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Adult Historical Fiction
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Adult Historical Fiction
Updated January 23, 2026
Upper Peninsula Region of Library Cooperation
Portage Lake District Library
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1
The divorc?s
Beaird, Rowan
Ebook
"A rollicking thriller and poignant coming-of-age story." ―People "Timelier than ever." ―The Cut A "delicious" (Rebecca Makkai) and "deeply compelling" (Lauren Groff) debut novel set at a 1950s Reno divorce ranch, about the complex...
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2
Miss Morgan's book brigade : a novel
Skeslien Charles, Janet
Ebook
From the New York Times bestselling author Janet Skeslien Charles and based on the true story of Jessie Carson--the American librarian who changed the literary landscape of France--this is "a moving tale of sacrifice, heroism, and inspired storytelling immersed in the power of books to...
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3
The Sunflower House : a novel
Allegri, Adriana
The beloved international bestseller! Family secrets come to light as a young woman fights to save herself, and others, in a Nazi-run baby factory--a real-life Handmaid''s Tale--during World War II. In a sleepy German village, Allina Strauss''s life seems...
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4
The Goddess of Warsaw : a novel
Barr, Lisa
Ebook
USA TODAY BESTSELLER "Utterly gripping. . . a transformative and immersive story so powerful and captivating that I could not put it down. . . . Truly one of the best books I've read."--Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish "Lisa Barr's new historical fiction,...
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5
Shelterwood
Wingate, Lisa.
Ebook
USA TODAY AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER * "Wingate's stellar latest explores a centuries-long legacy of missing child cases. . . . Her portrayal of the region's history, culture, and landscape enthralls. Wingate is at the top of her game."--Publishers Weekly, starred...
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6
The Briar Club : a novel
Quinn, Kate
Ebook
"Quinn evocatively balances the outward cheerfulness of the 1950s with historical observations exploring racism, misogyny, homophobia and political persecution in this sharply drawn, gripping novel." - People Magazine The New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye and The...
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7
You dreamed of empires
Enrigue, Alvaro
Ebook
A NEW YORK TIMES TOP TEN BOOK OF 2024 A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR "Short, strange, spiky and sublime." --Dwight Garner, New York Times "Funny, ghastly, eye-opening, marvelous." --Wall Street Journal
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8
The safekeep
Wouden, Yael van der
Ebook
* SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2024 BOOKER PRIZE * * WINNER OF THE NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD FOR DEBUT FICTION * * WINNER OF THE 2025 WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION * Shortlisted for the 2025 Dylan Thomas Prize and Aspen Words Literary Prize * A Best Book...
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9
The lost letters from Martha's Vineyard : a novel
Callahan, Michael
Ebook
"I was completely captivated by Michael Callahan's The Lost Letters from Martha's Vineyard. It's a history mystery you won't be able to put down, with strong female characters and plenty of secrets. Plus, it takes you behind the scenes in vintage Hollywood and Martha's Vineyard. A...
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10
Daughters of Shandong
Chung, Eve J.
Ebook
A propulsive, extraordinary novel about a mother and her daughters' harrowing escape to Taiwan as the Communist revolution sweeps through China, by debut author Eve J. Chung, based on her family story An Instant USA Today Bestseller, a Good Morning America Buzz Pick,...
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11
Time of the child
Williams, Niall
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12
Farewell, Amethystine
Mosley, Walter
Ebook
From "master of the genre" (Washington Post) Walter Mosley, Detective Easy Rawlins' latest client sends him down a warren of memory and nostalgia--blinding him to reason and risk. January 1970 finds Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins, LA's premier Black detective,...
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13
The king's messenger
Kearsley, Susanna
"I've loved every one of Susanna's books! She has bedrock research and a butterfly's delicate touch with characters--sure recipe for historical fiction that sucks you in and won't let go!"--Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of ...
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14
Isola : a novel
Goodman, Allegra
Ebook
REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK * NATIONAL BESTSELLER * "A shocking story, made all the more stunning by the fact that it has its roots in true history."--Jodi Picoult, author of By Any Other Name "A new generation of survival story . . . an extraordinary book that reads like a...
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15
Polostan
Stephenson, Neal
Ebook
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Termination Shock and Cryptonomicon, the first installment in a monumental new series--an expansive historical epic of intrigue and international espionage, presaging the dawn of the Atomic Age. The first installment in Neal...
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16
The sirens : a novel
Hart, Emilia
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17
The stolen life of Colette Marceau
Harmel, Kristin
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18
The Lies they told
Wiseman, Ellen Marie
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19
The sweetness of water
Harris, Nathan
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER / AN OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB PICK ONE OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2021 Winner of the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence Winner of the Willie Morris Award for...
