recommend me good historical novels

[parietal]

I love historical novels - the feeling of being in a different place and time. So why are 50% of the modern ones full of anachronisms, especially in people's attitudes and interpretations. I'm currently reading one with an 11 year old black boy in 18th century London who is worrying about structural racism rather than just trying to survive. Yes, obviously there is lots of racism around in that era, but I don't believe that a kid would be theorizing about it, he'd just be living it. And it would be so much more powerful if the author just showed his experience. Similarly, I hate it when novels make their characters into modern feminists in a way that is completely out of place.

what authors / novels can you recommend that depict strong interesting characters that will not jar in this way?

The Pillars of the Earth series by Ken Follett. Very well researched and great story.

CJ Sansom Shardlake series
The Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco
All the light we cannot see (wartime)

Thanks for all the suggestions above!

The Shardlake series.
Old fashioned and probably out of print but Jean Plaidy got me into historical fiction based on fact.

Another vote for Sharon Penman.

Memoirs of a Geisha is amazing and Shogun by James Clavell (just adapted into a show, now on Disney).

The Abir Mukherjee deductive novels set in the 1920s Brush Raj are great too.

Ellis Peters for Cadfael books.

Any of the Anne Perry series

Cecily by Annie Garthwaite - real historical characters and events retold, in the same way as Wolf Hall.
Longbourn (read Pride and Prejudice first, though it stands alone)

Pamela Belle

The Ibis Trilogy by Amitav Ghosh. Wonderfully evocative and atmospheric descriptions of colonial India and the opium trade in China. I felt like I'd been transported back in time. Amusing in places and a bit bodice ripper on occasion but such a colourful read, a real escape of a book (series).

Thirding Sharon K Penman. I think I've read Here Be Dragons three times. So well researched and beautifully written.

Ken Follet's Pillars of the Earth and Fall Of Giants (Century trilogy) also very good.

I love a mumsnet historical fiction recommendation thread.

I would second A Place of Greater Safety, I’m about to finish it and it’s wonderful.

Also seconding/thirding Sharon Penman, and the Ken Follet Century Trilogy.

Where should I start with Georgette Heyer? Is there a particular series that stands out?

Wow, so many replies. Thanks.

I grew up on rosemary sutcliffe and have read all the Hillary mantle and some of the others. Will look up Penman.

MaryasBible
The first Georgette Heyer I read as a teenager was Sprig Muslin and I fell in love.
I love all of the historical novels, they are such fun.
Try Frederica too, her younger brothers are so lovely.

The Morland series by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. Totally hooked (thankfully there are lots of them!). Anything by Alison Weir is amazing too.

FOr really well researched fiction Georgette Heyer's non Regency books (although the one on Waterloo is so accurate it was on the reading list at Sandhurst) Jean Plaidy especially the earlier Tudor books and Hilary Mantel

Fiona Forsythe and SImon Scarrow for the Roman period.

The Seven Sisters by the wonderful Lucinda Riley (sadly she passed away fairly recently). The series is fantastic and so evocative.

Just love the recommendations for Rosemary Sutcliff on here, loved her books growing up. Very much like a bit of Georgette Heyer too.

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

Here Be Dragons is my favourite book of all time. The Welsh trilogy is beautiful and heartbreaking.
Her standalone novel about The War of the Roses The Sunne In Splendour is probably a good place to start with Sharon... someone else who tragically died a couple of years ago.
RF Delderfield is wonderful.

@weebarra Sutcliff stands up really well to adult re-reading. And loads of them are available on Kindle!

@Copperas I am delighted to find someone else championing Diana Norman/Ariana Franklin! I always come and bang a drum for her on these threads

@HelenaJustina , thank you! Love the user name!

This was wonderful but WHAT a strange ending 🤷‍♀️

How could I forget that historical recommendation @weebarra !

Lindsay Davis’s Falco series are set in Ancient Rome, also all on Kindle if you can’t find them in print.

@beguilingeyes The Sunne In Splendour is marvellous as well. I was so sad when she passed away. Such a wonderful author and seemed like a lovely lady too.