Historical Fiction bestsellers

James

A Novel

By: Percival Everett
Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman
Length: 7 hours 48 minutes

“Percival Everett, deep into his brilliant career, adds another indelible novel into his vast canon. James reimagines an emblematic — and yes, problematic — American classic and asks about life, history, and our cultural psyche. Read more

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

A Novel

By: James McBride
Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman
Length: 12 hours 21 minutes

“This is a lively story about, class, prejudice, the power of the state, and the power of the people. Good reading. Read more

Circe

By: Madeline Miller
Narrated by: Perdita Weeks
Length: 12 hours 8 minutes

“This sweeping tale of the gods and heroes of Greek mythology as seen through the eyes of a minor goddess had me from the first chapter. I listened to this as an audiobook from our audio vendor, Libro.fm. The brilliant narrator was the 29-year-old Welsh film actress, Perdita Weeks. Read more

By Any Other Name

A Novel

By: Jodi Picoult
Narrated by: Billie Fulford-Brown, Laura Benanti, Jodi Picoult, Jayne Entwistle, Andrew Fallaize, Joe Jameson, John Lee, Nicholas Guy Smith, Simon Vance & Steve West
Length: 18 hours 25 minutes

“With wonderful, relatable, characters you’ll be rooting for up until the very end. This well researched book is not only fun and entertaining, but astonishing! What a great listen! Read more

Babel

Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of The Oxford Translators' Revolution

By: R. F. Kuang
Narrated by: Chris Lew Kum Hoi & Billie Fulford-Brown
Length: 21 hours 45 minutes

“IMHO, the best fantasy books give a reader new insights into our own world. Babel passed that test for me with its grounding in Britain's colonial history with an overlay of magic. I loved R.F. Kuang's The Poppy War trilogy, but this finely wrought novel surpasses it. Highly recommended. Read more

North Woods

A Novel

By: Daniel Mason
Narrated by: Mark Bramhall, Michael Crouch, Jason Culp, Mark Deakins, Jayne Entwistle, Billie Fulford-Brown, Arthur Morey, George Newbern, Kirsten Potter & Simon Vance
Length: 11 hours 5 minutes

“A fascinating and, at times, mysterious story of place that provokes questions about change, loss, and what lingers on. North Woods gives the reader the impossible ability to experience history across multiple lifetimes. The audiobook version is a particular delight with a talented and wide-ranging cast who enliven the story. Read more

The Frozen River

A Novel

By: Ariel Lawhon
Narrated by: Jane Oppenheimer & Ariel Lawhon
Length: 15 hours 5 minutes

“Suspenseful historical mystery inspired by the true story and diaries of midwife Martha Ballard in post-revolutionary Maine (still part of Massachusetts). Respected by women but not by Harvard-trained men, her opinion that the cause of death of the man found frozen dead in the river was murder conflicts with the men in power who rule it an... Read more

Trust (Pulitzer Prize Winner)

By: Hernan Diaz
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Jonathan Davis, Mozhan Marnò & Orlagh Cassidy
Length: 10 hours 20 minutes

“Who can you trust in the end? This 'brilliant literary puzzle' tells the story of the legendary Wall Street Tycoon Andrew Bevel and his enigmatic wife Mildred. Told in four interlocking parts, Trust is a novel within a novel, the fragmented notes for a ghostwritten memoir that Andrew hopes will set the record straight, the ghostwriter's own... Read more

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

By: V. E. Schwab
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
Length: 17 hours 9 minutes

“When I first read the desription of this book, I got chills! If there was one book that I could read for the 1st time again, it would be this one! Read more

The Bright Sword

A Novel of King Arthur

By: Lev Grossman
Narrated by: Nicholas Guy Smith & Lev Grossman
Length: 23 hours 9 minutes

“This audiobook was an immersive delight! Grossman weaves a new world out of a familiar tale- complete with nuanced characters, myths, fairies, knights, and magic. Plot twists and turns abound- so I won't say any more! Read more

