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

“In turns witty, heart-wrenching, and profound - filled with memorable, quirky characters brought vividly to life by narrator Dominic Hoffman, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store is James McBride at his best. This is the book I am telling everyone about. Bravo! Read more

The Song of Achilles

A Novel

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

“A sweeping emotional tale of war, passion, and devastation. You are given insight into a hero's life through the eyes of Patroclus in a way that has never been done before.You may think you know the story of Achilles and Patroclus but I promise you, you don't. Miller is able to ensnare your imagination and capture the human spirit in a way few... 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

“Lovers of Pirates of the Caribbean rejoice! This tale contains all the swashbuckling, hilarious banter, magic, and monsters I've grown to love in pirate stories. Lameece Issaq perfectly, delightfully, and hilariously brings Amina's character to life. This is 100% a new favorite novel for me!! 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

“Without a doubt one of the best, most important books of the year, this dark academia historical fantasy takes us from the soaring heights of magical schools, ivory towers, and the life of the mind to the bottom of its rotten foundations: colonialism, white supremacy, exploitation, complicity - all while keeping its reader spellbound in wonder,... 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

“North Woods is a phenomenal novel that I’ll be thinking about for a long time to come. Daniel Mason’s tells the story of a single plot of land in western Massachusetts over the span of centuries, through the eyes of its many varied inhabitants, and the ways that their choices reverberate — one might say haunt even — throughout the ages. Equal... 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

“The Bright Sword is nothing short of absolute brilliance! Lev Grossman has created a sharp and realized re-imagination of the classic Arthurian tale with whip-snap dialog, rich world-building, and an intriguing assortment of sundry characters that come together to create a story that is refreshing, exciting, thought-provoking, and downright... 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

The Frozen River

A Novel

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

“This book not only describes the struggles of a colonial midwife, it also reveals the court system of early American New England. The author weaves in excerpts of Martha’s diary entries that tell the story of this admired woman. As a History lover, I couldn’t put this book down. Read more

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

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

“Schwab has a masterpiece on her hands with this title. I loved it from the beginning, and that love grew until the very end. Addie needed to find a way to escape the life she is supposed to live as a woman in France, 1714. “No matter how desperate or dire, never pray to the gods that answer after dark.” As the sun sets, she is praying to any god... 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

Mexican Gothic

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

“If what you loved about "Northanger Abbey" was its sly twist on the gothic romance, you're going to love this new setting for an old gem. Set in 1950's Mexico, it follows a capable but callous young woman who agrees to check on a cousin in exchange for tuition for a master's degree, then begins to discover what inspired the cousin's apparent... 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

“Loved, loved, LOVED listening to the new Amor Towles book. The story was wonderful, but the readers made it especially enjoyable. 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

Cloud Cuckoo Land

A Novel

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

“Spanning from the final days of Constantinople to the distant space-exploring future, this is about how stories resonant across space and time. I know that readers will emerge from its pages grateful: for our connections with each other, how great art outlasts all of us, how together we are all writing one big story, imperfect and hopeful. Read more

The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love

Love's Academic: Book #1

By: India Holton
Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden
Length: 10 hours 19 minutes

"So riotously clever it almost defies description...an alchemy of romantic elements held in perfect harmony."—NPR

Rival ornithologists hunt through England for a rare magical bird in this historical-fantasy rom-com reminiscent of Indiana Jones but with manners, tea, and helicopter parasols.

Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing 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

“Rebecca Roanhorse brings us into a fantasy world of magic and warring clans and an over-reaching spiritual elite who think they control the others. Told through multiple voices, I sped through this story, with excitement and betrayal and passion and magic at each turn of the chapter. This is part one of an adventure I cannot wait to pick back... Read more

Weyward

A Novel

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

“This is an excellent read if you love well-researched historical fiction and multiple familial timelines. While I have read a few reviews that chastise the book's lack of positive male figures, I respectfully disagree. The patriarchy was entirely in charge during the Witch Hunts of the late 17th Century, as it was during the turmoil of... Read more

