Historical Fiction bestsellers

James

A Novel

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

“This isn't a retelling of a classic - this is MUCH better! Percival Everett does it again, another phenomenal novel in his own unique style. James is a powerhouse of a novel. Percival's discussion of language throughout the novel is something I will come back to over and over again. Dominic Hoffman is such a talented narrator - he truly helped... Read more

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

A Novel

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

“Depression-era Pottsdown, PA. Immigrant Jews and Blacks who moved from the South cope with discrimination from the White Christian community. Moshe runs an integrated musical theater, assisted by Nate, while his wife Chona runs the local grocery store, assisted by Nate's wife Addie, catering to the black community, in the 'Chicken Hill'... Read more

Circe

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

“Unlike most of my peers, I did not learn about mythology in school. Circe intimidated me for far too long before I finally took the plunge to read it. How glad I am that I faced my fear! Even to my untrained mind, the chronicles of Circe were easy to follow, and with Perdita Weeks’ sublime narration, soon I was engrossed. Ostracized and outcast,... 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’ve looked forward to this book for years. I adore Chakraborty’s Daevebad trilogy, and hearing she was working on a new project starring a retired female pirate of the Indian Ocean? I could not contain my excitement. This book blew away every expectation. It was all I hoped it would be and more. It has everything: adventure, magic, and an... 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

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

“Set in the North Woods of Massachusetts over centuries, this book is told through letters, poetry, historical entries, amorous bugs, and (my favorite) a true crime blogger. Daniel Manson skilfully ties his chapters together to create a beautiful, sometimes gut-wrenching, always tender love story of place. 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

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 Frozen River

A Novel

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

“I tend to struggle a little with fiction on audio - I'm always afraid I'll lose the characters or the story! But The Frozen River is an engaging listen that hooked me from the first hour. The story is interesting and a part of history I know little about. The narration is wonderful; I feel like I'm back in 1700s Maine and it's been a great book... 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

“This was absolutely EPIC on audio. If the Thor movies and The Vikings TV show had a book baby this would be it - an absolute nonstop action ride. I am chomping at the bit for the next book. Read more

Long Island

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

OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK * Named a Most Anticipated Book by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Financial Times, Star Tribune (Minneapolis), Good Housekeeping, AARP, and more *

From the beloved, critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author comes a spectacularly moving and intense novel of secrecy, misunderstanding, and love, the... Read more

Mexican Gothic

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

“Set in Mexico in the 50's, this book follows a young woman, Noemi, to a moldy old Gothic manor in the countryside where she is hoping to find out why her newly married cousin is sending letters home detailing strange visions and a real fear of her new family. Moreno-Garcia's writing was fantastic, I felt immersed in the creepy mansion, imagining... 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

Trust (Pulitzer Prize Winner)

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

“Hernan Diaz does things I've never seen in a novel before. Trust ties up threads of money and art, family and history, lies and truth. Think historical fiction turned meta, with a beating heart and spectacular writing. 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

Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Bridgertons: Book #4

By: Julia Quinn
Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
Length: 13 hours 17 minutes

New York Times BestsellerA special TV Tie-In edition to BRIDGERTON, a series created by Shondaland for Netflix, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn: the story of Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington, in the fourth of her beloved Regency-set novels featuring her charming, powerful Bridgerton family.COLIN AND PENELOPE’S... Read more

A Gentleman in Moscow

A Novel

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

“I believe A Gentleman In Moscow is without dispute a modern day masterpiece. Towles uses exquisite language to tell the story of Count Rostov, a charming and witty "man of intent", who is confined to a fabulous hotel in Moscow for all his days. But that doesn't stop the count from living a sumptuous and meaningful life and he, in turn, ... 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 Honey Witch

By: Sydney J. Shields
Narrated by: Mia Hutchinson Shaw
Length: 13 hours 1 minute

The Honey Witch of Innisfree can never find true love. That is her curse to bear. But when a young woman who doesn’t believe in magic arrives on her island, sparks fly in this deliciously sweet debut novel of magic, hope, and love overcoming all.
 
Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow... Read more

The Paris Novel

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

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A “mouthwatering” (The New York Times) adventure through the food, art, and fashion scenes of 1980s Paris—from the bestselling author of Save Me the Plums and Delicious!

“An enchanting and irresistible feast . . . As with a perfect meal in the world’s most magical city, I never wanted this sublime novel to... 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

Hamnet

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

“I wanted to live in this book forever and for it to never, ever end. I have never had a book hangover like the one I had when I finished this book. It is so, so, so, good. Every word is perfectly chosen and often not the expected choice. I can't say enough about both the writing and the narration and I already can't wait to listen to this one... Read more

Night Watch (Pulitzer Prize Winner)

A novel

By: Jayne Anne Phillips
Narrated by: Karissa Vacker, Theo T. Stockman & Maggi-Meg Reed
Length: 10 hours 12 minutes

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN FICTION • A NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • From one of our most accomplished novelists, a mesmerizing story about a mother and daughter seeking refuge in the chaotic aftermath of the Civil War—and a brilliant portrait of family endurance against all odds

"A tour de force."... Read more

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen

The Doomsday Books: Book #1

By: KJ Charles
Narrated by: Martyn Swain
Length: 11 hours 16 minutes

Abandoned by his father, Gareth Inglis grew up lonely, prickly, and used to disappointment. Still, he longs for a connection. When he meets a charming stranger, he falls head over heels?until everything goes wrong and he's left alone again. Then Gareth's father dies, turning the shabby London clerk into Sir Gareth, with a grand house on the... Read more