Mexican Gothic

By: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Narrated by: Frankie Corzo
Length: 10 hours 39 minutes

“This was gothic vibes, horror, murder mystery…I couldn’t look away. I was fascinated by where the story was going. It was a cozy read and yet I was on the edge of my seat making all kinds of wild guesses about what was going on. I loved it. Read it immediately so we can discuss! Read more

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

A Novel

By: Shannon Chakraborty
Narrated by: Lameece Issaq & Amin El Gamal
Length: 16 hours 59 minutes

“LOVED this pirate adventure story! Protagonist is an older woman going on one last adventure, and she is BADASS AF. Super fun, and the audiobook was extremely well done! One of my favorite reads of 2023! Read more

Cloud Cuckoo Land

A Novel

By: Anthony Doerr
Narrated by: Marin Ireland & Simon Jones
Length: 14 hours 51 minutes

“A beautiful tribute to the human need to preserve and share stories. One to read and read again! One of my Top 3 for 2021! Read more

The Song of Achilles

A Novel

By: Madeline Miller
Narrated by: Frazer Douglas
Length: 11 hours 14 minutes

“This is one of the best books I've ever read. Do your heart a favor and read this beautiful, tender, heartbreaking book. Read more

The Starless Sea

A Novel

By: Erin Morgenstern
Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman & Various
Length: 18 hours 36 minutes

“This really felt like a love letter to librarians, booksellers, and anyone else who dedicates their life to the cultivation of books and all the secrets they contain. As always, Erin Morgenstern has the preternatural ability to sweep me away into a world where none of my real-life concerns matter. Who cares about gas prices when there’s a war... Read more

The Lincoln Highway

A Read with Jenna Pick (A Novel)

By: Amor Towles
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Marin Ireland & Dion Graham
Length: 16 hours 38 minutes

“Like so many other Amor Towles fans, I’ve been impatiently awaiting his next novel, so I delved right in and didn’t totally emerge until a few days later! As always with his work, it’s immersively readable and his word crafting is such a pleasure. What’s happening in the characters’ lives is chaotic and unsettled, but Towles’ writing is as... Read more

An Academy for Liars

By: Alexis Henderson
Narrated by: Tracie Frank
Length: 13 hours 22 minutes

A student will find that the hardest lessons sometimes come from outside the classroom in this stunning dark academia novel from the acclaimed author of The Year of the Witching and House of Hunger.

Lennon Carter’s life is falling apart.   

Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school... Read more

The Fraud

A Novel

By: Zadie Smith
Narrated by: Zadie Smith
Length: 12 hours 24 minutes

“Hearing Zadie Smith narrate The Fraud only enhances the experience of this already great novel. The characters are unique and easily distinguishable, and her considerable skill with accents is astounding. A thoroughly unique and enjoyable experience, just like everything Smith writes. Listen, and let her words transport you. You won't regret it. Read more

There Are Rivers in the Sky

A novel

By: Elif Shafak
Narrated by: Olivia Vinall & Elif Shafak
Length: 16 hours 48 minutes

“Weaving a story of the rivers Tigris and Thames the persecution of the Yezidi people from Mesopotamia, the discoverer and interpreter of the ancient poem Gilgamesh. All connected through time by a drop of water. Read more

Slewfoot

A Tale of Bewitchery

By: Brom
Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik
Length: 14 hours 28 minutes

“A dark and vengeful historical fantasy full of excellent storytelling. This book is both a mystical fairytale, and an intense horror novel that will keep you listening to see what happens next! Fans of Guillermo Del Toro films will devour this book. Read more

The Briar Club

A Novel

By: Kate Quinn
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
Length: 15 hours 3 minutes

The New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye and The Rose Code returns with a haunting and powerful story of female friendships and secrets in a Washington, DC, boardinghouse during the McCarthy era.Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the... Read more