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20
The marriage portrait
O'Farrell, Maggie
Paper Book
WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION FINALIST * REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK * NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER * The author of award-winning Hamnet brings the world of Renaissance Italy to jewel-bright life in this unforgettable fictional portrait of the captivating young duchess Lucrezia de' Medici...
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21
Wandering stars
Orange, Tommy
Ebook
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE * A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK * A TIME MUST-READ BOOK OF THE YEAR * The Pulitzer Prize-finalist and author of the breakout bestseller There There ("Pure soaring beauty."The New York Times...
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22
The forest of vanishing stars
Harmel, Kristin
Paper Book
Parade "Best Books of Summer" pick * Real Simple summer reading pick * SheReads "Best WWII Fiction of Summer 2021" pick The New York Times bestselling author of the "heart-stopping tale of survival and heroism" (P...
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23
The glassmaker
Chevalier, Tracy
Ebook
Named a Best Historical Novel of 2024 by The Sunday Times, The Independent, and BookPage "The Glassmaker is as finely wrought as a dazzling Murano bead. . . . Chevalier reaffirms her status as one of the reigning queens of historical fiction." --The...
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24
The Briar Club : a novel
Quinn, Kate
Ebook
"Quinn evocatively balances the outward cheerfulness of the 1950s with historical observations exploring racism, misogyny, homophobia and political persecution in this sharply drawn, gripping novel." - People Magazine The New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye and The...
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25
Some murders in Berlin
Robards, Karen
Ebook
This pulse-pounding, brilliantly twisting new historical thriller is a gripping tale that will leave you questioning everything. September 1943: Berlin is the heart of darkness--and the last place Dr. Elin Lund wishes to be. An expert in psychological profiling, she's...
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26
The Frozen River [Release date Dec. 5, 2023]
Lawhon, Ariel.
Ebook
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * GMA BOOK CLUB PICK * AN NPR BOOK OF THE YEAR * From the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and Code Name Hélène comes a gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha...
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27
Miss Newbury's list
Walker, Megan
Paper Book
England, 1820 Rosalind Newbury is counting down the days until her wedding to the Duke of Marlow, a man she has only met twice. The marriage is more an agreement between two families and less a romantic connection between two hearts, but Rosalind becoming a...
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28
The little liar : a novel
Albom, Mitch
Audiobook
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29
The cabinet of Dr. Leng
Preston, Douglas J.
Paper Book
Preston & Child continue their #1 bestselling series featuring FBI Special Agent Pendergast and Constance Greene, as they cross paths with New York's deadliest serial killer ...Pendergast's own ancestor ... and now his greatest foe. AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY<...
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30
Sisters under the rising sun
Morris, Heather (Screenwriter)
Audiobook
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31
The invisible hour : a novel
Hoffman, Alice
Ebook
The latest New York Times bestseller from beloved author Alice Hoffman celebrates the enduring magic of books and is a "wonderful story of love and growth" (Stephen King). One June day when Mia Jacob can no longer see a way to survive, the power of words saves her. The...
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32
I am homeless if this is not my home
Moore, Lorrie
Ebook
A NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER * A NEW YORKER ESSENTIAL READ * From "one of the most acute and lasting writers of her generation" (The New York Times)--a ghost story set in the nineteenth and twenty-first centuries, an elegiac consideration of grief, devotion...
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33
Deep as the sky, red as the sea : a novel
Chang-Eppig, Rita
Audiobook
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34
Stars in an Italian sky
Santopolo, Jill
Paper Book
Genoa, Italy, 1946. Vincenzo and Giovanna fall in love at twenty-one the moment they set eyes on each other. The son of a count and the daughter of a tailor, they belong to opposing worlds. Despite this, the undeniable spark between them quickly burns into a deep and passionate relationship spent...
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35
Everyone knows your mother is a witch
Galchen, Rivka
Paper Book
The startling, witty, highly anticipated second novel from the critically acclaimed author of Atmospheric Disturbances. The story begins in 1618, in the German duchy of Württemberg. Plague is spreading. The Thirty Years'' War has begun, and fear and suspicion are in the...
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36
Mrs. Porter calling : a novel
Pearce, A. J.
Ebook
From the author of the bestselling "jaunty, heartbreaking winner" (People) Dear Mrs. Bird, a charming, heartwarming World War II novel featuring aspiring journalist and advice columnist Emmy Lake as she navigates life, love, and female friendship in wartime London--perfect for fans...
