Historical. Fiction or non fiction.

Oh gosh, Jean Plaidy! I think she was one of the first authors I read when I 'graduated' to the Adult section of our local library. She also wrote books under another name...Victoria someone?? Help me out, Marina!

I read loads of Jean Plaidy and Anya Seton when I was a teenager too - I think they were good - but haven't read any lately so can't be sure.

Jean Plaidy - there's a blast from the past ! I also devoured her books as a teenager

Might be a bit to o/t but I really enjoyed A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - much more recent Afghan history - but it was a really page turner for me and was a bit different

if it's not already been mentioned, I loved Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman - mean to re-read it before the film comes out later this year...

LOL pageturner, that is EXACTLY what happened to me. I even read Paul Murray Kendall and Rosemary Hawley Jarman afterwards
But I think all of Agnes Strickland's Lives of the Queens of England was a step too far
So you think Alison Weir's scholarship is dodgy then?

Just have to second marina on Josephine Tey, daughter of Time is wonderful. Would disagree about Alison Weir's accuracy, however, in her non-fiction as well as her fiction...but that's just a personal bugbear! Jean Plaidy was good (and accurate), read loads when younger, and Anya Seton too. I loved Sunne in Splendour too, read it alongside Daughter of Time and you could have the makings of an obsession!

Jean Plaidy was always accurate, I felt
She is little mentioned these days but I devoured her novels as a teenager
It's sort of fiction/non-fiction but my all-time favourite read has to be The Daughter of Time, by Josephine Tey. A cleverly constructed riposte to the generally held view that Richard III had his nephews murdered in the Tower of London. Great fun.
Alison Weir is also reliable IMO.
And even dear Anya Seton of Katherine fame did her research thoroughly as far as she could, and freely admits what she has made up in the preface
She even went to Kettlethorpe

The Josephine Bonaparte trilogy by Sandra Gulland had me completely hooked here

It is written in diary style but with plenty of historical fact.

thanks rusty - I won't rush it up the TBR pile yet then !

If there was a fire I have to confess I would have to save my collection of Julie Garwood novelsafter the dds of course!

I found it a bit disconnected as it keeps switching from one narrator to another & I don't tend to find Lady Jane a very interesting charater tbh

I did enjoy the Elizabeth one - though as she admits in her post script she does go very much 'against her instincts as a historian' - I won't say in what respect as it would spoil the story

Sharon Penman is very good, especially "The Sunne in Splendour" about Richard 111.

rusty - have you read the first one about lady jane grey ? Is it good ?

Alison Weir has now written a second fiction book - about Elizabeth I's childhood - called The Lady Elizabeth.

Just just written this in another post, but Tracey Chevalier's books are fab! Fiction but based on something historical and real. Esp love Girl with a pearl earring, though also really liked Falling Angels set around the suffragette movement. They are great IMO and easy to read (and re-read).

I also read Mrs Simpson last year(although maybe that's not exactly history), which was good, and a book about Mary, Queen of scots which again was good. both non fiction

Some historical fiction I enjoy. I liked the Other Boleyn Girl and the Boleyn inheritance, yet other books in a similar vein i don't like. catherine cookson, now there's an example, i don't like her books.

Yes C J Samsone very good.

Have read Sovereign and and just about to start next one. It's set in Tudor times and the main character is a lawyer.

just checked - she has now got through to WW1 - will have to order some from the library me thinks. And Sharon Penman has some new ones too.

Thanks for this thread - I thought I had exhausted these authors years ago - but looks like they have been busy.

also the Cynthia Harrod Eagles - Morland series is good - starts in about 1500 and goes through to Victorian times (not sure how far she has got - must check what the latest one is). Based on one family and how they coped with historical events. Fiction - but pretty good detail.

Alsion weir has recentlyish written her first fiction book as well - about Lady Jane Grey. Can't remember what its called, I have it but haven't read it yet (Innocent Traitor possibly ?).

I read A biog of Emma Hamilton (England's Mistress I think it was called) last year for book club and everyone loved it - it was quite an easyish read and we felt we learned a lot.

I too love Phillipa Gregory and another friend that does has recommened the C J Samsone books - particularly the trilogy that starts with Dissolution. Again, on my bookshelf but unread.

I would recommend the Sharon Penman books - very detailed history with a human aspect - not at all Barbara Cartland. Similar to Philippa Gregory - but I think better.