I love Philippa Carr/Victoria Holt - what might be similar?

[WibblyPigRocks]

I've always loved her 'Daughters of England' Saga and after hunting through second-hand bookshops and bootsales for years, I now own them all.

I think it's the fact the history and romance is always combined with a real page-turning mystery.

Does anyone know of any authors who have written books similar to hers?

have you tried anya seton?

elizabeth chadwick - not as well written admittedly but very readable. if you've not read any anya seton (try katharine) thats similar. and I think suzannah dunn (more historical) and alison weir quite good although they are tudor based.

have you tried clicking on amazon to find what others bought on her books..thats sometimes a good way to track down similar stuff.

and if you're going to give elizabeth chadwick a go try the greatest knight/the scarlet lion first.

OOh Poppy,I read them all ,starting when I was a teenager and my grandmother had the first few!
I think'Voices in a haunted room','Song of the Siren' and 'Saraband for two sisters' were my favourites.Sort of lost a bit of interest towards the end of the series.
I found some in a secondhand bookshop a few years ago,and have reread!

Sorry,not Poppy,meant t o address Wibbly!

ST - hurrah, a fellow fan!! Well, someone else who's even heard of them! Yes, I think it's easy to lose interest though - it's a long ol' series and the first ones are the best. IMO, they are the sort of books that make 'comfortable' re-reading. I did so when I was pregnant and was finding it difficult to concentrate on much else!

Poppy and poppy (assume you're not the same?!) - I will certainly try Anya Seton. I've read Suzannah Dunn and Elizabeth Chadwick before and agree, very readable.

Thanks for all suggestions - more welcome!!!

Have you read hers under the pseudonym Jean Plaidy? Slightly different slant but, I thought, well researched and written historical novels. I also love Diana Gabaldon (Cross Stitch, Dragonfly in Amber etc). Scottish history/romance/standing stones time travel thing! V good. Cynthia Harrod-Eagles is another one that's quite good, with the bonus of many, many books to get if you like them!

How about Norah Lofts? (Equally hard to get hold of tho') Her House at Old Vine series v good,

Oh yes,Norah!
Loved Gad's Hall and The Haunting of Gad's Hall.
Try Amazon Second hand or Abe Books.

Shall try Norah and Cynthia - I like searching for books, too!

I'm not such a fan of the books she wrote as Jean Plaidy - I like my history a bit more as a background to some good old romantic/mystery trash, rather than central to the plot!!!

I was going to say Anya Seton.
Also the Poldark series by Winston Graham.

Philippa Gregory? She wrote The Other Boylen Girl as well as many other historical novels. Her books are based on real people and events to a point with interesting twists and ideas. And they have sex scenes.

Philiipa Gregory also wrote a book called Wideacre, which had two or three others in the series whose names I forget. Slightly disturbing, I found them. The Other Boleyn Girl is excellent though.

I would definitely recommend Diana Gabaldon's Highlander Series as well they are brilliant, and quite a lot of the spooky atmosphere that always appealed to me with Victoria Holt.