Reviewer Background & Selection
Reviewers for the Historical Novels Review are drawn primarily from the Society's membership, and are all well-read, knowledgeable enthusiasts of historical fiction. Reviewers volunteer to serve, and they choose which books they wish to select for review from lists sent to them each quarter. Potential reviewers are vetted by the editorial board through previous work product, writing samples, etc. before being selected for our reviewer team. In addition to those penned by our reviewers, many reviews are written by members of our editorial staff.
How to Become a Reviewer
If you're a Society member and would like to volunteer to be a reviewer, please Contact Us to request a copy of the guidelines. Include details on your reading interests in historical fiction, and we will provide details and may request writing samples or other information from you. If you're not a Society member but would like to become one, we invite you to join.
For Publishers and Authors
To request a review, publishers and authors should query our editorial team by filling out the submission form, rather than approaching individual reviewers directly.
BROWSE BY LAST NAME:
CHRISTINA NELLAS ACOSTA
Reviewer
Christina Nellas Acosta is managing editor of the journal 19th-Century Music (University of California Press) and a freelance editor and proofreader for Oxford University Press. She has reviewed novels for the Historical Novel Society, Open Letters Reviews, and the Jane Austen Society of North America News. A devoted Austen reader, she is a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America and the National Book Critics Circle.
GENETTA ADAIR
Reviewer
Genetta Adair has written fiction and non-fiction for children and adults in magazines and newspapers. Her writing often connects history with the present. She previously served the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) as Midsouth Regional Advisor and as co-coordinator for the Midsouth Fall Conference. Adair is a member of SCBWI, HNS, the Women's National Book Association, and is a literacy coach at a Title 1 elementary school. She writes reviews for Historical Novels Review from her home in Tennessee with her loyal Labrador Retriever by her side (and while frequently tossing a ball down the hall).
VAL ADOLPH
Reviewer
Val Adolph has enjoyed reviewing books for HNS since the early years of this century. She likes the challenge of discerning the author’s purpose underlying the investment of time and talent in developing characters in a specific historical time and situation.
Having been born in the UK she finds particular pleasure in reading novels set in England, or better still, in Scotland. She is the author of several historical novels, including a trilogy set in Yorkshire in the aftermath of WW2.
INGIBJÖRG ÁGÚSTSDÓTTIR
Reviewer
Dr Ingibjörg Ágústsdóttir is Professor of British Literature at the Department of English Studies at the University of Iceland. She is series co-editor of Brill’s new book series Global Historical Fictions and has published on Scottish writing, historical novels and fictional representations of the Tudors and Stuarts in literature and film. She currently researches and writes on contemporary women’s historical fiction and rewritings of women’s history, representations of the Arctic in Scottish literature from the nineteenth century to the present, and Scottish women travellers in Iceland in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
MELISSA AMATEIS
Reviewer
Melissa Amateis holds a BA in history from Chadron State College and an MA in history from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL). Her last novel, The Stranger from Berlin, was published by Simon & Schuster UK in 2021, and her nonfiction publications include Nebraska POW Camps (2014) and World War II Nebraska (2020), both by The History Press, and several articles in America in WWII magazine. An amateur photographer, Snoopy collector, classic movie lover, and avid bibliophile, Amateis lives with her daughter in Virginia along with a rambunctious lab/border collie mix appropriately named Blitz and two kitties. Visit her website: https://www.melissaamateis.com
RON ANDREA
Reviewer
A lifelong reader and student of history, Ron Andrea graduated from college and entered the United States Air Force in 1968. During his thirty plus years of military service, he visited or lived in all fifty of the United States and lived in five other countries (visiting about thirty). He now resides in rural Hanover County, Virginia, armpit deep in American colonial and Civil War historic sites. He writes historical and speculative fiction and Bible studies, and post reviews on goodreads.com and his blog: https://amatteroffancy.wordpress.com/. He paints and teaches watercolor painting.
PETER ARZBERGER
Reviewer
Peter Arzberger enjoys reading historical fiction to learn about seldom-told stories and little-known events. In his earlier professional career, he created international ecological projects which took him to the mountains of Taiwan, and later led him to live in Tainan for three months. His forthcoming historical fiction novel, The Promise, is inspired by first-hand accounts of Taiwan’s twentieth-century events. For more information, visit peterarzberger.com.