The Vaster Wilds

A Novel

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

“Lauren Groff is at the height of her power as a writer. The Vaster Wilds explores how one young woman’s experience of survival defines her. Rich in nuance, gorgeous, and full of the mystery of spirit, this novel meditates on life itself. Read more

The Postcard

By: Anne Berest
Narrated by: Barrie Kealoha
Length: 13 hours 5 minutes

“A powerful personal account of a family’s history over multiple generations with a stunning ending that resolves the mystery of the postcard’s sender! The author launches her family research and investigation of who could have written the anonymous, unsigned postcard a decade earlier when her daughter experiences an anti-semitic incident at... Read more

You Should Be So Lucky

A Novel

By: Cat Sebastian
Narrated by: Joel Leslie
Length: 11 hours 58 minutes

An emotional, slow-burn, grumpy/sunshine, queer mid-century romance for fans of Evvie Drake Starts Over, about grief and found family, between the new star shortstop stuck in a batting slump and the reporter assigned to (reluctantly) cover his first season—set in the same universe as We Could Be So Good.The 1960 baseball season is shaping up to... Read more

The City of Brass

A Novel

By: S. A. Chakraborty
Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
Length: 20 hours 1 minute

“S.A. Chakraborty introduces a fantasy set in the Middle East that thrusts us into the magical world of Daevabad. The City of Brass follows, in parallel, Nahri, a con artist and naturally gifted healer, and Ali, prince of Daevabad and fiercely trained soldier. Nahri and Ali find themselves learning new lessons on how to survive changing... 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 Sicilian Inheritance

A Novel

By: Jo Piazza
Narrated by: Rachel F. Hirsch & Carlotta Brentan
Length: 11 hours 53 minutes

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

From bestselling author and award-winning journalist Jo Piazza, comes a transporting novel rooted in the author’s own family history about a long-awaited trip to Sicily, a disputed inheritance, and a family secret that some will kill to protect . . .

Sara Marsala barely knows who she is anymore after the failure of her business... Read more

Brooklyn

A Novel

By: Colm Toibin
Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
Length: 7 hours 38 minutes

Colm Tóibín’s New York Times bestselling novel—also an acclaimed film starring Saoirse Ronan and Jim Broadbent nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture—is “a moving, deeply satisfying read” (Entertainment Weekly) about a young Irish immigrant in Brooklyn in the early 1950s.

“One of the most unforgettable characters in contemporary... 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

The Marriage Portrait

A novel

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

“Lucrezia de'Medici is only 15 when she's married off to the Duke of Ferrara, and barely 16 when she realizes he intends to have her killed. Lucrezia is thrust into a world of honey-covered lies and manipulation, where her husband's sisters vie for her favor, her husband is kind one moment and volatile the next, and everyone waits for her to... 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 Starless Sea

A Novel

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

“Rarely is a book such an absolute feast—for the senses, for the intellect, and, above all, for the soul. Morgenstern dazzles in her latest novel, an intricately wrought tale populated by lovers, mystery, and sumptuous magic. The Starless Sea is an ode to book lovers everywhere, reanimating the excitement as well as the pure possibility felt when... 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

Lady Tan's Circle of Women

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

“This book is a rare combination of in-depth historical research based on a true-life character, and an edge-of-your-seat story that takes us through various births, deaths, marriages, and diseases over the course of almost a century. The setting of 15th century China is unique; the reader becomes immersed in the world built by Lisa See, privy to... 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

A Marvellous Light

The Last Binding: Book #1

By: Freya Marske
Narrated by: David Thorpe
Length: 14 hours 30 minutes

“Robin Blyth is in over his head at this new weird magical liaison job he was shoved into, and now he’s cursed to boot. Edwin Courcey is trying to figure out what happened to Robin’s predecessor and remove the curse. They’ve both got a lot going on and the growing attraction between them is really not helping. A Marvellous Light revels in the... 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 Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club

A Novel

By: Helen Simonson
Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham & Helen Simonson
Length: 15 hours 20 minutes

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Historical fiction of the highest order . . . an absolute joy of a book, warm and romantic, and with so much to say about the lives of women in the years following World War I.”—Ann Napolitano, bestselling author of Hello Beautiful

A timeless comedy of manners—refreshing as a summer breeze and bracing as the British... 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 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

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

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

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons

By: Kate Khavari
Narrated by: Jodie Harris
Length: 8 hours 11 minutes

London, 1923. Newly minted research assistant Saffron Everleigh is the first woman to hold the position at University College of London. When she attends a dinner party for the school, she expects to engage in conversations about the university's large expedition to the Amazon. What she doesn’t expect is for Mrs. Henry, one of the professors’... Read more

The Lost Apothecary

A Novel

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

“A wonderful melding of two timelines told by a trio of female voices. Each woman is standing at a crossroads; one is just becoming a woman, one is anticipating the end of her life, and one the end of her marriage. A small, blue apothecary bottle links the women and the timelines together. Penner skillfully guides us along the path each woman... Read more

Vampires of El Norte

By: Isabel Cañas
Narrated by: Jose Nateras & Krysta Gonzales
Length: 12 hours 1 minute

“Vampires of El Norte is a thrilling supernatural gothic Western set during the Mexican-American War that is a perfect follow-up to The Hacienda. It is just the perfect blend of adventure, horror, and romance to keep you turning the pages well after lights-out. 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

The Diamond Eye

A Novel

By: Kate Quinn
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
Length: 12 hours 51 minutes

“Ukrainian-born sharpshooter Mila Pavlichenko, or 'Lady Death' was credited with over three hundred confirmed kills during WW2. She is sent to America on a goodwill tour where she becomes a lifelong friend of Eleanor Roosevelt. A student, a mother, a soldier, and a hero, she is a force to be reckoned with. Based on a true story. Read more