Unforgettable Historical Fiction Books About Friendship

This magnificent debut is one of my favourite books of all time. Based around the true events of the Pendle Witch Trials, it tells the story of Fleetwood Shuttleworth, a young woman trapped in her marriage.

 Fleetwood is pregnant for the fourth time but all of her previous pregnancies have ended in loss and she discovers a letter from her doctor to her husband warning that she will not survive this pregnancy. But then Fleetwood crosses paths with Alice Gray, a young midwife who promises that she can prove the physician wrong and deliver not only a healthy baby, but help Fleetwood survive.

The two women forge an unlikely friendship that transcends social barriers. Soon, they find their friendship and loyalty tested as they are accused of witchcraft and held accountable at the legendary witch trials.

The first book in the outstanding Wolf Den Trilogy, The Wolf Den transports us back to ancient Pompeii before the volcano eruption that destroyed the town.

Amara is a young woman sold into slavery and now forced to be one of the she-wolves at Pompeii’s infamous brothel. Amara and the other she-wolves have a sisterhood that sees them ready to defend each other no matter what. Strong, tenacious and wiley, they are also vulnerable and powerless. The story explores the hard choices they must make and the unspeakable things they must do in order to survive. 

Patch and Saint are best friends. Unseparable. Until the day Patch is abducted on his way to school. While he’s gone, Saint searches day and night for him, and is pivotal in his eventual rescue. She’s thrilled to have Patch home. But he isn’t the boy she knew before. Now, all Patch wants to do is search for Grace, the mysterious girl he says was held captive with him in the dark. So Saint helps him search, even as they grow apart and into adulthood.

A powerful novel with an unforgettable friendship that is a testament to the unbreakable bonds that best friends can share.

Another one that is the start of a series, Dear Mrs Bird is the story of Emmeline (Emmy) Lake, a budding war correspondent who gets a job at a newspaper office assisting the lady who writes the problem pages. Emmy gets a lot of her strength and support from her best friend, Bunty, and the two share a heartwarming friendship, facing the adversity of wartime and the London Blitz together.

A love letter to the enduring power of friendship, Emmy and Bunny’s relationship is a reminder of how friendship can be a solace and a lifeline in our hardest of times. 

This phenomenal debut blew me away when I read it earlier this year. And I’m not the only one as Liz Allan was named one of the Observer’s Best Debut Novelists of 2026.

Set in 1994 in the small coastal town of Vincent, Australia which has the dubious ‘honour’ of being the capital of teen pregnancies and absent fathers. Four girls from single-mother families are looking for a way to get out and be noticed. So they decide to form a band. But when their lead singer quits and accuses their music teacher of sexual assault, everything falls apart.

How far are the remaining girls willing to go to keep their dream alive? Gritty, grungy, heartbreaking and raw, this is a story that will stay with you. The strong themes of female friendship makes it perfect to read with a friend and will transport you back to your own teenage years.

It’s not often I get to read a book set in my home county of Yorkshire, let alone a historical fiction one, so I was thrilled when this outstanding debut came through my letterbox last year.

Set in 1979, the story is narrated by Miv, a twelve-year-old girl living in a small Yorkshire village under the shadow of the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. Miv and her best friend, Sharon, decide to join in the hunt by making a list of all the suspicious things and people they come across. But the girls are unprepared for the secrets they will uncover along the way.

This is a wonderful, witty and emotional story with a nostalgic friendship at its heart. Miv and Sharon’s friendship took me back to my own schooldays and that childhood best friend who seemed to shine like the sun. Perfect for reading and reminiscing with your current bestie.

I love a good inter-generational friendship, so I had to include one in my list. And one of my favourites is the sweet friendship between Rose and Eudora.

Fierce and cantankerous, octogenarian Eudora prefers to keep her own company. But when ten-year-old Rose moves in next door, this sunny force of nature will not be deterred from becoming Eudora’s friend, pushing her way into Eudora’s life and putting a reluctant smile on her face.

I adored their friendship and the reminder that our friends don’t have to be the same age as we are. There is so much we can learn and find in common with friends from other generations, as Eudora and Rose prove.