Recently arrived historical fiction
Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig
When her pirate husband is murdered, Shek Yeung takes his mantel, marrying his adoptive son and second in command, and assuming control of the empire. But the Chinese Emperor has sent a nobleman to stop the scourge of pirates in the South China Seas, and the incursions of the East India Company and the Portuguese are increasing in the area. As Shek Yeung navigates being a woman in a man's world, she makes a place for herself as one of the greatest pirates in history.
Inspired by the real life pirate Shi Zheng who commanded 50,000 pirates and 100s of ships
A masterful storyteller whose sprawling collection of over 60 works cover genres as diverse as poetry and essay, memoir (both real and fictionalised), diaries, psychological fiction, social commentary and the darker side of human nature. In Butcher she explores a imagined history of Doctor Silas Weir, a compilation of three real historical figures. Weir, shunned from traditional medical practice after an experimental procedure goes wrong, moves to an asylum to work with pregnant women. This is Oates at her most gothic.
Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips
In post-Civil War West Virginia, a young girl and her traumatised mother seek refuge in the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum where ConaLee, forced to mature beyond her years, becomes a caretaker for her mother while navigating the strange and often dangerous world of the asylum. Phillips's evocative prose and intricate character studies create a haunting portrait of a time and place marked by both hope and despair and won her a Pulitzer Prize for Ficton earlier this year.
The Last Light over Oslo by Alix Rickloff
Inspired by the true story of Florence 'Daisy' Harriman, the US Minister to Norway, The Last Light Over Oslo depicts Harriman's dramatic experiences during the Nazi invasion of 1940. Caught in the midst of the chaos, Harriman and her niece Cleo undertook a daring mission: to evacuate Crown Princess Märtha and her three young children to safety in the US. The narrative highlights the strength and courage of female leadership during a time of war, showcasing Harriman's unwavering determination and resourcefulness in the face of immense danger.
1950s London is a city still recovering from the ruins of war. When the biggest heist to date takes place, leaving police red faced and the devastated city in the hands of gangsters, it also throws the community into turmoil. Addie is the daughter of a Jamaican postman caught up in the heist, and Claire, her husband also missing, struggles to keep her teenage sons safe. The story follows these families over the course of half a decade as they struggle with violence, corruption and racism, culminating with the 1958 Notting Hill riots. One of the best thrillers of 2024.
Geilis Duncan is a young maidservant accused of witchcraft in Edinburgh, 1591. As she awaits her execution, she receives a mysterious visit from Iris, a woman from the future. Through the night, Geilis speaks of her brutal torture, confession and trial, while Iris offers her comfort, solace and perhaps an escape while observing that as women, their lots in life are not so different. A sharp and poetic novella inspired by the North Berwick witch trials.
An Idle Woman by Wendy Parkins
In 1838 England, heiress Frances Dickinson, after marrying a man she barely knew, defied societal norms by taking him to court for divorce. Kept in isolation, abused and controlled, Dickinson challenged the legal system that gave all the rights to husbands, and fought for her future, and for social justice and for change. In this powerful and affecting novel, Parkins shines a light on the 19th century's most shocking and famous divorce case.
Suchi and Haiwen, childhood sweethearts in 1940s Shanghai meet again after 60 years at a supermarket in suburban Los Angeles. Torn apart by war and tumultuous lives, and moving from China to Taiwan, Hong Kong to California, can they recapture what has been lost, or will the weight of the years prove too heavy? Chen deftly navigates questions of identity, belonging and the meaning of home in this beautiful and intimate novel.
