What's your favourite historical novel? Tell us and be in with a chance to WIN a SIGNED COPY of Helen Dunmore's new novel Exposure plus backlist book bundle

[UrsulaMumsnet]

Set against a backdrop of the Cold War, spies and scandal, Helen Dunmore's remarkable new novel, Exposure, out this week, tells the story of a woman's determination to protect her family at all costs. When Lily's husband is accused of passing on highly sensitive information to the Soviets, and arrested, Lily is forced to confront forbidden love, intimate betrayal and the devastating power of exposure.

"Exposure is the sort of winter read you hanker for...the period is so meticulously re-created that you almost hear the hiss of the gas streetlamps." - The Times

"This book is a triumph - a marvellous piece of seamless storytelling." - Penelope Lively

Share your favourite historical novels for a chance to win a signed copy of Exposure, plus a backlist bundle of books including Sunday Times bestseller The Lie and The Betrayal.

Helen Dunmore is the author of fourteen novels. Her first, Zennor in Darkness, explored the events which led to D H Lawrence’s expulsion from Cornwall (on suspicion of spying) during the First World War. It won the McKitterick Prize. Her third novel, A Spell of Winter, won the inaugural Orange Prize, now the Bailey’s Prize for Women’s Fiction. Her bestselling novel The Siege, set during the Siege of Leningrad, was described by Antony Beevor as ‘a world-class novel’ and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Novel of the Year and the Orange Prize.

She is fascinated by the Cold War era, which was also the era of her childhood, and is the setting for Exposure, and by the secrets, betrayals, loves, lies and loyalties which make up the period’s intimate history.

[HappydaysArehere]

War and Peace and The Gift of Rain.

[UrsulaMumsnet]

This competition is now closed. Thank you for all your suggestions. What a great list of historical novels. I'm definitely putting some on my reading list. The winner was furryleopard! Congratulations! Please check your inbox and get in touch to claim your prize.

[Panadbois]

So......who won?

[spiroo]

I do not read lots of historical novel, which I should have, I can think of one I read recently is Two Brothers by Ben Elton, quite interesting story.

[GoblinLittleOwl]

'The King Must Die' and its sequel, 'The Bull from the Sea'. Mary Renault.

[sportinguista]

Just to add Louis de Bernieres. Birds without Wings ending makes me cry for the sense of loss, it's beautiful and sad at the same time. Notwithstanding is also a look at a forgotten England that has all but disappeared.

[sportinguista]

I loved Wolf Hall, haven't read Bring Up The Bodies yet but it's on my list. I loved Georgette Heyer. Katherine Neville is good too. I read all the Sharpe novels and really liked them too even though they are quite blokey and with mainly battle stuff, but I like that. Reading all the Last Kingdom novels now and really enjoying.

[BrokenApril]

fog? GO

[BrokenApril]

Ooooh...its a toss up between Michelle Moran's ancient Egypt stuff - Nefertiti, Cleopatra's Daughter, The Heretic Queen - and Mary Renault's The Persian Boy.

I'll fog or The Persian Boy, I think - so beautiful and touching and completely transports you to the time of Alexander the Great.

[mrsmortis]

Does 'The Name of the Rose' count as historical fiction? In the wake of the death of Umberto Eco I've been rereading it and I'd forgotton how much I enjoyed it.

[SecretSquirrels]

I haven't read an historical novel for many years but read little else in my teens in the 1970s.In fact my history knowledge is almost entirely gleaned from fiction and is probably wildly inaccurate
Katherine by Anya Seaton shares first place with The Far Pavilions by M.M.Kaye.
Not what you would traditionally call Historical novels but I also read all the Wilbur Smith books covering the history of Zimbabwe.

[ladydepp]

Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel - I found these absolutely gripping despite knowing what would happen. Amazing evocations of time, place and character. Mantel really brings the past to life and these books are very worthy award winners.

[hanbee]

I really loved the Shardlake series by CJ Sansom, if I had to pick one it would be Sovereign.

I also like The Last Kingdom and was thrilled when it was produced for TV.

Also love everything written by Sarah Walters.

[cressetmama]

A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley. A charming teenage romance, that I insisted on having read in primary school and read to my son, about the Babington plot.

[lemonymelanie]

King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett.

About Macbeth. Fabulous.

[ladydepp]

Regeneration by Pat Barker, first in her wonderful trilogy about shell shock, psychiatry and poetry in WW1. Brilliant book.

[Silvertap]

The sunne in splendour by Sharon penman. Totally made me a Ricardian once j read it as a teen and have revisited it many times since.

Love how many ideas there are on here - a few books I haven't heard of.

[sassolino]

One of my top favourite historical reads is trilogy by Sigrid Undset "Kristin Lavransdatter".
I have recently been reading a lot of books about pioneers, the series called Red River of the North. Fascinating.
I do tend to read a lot of historical books, especially whodunnits. Michael Jecks is one of my favourite authors. He's also a very nice chap, follow him on Twitter and FB, he's great at communicating with his fans.

[ElviraCondomine]

Cue for Treason.
Yes it's a children's book, but it got me hooked aged 9 on both historical fiction and Shakespeare (well and romance too) which is no bad thing.

As an adult... Precious Bane. Set 100 years before it was written, approximately. As a vision of a lost way of rural English life it's unsurpassed (plus has the best heroine and hero ever.)

[choccyp1g]

Wolf Hall, Bring up the Bodies and A Place of Greater Safety in equal first place.

[Muskey]

The sunne in the splendor was a fantastic book.

[truckingirl]

Ken Follets Pillars of the Earth

[MooseyMoo]

Historical books, which are based on real life events/characters, are my favourite books to read.

I read The Playmaker by Thomas Keneally when I was 19 and was so moved by the storyline and fascinated by the characters. Keneally's dedication still gives me goosebumps "...To Arabanoo and his brethren, still dispossessed..."

[Cornishblues]

Mine is Robert graves' I Claudius.

[Susangilley7]

It has to be Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. This book brought the Tudors to life for me. More instructive then any history lesson as a child!