Category Archives: Historical Fiction

Secrets: In the Shadows Lurks the Truth by Judith Barrow #ShortStories @barrow_judith #histfic

Posted in Book Review, Books, Historical Fiction, Reading, Short Stories by
  • Author: Judith Barrow
  • Kindle Edition published June 2017
  • Category: Short Stories, Historical, Fiction, Book Review, Books, Reading

Ashford, home of the Howarth family, is a gritty northern mill town, a community of no-nonsense Lancashire folk, who speak their minds and are quick to judge. But how many of them are hiding secrets that wouldn’t stand up to the scrutiny of others?

This is a wonderful collection of short stories, focussing on characters from Judith Barrow’s Howarth family trilogy and giving a brief but heartfelt glimpse into some of their lives, pre saga. Including situations and misfortunes, some of which were brought about by the restrictions and expectations of the time, unmarried women who have no choice but to give up their baby and the cruelty meted out to a conscientious objector to name just a couple. Others which are sadly still relevant today, namely the victims of incest and rape.  Continue reading →

#ThrowbackThursday ~ Two Rivers (The Great Peacemaker Series #1) #HistFic #NativeAmerican

Posted in Book Review, Books, Historical Fiction, Native American, Reading, Throwback Thursday by

Renee at It’s Book Talk began this meme as a way to share old favourites, as well as books that were published over a year ago. Not to mention those that are languishing on the to be read pile for whatever reason.

This week I’m revisiting one of Zoe Saadia’s books ~ Two Rivers, the first of the Great Peacemaker series.  Continue reading →

Fatal Coin ~ A Dan Foster Mystery by Lucienne Boyce #HistFic #Spotlight #Extract @BrookCottageBks

Posted in Books, Extract, Historical Fiction, Reading, Spotlight by

Genre: Historical fiction

Series: A Dan Foster Mystery

Release Date:

16 May 2017

Publisher: S Books

In the winter of 1794 Bow Street Runner and amateur pugilist Dan Foster is assigned to guard a Royal Mail coach. The mission ends in tragedy when a young constable is shot dead by a highwayman calling himself Colonel Pepper. Dan is determined to bring Pepper to justice, but the trail runs cold.

Four months later Dan is sent to Staffordshire to recover a recently excavated hoard of Roman gold which has gone missing. Here he unexpectedly encounters Colonel Pepper again. The hunt is back on, and this time Dan will risk his life to bring down Pepper and his gang.

The Fatal Coin is a prequel to Bloodie Bones, the first Dan Foster Mystery, which was joint winner of the Historical Novel Society Indie Award 2016.

Continue reading →

The Constant Soldier by William Ryan #WWII #HistoricalFiction @WilliamRyan_ #TuesdayBookBlog

Posted in Book Review, Books, Historical Fiction, History, Reading, WWII by
  • Author: William Ryan
  • Published: This edition, June 2017 by Pan
  • Category: WWII, Historical Fiction, Books, Reading

The pain woke him up. He was grateful for it. The train had stopped and somewhere, up above them, the drone of aircraft engines filled the night sky. He could almost remember her smile . . . It must be the morphine . . . He had managed not to think about her for months now.

It’s 1944 and Paul Brandt, a German soldier, horrifically wounded and returning from the front, is on a hospital train bound for recuperation, convalescence and finally, home and his father. The village he had left years before, and the people, were not the same.  By the same token, neither was Paul. His experiences have left him demoralised and guilt ridden. Continue reading →

Dark Clouds Over Nuala by Harriet Steel #HistFic @harrietsteel1 #RBRT #FridayReads 1930s Ceylon

Posted in Book Review, Books, Cozy Mystery, Historical Fiction, Murder/Mystery, Reading by
  • Author: Harriet Steel
  • Published: May 2017 by Stane Street Press
  • Category: Cozy Murder/Mystery, Historical Fiction, Book Review, Books, Reading

Set in Ceylon in the 1930s, this second book in the Inspector de Silva Mysteries offers another colourful, relaxing read as the arrival in the hill town of Nuala of the heir to an English earldom signals more trouble for the hapless Inspector de Silva and a new mystery to solve. Throw in a mega-rich Romanian count, his glamorous countess and an enigmatic British army officer and the scene is set for an entertaining mystery. 