ANNA DALHAIMER BARTKOWSKI
Reviewer
Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski has been chasing stories since childhood—first as a wide-eyed kid who noticed she had fewer grandparents than her friends, and later as a passionate genealogist determined to uncover the voices of those who came before her. That early curiosity grew into a lifelong adventure of piecing together family mysteries, connecting the past to the present, and sharing the magic of history through her writing and books. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her enjoying a plate of grebel (fried dough) and celebrating gemütlichkeit—the cozy joy of heritage and community. Discover more at https://annabartkowski.com/
KATHRYN BASHAAR
Reviewer
Kathryn Bashaar is a reviewer for HNS, and the author of the novel The Saint’s Mistress. Her short stories have been published in several anthologies and literary journals, and her essays have appeared in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Civil War Times. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family, where she recently started a memoir-writing group at her church, and blogs about books and Pittsburgh history. www.kathrynbashaar.com
NICOLA BELLUOMO
Reviewer
Nicola Belluomo has been an archivist, a nurse, and a magazine editor, and was once almost a midwife. She now teaches English online from her home in Devon in the UK. While studying English Literature at Loughborough University in the eighties, she developed an interest in history, mythology and grass-roots philosophy, and an objective fascination with religion. This background has led her to conclude that the immersive reading of fiction and non-fiction can teach humankind everything it needs to know about itself. Her debut novel, The Seventh Room, was published in 2024, and Tisiphone Walking in 2025. www.nicolabelluomo.com
LIZZIE BENTHAM
Reviewer
Lizzie Bentham grew up in Merseyside, UK and now lives in the West Midlands with her surgeon husband and two small children. She started writing during lockdown to create some imaginary friends who could get out a bit more than she could. The Red Brick Mystery series has recently been published by Sharpe Books. Her novels are inspired by her great aunt’s university days in the 1930s, and follow Dorothea Roberts and her student friends as they investigate some very perplexing murders. https://lizziebentham.com/
G. J. BERGER
Reviewer
G. J. Berger's first two novels received a variety of honors, including best historical of the year (for 2012 and 2016) from the San Diego Book Awards Association. The SDBAA received entries from many authors, including notables such as J. K. Rowling and Susan Vreeland. More recently, G. J. has published a best-selling memoir and also a legal thriller. In June 2025, G. J. was both a presenter and mentor at the grand HNS Las Vegas writers conference. G. J. lives in San Diego with his favorite grammarian and Argentine Tango dance partner.
MARTIN BOURNE
Reviewer
Martin Bourne is a science graduate with a deep interest in history, particularly military history, but he likes to review any historical work so he doesn’t get stale or "pigeonholed". He’s had a crack at writing novels himself. The main effect has been realising just how worthy of respect authors are! You can find his historical videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/vandpubsell/videos?app=desktop
LUCIENNE BOYCE
Reviewer
Lucienne Boyce writes historical fiction, non-fiction and biography. Her novels to date are set in the eighteenth century (To the Fair Land, the Dan Foster Mysteries). She is currently working on a mystery set in the early 1900s. Lucienne’s non-fiction focusses on women’s suffrage history, and includes The Bristol Suffragettes and contributions to various publications. She is writing a biography of suffrage campaigner Millicent Price (née Browne), and working on a collaborative project based on interviews with suffragettes recorded in the 1960s and 1970s. She is also a speaker and blogger – and of course an avid reader! Website: www.lucienneboyce.com
LORELEI BRUSH
Reviewer
Lorelei Brush was a mathematics major, a professor of child development, and an international education consultant. She is the parent of a neurodivergent child. Her upcoming book The Boy with the Butterfly Mind combines these experiences to describe the struggles and triumph of a family dealing with neurodivergence. Her previous novels include Uncovering, about the trials of a nurse practitioner in northwest Pakistan, and Chasing the American Dream, about the quest of a disappointed WWII spy to be a hero in 1950s Cleveland. Lorelei and her husband live in Falls Church, Virginia, with a bossy gray cat named Marabelle.
CARRIE CALLAGHAN
Reviewer
Carrie Callaghan is the author of the historical novels A Light of Her Own and Salt the Snow (both from Amberjack/CRP). She lives in Maryland with her family and four ridiculous cats.
MONICA ELIZABETH CARTER
Reviewer
Monica Elizabeth Carter is a writer, poet, and reviewer. She was a PEN Center USA Emerging Voices Fellow, a Lambda Literary Foundation LGBT Emerging Voices Fellow, and a fiction graduate of the PEN Center’s MARK program. Her reviews have appeared in publications including World Literature Today, Foreword Reviews, Publishers Weekly and The Gay & Lesbian Review. She has served as a judge for the Best Translated Book Award and National Book Foundation’s Innovations in Readings Award. She earned her MFA from Bennington College. She is the Program Director of Lambda Literary’s LGBTQ Writers in Schools program.
PETER CLENOTT
Reviewer
Born in Portland, Maine, and graduated from Bowdoin College, Peter Clenott has been writing for over 50 years. His latest novel, The Unwanted, was published by Level Best Books in 2022 with three more novels in the Munich Mystery Series forthcoming; the next out, The Murder Investigation of Adolf Hitler, is due in 2025. He currently lives in Massachusetts and still works for an anti-poverty agency. Retirement? What? Check out his web page at https://peterclenott.com/.
AMANDA COCKRELL
Reviewer
Amanda Cockrell is the author of the forthcoming Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? (December 2025), a novel of the Hollywood blacklist; Coyote Weather, a novel of the Vietnam War era; the young adult novel What We Keep Is Not Always What Will Stay; and as Damion Hunter, eight novels of Roman history and adventure, including the final volume in The Borderlands series, Birds of Prey. https://www.amandacockrell.com/
RICHARD CORBETT
Reviewer
Richard Corbett is a freelance writer based in the Princeton, New Jersey area. He was previously an attorney specializing in research and writing for the New Jersey State Legislature. An avid reader and writer of historical fiction, he has a particular interest in 20th-century European history. His debut historical thriller, set during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), is complete and currently being submitted to literary agents. He is now researching his second historical novel, set during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1922). More information on his writing is available at https://www.CorbettWriting.com.
