About
- Established in 1997, the Historical Novel Society is an international literary society devoted to promotion and advocacy for the genre of historical fiction.
Membership
- Historical Novel Society members include authors, readers, librarians, editors and industry professionals – membership is entirely open, and anyone enthusiastic about the genre is welcome.
Events
- Our worldwide membership loves to meet. Many travel thousands of miles to attend our conferences in person; many more enjoy our virtual options from home. Others form member connections in their area through regular Local Chapter meet-ups. Discover what’s on with conferences, Local and Virtual Chapters, and more.
Book Reviews
- Our exclusive, members-only print magazine, the Historical Novels Review, publishes reviews of hundreds of historical fiction books each quarter, in addition to features and columns. Become a member to receive the magazine and enjoy all our other benefits.
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Articles
- We publish articles in our members-only print magazine, Historical Novels Review, as well as web features exclusive to this site. All are original pieces, commissioned by our Features Editors based on topics of interest to members – interviews with historical fiction authors, publishers, and agents; explorations of novels and subgenres; guides, and regular columns on historical fiction market news, debut authors, and more. Articles are written by vetted contributors, most of whom are Society members. If you’re a member interested in joining the team, Contact Us.
Awards
- HNS Awards have helped discover authors and launch their careers (e.g., Michel Faber, Ruth Downie, Nikki Marmery, Hilary Green, Elizabeth Macneal, and many more) and provided vital support for others. Our ARA Award is one of the most generous of all literary prizes. If you’d like to partner to sponsor an award, Contact Us.
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Thriller

An Unquiet Peace (A Bishop & Gallagher Mystery)

By Shaina Steinberg - Published 2025

Genres:

This fast-paced, engrossing novel is set in Los Angeles and Berlin amidst the turmoil and expectancy of post-World War II. An Unquiet Peace ...Read Review

The Second Sun

By P. T. Deutermann - Published 2025

Genres:

Military Thriller

Timed for the 80th anniversary of World War II’s ending, The Second Sun poses a provocative question about Japan’s atomic capability ...Read Review

The Mourning Necklace

By Kate Foster - Published 2025

Genres:

Adventure Thriller

Author Kate Foster taps into a rich seam when she takes on the true story of Maggie Dickson, a woman hanged in 18th-century ...Read Review

Season of Death (A Barker & Llewelyn, Book 16)

By Will Thomas - Published 2025

Genres:

Mystery/Crime Thriller

Move over, Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins! Will Thomas’s novel dramatizes the late Victorian underworld with the adventures of Cyrus Barker and ...Read Review

The Americans of Abercromby Square (Harriet Farrell 2)

By JP Maxwell - Published 2024

Genres:

Mystery/Crime Thriller

Since the beginning, from Lysistrata to Bridget Jones and including Elizabeth Bennet, it is more often than not, the stories of difficult, troublesome ...Read Review

The Butcher’s Daughter: The Hitherto Untold Story of Mrs. Lovett

By Corinne Leigh Clark - By David Demchuk - Published 2025

Genres:

Thriller

Subtitled “The Hitherto Untold Story of Mrs. Lovett,” The Butcher’s Daughter is a Victorian gothic tale imagining the fictional story of Sweeney ...Read Review

Night in the City

By Michael McGarrity - Published 2025

Genres:

Thriller

For Assistant District Attorney Sam Monroe, the news couldn’t have been worse—an old lover turns up murdered just hours after she’...Read Review

Lilacs Out of the Dead Land

By J. Sydney Jones - Published 2025

Genres:

Adventure Thriller

From the beginning of this page-turning novel, Jones captivates the reader. In this, the seventh of Jones’s widely acclaimed Viennese Mystery Series, ...Read Review