a Palestinian-Colombian nun are drawn into a perilous search for the missing owner of a coveted hacienda. Secrets, unrequited passion, and explosive memories converge in this suspenseful saga filled with lush prose and intricate storytelling, Hughes delivers a vivid historical novel that explores love, loss, and the enduring power of the past to shape our destinies.
Reprinted with permission from Kensington Books.