The Poppy War

A Novel

The Poppy War

By: R. F. Kuang
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
Length: 19 hours 27 minutes

An AudioFile Magazine Best Audiobook of 2018!A Library Journal, Paste Magazine, and ENTROPY Best Books of 2018 pick!Washington Post ""5 Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Novel of 2018"" pick!A Bustle ""30 Best Fiction Books of 2018"" pick!“I have no doubt this will end up being the best fantasy debut of the year [...] I have absolutely no doubt... Read more

The Safekeep

By: Yael van der Wouden
Narrated by: Stina Nielsen & Saskia Maarleveld
Length: 9 hours 29 minutes

“This obsessive, claustrophobic, smothering tale of hate, love, lust, and longing will open your eyes to what it is to be a different kind of woman in 1960s Netherlands. Read more

The Personal Librarian

A GMA Book Club Pick (A Novel)

By: Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray
Narrated by: Robin Miles
Length: 12 hours 22 minutes

“I dearly loved this historical fiction based on the life of J.P. Morgan's personal librarian. My favorite combination of entertaining and educational! Read more

The Nightingale

A Novel

By: Kristin Hannah
Narrated by: Polly Stone
Length: 17 hours 37 minutes

A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK

A #1 New York Times bestseller, Wall Street Journal Best Book of the Year, and soon to be a major motion picture, this unforgettable novel of love and strength in the face of war has enthralled a generation.

With courage, grace, and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of World War... Read more

Horse

A Novel

By: Geraldine Brooks
Narrated by: James Fouhey, Lisa Flanagan, Graham Halstead, Katherine Littrell & Michael Obiora
Length: 14 hours 5 minutes

“Another well researched historical fiction by Brooks. This time she writes about race and horse racing, transporting the reader to the Antebellum South. The book is written from the point of view of several people in the life of the famous race horse and sire named Lexington. We follow his life primarily through the eyes of his enslaved groom... Read more

The Familiar

A Novel

By: Leigh Bardugo
Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
Length: 12 hours 57 minutes

“Luzia and Santángel, a duo for the ages! A scullion and an immortal familiar team up to win the king’s competition in the Spanish Golden Age as the Inquisition looms. The Familiar will lead you down new paths you won’t ever forget. Read more

Lincoln in the Bardo

A Novel

By: George Saunders
Narrated by: George Saunders, Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, Carrie Brownstein, Don Cheadle, Lena Dunham, Bill Hader, Kirby Heyborne, Keegan-Michael Key, Julianne Moore, Megan Mullally, Susan Sarandon, Ben Stiller & Various
Length: 7 hours 24 minutes

“Saunders' first novel has a steep entry curve. It's not a novel that reveals itself quickly and easily, but if you give it your attention, if you burrow deep into the book, you'll be eminently rewarded. There is a richness and depth of humanity here. There is the strange and wonderful. There is love and grief and mystery all brought together in... Read more

A Gentleman in Moscow

A Novel

By: Amor Towles
Narrated by: Nicholas Guy Smith
Length: 17 hours 51 minutes

“This book was so wonderful, I cried when I finished it! The plot is simple, yet it is a story rich with intricate details. I was so sad when it ended and I continue to think about how great it made me feel. Read more

The Four Winds

A Novel

By: Kristin Hannah
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
Length: 15 hours 20 minutes

“This is one of the best books I’ve listened to in a long time. The historical time period is the backdrop to an outstanding story about the evolution of a woman. The character development is incredibly heartfelt and the words that flow through each narration are beautifully expressed. This book, and the main character Elsa, has stayed with me... Read more

Weyward

A Novel

By: Emilia Hart
Narrated by: Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley & Nell Barlow
Length: 10 hours 51 minutes

“Three women with a deep connection to nature maneuver their way in a world where men try to corral and control them. In 1619, Altha knows what it means to be a Weyward woman, taught healing skills by her mother and understanding her connection to nature and its power. Not surprisingly, she is accused of witchcraft. Violet, in 1942, and Kate, in... Read more

