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.
  Browse our magazines
  
  Submit your novel for review
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.
Contact Us

Bantam

A History of the World in Ten Wars

By Terry Deary - Published 2026

Genres:

Terry Deary is well-known as the author of the irreverent series of history books for children, The Horrible Histories. He has now turned ...Read Review

Sweetbitter Song

By Rosie Hewlett - Published 2026

Genres:

One evening, a nine-year-old slave girl named Melantho meets ten-year-old Princess Penelope, and from that moment on, they are inseparable … until Penelope’s ...Read Review

A Woman of Fortune

By Val Wood - Published 2025

Genres:

Saga

The heroine, Lydia, lives in a small house near Beverley in Yorkshire in 1860. Her life is very comfortable; she has a cook, a ...Read Review

Knave of Diamonds

By Laurie R. King - Published 2025

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

In the first decades of the last century, crimes and mysteries abound. Mary Russell, wife of the famous Sherlock Holmes, receives an unexpected ...Read Review

Miss Burnham and the Loose Thread

By Lynn Knight - Published 2025

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

Miss Burnham and the Loose Thread is a cozy mystery set in 1925 London, where the population is grappling with the changes brought about ...Read Review

A Poisoner’s Tale

By Cathryn Kemp - Published 2024

Genres:

Mystery/Crime Thriller

Cathryn Kemp states that her novel ‘is dedicated to every woman who knows how it feels when his key turns in the lock’. ...Read Review

The Christmas Stocking Murders (A Frank Grasby Mystery, 2)

By Denzil Meyrick - Published 2024

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

The Christmas Stocking Murders is, as the title suggests, a cozy crime mystery for the Christmas season. It’s reviewed here as historical ...Read Review

Alvesdon

By James Holland - Published 2024

Genres:

Saga

August 1939, and once more Britain is on the brink of a terrible global conflict. The Castells are a long-established landed farming family in ...Read Review