Inspector Shanti de Silva and his English wife, Jane, were attending Nuala’s very fashionable horse racing event, the Empire Cup, along with the assistant government agent, Archie Clutterbuck and his wife, Florence. William and Lady Caroline Petrie, were also in attendance with visiting family. The Wynne-Talbots, Ralph and Helen, were on their way from Australia, via Ceylon, to England to visit Ralph’s grandfather. Ralph is in line for the title of the 14th Earl of Axford and as his grandfather is not in the best of health, it seems he may inherit the title sooner rather than later. Continue reading →

#CoverReveal ~ A Shape on the Air ~ Julia Ibbotson #Histfic Time Slip #Romance @BrookCottageBks #Giveaway

Posted in Books, Cover Reveal, Giveaway, Historical Fiction, Romance, Time Slip by

 

Genre:  historical time slip romance

Release Date: 28th July 2017

Publisher: Endeavour Press

Pre-Order link: AMAZON 

Two women 1500 years apart. One need: to save the world they know. Can they help each other to achieve their greatest desire? And what if that world they want is not the one that’s best for them?  University lecturer in medieval studies, Dr Viv Dulac, is devastated when her partner walks out (and with her best friend too!) and threatens her home.  Drunk and desperate, her world quite literally turns upside down and she finds herself in the body of the fifth century Lady Vivianne, who is struggling with the shifting values of the Dark Ages and her forced betrothal to the brutish Sir Pelleas who is implicated in the death of her parents. Haunted by both Lady Vivianne and by Viv’s own parents’ death and legacy, can Viv unravel the web of mystery that surrounds and connects their two lives, and bring peace to them both? A haunting story of lives intertwining across the ages, of the triumph of the human spirit and of dreams lost and found.

Continue reading →

#ThrowbackThursday ~ Honour & Obey #histfic @carolJhedges

Posted in Book Review, Books, Crime, Historical Fiction, Reading, Suspense, Thriller, Throwback Thursday by

Renee at It’s Book Talk began this meme as a way to share old favourites, as well as books that were published over a year ago. Not to mention those that are languishing on the to be read pile for whatever reason.

This week I’d like to showcase Honour & Obey by Carol Hedges, the second of four books featuring Stride and Cully, policemen in Victorian London.  Continue reading →

#ThrowbackThursday ~ The 20’s Girl, The Ghost and All That Jazz #histfic #romance @june_kearns

Posted in Book Review, Books, Historical Fiction, Reading, Throwback Thursday by

Renee at It’s Book Talk began this meme as a way to share old favourites, as well as books that were published over a year ago. Not to mention those that are languishing on the to be read pile for whatever reason.

Continue reading →

#ThrowbackThursday ~ the Snow Child by @EowynIvey #histfic 1920s Alaska

Posted in Book Review, Books, Historical Fiction, Reading, Throwback Thursday by

Renee at It’s Book Talk began this meme as a way to share old favourites, as well as books that were published over a year ago. Not to mention those that are languishing on the to be read pile for whatever reason.

This week I want to share my review for The Snow Child. I was browsing in the book shop when the cover caught my eye. I hadn’t heard of the author and it was only when I looked inside I realised this was a debut novel published in 2012. The cover and the blurb sold it and it was a 5* read for me. Continue reading →

Spirit of Lost Angels (The Bone Angel Series #1) by @LizaPerrat #HistFic #RBRT

Posted in Book Review, Books, Historical Fiction by
  • Author: Liza Perrat
  • Published: May 2012 by Perrat Publishing
  • Category: Historical, Fiction, Book Review, Books, Reading

Her mother executed for witchcraft, her father dead at the hand of a noble, Victoire Charpentier vows to rise above her poor peasant roots.

Spirit of Lost Angels is the story of Victoire Charpentier. Born in the village of Lucie-sur-Vionne in rural 18th century France during the years leading up to the French Revolution, she lives with her parents and siblings. Madam Charpentier is a healer and the local midwife, her husband a carpenter travelling from town to town plying his trade. A fierce storm when Victoire was six years old brought about a terrible tragedy and the family’s fortunes are about to take a devastating turn for the worst. Victoire is forced to take a domestic position in Paris, with a letter of recommendation from the village priest. 

Victoire’s troubles are only just beginning. She is now at the mercy of her employer, the Marquis de Barberon. Her belief in the cruelty and indifference of the aristocracy to the common people, born when her father was killed, only intensified and chafed. It was wholly due to the help of Claudine, the cook, she survived the Marquis’ visits and the eventual outcome. Continue reading →