Historical Fiction bestsellers

James

A Novel

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

“Chances are if you told me to read a contemporary retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the point of view of Jim, I would say, 'oh, that's interesting,' and then never actually pick it up. But when you tell me it was written by Percival Everett, the most brilliant writer hardly anyone had heard of until his 21st (!) novel was a... Read more

The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick

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

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

“A wildly creative and engrossing tale of magic that centers around the power of translation, set against the backdrop of Victorian England and all of its colonial misgivings. Read more

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter

By: Stephen Graham Jones
Narrated by: Shane Ghostkeeper, Marin Ireland & Owen Teale
Length: 15 hours 28 minutes

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Only Good Indians is a chilling historical horror novel tracing the life of a vampire who haunts the fields of the Blackfeet reservation looking for justice.

A diary, written in 1912 by a Lutheran Pastor is discovered within a wall. What it unveils is a slow massacre, a chain of events that go... Read more

Circe

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

“I'm late this to this party but so happy I made it. As a bookseller, this is one of those remarkable books that appeal to so many audiences. My teen staff loved it as did my 18-year-old son who grew up reading mythology. I learned quite a bit about Homer's Iliad and The Odyssey (something I missed in my formal education) and the original... 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 Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

A Novel

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

“Reminiscent of Author's like James Baldwin and John Steinbeck, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store is a wonderful novel that focuses of racial division, poverty in America, and the importance of community. This was my first time reading McBride, but I will definitely be continuing on to his past works. If you're a character driven reader, I... Read more

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

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

“Unlike anything I have ever read. Stunning, masterful, epic, dark and rich! Even my friends who usually scoff at sci-fi/fantasy books, loved this one. No short synopsis will properly prepare you, just dive in. Read more

Isola: Reese's Book Club

A Novel

By: Allegra Goodman
Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham & Allegra Goodman
Length: 12 hours 53 minutes

“In this rich and intriguing tale, Goodman imagines the details of the life of Marguerite, a real-life 16th-century gentlewoman who finds herself struggling for her survival. Wonderful historical fiction highlighting the perils of being a woman in 16th-century France, and the strength and transformation possible (necessary) through trials. Read more

The Song of Achilles

A Novel

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

“Madeline Miller's retelling of the Iliad is beautifully written. From page one, I was sucked into the story, and it never let me go. Frazer Douglas' narration is impeccable, bringing the story to life in ways that I'd never dreamed possible. Such a beautiful audiobook, through and through. I can't count how many times I've listened to this... Read more

The Story She Left Behind

A Novel

By: Patti Callahan Henry
Narrated by: Julia Whelan & Theo Solomon
Length: 12 hours 31 minutes

“Patti Callahan Henry's enchanting historical mystery will sweep you away to 1950s London in this breathtaking story of the power of a mother and daughter's love! Told only in the lyrical beautiful way that Patti Callahan Henry can tell a tale, The Story She Left Behind is one for the ages… 🩷 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 Antidote

A Novel

By: Karen Russell
Narrated by: Elena Rey, Sophie Amoss, Mark Bramhall, Shayna Small, Jon Orsini, Natasha Soudek, Karen Russell & James Riding In
Length: 16 hours 55 minutes

“I was blown away (pun intended) by The Antidote! Such a wonderful book. A dust bowl novel with elements of magical realism intrigued me and Russell did not disappoint. It reminded me of The Giver, but for adults. 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

“What happened to Britain after Arthur's fall at Camlann? A beautiful continuation of the Arthurian tale we all love; Grossman takes us to visit some of our old friends like Lancelot and Guinevere, and to meet new ones like Collum. A wonderful narrative, delightfully detailed, and thoroughly engrossing. Drawing on the likes of Marion Zimmer... Read more

The Poppy War

A Novel

The Poppy War

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

“The first in a brilliant trilogy, The Poppy War is easily one of the best books I have ever read. Kuang illuminates the brutal realities of war via a fantasy world which resembles China during the twentieth century. Her characters are morally gray with a host of complex motivations and world views -- and that makes them all the more compelling.... Read more

Good Dirt

A Novel

By: Charmaine Wilkerson
Narrated by: January LaVoy
Length: 11 hours 26 minutes

“A beautiful, emotional family saga centered around an heirloom. I particularly loved Ebby, and the writing gave such rich context to each character. If you like family sagas or stories across time, give this a try! 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