The Familiar

A Novel

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

“Just read it, you won't regret the time spent (safely through a book) during the Spanish Inquisition time period. Richly researched, Bardugo's writing will leave you wanting more magic in your life. Read more

Long Island

By: Colm Toibin
Narrated by: Jessie Buckley
Length: 9 hours 27 minutes

“In Colm Tóibín’s new book, Long Island, his masterful language and ability to draw quietly engaging characters is on full display. When a stranger knocks on Eilis Lacey’s door with an alarming message, her life and that of her family is thrown into disarray. After receiving the news, she returns to her hometown of Enniscorthy, where she... 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

Nicked

A Novel

By: M. T. Anderson
Narrated by: Euan Morton
Length: 7 hours 55 minutes

“Before reading this, would I have said we needed a madcap queer romantic historical adventure about based on the true story of an earnest monk and a rakish pirate stealing the sacred bones of Saint Nicholas? No, I wouldn't have, but it was delightfully unpredictable, witty, and fun! Based on real historical events, with a touch of whimsy added,... Read more

A Gentleman in Moscow

A Novel

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

“Through Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov's ordinary encounters and activities within the bounds of the four walls of post-revolutionary Moscow's Metropol Hotel, where he is under house arrest, Towles deftly guides readers across a century of Russian history, from the Bolshevik uprising to the dawn of the nuclear age under Krushchev. Grandiloquent... 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

“A Fate Inked in Blood is a riveting starter to what will no doubt be another steamy, wondrous fantasy series by Jensen. The lore is complex and the characters are quick to cut, with a cliffhanger that left me hungry for the next installment. Read more

Let Us Descend

A Novel

By: Jesmyn Ward
Narrated by: Jesmyn Ward
Length: 8 hours 12 minutes

“This magical novel illustrates the cruelties of slavery and the indomitable spirit of its protagonist in a descent into the hell of a pre-Civil War Louisiana sugar cane plantation. Read more

The Once and Future Witches

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

“Alix E. Harrow's second novel propels the listener from the year 1893 through a past and the future, with fantasy releasing the spells the Sisters Grimm have hidden in plain sight. I also delighted in the witchy affirmation of historical moments and unions at the turn of the 20th Century. Read more

A Thousand Ships

A Novel

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

“A retelling of the Trojan War where the women are as heroic (if not more so) than the men. I especially liked Penelope’s arc, told through letters to her wayward and philandering husband. Having the author read the audiobook was 100% the right choice. Read more

Don't Want You Like a Best Friend

A Novel

The Mischief & Matchmaking Series: Book #1

By: Emma R. Alban
Narrated by: Mary Jane Wells & Morag Sims
Length: 10 hours 47 minutes

“What a vibrant beginning to a new historical romance series! Full of intrigue, stolen kisses, and London drama, this sweet queer love story follows two women who dare to hope in a world not built for them. Read more

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

A Novel

By: Heather Morris
Narrated by: Richard Armitage
Length: 7 hours 25 minutes

“Just, wow. By the time I got to this novel I had forgotten it was based on true events! The story is overwhelming, all the more for it's truth. All of the turns that seemed so confusing to me, I learned, are a result of Heather Morris' careful and accurate telling of memories born in chaos. Lale and Gita are truly magical. Make sure you follow... 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

Wolf Hall

A Novel

Wolf Hall Trilogy: Book #1

By: Hilary Mantel
Narrated by: Simon Slater
Length: 22 hours 58 minutes

In the ruthless arena of King Henry VIII's court, only one man dares to gamble his life to win the king's favor and ascend to the heights of political power

England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years,... 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 Binding

A Novel

By: Bridget Collins
Narrated by: Carl Prekopp
Length: 15 hours 29 minutes

“Imagine a world in which the wealthy learn not just from the work of naturalists and thinkers, but from their lives, and not just in memoir form, but as a complete, immediate experience of everything each author remembers. Imagine that, to create such books, the authors must give up those memories. Imagine that you are the child of good, honest... Read more

