Sharon Penman - who else?

[Vagaceratops]

I love Medieval historical fiction and have read a lot of Phillipa Gregory (Some good, some bad) and Alison Weir (The same).

I am loving Sharon Penman. She is in a totally different class and her books are fantastic. Is there anyone else of similar brilliance I can move onto once I have read all of hers?

Try Diana Gabaldon. Great fiction with a twist. Or Ken Follett. Pillars of the Earth and World Without End are brilliant. Finally from me the Matthew Shardlake series by C J Sansom are great historical crime fiction. Like you I love Sharon Penman so I hope you find these as enjoyable.

Dorothy Dunnett - she wrote two masterful series, the Lymond Chronicles and the House of Nicolo which consist of 6 books and 8 respectively as well as King Hereafter which is a retelling of the Macbeth story. Once you've read her though, she will spoil you as far as all other historical novelists are concerned because she's in a class of her own.

Second Dorothy Dunnett, her books are amazing.

Have you tried any Rosemary Hawley Jarman, here. It is years since I read anything by her, but her novels were highly thought of at one time. They may seem a bit flowery and dated these days.

Also, Anne Easter Smith here has been recommended to me but I haven't read any yet.

Third Dorothy Dunnett - absolutely amazing. But her books require a bit more thought and investment than the easy-reading-bodice-ripping genre of historical fiction - it depends what you're after.