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

A Novel

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

“I loved the setup of her being pulled in for 'one last job' and all the illusions to Middle Eastern Mythology. Plus, pirates! The narrator had the perfect air of wry humor to embody Amina, and her asides where she steps away from the microphone as if she's actually talking to someone else are a nice touch that make it feel as if she's actually... 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 Familiar

A Novel

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

“Two words: Entertaining and propulsive! Set during the inquisition in 16th century Spain, it’s a political thriller and historical fiction with a dose of magic. Full of secret agendas, pain, fear and desire, you won't want to stop listening to this story. 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

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

“An epic high fantasy that follows several different characters, throughout different points in time as they are all set to converge on the day of a solar eclipse. On this day, the fate of their world will be altered. An incredible story and great listen on Libro.fm, but definitely something you have to pay attention too or you will miss... Read more

There Are Rivers in the Sky

A novel

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

“My fave read this year. Her writing is luminous, enchanting and poetic and the story of a drop of water interwoven among three people and storylines is mesmerizing. Read more

Weyward

A Novel

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

“Three timelines of strong and powerful women converge at the end of the book with a melding of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world. Lush descriptions. A favorite of mine. 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

“THIS BOOK EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS! As a huge fan of A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility, The Lincoln Highway had a lot of pressure and holy cow did it surpass anything I could have hoped for. From the first page, I was immediately drawn into Towles' magical writing and superb characters. This felt like a modern classic, the new and... 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

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

20th Anniversary Edition

By: Susanna Clarke
Narrated by: Richard Armitage
Length: 36 hours 14 minutes

“While Napoleon threatens to conquer Europe, a magician offers his services to the British government. A wonderful, dark, and often funny alternate history fantasy novel. Read more

The Fox Wife

A Novel

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

“The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo is a lovely story brilliantly uses the folk legend of fox who can present as human and live long lives, if they avoid misadventure. Snow is hunting the killer of her child, a photographer of low character who coveted a snow-white fox kit and left it piteously injured to die. Snow will follow him from 1908 Manchuria... Read more

Lady Tan's Circle of Women

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

“Lisa See's evocative settings, rich history, and beguiling characters tell the story of a Chinese woman drawn to practice medicine in a culture and time when this is forbidden. Only the support of a "circle of women" makes it possible for her to make a critical impact and heal people at all levels of society. Based on the life of Yunxiang Tan... Read more

The Night Circus

A Novel

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

“It's always hard listening to a book you've read multiple times, and have a deep attachment to for fear of how it will be read to you. Jim Dale does a really good job, finding myself utterly impressed. Read more

A Gentleman's Gentleman

A Novel

By: TJ Alexander
Narrated by: Harrison Knights
Length: 8 hours 43 minutes

A USA TODAY BESTSELLER • From the acclaimed author of Chef's Kiss, a groundbreaking trans Regency romance that's both delightfully witty and refreshingly iconoclastic.

“A Gentleman’s Gentleman is a thoroughly charming confection of a romance. If you’re looking for a tender, gentle slow burn, this is the book for you.” —Cat Sebastian, author of We... Read more

The Warm Hands of Ghosts

A Novel

By: Katherine Arden
Narrated by: Michael Crouch, January LaVoy & Katherine Arden
Length: 11 hours 37 minutes

“How do we deal with grief? Run? Remember? Fight? The Warm Hands of Ghosts is magical realism at its best, set against the haunting backdrop of WWI. Poignant and heartbreaking. Read more

The Pillars of the Earth

Kingsbridge: Book #1

By: Ken Follett
Narrated by: John Lee
Length: 40 hours 56 minutes

“A book unlike any other and the definition of epic- Long, winding, powerful and worth every minute. Read more

The Lost Apothecary

A Novel

By: Sarah Penner
Narrated by: Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony & Lauren Irwin
Length: 10 hours 17 minutes

“I initially expected this book to lean more towards fantasy rather than a realistic depiction of 1700s apothecaries, but I was not disappointed. The dual timeline effectively enhances the narrative, revealing crucial information at just the right moments. The sections set in the historical apothecary are particularly captivating, with richly... 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 Paris Express

By: Emma Donoghue
Narrated by: Justin Avoth
Length: 7 hours 15 minutes

“As someone who struggled through history classes designed to simply memorize bits and pieces. I really enjoy historical fiction because it puts history into a better format to remember. The Paris Express not only accomplished this but then at the end, the author took the time to tell you facts about the real historical people in the story as... Read more

