Historical Fiction bestsellers

James

A Novel

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

“Let's return to the time of Huckleberry Finn; the time of active slavery; the time of lazy summer days floating away down quiet rivers. Oh, I know, I know... you've heard this story before. Most people have. But this time, we're going to hear the story as told by Jim - enslaved but full of feeling and friendship and love for life. We'll get on... Read more

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

A Novel

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

“This is a novel about the power of compassion to stir communities of characters to act as their best selves. The beautiful performance of narrator Dominic Hoffman amplifies the warmth in James McBride's memorable story. I'm grateful to have experienced this story through an audiobook. Read more

The Familiar

A Novel

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

“Luzia and Santángel, a duo for the ages! A scullion and an immortal familiar team up to win the king’s competition in the Spanish Golden Age as the Inquisition looms. The Familiar will lead you down new paths you won’t ever forget. 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

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, The Financial Times, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, 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,... 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 left me in awe. Daniel Mason makes the simple concept of a single house over time into a thought provoking and enrapturing book. He is able to create depth in transient characters – those who once existed, do exist, and will continue to exist – within a setting that endures and is ever-changing. By the end of the book, it’s hard not... 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

“Women have to do everything around here, don't they? But that's alright because in this case everything is to go on a pirate adventure with a rag tag crew that's basically a found family of quirky outcasts, all the while narrated with some pretty snarky commentary. Man, this is SUCH A FUN BOOK. There's a little bit of everything, it's pretty... Read more

The Frozen River

A Novel

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

“The Frozen River was one of the best historical fiction novels I have read in a while. The audio was fantastic. Based on the diary of a real midwife in the late 1700’s it tells the story of Martha Ballard and her husband Ephraim, their family, and the small town in Maine they live in. The emphasis of the novel was on the laws of the time and how... Read more

Weyward

A Novel

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

“Three women with a deep connection to nature maneuver their way in a world where men try to corral and control them. In 1619, Altha knows what it means to be a Weyward woman, taught healing skills by her mother and understanding her connection to nature and its power. Not surprisingly, she is accused of witchcraft. Violet, in 1942, and Kate, in... 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

“Finishing a book like this is equal parts pleasure and pain: pleasure in that reading something as striking and beautiful as this is everything a reader hopes to feel in a book juxtaposed by the pain of something beautiful ending and leaving these characters behind in the pages. There are few books that have brought tears to my eyes (I can still... 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 Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

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

“Julia Whelan's accent literally changes to show the passing of time. It's incredible. I literally cannot recommend this audiobook enough. 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 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

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

“Blood brilliant! (Figuratively and literally!) Oh, this is SO good and addictive! I knew within the first few pages of starting that this book was going to be great. Dark, gritty, bloody, inspired by Norse Mythology, and desperately romantic, A Fate Inked in Blood is an exciting new addition to the romantasy genre that combines the high-octane... Read more

Mexican Gothic

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

“Mexican Gothic is a fairytale turned nightmare, perhaps with a nod to Jordan Peele’s Get Out. In 1950’s Mexico, glamorous debutante Noemí receives a mysterious letter from her newlywed cousin Catalina. In frantic prose, she pleads for Noemí to visit her at High Place, the family residence of her husband, an English expat whom she has grown to... 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

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

“Black Sun is a fresh take on fantasy that includes rich world building and complex, nuanced character-driven storytelling. 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 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

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 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 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

The Poppy War

A Novel

The Poppy War

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

“This book is pure rage. The Poppy War is full of violence, revenge, and ambition. It is cut throat in its brutality, but it never feels unjustified. The main character searches to rise above her station and eventually seeks revenge for the genocide of her people. The book asks us, what would we be willing to do to hurt those that have hurt us?... 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

Cloud Cuckoo Land

A Novel

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

“Highly imaginative and incredibly ambitious, Cloud Cuckoo Land is a story within a story that is about stories. Though the premise, like the title, sounds maddening, I found Anthony Doerr’s novel to be rich, intricate, and deeply profound. Like the thread that binds together a vibrant tapestry, the story within the story, also named Cloud Cuckoo... Read more

