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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Scratch Moss

By David Barnett - Published 2026

Genres:

Scratch Moss is a small village in the heart of Lancashire coal country. Once a thriving community, its relevance declined years before 2025, when 53...Read Review

The River Warriors (Savage Isle series Book 2)

By Michael Arnold - Published 2026

Genres:

Adventure Epic

Arnold’s second epic sizzles with energy as it continues the story from The Savage Isle. Cullen goatherd, now Cullen Wolf Scourge of ...Read Review

Muse of Fire

By Howard Linskey - Published 2026

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

Shakespeare the sleuth, skulking around Whitehall trying to solve a murder? Actually, this novel is an incredibly jolly romp, marrying expert historical knowledge ...Read Review

The Teacher Evacuees

By Rose Warner - Published 2025

Genres:

Saga

The Teacher Evacuees is a warm, quietly gripping wartime novel that brings a familiar chapter of Second World War history into sharp, humane ...Read Review

Templar Traitor: The Englishman Who Fought for Genghis Khan (The Mongol Knight)

By Angus Donald - Published 2025

Genres:

Adventure

With Templar Traitor, Angus Donald launches a bold new series that plunges readers into the chaos of 13th-century Europe, where Christendom faces the ...Read Review

Blood Vengeance (Warsaw Quartet, 3)

By Douglas Jackson - Published 2025

Genres:

Thriller

It’s Christmas 1943, and Investigator Jan Kalisz has been spirited out of Warsaw at the behest of Sir Winston Churchill to investigate the ...Read Review

The Second Traitor (Double Agent series, 2)

By Alex Gerlis - Published 2025

Genres:

Thriller

Europe, 1940. Persistent rumours concerning the anticipated German invasion of England prompt British Intelligence to believe there’s a Nazi-sympathising collaborationist network not only ...Read Review

Loki Unbound (Wolves of Odin, Book 5)

By S.J.A. Turney - Published 2024

Genres:

Adventure

Book 5 in the Wolves of Odin Series, this is the story of Bjorn Beartorn, an albino Viking ‘Beserkr’ in 11th-century Swaledale fighting either ...Read Review

A Serpent in the Garden (William Shakespeare Mysteries, 1)

By Howard Linskey - Published 2025

Genres:

Mystery/Crime Thriller

Serpent in the Garden is an action-packed historical novel about what may have happened during Shakespeare’s lost years, during the plague and ...Read Review