BRODIE CURTIS
Reviewer
Brodie Curtis loves American history and the World Wars and has reviewed novels for HNR for six years. He served as an evaluator in the 2024 First Chapters Competition. More than 150 of his published reviews and additional short takes on historical novels can be found on his website: https://www.brodiecurtis.com. Curtis is the author of The Four Bells, a novel of The Great War, and Angels and Bandits, which focuses on The Battle of Britain. Curtis’s third novel, Showboat Soubrette, is set on a Mississippi Riverboat prior to the Civil War and will be released later in 2025.
H-F DESSAIN
Reviewer
H-F Dessain hosts the Japan in Historical Fiction substack and can usually be found either reading works on Japan or editing her novel. Connect with her: https://open.substack.com/pub/hfdessain
SARAH DRONFIELD
Reviewer
Sarah Dronfield is a specialist historical fiction editor, helping authors from the early developmental stages of their novels through to copy-editing and proofreading. She lives in South Wales, in the UK, with her husband and son. When she is not editing or reading historical fiction, she enjoys crafting and yoga. You can find out more about her at sarahdronfieldproofreader.com.
INDIA EDGHILL
Reviewer
India Edghill is a long-time reader of historical novels, a love of which she owes to her parents and grandparents, who were all avid readers who loved history. So when she started writing, naturally she wrote historical novels. Four of her novels are set in the ancient Middle East, and her most recent book is set in Victorian India. She also writes historical fantasy short stories, set any-when-and-where from India in 324 BCE to England in 1665. While her favorite eras are Republican and Imperial Rome, Tudor England, and India in any time period, she will read almost anything with a historical setting. www.indiaedghill.com
J. LYNN ELSE
Reviewer
J. Lynn Else is a hybrid author of historical fiction, sci fi, and YA fantasy books. She creates stories with multiple female protagonists (and occasionally dragons) who overcome obstacles in a historical or magical setting. From 2021-2025, she served as the Indie Reviews Editor for the Historical Novel Society. She believes in unicorns and practicing random acts of awesome.
CONSTANCE EMMETT
Reviewer
Constance Emmett was born in Brooklyn, New York, where her mother's family landed after leaving Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Irish family stories inspired her 2019 debut novel Heroine of Her Own Life and its sequel Everything Will Be All Right (reviewed in the August 2022 Historical Novels Review). Constance is at work on the third book in the Irish family series and has completed a novel set in Revolutionary War New York, also inspired by an ancestor, which she is submitting for publication in 2026, the 250th anniversary of the War of Independence.
ELIZABETH CAULFIELD FELT
Reviewer
Elizabeth Caulfield Felt teaches writing and children’s literature at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. Her historical novel Syncopation: A Memoir of Adèle Hugo is the fictional autobiography of Victor Hugo’s scandalous daughter. Her historical farce, Wilde Wagers, features Oscar Wilde as a character and imitates his comedic dramas. Her novels for children include Snow White with a Twist, a middle-grade re-telling of the fairy tale, and The Stolen Goldin Violin, a middle-grade contemporary mystery. Elizabeth is a voracious reader, indolent writer, and competent lap-swimmer. Visit her at https://www.elizabethcaulfieldfelt.com.
TEMA FRANK
Reviewer
After a long career as a customer experience and digital marketing pioneer, Tema Frank now lives her dream of writing historical fiction. Her novel-in-progress, Red Rules, is a sweeping coming-of-age story that follows a youthful idealist in revolutionary Russia and immigrant New York between 1905 – 1920. Tema (rhymes with Emma) is the author of two best-selling business books, PeopleShock: The Path To Profits When Customers Rule and Canada’s Best Employers for Women: A guide for job-hunters, employees, and employers. She also writes book reviews and travel-related articles at temafrank.com.
PATRICIA FURSTENBERG
Reviewer
Patricia Furstenberg is a Romanian-born, South Africa-based author of character-driven historical fiction set in medieval Eastern Europe. Her latest novel, When Secrets Bloom, part of the Blood of Kings, Heart of Shadows saga, explores the turbulent world of Vlad the Impaler, weaving meticulous research with moral complexity, faith, and the quiet resilience of women navigating power and peril. Her short stories, poetry, and travel features have appeared in anthologies and online publications. Patricia blogs about overlooked corners of history and cultural heritage at https://alluringcreations.co.za/wp/. A passionate reader and reviewer, she champions fellow authors through interviews and features.
GINI GROSSENBACHER
Reviewer
Gini Grossenbacher, M.Ed., is an award-winning independent poet and historical fiction novelist, certified by UC San Diego as a professional editor. Based in San Rafael, California, she leads the San Rafael Writers & Artists workshops and serves as membership chair of the California Writers Club’s Marin Branch. With postgraduate studies in European history and Italian literature, and decades of teaching experience, she blends academic rigor with vibrant storytelling in her historical novels, Madam of My Heart, Madam in Silk, and Madam in Lace. Fluent in English, Italian, and French, she’s known for illuminating women’s hidden narratives across continents and centuries.
