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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Paula Martinac

The Case of the Murdered Muckraker (Harriet Morrow Investigates)

By Rob Osler - Published 2026

Genres:

Just a few weeks have passed since gender-nonconforming Harriet Morrow solved The Case of the Missing Maid, first in this mystery series set ...Read Review

Two Truths and a Murder (A Phyllida Bright Mystery)

By Colleen Cambridge - Published 2025

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

In this fifth installment of the series, inspired by Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party, Phyllida Bright has returned from London to Listleigh ...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

The Case of the Missing Maid (Harriet Morrow Investigates)

By Rob Osler - Published 2024

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

It is 1898 in Chicago, and 21-year-old Harriet Morrow isn’t like other women. She tools around town on her bicycle, longing for the ...Read Review

The American Daughters

By Maurice Carlos Ruffin - Published 2024

Genres:

Enslaved on John du Marche’s plantation in the years before the Civil War, Ady and her mother, Sanite, survive inhumane treatment through ...Read Review

Murder at an English Séance (A Beryl and Edwina Mystery)

By Jessica Ellicott - Published 2024

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

“Private enquiry” agents Edwina Davenport and her American friend, Beryl Helliwell, return in this historical mystery set in the quaint English village of ...Read Review

To Slip the Bonds of Earth (A Katharine Wright Mystery)

By Amanda Flower - Published 2024

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

Everyone knows about the Wright Brothers who pioneered flight, but Amanda Flower’s latest historical mystery brings to life their hidden-from-history sister—real-life ...Read Review

I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died (An Emily Dickinson Mystery)

By Amanda Flower - Published 2023

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

Intrepid poet Emily Dickinson and her maid, Willa Noble, return as a pair of amateur sleuths in this delightful and well-researched historical mystery. ...Read Review

Murder at a London Finishing School (A Beryl and Edwina Mystery)

By Jessica Ellicott - Published 2023

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

In the tranquil village of Warmsley Parva in post-World War I Britain, Edwina Davenport and her American friend and former classmate, Beryl Helliwell, ...Read Review