Husbands & Lovers

A Novel

By: Beatriz Williams
Narrated by: Helen Laser & Caroline Hewitt
Length: 12 hours 31 minutes

“This poignant novel is told in parallel; a mother caught up in her son's health and a woman caught up in her quest to become a mother. Told with interwoven viewpoints, taking place in 2022 New England and 1940s Cairo, it is a testament to motherhood spanning generations. Beautifully narrated and lovingly written, this one took me by surprise. ... Read more

Lady in the Lake

A Novel

By: Laura Lippman
Narrated by: Susan Bennett
Length: 10 hours 43 minutes

“I continue to be in awe of Laura Lippman’s ability to write novels that are so much more than mysteries. Lady in the Lake is, of course, a wonderful mystery with twists and turns and surprises —nothing is predictable. But it is also a beautiful character study and a sensitive look at the desire to have a meaningful life and how ambition can be... 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

“This book centers on Lexington, often considered the greatest horse in history. But this book is much more than the story of a horse. Brooks writes of slavery, the Civil War, academia, art and publishing, love and loyalty, and racism in history and today. I loved the bond between Jarret, an enslaved boy, and Lexington. I will be thinking of this... 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

Hamnet

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

“We all know about Shakespeare's work but how much do we know about his life? I, for one, knew very little which is the best way to go into this book. I found it fascinating and so beautifully written, sad but utterly captivating. This is a real gem! Read more

The Night Circus

A Novel

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

“Listening to The Night Circus is truly a magical experience. Narrated by Jim Dale–best known for being the voice of a certain child wizard–the listening experience was part nostalgia, part wonder. Be ready to be swept away to Victorian London and the romance of a century. 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

The Paris Novel

By: Ruth Reichl
Narrated by: Kiiri Sandy
Length: 9 hours 25 minutes

“For anyone who can't afford to go to Paris right now, listen to this! It's a cold glass of Chablis with fresh oysters at an outdoor bistro table. It's an original, custom, Dior black dress that fits perfectly and smells of apricots and vanilla. It's an art mystery solved. It's funny and memorable characters. It's about finding yourself in a... Read more

The Ten Thousand Doors of January

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

“I read The Ten Thousand Doors of January with my eyes and my ears... both were literary nirvana experiences. Alix E. Harrow's tale of a young girl who finds a mysterious book that tells of doors that lead to fantastical worlds reminded me of what story telling is all about. I was transported to the early 1900's and the life of January Scaller,... 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

Last Night at the Telegraph Club

By: Malinda Lo
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
Length: 12 hours 25 minutes

“This coming of age story about a young woman growing up queer in 1950s Chinatown, San Francisco, was brilliant. I loved the rich historical detail, believable characters, exploration of intersectional identities, romance, and sense of place, made even stronger by the excellent narration. Best book I've read in quite some time and highly... 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 Shadow of the Wind

By: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
Length: 18 hours 4 minutes

“The Shadow of the Wind is set in Spain, specifically Barcelona, and Zafon’s beautiful and rich writing makes the city sound downright irresistible. And on top of THAT, it’s also a love letter to the world of books! I have many favorite quotes from this book, but here’s one that has stuck with me over the years: 'Every book, every volume you see... 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

A Ruse of Shadows

The Lady Sherlock Series: Book #8

By: Sherry Thomas
Narrated by: Kate Reading
Length: 13 hours 3 minutes

"I cannot recommend this series enough."—#1 New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood

Charlotte Holmes is accustomed to solving crimes, not being accused of them, but she finds herself in a dreadfully precarious position as the bestselling Lady Sherlock series continues.

Charlotte’s success on the RMS Provence has afforded her a certain... Read more

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

By: Susanna Clarke
Narrated by: Simon Prebble
Length: 32 hours 25 minutes

At the dawn of the nineteenth century, two very different magicians emerge to change England's history. In the year 1806, with the Napoleonic Wars raging on land and sea, most people believe magic to be long dead in England-until the reclusive Mr Norrell reveals his powers, and becomes a celebrity overnight.

Soon, another practicing magician... 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