Escape to a different place and time this fall and immerse yourself in stories inspired by actual events. From bestselling authors you’re already acquainted with to debut authors making their mark in the genre, we are sure you’ll find something to pique your interest. So make space on your bookshelves, make those library requests, reserve these titles and check out ELEVEN of our most anticipated historical fiction novels of Fall 2020!

The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld

The lives of three women weave together across centuries in this dazzling new novel.

Sarah, accused of being a witch, is fleeing for her life.  Ruth, in the aftermath of World War II, is navigating a new marriage and the strange waters of the local community.  Six decades later, Viv, still mourning the death of her father, is cataloging Ruth’s belongings in Ruth’s now-empty house.

The Paris Model by Alexandra Joel

A lush debut novel about a beautiful woman working as a model for Christian Dior in postwar Paris, who discovers astonishing secrets about herself and the fabulous people around her.

The Forgotten Kingdom by Signe Pike

A historical novel the takes in place Scotland in the late 500s when it’s constantly at war with both local kingdoms and invading Roman armies.  It’s the second book in the Lost Queen trilogy.

Eli’s Promise by Ronald H. Balson

A fixer in a Polish town during World War II, his betrayal of a Jewish family, and a search for justice 25 years later–by the winner of the National Jewish Book Award.

Daughter of Black Lake by Cathy Marie Buchanan

Set in a time long forgotten, Daughter of Black Lake brings the ancient world to life and introduces us to an unforgettable family facing an unimaginable trial.

When We Were Young & Brave by Hazel Gaynor

Their motto was to be prepared, but nothing could prepare them for war. . .

The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Came Home sets her unforgettable new novel in China during WWII, inspired by true events surrounding the Japanese Army’s internment of teachers and children from a British-run missionary school.

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman

In an unforgettable novel that traces a centuries-old curse to its source, beloved author Alice Hoffman unveils the story of Maria Owens, accused of witchcraft in Salem, and matriarch of a line of the amazing Owens women and men featured in Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic.

Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten

Before there was Catherine the Great, there was Catherine Alexeyevna: the first woman to rule Russia in her own right. Ellen Alpsten’s rich, sweeping debut novel is the story of her rise to power.

At Night All Blood Is Black by David Diop, Translated by Anna Moschovakis

Peppered with bullets and black magic, this remarkable novel fills in a forgotten chapter in the history of World War I. Blending oral storytelling traditions with the gritty, day-to-day, journalistic horror of life in the trenches, David Diop’s At Night All Blood is Black is a dazzling tale of a man’s descent into madness.

Confessions in B-Flat by Donna Hill

Jason Tanner, protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., has been by his mentor’s side in New York to spread the message of passive resistance. In Harlem, the epicenter of black culture, poet Anita Hopkins tries to capture the message of Malcolm X, which she believes with all her heart: the time is now. Enough is enough.

The Mermaid from Jeju by Sumi Hahn

In the aftermath of World War II, Goh Junja is a girl just coming into her own. She is the latest successful deep sea diver in a family of strong haenyeo. Confident she is a woman now, Junja urges her mother to allow her to make the Goh family’s annual trip to Mt. Halla, where they trade abalone and other sea delicacies for pork. Junja, a sea village girl, has never been to the mountains, where it smells like mushrooms and earth, and it is there she falls in love with a mountain boy Yang Suwol, who rescues her after a particularly harrowing journey.

What do you think about the historical fiction books on this list?

Are any of these books on your TBR?  Have you read any of these books?  Discovered any new favorites?   What historical fiction books are you looking forward to reading this fall?