JANET HANCOCK
Reviewer
Janet Hancock has had short fiction and poetry published online and in print. She is the 2025 poetry winner at the Sturminster Newton Literary Festival. In long fiction, she is drawn to post-1918, a time of revolutions, collapse of centuries-old empires, and social change. Both her standalone novels explore how these events impacted ordinary people. Beyond the Samovar, set in Russia and England, 1919-20, was published in 2019 by The Conrad Press. The West in Her Eyes, a novel of exile, ambition and love in a fictional Russian family after the 1917 revolution, was published in 2024 by Resolute Books.
J.G. HARLOND
Reviewer
Creator of the infamous Ludo da Portovenere, hybrid British author J.G. Harlond (Jane) writes historical crime based on real events during the 17th Century and World War II. In recent years she has also been writing a Viking Age historical fantasy The Doomsong Saga. Prior to becoming a full-time fiction author, Jane was involved in international education and wrote textbooks for Oxford University Press. After travelling widely – she has visited or lived in almost all locations in her novels – she is now settled with her Spanish husband in Andalucía, Spain. Find her on: www.jgharlond.com
JONATHAN HARRIS
Reviewer
Jonathan Harris teaches history at Royal Holloway, University of London. He is widely published, and his work has been translated into nine languages. Most of his books are non-fiction, including The Lost World of Byzantium (2015) and Byzantium and the Crusades, third edition (2022). He is editor of The Oxford Illustrated History of the Crusades (2026). His first historical novel, Theosis, was published by Trivent in 2023.
ROSEMARY HAYES
Reviewer
Rosemary Hayes has written over 50 books for children and young people, many of which have won or been shortlisted for awards and several translated into different languages. She now writes historical fiction for adults. Her first book in the genre 'The King's Command' is about the terror and tragedy suffered by a Huguenot family in 17th century France. She is now writing a trilogy 'Soldier Spy' about spying during the time of the Napoleonic Wars. Visit her website at www.rosemaryhayes.co.uk.
SUSIE HELME
Reviewer
Susie Helme is an American from Nashville, Tennessee, living in North London. Her The Lost Wisdom of the Magi was Winner of the 2021 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Best Historical. The Genizah Codex was a Finalist for the 2022 Claymore Award for Best Historical. Dreaming of Jerusalem (soon) was a Finalist for the 2022 Claymore Award for Best Action Adventure. Once a journalist and magazine editor, she is now an Editorial Consultant with Reedsy Marketplace. She writes book reviews for Historical Novels Review, Reedsy Discovery and GetBooksReviewed. A judge on several writing competitions. Founder of Bounds Green Book Writers.
SARAH HENDESS
Reviewer
Sarah Hendess is a fiction editor and award-winning author in Central Florida. Co-Founder of Golden Bridges Publishing, she's always on the lookout for the next great historical novel. https://www.sarahhendess.com
ROBIN HOLLOWAY
Reviewer
Robin Holloway is a graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University, and holds a MA in English Literature from the City College of New York. Her debut novel The Better Angels was published in June 2025 by Holand Press. A former administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes, she has published essays and book reviews in American newspapers. She is working on a second historical novel set in the French Revolution.
N.L. HOLMES
Reviewer
N.L. Holmes has been an antiques dealer, a nun, an artist, and an archaeologist (among other things). She is the author of fifteen novels set in the Bronze Age and has widely published poetry. Along with her husband, two cats, and various fowl, she lives in France, where she gardens, dances, weaves, plays the violin and, of course, reads. https://www.nlholmes.com
PENNY INGHAM
Reviewer
Penny Ingham has a degree in Classics and a passion for archaeology. She has dug at many historic sites including Silchester Roman Town, Fishbourne Roman palace and Basing House. Her first job was as a production assistant at BBC Radio York. She then spent three years in Germany where she wrote for Sixth Sense, the British Forces’ newspaper. She has written four historical novels: The King’s Daughter, featuring Aethelflaed, the Lady of the Mercians (HNS Editor’s Choice); The Saxon Wolves and a sequel The Saxon Plague, both set in post Roman Britain; and Twelve Nights, featuring Shakespeare and Marlowe.
EDWARD JAMES
Reviewer
Edward James became a reviewer for the HNS about 20 years ago and was a Reviews Editor for 13 years. During this time, he published two historical novels, both Tudor maritimes, and several short stories but has had no regular paid work since moving to Cheltenham in 2007. In his working life he was a social policy expert, first as a university teacher in Britain and America, then as a British civil servant, later as an official of the European Commission and finally as a freelance consultant to the EU and a dozen countries in central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Visit his website at busywords.wordpress.com.
HELEN JOHNSON
Reviewer
Helen Johnson has spent decades roving the Dales and Moors of Yorkshire, UK, writing about its people, places, and heritage. The characters who inhabit this celebrated landscape, with its unique Anglo-Saxon/Viking heritage, inspired her to imagine the personalities that walked this land in the past. Having now retired from journalism, she is working to bring that past back to life, through the medium of historical fiction. She has a particular interest in the 11th century, the end of the Viking era in Yorkshire. Read more at www.helenjohnsonyorkshirewriter.co.uk
BETH KANELL
Reviewer
Beth Kanell lives in northeastern Vermont among rivers, rocks, and a lot of writers. She writes historical fiction set in Vermont, most recently The Bitter and the Sweet, as well as feature articles, short stories, and reviews. Her poems seek comfortable seats in small well-lit places, and her collection Thresholds will be published in 2026.