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37
Flags on the bayou : a novel
Burke, James Lee
Ebook
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38
Canary Girls
Chiaverini, Jennifer.
Audiobook
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39
The spectacular : a novel
Davis, Fiona
Ebook
From the New York Times Bestselling Author of The Magnolia Palace: A thrilling story about love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams, set amidst the glamour and glitz of Radio City Music Hall in its mid-century heyday. New York City, 1956: Nineteen-year-old Marion...
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40
The vaster wilds
Groff, Lauren
Ebook
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2023 NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY NPR, TIME, ESQUIRE, VOGUE, LA TIMES, SLATE, HARPER'S BAZAAR and others "Part historical, part...
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41
The darkness surrounds us
Lukasik, Gail
Ebook
"An early-autumn treat fit for late-night devouring." --Publishers Weekly "A taut gothic mystery with an intriguing twist." --Susanna Calkins, award-winning author of the Lucy Campion Mysteries and the Speakeasy Murders A Ghostly Window...
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42
The Mitford affair
Benedict, Marie
Paper Book
"Plunges readers into a world of glamorous, charismatic young British debutantes and then turns that shiny world on its head...the most delicious storytelling." --Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post From New York Times bestselling...
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43
The last dance of the debutante
Kelly, Julia
Paper Book
In this "glorious dance through the traditional glamour and suffocating expectations of a bygone era" (Genevieve Graham, USA TODAY bestselling author), a group of young women are swept up in a life-changing journey as they become three of the last debutantes to be presented to Queen...
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44
CALDER AT HEART
DAILEY, JANET.
Paper Book
In a tale perfect for fans of Yellowstone, the legendary New York Times bestselling author brings America's frontier to vivid life in a saga of love, hope and endurance in 1919 Montana, as the end of the Great War, the looming start of Prohibition, and reignited rivalries put a...
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45
The perfumist of Paris
Joshi, Alka
Audiobook
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46
Dawnlands : a novel
Gregory, Philippa
Paper Book
Palace intrigue, defiant heroism, and a long-awaited love fulfilled from New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory in her Fairmile series. It is 1685 and England is on the brink of a renewed civil war. King Charles II has died without an heir and his brother James...
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47
The golden doves : a novel
Kelly, Martha Hall
Audiobook
Two female spies risk everything to hunt down an infamous Nazi in this sweeping, profound tale of bravery from the bestselling author of Lilac Girls. "A riveting story of two brave and amazing women who work in the French resistance during World War II . . . a triumph!"...
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48
The girl in the castle
Patterson, James
Paper Book
The world's #1 bestselling author James Patterson delivers a thrilling novel about a teen caught between two worlds and the truths that could set her free--or trap her forever. My name is Hannah Dory and I need you to believe me.
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49
Carrie Soto is back : a novel
Reid, Taylor Jenkins
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * "An epic adventure about a female athlete perhaps past her prime, brought back to the tennis court for one last grand slam" (Elle), from the author of Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
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50
Just once : a love story
Kingsbury, Karen
Ebook
The #1 New York Times bestselling author "known for her deeply heartfelt novels" (Woman's World) and the Baxter Family novels writes a sweeping World War II love story about a young woman torn between two brothers. In 1941, beautiful Irvel Holland is too focused on...
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51
The last paladin
Deutermann, P. T.
Paper Book
Winner of the 2023 W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction: A gripping tale of anti-submarine warfare in the World War II Pacific Theater, by a master of military adventure fiction. The Last Paladin by P.T. Deutermann is based on the true story of...
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52
The house of doors : a novel
Tan, Twan Eng
Ebook
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53
Trust
Da?z, Hern?
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES'S 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2022 LONGLISTED FOR THE 2022 BOOKER PRIZE "Buzzy and...
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54
Booth : a novel
Fowler, Karen Joy
Paper Book
Best Book of the Year Real Simple * AARP * USA Today * NPR * Virginia Living Longlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize From the Man Booker finalist and bestselling author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves comes an epic...
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55
The good left undone : a novel
Trigiani, Adriana
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "[An] immersive saga. . . . A celebration of family and a paean to the power of storytelling."--People, "Book of the Week" "Trigiani conveys the beauty of Italy, the hardships of war, the taste of family recipes, and...
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56
The myth of surrender : a novel
McNees, Kelly O'Connor
Paper Book
What if the most important decision of your life was not yours to make? This vivid and powerful novel follows two women whose paths intersect at a maternity home in the "Baby Scoop Era." In 1960, free-spirited Doreen is a recent high-school grad and waitress in a Chicago...
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