The Starless Sea

A Novel

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

“The Starless Sea is a love story to stories, to storytellers and to lovers of stories. It is fairy tale, myth, mystery, adventure, romance, and so much more. It has depth, it has sweetness, it has sorrows, it has fate, it has heartbreak, it has love, it bends time and space, and most of all, it has stories, which are just stories until they are... Read more

A Gentleman in Moscow

A Novel

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

“Within the pages of this captivating novel lies a poignant portrayal of a turbulent era in Russian history, rendered with remarkable depth, detail, and grace. Alexander Rostoff, initially portrayed as a haughty aristocrat, undergoes a profound transformation as he navigates the intricate web of relationships that will shape the next three... Read more

Heartless Hunter

The Crimson Moth: Book #1

By: Kristen Ciccarelli
Narrated by: Grace Gray
Length: 12 hours 8 minutes

"A steamy game of cat and mouse between witch and witch-hunter, played out against a backdrop of opulence, secrets, and bloody history. I couldn't look away." - Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Champion of Fate

Enemies-to-lovers doesn't get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love in bestselling... Read more

Cloud Cuckoo Land

A Novel

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

“This book is the best thing I’ve read - and the most complex and sophisticated - since Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. Three story lines tied together by the mythical quest of a man named Aethon: 1400’s Constantinople, present day Idaho, and a futuristic voyage of a ship called The Argos! Suspense and adventure! With all the beautiful... Read more

The Island of Sea Women

A Novel

By: Lisa See
Narrated by: Jennifer Lim
Length: 13 hours 22 minutes

“Off the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island is home to generations of haenyo—women who take their living from both land and sea and call the shots in their matriarchal society. Young-sook and Mi-ja are best friends in the 1930s, learning to dive with their all-female collective while their island suffers under Japanese... 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

The Jackal's Mistress

A Novel

By: Chris Bohjalian
Narrated by: Marni Penning & Chris Bohjalian
Length: 9 hours 29 minutes

“Set during the Civil War, The Jackal’s Mistress is a gripping tale. The true story of a Southern woman who harbored a gravely injured Union soldier and nursed him back to health grappling with the ethics of her actions and her developing feelings for the soldier. Read more

The History of Sound

Stories

By: Ben Shattuck
Narrated by: Ben Shattuck, Zachary Chastain, Paul Mescal, Dion Graham, Ellen Adair, Steven Jay Cohen, Jim Seybert, Dawn Harvey, Chris Cooper, Rebecca Lowman, Jenny Slate, Ed Helms & Nick Offerman
Length: 9 hours 29 minutes

“I LOVED this immersive and interconnected book of New England stories, and the all-star cast takes it to another level. Chris Cooper reading the title story will have you weeping. 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

“The audio version of this book fully immerses you in the savage land Freya must navigate as she learns to wield her power. The internal battle she fights as her familial loyalty and her longing for more clash. A tense, sexy adventure that will make you want to pick up your own shield. Read more

Long Island

By: Colm Toibin
Narrated by: Jessie Buckley
Length: 9 hours 40 minutes

“So this was lovely – full of Toíbín’s signature yearning and uncommunicated desire. There’s something to be said for writers who keep coming back to the same characters and settings – there’s a long list of them but Strout, Russo and Vonnegut immediately come to mind. It’s comforting and nostalgic and as a reader can make for an enriching... Read more

The Huntress

A Novel

By: Kate Quinn
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
Length: 19 hours 3 minutes

“I needed a super engrossing audiobook and having had such a good experience with both The Rose Code and The Alice Network, I knew The Huntress narrated by the wonderful Saskia Maarleveld would do the trick. If you are a fan of historical fiction with strong female characters then you have to check out Kate Quinn (if you haven't already). Her... Read more

The Hymn to Dionysus

By: Natasha Pulley
Narrated by: Sid Sagar
Length: 15 hours 59 minutes

Bloomsbury presents The Hymn to Dionysus by Natasha Pulley, read by Sid Sagar

A timely reimagining of the story of Dionysus—Greek god of ecstasy, revelry, and ruin—and a captivating queer love story for readers of The Song of Achilles and Elektra.

Raised in a Greek legion, Phaidros has been taught to follow his commander’s orders at all costs. But... Read more

Black Leopard, Red Wolf

The Dark Star Trilogy: Book #1

By: Marlon James
Narrated by: Dion Graham
Length: 23 hours 59 minutes

“An ambitious read of epic proportions! African mythology, history and James' phenomenal imagination come together to make an adventure tale like no other. Engrossing! Daring! Beautifully strange! 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