ANDREW KASS
Reviewer
Andrew Kass has written short work appearing in Glimmer Train and The New York Times, among other publications, and earned multiple Honorable Mentions in short fiction, the 2025 CRAFT First Chapters Contest, and the 2024 Black Orchid Novella Award contest. His American Civil War spy thriller A Woman of Agency was recently published by Holand Press. In the dark past he was an associate editor at Book/Mark: A Quarterly Review of Small Press Literature, and is currently a member of the Historical Novel Society and Mystery Writers of America New York chapters.
DOUG KEMP
Reviewer
Doug Kemp has been a reviewer for the HNS since 2001, and was a Reviews Editor from 2008 to 2024. While his academic interest is primarily the Restoration period in English history, he is happy to read and review more contemporary historical fiction, especially with a crime and mystery angle.
MIRAL KHALIL
Reviewer
Dr. Miral Azam Khalil is a self-proclaimed voracious reader who found as a young neurodivergent kid that books gave her a place to belong. She is a self-published author of Meeru's Multan and is a huge advocate for being a voice for children who have no voice and stories in the mainstream media. She is working on picture books that encompass difficult topics like incarceration, having a sick parent, foster children, female femicide, child labor and more. Through her work and research, Dr. Khalil believes that more children should have access to books that are mirrors as “good books are like preventive medicine.”
ZEENATH KHAN
Reviewer
Zeenath Khan is a writer who divides her time between Hyderabad, India, and New York City. Her debut novel The Sirens of September, will be published by Penguin Random House India in September 2025. She has written about history, travel and current affairs for Scroll.in, Mint Lounge, Siasat and Literary Traveler. Her articles can be found on zeenathkhan.space.
ARIENNE KING
Reviewer
Arienne King is an avid reader of historical fiction and nonfiction set in Classical antiquity. As a writer and historical consultant, Arienne has explored ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome for print and online publications.
VICKI KONDELIK
Reviewer
Vicki Kondelik is a cataloger at the University of Michigan Library, where she edits and contributes to the library’s book review blog, Lost in the Stacks. She is a long-time reader of historical fiction, and she is the author of two historical novels which are yet to be published. Her website is https://public.websites.umich.edu/~vickik/.
CATHERINE KULLMANN
Reviewer
Catherine Kullmann was born and educated in Dublin. She has worked in the Irish and New Zealand public services and in the private sector. She is the author of nine Regency novels. Her books are set against a background of the offstage, Napoleonic wars and consider in particular the situation of women trapped in a patriarchal society. She also blogs about historical facts and trivia related to this era. You can find out more about Catherine’s books and read the blog (My Scrap Album) at her website, where you can also subscribe to her newsletter.
A.K. KULSHRESHTH
Reviewer
A.K. Kulshreshth's short stories are published in eight countries, in litmags including Asia Literary Review and Wasafiri. He is a member of Cernunnos (www.cernunnosbooks.com), a fiction collective dedicated to taking lesser-known voices across borders. Cernunnos partnered with a Hindi Litmag, Kathadesh, to run a short story contest in Hindi. The first volume of winning entries was translated and published in 2017. His first novel manuscript, Lying Eyes, was longlisted for the Epigram Fiction Prize 2022. Published by Balestier Press, the novel was selected as an Editors' Choice by the Historical Novels Review.
ELISABETH LENCKOS
Reviewer
Elisabeth Lenckos holds a PhD in Comparative Literature. She has taught, lectured, and written on the subject for over forty years. Her books Barbara Pym: All This Reading and Jane Austen and the Arts: Elegance, Propriety, and Harmony remain in print by Bloomsbury Press. Elisabeth is an editor for the Palgrave Encyclopaedia on Romantic Women’s Writing. She recently completed Rubble Girls, a novel about a German Jewish Family in 1940s Berlin and currently works on a biography of Marian Hastings, the wife of the first Governor General of Bengal. She reviews and posts for the Historical Novel Society.
ILYSA MAGNUS
Reviewer
Ilysa Magnus was a US Reviews Editor for HNS for 20 years and continues to practice family law in NYC.
PAULA MARTINAC
Reviewer
Paula Martinac is the award-winning author of seven novels. She has received fellowships and grants from the Arts & Science Council of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina Arts Council, and the Modern Language Association, among others, and was the recipient of the 2023 William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grant for an unpublished mystery novel. In 2020, she was inducted into the Saints & Sinners Hall of Fame, which recognizes individuals for dedication to LGBTQ+ literature. Paula taught fiction writing at UNC Charlotte for ten years and is now community coordinator at Charlotte Center for Literary Arts. Website: https://www.paulamartinac.com
DAVID J. MASON
Reviewer
David J. Mason is the author of The Self-Liberation of Parson Sykes Trilogy, winner of the 2025 International AAHGS Book Award. His work centers on African American history during the Civil War and Reconstruction, with a focus on USCT soldiers and freedmen activists. As a reviewer, he values historical authenticity, thematic depth, and narrative clarity. David also draws on a professional background in editorial workflow optimization to craft insightful, precise reviews. Learn more at www.davidjmasonbooks.com
DEBORAH K. MAYER
Reviewer
Deborah K. Mayer, PhD, RN, is an oncology nurse with over 50 years of experience. She served as Editor for the Oncology Nursing Society’s’ Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing for eight years and has over 200 publications on cancer related issues. She has been an avid and diverse reader her whole life. Since her retirement, she is the coordinator of a monthly historic fiction book club which has a listserv of over 300 members on https://www.meetup.com/historical-fiction-fans/. She conducts an annual curated survey of her members based on HNS reviews and other sources to identify books for the following year. https://dkmayer.web.unc.edu
KRISTEN MCDERMOTT
Reviewer
Kristen McDermott is a Professor of English at Central Michigan University and writes reviews and feature articles for Historical Novels Review. She has written books about Renaissance drama, and entries for historical novelists Elizabeth Wein and M.T. Anderson for The Dictionary of Literary Biography. Her in-progress novel, Stratford’s Will, was awarded Honorable Mention in the category of YA and Children’s Fiction in the 2024 Historical Novel Society First Chapters Competition. https://kristen-mcdermott.com
MADDY MCGLYNN
Reviewer
Maddy McGlynn is the daughter of a medieval historian, so you could say history is in her blood. She runs Maddy Reads Herstory, a historical fiction book blog and bookstagram that connects historical fiction and history. She collects books on King Arthur and now has over 100 in her Arthurian Cabinet.