The Marriage Portrait

A novel

By: Maggie O'Farrell
Narrated by: Genevieve Gaunt & Maggie O'Farrell
Length: 13 hours 21 minutes

“Listened to the ALC and it was riveting. Highly recommend the audio version. Read more

Pachinko (National Book Award Finalist)

By: Min Jin Lee
Narrated by: Allison Hiroto
Length: 18 hours 15 minutes

“A father's gentle nature, a mother's sacrifice, a daughter's trust, and a son's determination are the cornerstones of this grand, multilayered saga. Pachinko follows one family through an ever-changing cultural landscape, from 1910 Korea to 1989 Japan. As the bonds of family are put to the test in the harsh realities of their world, Sunja and... Read more

The Once and Future Witches

By: Alix E. Harrow
Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
Length: 16 hours 3 minutes

“Alix Harrow’s The Ten Thousand Doors of January was my favorite book last year, so I had incredibly high expectations when I picked up The Once and Future Witches. This book is very different, but I adore it just as much! Set in the late 1800s in a world with a slightly alternate history from ours, women are fighting for the vote and losing.... Read more

Lady Macbeth

A Novel

By: Ava Reid
Narrated by: Imani Jade Powers
Length: 9 hours 12 minutes

“A fresh take on Lady Macbeth! Despite being a Shakespeare buff and someone who thought she was a Lady Macbeth purist, I loved this different perspective on one of literature’s most infamous women. Read more

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins

By: P. Djèlí Clark
Narrated by: Lynnette R. Freeman
Length: 7 hours 22 minutes

“Undead assassins, doppelgängers out of time, and a healthy dose of frank yet sometimes dark humor drive this fast paced adventure rich in both magic and mystery. P. Djèlí Clark’s writing is innovative and imaginative, spinning a profoundly original tale that I couldn’t help but devour. The Dead Cat Tail Assassins is a compact juggernaut of a... Read more

Lady Tan's Circle of Women

By: Lisa See
Narrated by: Jennifer Lim & Justin Chien
Length: 13 hours 15 minutes

“Historical fiction of the kind we don't get enough in the US. Rich with See's meticulous research, we are taken on an intimate journey to one remarkable woman's life during the Ming Dynasty. Beautiful writing of complicated women's relationships, women's health, class, and the politics of the day. A book to savor, especially with the stunning... Read more

The Reformatory

A Novel

By: Tananarive Due
Narrated by: Joniece Abbott-Pratt
Length: 20 hours 51 minutes

“I am in awe of Tananarive Due. A horror story set in Jim Crow Florida, The Reformatory is the kind of book that I will never ever forget, no matter how many years have passed. It’s clear that Due poured her heart and soul into this story, her efforts manifesting in vivid storytelling, impeccably researched history, and characters so fully... Read more

A Fate Inked in Blood

Book One of the Saga of the Unfated

Saga of the Unfated: Book #1

By: Danielle L. Jensen
Narrated by: Nina Yndis
Length: 15 hours 15 minutes

“Blood brilliant! (Figuratively and literally!) Oh, this is SO good and addictive! I knew within the first few pages of starting that this book was going to be great. Dark, gritty, bloody, inspired by Norse Mythology, and desperately romantic, A Fate Inked in Blood is an exciting new addition to the romantasy genre that combines the high-octane... Read more

Black Sun

Between Earth and Sky: Book #1

By: Rebecca Roanhorse
Narrated by: Cara Gee, Nicole Lewis, Kaipo Schwab & Shaun Taylor-Corbett
Length: 12 hours 46 minutes

“AHHHH!! READ THIS BOOK!! This is wonderfully written and epic with world building. From a swashbuckling sea woman to a harbinger of death (and crows) and a glorified sun priestess—this book has it all! I want to get lost in this book. More importantly, I want Serapio and Xiala to have a happy ending... Where is book two?? Read more

