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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Gilded Age

The Gilded Heiress

By Joanna Shupe - Published 2025

Genres:

In 1878, twenty-two-month-old Joséphine Pendelton is snatched from her family’s New York City mansion and never found. In Boston in 1896, Leo Hardy ...Read Review

A Murderous Business (Harriman & Mancini Mysteries Book 1)

By Cathy Pegau - Published 2025

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

In 1912, Margot Baxter Harriman assumes the helm of B&H Foods, the New York City-based canning business she inherited from her deceased ...Read Review

Discovering Dahlia (The Blue Orchid Society Book 5)

By Jennifer Lunt Moore - Published 2025

Genres:

Inspirational Romance

Dahlia Lancaster is at a ball when her life changes in an instant, but not the way she expected. She had come to ...Read Review

Lizzie

By Diane Fanning - Published 2025

Genres:

Biographical Fiction Mystery/Crime

August 4, 1892, began like any ordinary day for businessman Andrew Borden, but culminated in two brutal murders which rocked the town of Fall River, ...Read Review

Death Takes the Lead (A Gilded Age Mystery)

By Rosemary Simpson - Published 2024

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

In April 1891, young Manhattan lawyer Prudence MacKenzie meets her private investigator friend, Lydia Truitt, for a surprise theatre visit. The Broadway community anxiously ...Read Review

Ae Fond Kiss (The Cumberland Mountain Series)

By Joan Donaldson - Published 2025

Genres:

Romance Saga

This life-affirming romance, set in the Cumberland Mountains in the late 19th century, features two protagonists grieving loved ones and desiring to overcome ...Read Review

To Save the Man

By John Sayles - Published 2025

Genres:

Literary

1890, Carlisle School, Pennsylvania. This is the true story of Captain Pratt’s boarding school for Native Americans. Pratt believed he could ‘save’ his ...Read Review

A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love

By Alice Murphy - Published 2025

Genres:

Gilded Age New York City is a difficult time for an outspoken and unabashedly plus-size vaudeville star like Evelyn Cross. Between moral reformers ...Read Review