MARCY MCNALLY
Reviewer
Marcy McNally is a Florida-based writer and communications consultant whose extensive career includes award-winning, international advertising, public relations, and marketing campaigns. As a published author, her poetry, short stories, and articles have appeared in numerous print and online publications. In addition to her ongoing contributions as an HNS reviewer, she has three historical fiction novels in progress. Marcy also enjoys global travel, arts/culture, sports, and outdoor activities.
KRISTEN MCQUINN
Reviewer
Kristen McQuinn holds both a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in medieval literature from Arizona State University. She has worked at the University of Phoenix for over 20 years, serving as a faculty development chair. In addition to her academic work, she is a published author of fiction and nonfiction, with multiple short stories (some under pseudonyms), including a contribution to the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 2016 anthology. Her nonfiction book, The Two Isabellas of King John, explores women’s roles in medieval history.
KATHERINE MEZZACAPPA
Reviewer
Katherine Mezzacappa is an Irish novelist long resident in Tuscany. Writing under her own name, she is the author of The Maiden of Florence (Fairlight), The Ballad of Mary Kearney (Histria) and the forthcoming Lucie Dumas (Stairwell) as well as four novels writing as Katie Hutton, all with Zaffre. She is one of the organisers of the 2026 HNS Conference, in Maynooth, Ireland, having been involved in Dartington (2024) and Durham (2022) and has been reviewing for the Society since 2019.
KEIRA MORGAN
Reviewer
Keira Morgan is a trilingual Canadian author of French Renaissance historical fiction that reveals the real challenges women faced in a world where only men could rule. Her novels about Anne of Brittany (available on Amazon & her website) are grounded in historical truth—not romantic fantasy. A former Canadian public servant, she now lives in Mexico. She also blogs about French history, reviews books, and interviews authors on her blog and for the Historical Novel Society. She collaborates to write the France’s Splendid Centuries Facebook page with four others. Also a Rotarian and dollhouse miniaturist, reach Keira at www.keiramorgan.com.
GAIL M. MURRAY
Reviewer
Like Keats, Gail M. Murray seeks to capture the essence of the moment. Her writing is a response to her natural and emotional environment. Her poems have been published in Reflections and Reveries, Written Tenfold, Blank Spaces, Wordscape, Arborealis, and The Banister. Her creative non-fiction has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Trellis, Heartbeats, Renaissance, Devour, The Ontario Gardener, NOW Magazine, Blank Spaces, Stony Bridges, Ottawa Review of Books, Historical Novels Review, Pure Slush and Our Canada. https://www.bluehavenpress.com/index.php/gail-m-murray/
CAROLYN NEWTON
Reviewer
Carolyn Newton is part of a creative and adventurous family that spent summer holidays at national parks and memorized poems for sport. Her vibrant childhood launched a life-long love of history and stories, and she became a teacher with a specialty for sharing the often-overlooked tales of courageous people doing extraordinary things. She lives with her family near the mountains of South Carolina, where she loves to explore the woodsy trails in search of waterfalls and breathtaking vistas. She is the author of two novels, The Refugee’s Daughter (2024) and Songs of the Dead Road (2026). www.carolynnewtonauthor.com
IAIN ORD
Reviewer
Iain Ord has been writing for pleasure and reading history in fiction and non-fiction for 40 years. He is the author of Allies, which is set on the Home Front during the Second World War, but his interests cover all periods prior to 1945. He lives in the north of England and spends his time, when not reading, playing tennis and fell-walking. His website is at: iainordauthor.co.uk.
MARILYN PEMBERTON
Reviewer
Marilyn Pemberton has a passion for fairy tales that subvert and challenge the existing social mores. Pemberton has written the biography of Mary De Morgan, a Victorian fairy-tale writer and fictionalised her life in The Jewel Garden. In her historical series, Grandmothers' Footsteps, the female protagonists from different generations write fairy tales to express their frustrations and to offer alternatives. A Teller of Tales, A Keeper of Tales, A Seeker of Tales and A Bearer of Tales are available on Amazon. The fifth and last book, A Maker of Tales, is a work in progress. Website: https://marilynpemberton.wixsite.com/author
KATE PETTIGREW
Reviewer
Kate Pettigrew is a former Times journalist and was shortlisted for the Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award for her historical fiction.