The Fox Wife

A Novel

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

“I'm not sure that any description of this book would have prepared me for how well Choo blends Chinese lore, murder mystery, family saga and character examination. Told from the perspectives of Snow, a fox woman and Bao a private investigator, this book is a genre- bending, engrossing read. I'm positively floored that it was read so convincingly... 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 Lost Apothecary

A Novel

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

“This book was a wonderful escape and was absolutely lovely to listen to. It switches back and forth between the point of view of two women in London in the 1790s and an American woman visiting London in present day. The story unfolds quickly. I was pleasantly surprised by the twists that I hadn't anticipated and the emotions that welled up... 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

“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 seaside—about a generation... 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

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 Fraud

A Novel

By: Zadie Smith
Narrated by: Zadie Smith
Length: 12 hours 24 minutes

“An exuberant story based on historical characters and events in Victorian England and Jamaica, this novel is even better as an audio book! Zadie Smith reads it herself and she is an absolutely amazing voice-actor, able to take on the lilt, intonation and brogue of the novel’s characters, whether they are from Scotland, London or Jamaica. Read more

Hamnet

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

“Fans of A. S. Byatt, Penelope Fitzgerald, or Barbara Gowdy... are probably really tired of retellings of Shakespeare's life. Why read another? Because it so breathtakingly captures emotion. Because the opening sequence is one of the best expositions and descriptions of Shakespeare's Stratford you'll ever hear. Because the reimagining of... Read more

Matrix

A Novel

By: Lauren Groff
Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh
Length: 8 hours 51 minutes

“Lauren Groff said “medieval historical fiction about Marie de France & Eleanor of Aquitaine,” and she had my curiosity. Lauren Groff said “prophesying Sapphic warrior nuns” and she had my attention. Narrated by literal actual goddess Adjoa Andoh, this book is bananas good. It was as if Groff was looking directly at my "Auto-Read" criteria... Read more

The Starless Sea

A Novel

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

“Love, ghosts, libraries, presents, pasts, finding and losing, seeking and discovering, all intertwined in a puzzle-ring through which narrative lines twine and weave, until the reader's delight at knowing the characters and seeing the world bursts with glorious epiphany. Not since "Little, Big" have I read a book that so caught my fancy, nor... 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 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

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

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

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde

By: Tia Williams
Narrated by: Mela Lee & Preston Butler
Length: 11 hours 42 minutes

In this enchanting love story from the New York Times bestselling author of Seven Days in June, a free-spirited florist and an enigmatic musician are irreversibly linked through the history, art, and magic of Harlem.

“The book’s calculus of love and loss is brutal, and grounds the dazzling prose and light magical element.” –– The New York Times
... 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

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 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

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

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

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 Librarian of Burned Books

A Novel

By: Brianna Labuskes
Narrated by: Caroline Hewitt, Eleanor Caudill & Karissa Vacker
Length: 10 hours 49 minutes

“Once I started listening to the three intertwined storylines of Brianna Labuskes' latest historical novel, it was hard to stop. As a retired AP history teacher, I was impressed not only with the depth of research that went into this novel but also by the introduction of Armed Services Editions of books sent to World War II soldiers and the... Read more

The Night Circus

A Novel

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

“Scintillating, ethereal, and utterly captivating. And with narration by Jim Dale, who could say no? Morgenstern writes in sparkling prose, slowly weaving tapestries that come together in beautiful, unexpected ways, though when you look back, the stage had been set from the beginning. The Night Circus is a beautiful tale of being open to the... 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

“This was my first audiobook and i've been devoted to them ever since. This novel was one-of-a-kind to begin with, so it's no wonder it took a cast of over one hundred actors to realize it in audio. I will admit, at first I found the citations jarring - yes, real and fictional historical sources presented mid-narrative - but by the end they were... Read more