Historical fiction with a twist- I need suggestions.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

This is for me. I like historical fiction that has a mystery or time travel. I've read Connie Willis (love), Jack Finney(love), some Michael Crichton (so-so). I also like fictional books about historical characters, or historical books about fictional characters, especially mysteries- loved Laurie King's Sherlock Holmes stories. I'm looking for other suggestions. I'm not interested in heavy romance. No R-rated books please.

 

Thanks!

Edited April 27, 2010 by Virginia Dawn

[Perry]

Have you read The Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon? I couldn't get into it, but it's often recommended here.

[Perry]

Also, The Name of the Rose, by Umberto Eco.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

I read The Name of the Rose, but not the Outlander series. I think I saw an excerpt from one Outlander book and it looked a little raunchy, but maybe I'm mistaken.

[4kiddies]

This may not be exactly what you are looking for but I loved Phillipa Gregory's historical fiction about the Tudors. Great stuff!!

[Stacia]

Well, a YA title is "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing" by M.T. Anderson. There is also a sequel I haven't read yet.

 

Perhaps "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova.

 

Have you read Sarah Dunant's books?

 

I loved "Dancer" by Colum McCann.

 

"I, Claudius" and "Claudius the God" by Robert Graves.

 

"The Daughter of Time" by Josephine Tey.

[Tutor]

You may enjoy:

 

The Alienist: A Novel by Caleb Carr

The Dante Club: A Novel by Matthew Pearl

 

The Cask of Amontillado or Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allen Poe

 

The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

 

Death of a Colonial by Bruce Alexander

 

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John Le Carre

 

I tend not to mind some gore in my mystery/ spy books (although I am not a huge fan of romance), and I read most of these a long time ago, so you may want to check reviews to make sure they aren't too descriptive for your tastes.

[hornblower]

Have you read Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series?

 

Ellis Peters Brother Cadfael series

 

Anne Perry writes a couple different historical mysteries, all set in Victorian England.

 

btw - I too love the Holmes/Russell books :)

[Stacia]

Oh, and the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde. (It starts w/ "The Eyre Affair".)

[fairfarmhand]

My all time favorite is the Zion Covenant (set in pre-ww2 europe) by the Thoenes. As a matter of fact, all of their books are great. I cannot start one until all the cleaning is done. I will do nothing but read till I'm done. Cannot put them down.

[mommaduck]

Timeline by Michael Crichton (not his usual genre, but very good).

 

I second all Thoene books.

[Mejane]

The Alchemist's Daughter by K. McMahon.

[PiCO]

Have you read The Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon? I couldn't get into it, but it's often recommended here.

 

I would say this is pretty R- rated though. The OP requested no Rs. (I couldn't get into this book either. My book club read it, unfortunately.)

[Perry]

I would say this is pretty R- rated though. The OP requested no Rs. (I couldn't get into this book either. My book club read it, unfortunately.)

 

Ah.

 

I read less than half and tossed it aside. Guess I didn't read far enough. :)

[Laurie4b]

Historical Whodunits edited by Mike Ashley and published by Barnes and Noble is a collection of good short-story format mysteries from ancient Egypt and Rome through 1910.

 

The Brother Cadfael Mystery (Middle Ages) is great, too.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Well, a YA title is "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing" by M.T. Anderson. There is also a sequel I haven't read yet.

 

Perhaps "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova.

 

Have you read Sarah Dunant's books?

 

I loved "Dancer" by Colum McCann.

 

"I, Claudius" and "Claudius the God" by Robert Graves.

 

"The Daughter of Time" by Josephine Tey.

 

I've read The Historian and The Daughter of Time, I'll check out the others. Thanks.:001_smile:

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Thanks, everybody, for the suggestions. I've already read about half of those listed, but I will look into the others.

 

Keep 'em coming, if you have any more.

[Sasharowan]

Jennifer Roberson has a couple of retellings or Arthur and Robin Hood.

Mercedes Lackey has some in Victorian England with psychic powers and also a retelling of Guinevere.

I don't remember how much extraneous stuff there is in them though.

[Caitilin]

Orson Scott Card's Pastwatch is EXCELLENT. It may be a YA novel (I don't remember for sure), but it's about Christopher Columbus, and it's very interesting. If you like Finney, I bet you'd like this. :)

[sarawatsonim]

I love historical mystery novels, they are my favorite genre. I recently read the C.J. Sansom's Mathew Shardlake Series (4 books) and they were great. I also really enjoyed Susanna Gregory's Mathew Bartholomew Series (15 books).

[Chris in VA]

I was just about to recommend Willis' Doomsday Book, but then I re-read your post! lol

 

Have you read Sarum? It's about the Salisbury Plain area of England, and details the building of the Salisbury Cathedral, with a little Stonehenge thrown in there. It's quite thick, quite fun, and quite engaging! I read parts of it before we went to England, and it made the area come alive.

[Kareni]

I mentioned a recent time travel read here.

 

Another suggestion: Flashforward by Robert J. Sawyer

 

and this one is an old favorite of mine: Replay by Ken Grimwood

 

Regards,

Kareni