KATHARINE QUARMBY
Reviewer
Katharine Quarmby is a writer, editor and journalist and is an Advisory Fellow for the Royal Literary Fund. Her debut, prize-listed historical fiction title, The Low Road, was published in 2023. Set in the Georgian era, it tells the stories of poor women from rural areas, the imprisoned, convicts sent to penal colonies, and the people who often left no records because of illiteracy and hardship. It is based on a true story from her Norfolk hometown.
WAHEED RABBANI
Reviewer
Waheed Rabbani was born in India, near Delhi, and was introduced to Victorian and other English novels in his father’s library. Most of the large number of volumes were purchased by his father at ‘garage sales’ held by departing British civil service officers, in the last days of the Raj. Waheed graduated from Loughborough University, England, and received a Master’s from Concordia University, Montreal. While an engineer by profession, Waheed’s other love is reading and writing. He obtained a Certificate in Creative Writing from McMaster University, and he embarked on his writing journey. He is settled in Grimsby, Canada. https://wrabbani.ca/
SIMON RICKMAN
Reviewer
Simon Rickman was raised in south London in the 1950/60s. Following a good education devoid of meaningful academic success, he entered the University of Life, specialising in going with the flow. After working in London’s theatre-land in the ‘70s he travelled globally for 25 years as a live-show lighting guy, touring predominantly with rock bands. Subsequently surviving 17 years as a postie, he’s now retired and lives in England with his wife and several 4-leggeds. He has a headful of words, many in foreign languages, and just enough time to enjoy birdsong, old planes, writing shorts and reading.
BRIDGITTE RODGUEZ
Reviewer
Bridgitte Rodguez was born in Puerto Rico, and grew up in San Diego. She holds degrees in Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz and The George Washington University. She is a writer of all things for kids of all ages (adults included). Her debut picture book, illustrated by Natalia Bruno, A Walk Through the Redwoods, released from Reycraft Books in 2023. She serves on the Regional Team for the NY Metro Region of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She currently resides in NYC, where she spends her days writing and wandering around the city.
B.J. SEDLOCK
Reviewer
B.J. Sedlock recently stepped down from full-time librarianship to part-time archivist at Defiance College in Defiance, Ohio. She has been a reviewer for HNS since 2003, and since 2013 has written quarterly articles about where to find historical research resources for the HNS website. She has also been published in The Sondheim Review. She plays bassoon in several local music ensembles.
PETE SHERLOCK
Reviewer
Pete Sherlock is a BBC journalist, who lives in Birmingham with his wife Anna and their Labrador, Nellie. His debut novel, The Mask of Merryvale Manor, was published by Fairlight Books last June.
JUDITH STARKSTON
Reviewer
Judith Starkston writes historical fantasy and mythic retellings set in the Bronze Age of the Greeks and Hittites. Her five novels bring women to the fore—whether the Trojan War captive Briseis or a remarkable Hittite queen whom history forgot, even though she ruled over one of the greatest empires of the ancient world. She has degrees in classics from the University of California, Santa Cruz and Cornell and lives in Davis, California. Find her newsletter sign-up, book reviews, and posts about archaeology and history on her website https://www.judithstarkston.com.
LISA LOWE STAUFFER
Reviewer
To get to her debut children’s book, Two by Two (Zonderkidz), Lisa Lowe Stauffer first wrote her way through journalism, marketing, travel writing, and poetry. Her work has appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Miami Herald, Literary Mama, and Stories for Children, as well as numerous websites, newsletters, press releases, blog sites, and magazines. She’s a longtime member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, serving in various volunteer roles for the Southern Breeze region. She and her husband divide their time between the Atlanta area and Costa Rica. https://www.lisalowestauffer.com/
ALEXANDRA SYRAH
Reviewer
Alexandra Syrah holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from George Mason University. Her work has appeared in Fugue, Wag's Revue, the New Haven Review, The Washington Examiner, and others. She is currently working on her first novel.
SARAH TAYLOR
Reviewer
Sarah Taylor is a passionate reader and history enthusiast based in Canada. She studied Classical Studies at university, where her research focused on the lives of fort residents in Roman Britain through cooking tools and domestic artifacts. She has a deep interest in uncovering overlooked voices in history and is currently working on a public history project exploring the First World War through letters sent home: ourpartww1.ca. She’s especially drawn to historical fiction that brings ordinary people’s experiences to life.
WAYNE TURMEL
Reviewer
Originally from Canada, Wayne Turmel now lives and writes in Las Vegas, USA. His fiction ranges from historical fiction to urban fantasy and his short fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He’s the author of eleven nonfiction books and six novels. His motto is “those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it, the rest of us get to stand there and say, ‘told you.’ “ Learn more about his work at WayneTurmel.com.
