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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17th Century

The Magnificent Lies of Madeleine Béjart

By Richard Goodkin - Published 2025

Genres:

Madeleine Béjart is a magnificent character, at once larger than life and beset by the problems of everywoman: love, loss, and the ...Read Review

Braving the Dawn: A Novel of New France

By Peggy Joque Williams - Published 2026

Genres:

Banished from France, the young, beautiful, and pregnant widow, Sylvienne d’Aubert, travels to the French colony of Quebec with a group of ...Read Review

The Making of a Witch

By Judy Molland - Published 2026

Genres:

The Making of a Witch by Judy Molland opens in Exeter, England, in 1656, where ten-year-old Alice Molland is forced to witness the hanging ...Read Review

An Absent Life: Elizabeth, the “Mad” Duchess of Albemarle, 1654-1734 (Volume 2) (Recollections)

By Paul Boucher - Published 2026

Genres:

Nonfiction

An Absent Life is a sensitively written, richly illustrated, and meticulously documented biography of the tragic Duchess Elizabeth Cavendish, drawn from original papers ...Read Review

The Winter Witch

By Jennifer Chevalier - Published 2026

Genres:

Two very different sisters board the Saint Jean-Baptiste, a ship taking young women to Canada to be married to colonists. Around 800 young French ...Read Review

Hesket: A Norfolk Haunting

By Sara Bayat - Published 2026

Genres:

Thriller

Sara Bayat’s debut novel is subtitled “A Norfolk Haunting” and presented as ‘unsettling things are happening in rural Norfolk’. It’s true ...Read Review

Biography of a Dangerous Idea: A New History of Race from Louis XIV to Thomas Jefferson

By Andrew S. Curran - Published 2026

Genres:

Nonfiction

Andrew Curran, Professor at Wesleyan University, has published four academic books on the conceptualization of race in the 18th century. This book makes ...Read Review