Historical Fiction

Every year, the judges for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction make a shortlist of the best new historical novels published over the previous twelve months. We spoke to Katharine Grant, prize judge and highly acclaimed author, about the five books that made the 2026 shortlist—from a "haunting and haunted" tale of triple murder on a Scottish island to a "gloriously told" reimagining of real-life intrigue during England's Wars of the Roses.

The best historical fiction should transport the reader directly into the past, yet offer insight that reflects upon the present, argues Emily Howes, whose new novel Mrs. Dickens will be released later this year. Here, she recommends five of her favourite historical novels that, like her own books, are drawn from true stories.

It was the century of the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolution. In the Scottish Highlands, there were multiple rebellions in favour of the deposed Stuart dynasty. Ariel Lawhon, author of The Frozen River, recommends five of her favorite novels set in the 18th century, a tumultuous era that doesn't always get the shelf space it deserves when it comes to historical fiction.

Those who love historical fiction have plenty of choice among the list of past Booker Prize-winning novels. We asked Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn to put together an overview of the Booker's past victors that will sweep you from Tudor England to 20th-century India by way of the 19th-century Australian outback.

The Victorian era—defined by its imperial ambition, strict moral and social codes, and flashes of brutality—serves as fertile ground for historical fiction, argues Virginia Feito, whose acclaimed new book Victorian Psycho satirises the hypocrisy of the age. Here, she recommends five boundary-pushing novels that expose the darker underbelly of a most mannered age.

Historical fiction, as a genre, is not known for its laugh-a-minute qualities. But that's not to say there isn't space for humour, when the events of the past have so often been surreal, ironic, or downright disastrous. Toby Clements, whose new novel A Good Deliverance takes the form of a 15th-century prison confession, recommends five of the funniest historical novels.

The 18^th century, an age of naval powers and expanding colonial empires, was marked by dramatic uprisings, revolutions and technological breakthroughs. We asked Francesca de Tores, author of Saltblood and Cast Away, to recommend five brilliant historical novels set in the 1700s—and how she balances factual accuracy with the demands of fiction.

World War II forced people of many nationalities into extraordinary circumstances, says Lori Inglis Hall—who works in the archives of WW2 photographer Lee Miller and whose new novel follows twins forced apart by conflict. Here, she recommends five of the best novels set during World War II, both historical fiction and novels written immediately after or during the war by eyewitnesses.

A historical thriller should be both well researched and tightly plotted, explains Mike Downey—the filmmaker and author of Istria Black, a fast-paced novel set partly among war criminals in postwar Argentina. Here, Downey recommends five gripping books so dense with atmosphere and action you won't be able to put them down.

Historical fiction brings the past to life, while exploring the feelings as well as the facts. Here, the novelist Louisa Treger recommends five favourite historical novels based on people who really existed, sweeping us from ancient Rome to 1930s Switzerland and everything in between.