Best Historical Fiction to Read this International Women's Day

Emma O’Donoghue has become one of my go-to writers of historical fiction. My favourite of her books so far is this beautiful yet harrowing tale.

Set in Dublin in 1918, a time when Ireland was ravaged by war and in the grip of a pandemic. Nurse Julia Power is caring for expectant mothers who have contracted the flu with just an inexperienced volunteer and a doctor who is on the run from the police to help her. Over the course of three days we watch these women battle to give patients the best care they can in the face of overwhelming adversity.

O’Donoghue explores their fight to survive and a number of other important topics in this book, giving us a fascinating and detailed glimpse into women’s life and the state of medicine in 1918.

Stacey Halls has been one of my favourite historical fiction writers ever since I read her debut, The Familiars. Her latest offering is one of her best. It follows Martha as she arrives at Urania House, Charles Dickens’ new house for fallen women. On the board of governors at Urania is Angela Burdett Coutts, London’s richest woman, who becomes increasingly invested in the lives of the girls who live at Urania, especially Martha. Soon, their lives intersect in unexpected ways.

Absorbing, accomplished and mesmerising, this story about women, sisterhood, hardship and survival is one not to be missed.

Queen of Gothic, Laura Purcell, is a writer I know I can rely on to deliver an atmospheric, unsettling and suspenseful read every time. For me, it is her debut that remains her most memorable. Deliciously creepy, this is a Victorian ghost story that explores family, secrets, suspicion, tragedy and terror.

The story follows Elsie, who has been sent to her late husband’s crumbling country estate, The Bridge, to see out her pregnancy. But behind a locked door,  lies a sinister secret: a painted wooden figure that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie. A silent companion. The staff and residents are terrified of the figure, but Elsie dismisses it as superstition. Until she notices the figures’ eyes following her. This gothic tale is a must-read. Just make sure to keep on the lights.

Elizabeth Macneal is an auto-buy author for me. I’ve loved all her books but I think her latest is her best yet. London, 1839. Bonnie is a young woman surviving on the tricks and schemes she carries out under the guidance of her boyfriend, Crawford. But one night their tricks go too far and a man is left lying dead in a pool of blood. Bonnie needs to disappear, so Crawford sends her to Endellion, a great house on the Thames inhabited by a strange man, his young, daydreaming daughter, and secrets that some people will kill to protect. Dark, ominous and forebidding, this is an unmissable story of murder, manipulation, secrets and betrayal.

Ms. Cooke’s books have become an autumn staple on my reading list. Every year I look forward to her latest release and devour it quickly, unable to turn away from her exquisite storytelling. Her latest book is a bewitching tale of witch trials, sisterhood, female rage, courage, justice and misogyny that keeps you guessing.

Transporting us to Austria, 1485, where a woman named Helena finds herself on the radar of a witchfinder and is imprisoned in the dungeon with six other women. They all stand firm in their innocence, but the witchfinder and the town are determined to see them burn.

Seamlessly blending folklore, fact and fiction, this is a mesmerising concoction of gothic, history, thriller and the supernatural that even Stephen King can’t resist. 

Los Angeles, 1964, a time when the States is still reeling from the death of JFK, in the midst of the fight for Civil Rights, and gripped by Beatlemania, there is a family you can rely on to be perfect and make the world feel right for half an hour each week.

The Newmans are America’s favourite family. They have played idealised versions of themselves on TV for twelve years but cracks are beginning to show. When patriarch Del is in a car crash, his wife, Dinah, hires journalist Juliet Dunn to help write their finale. But the women soon clash over what it means to be a woman in 1960s America.

Nostalgic, moving and addictive, this is one of those books that you can lose yourself in completely. It manages to feel lighthearted whilst tackling heavy topics, something that is a testament to the writing skills of the author. Perfect for anyone who wants a more lighthearted historical read.