The Night Circus

A Novel

By: Erin Morgenstern
Narrated by: Jim Dale
Length: 13 hours 38 minutes

“The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern might just be the loveliest book I've ever read. There is no book quite so effervescent or immersive as this one, and I would love nothing more than to live in its pages forever. Read more

What the River Knows

A Novel

Secrets of the Nile: Book #1

By: Isabel Ibañez
Narrated by: Ahmed Hamad & Ana Osorio
Length: 16 hours 36 minutes

“Incredibly lush and evocative, Ibañez transports us to old-world Egyptian dig sites with her unforgettable characters in this historical fantasy. Read more

The Vaster Wilds

A Novel

By: Lauren Groff
Narrated by: January LaVoy
Length: 7 hours 5 minutes

“If you’ve ever seen an interview with Lauren Groff, you might think it’s all fun and games with her. But when that woman starts writing, she’s full-tilt serious business. Her new novel, The Vaster Wilds, follows a young servant girl, Lamentations, from the colony of Jamestown as she flees traumatic events in the household where she worked. Did... Read more

Hamnet

By: Maggie O'Farrell
Narrated by: Ell Potter
Length: 12 hours 42 minutes

“Fans of A. S. Byatt, Penelope Fitzgerald, or Barbara Gowdy... are probably really tired of retellings of Shakespeare's life. Why read another? Because it so breathtakingly captures emotion. Because the opening sequence is one of the best expositions and descriptions of Shakespeare's Stratford you'll ever hear. Because the reimagining of... Read more

A Master of Djinn

Dead Djinn Universe: Book #1

By: P. Djèlí Clark
Narrated by: Suehyla El-Attar
Length: 15 hours 37 minutes

“Fatma el-Sha’arawi is one of the most talented agents in Ciaro’s Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. Though it is 1912, she has worked her way up the male-dominated agency with a combination of raw magical talent, wit, and force of will. When a room of men burnt to a crisp with no sign of fire shows up, Fatma is put on... Read more

A Thousand Ships

A Novel

By: Natalie Haynes
Narrated by: Natalie Haynes
Length: 8 hours 33 minutes

“An absolutely riveting performance! I found myself at times holding my breath as Natalie Haynes brought to life the women, the unheard, the other half of the epic tales of the Trojan War. Their names are familiar from the classics, but now we meet them as fully realized women, with stories of their own, dreams, brutal disappointments and fierce... Read more

West with Giraffes

A Novel

By: Lynda Rutledge
Narrated by: Danny Campbell
Length: 10 hours 28 minutes

An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America.“Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes…”Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the... Read more

The River We Remember

A Novel

By: William Kent Krueger
Narrated by: CJ Wilson
Length: 13 hours 33 minutes

“Although I love the Cork O'Connor books, I think William Kent Krueger’s absolute best work resides in his stand-alone titles. This book will reside in my heart for quite a time to come. Great message of truth, love, and forgiveness. Read more

The Fox Wife

A Novel

By: Yangsze Choo
Narrated by: Yangsze Choo
Length: 14 hours 36 minutes

“Are you ready to cozy up and savor a story with a bit of mystery, romance, and mysticism with an ending that made me sit in my garage listening until completion? Yangsze Choo seamlessly blends magic into historical fiction in The Fox Wife. The story is told through the eyes of Snow – a fox in woman form, seeking revenge for her daughter – and... Read more

The Ten Thousand Doors of January

By: Alix E. Harrow
Narrated by: January LaVoy
Length: 12 hours 20 minutes

“This lovely, magical book is a coming-of-age story that blends the best qualities of the adventure stories of the early 20th century with some thoroughly modern sensibilities. January Scaller is an almost-orphan in the early 1900s, the unlikely ward of a rich collector of antiquities who employs her father to travel the world discovering... Read more