AMY MARIE TURNER
Reviewer
Amy Marie Turner is a Heartland Emmy-nominated writer and editor who lives in the high desert of Colorado. Amy spent much of her professional career preparing proposals and managing projects for environmental consultants before moving to freelance editing and writing. Amy works with a variety of clients on writing tasks, such as documentary film scripts, website and newsletter content, book reviews, and ghost writing. She also provides developmental and copy-editing services. In addition, her historical fiction novel series, the Linnea Wren Mysteries, are published by Fauve Press, with the third in the series coming soon. https://www.amymarieturner.com/
LOYD UGLOW
Reviewer
Loyd Uglow holds a master’s degree in History from the University of West Florida and a Ph.D. in History from the University of North Texas. He is a university History and Creative Writing professor. He is the author of two books on Texas military history and two children’s biographies. Writing historical novels, however, is his favorite. He is the author of Marksman’s Trinity and Slow Train to Sonora, two military historical novels set on the U.S./Mexican border during the Revolution (1911-1920). He is a retired Commander (Surface Warfare) in the United States Naval Reserve.
KELLY URGAN
Reviewer
Kelly Urgan is a London-based editor and proofreader for both publishers and independent authors. She specialises in historical and fantasy fiction. She is currently working on a novel set in eleventh-century England after the Norman Conquest. In her free time she is an avid hiker, devoted traveller, and a museum devotee. She writes on a variety of subjects, including history and travel. She has been an HNS reviewer since 2022. Find out more at https://www.editegrity.com.
CINDY VALLAR
Reviewer
Cindy Vallar is a freelance editor and pirate chronicler. She began her career as a librarian and educator, before becoming a historical novelist and the editor of Pirates and Privateers (an online publication that explores the history of maritime piracy). As a member of HNS, she has reviewed forthcoming historical fiction, served on the conference committee, and written numerous articles for Historical Novels Review, including “The Red Pencil” editing column. She lives in Texas with her husband, Tom, who also reviews for HNR. Please visit her at http://www.cindyvallar.com.
SAMANTHA WARD-SMITH
Reviewer
Dr Samantha Ward-Smith is a historical fiction author whose debut novel, Tower of Vengeance, is out now. She holds a PhD in 16th–17th century state letters and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. For over 13 years, she has volunteered at the Tower of London, enriching her work with first-hand historical insight. She took early retirement from Investment Banking to pursue her love of writing. Samantha is currently working on her second novel, Ravenscourt, a Victorian Gothic tale. She lives by the sea with her two cats, Belle and Rudy. www.samanthawardsmithwriter.com/
KAREN WARREN
Reviewer
Karen Warren is a travel writer, reviewer and novelist based in Bath, UK. She has two books in print. Shadow of the Dome (Joffe Books, 2017) is a historical novel based on the travels of Marco Polo in 13th century China, and Secret Bath, an Unusual Guide (Jonglez, 2024) is a collection of unfamiliar and unusual sights in the city of Bath.
MARLIE PARKER WASSERMAN
Reviewer
Marlie Parker Wasserman writes historical crime fiction set in the Gilded Age and the Progressive Age. Her books include The Murderess Must Die, Path of Peril, Inferno on Fifth, and the forthcoming First Daughter. She resides in Chapel Hill, NC.
JINNY WEBBER
Reviewer
Jinny Webber, Professor Emerita, Santa Barbara City College, has written three novels set in Shakespeare’s England: The Secret Player, Dark Venus, and Bedtrick, featuring the historical actor Alexander Cooke. Here, Sander Cooke was born female and successfully passes for male to play female roles on stage. In Bedtrick, she marries a woman. Jinny’s latest novel, Serpent Visions, reimagines the myth of Teiresias, a totally different take on gender. Striking apart coupling serpents, Teiresias is transformed into a woman. Seven years later, ‘Teira’ does likewise, becomes male and, thanks to the gods’ intervention, the blind seer of Greek tragedy. See www.jinnywebber.com.
DEBORAH CAY WILDING
Reviewer
Deborah Cay Wilding holds degrees in English Literature and Library Science. She's the author of an award-winning historical novel, and when not writing or reviewing books for HNS, she enjoys hiking across the British Isles with friends.
NIGEL WILLITS
Reviewer
Nigel Willits worked for many years at environmental NGOs, and most of his published work is non-fiction nature writing. He also dabbles in historical fiction and science fiction, but so far only a couple of short pieces have made it into print. Several novels are in development.
MEG WIVIOTT
Reviewer
Meg Wiviott’s YA novel in verse, Paper Hearts, based on a true story of a group of young women who were prisoners in Auschwitz, received a 2016 Christopher Award and was a Bank Street College’s Best Children’s Books of the Year. Her picture book Benno and the Night of Broken Glass, which tells the story of Kristallnacht through the eyes of a cat, was selected as one of SLJ’s Best Picture Books of 2010 and CCBC’s Best Choice List. Meg graduated from the University of Wisconsin, has a Master’s from Northwestern University, and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts.
LARRY ZUCKERMAN
Reviewer
Larry Zuckerman, a former editor at Historical Novels Review, reviewed historical fiction on his weekly blog, Novelhistorian, for ten years. As a historian, he broke into print with The Potato: How the Humble Spud Rescued the Western World, followed by The Rape of Belgium, about that country’s invasion and occupation during the First World War. Larry’s first historical novel was Lonely Are the Brave, about a First World War hero turned at-home father. His second was To Save a Life, about Russian Jewish immigrants in early 1900s New York (October 2025). www.larryzuckerman.com
