Linda Ulleseit

This post first appeared on paperlanternwriters.com

March, in my mind, has always meant Spring. A little windy, perhaps, but warm weather, planting in the garden, and rain. We still have wind where I live, but freezing temperatures overnight are confusing my blossoming blueberries and there’s no rain in the long-range forecast. Unfortunately, that’s becoming normal. Nevertheless, I can still celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a good book! Here are some historical novels coming out this month.

I already talked about The Prophet’s Wife last month, when author Libbie Grant was a guest on Paper Lantern Writers’ Afternoon Tea Light. I don’t need to say anything, I’m sure, about Kate Quinn’s The Diamond Eye since she’s (in my opinion) the Queen of Historical Fiction. I included former PLW Lynn Downey’s American Dude Ranch even though it’s not historical fiction because it’s a companion of sorts to her novel Dudes Rush In. So let’s explore some of the hidden treasures in this list.

BIOGRAPHICAL

Booth by Karen Joy Fowler 

“Booth is a sad, astonishing, and beautifully written look at a complicated, secretive family that failed to save one of their own from himself. Highly recommended.” —Historical Novels Review

Fans of my monthly posts know that I love biographical fiction, particularly from new and unusual viewpoints. This one starts before the Civil War and continues as the family adds ten children, one of which is John Wilkes Booth. The novel explores the increasing political tensions and fanaticism of the country that led to secession and war. The parallels to today are stunning. The close look at the drama and moral divides within the family promises a compelling story. (March 8)

WORLD WAR II

The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers

“A beautifully rendered portrait of a young woman finding her courage and her voice.”—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author

This one intrigues me. The main character, Maddie, arrives in Bright Leaf, North Carolina in 1946 to work in her aunt’s seamstress business. The town is prosperous and bustling, but Maddie soon discovers it has a dark secret. (Don’t you just love dark secrets in fiction?) Maddie doesn’t know who she can trust, and she doesn’t want to hurt the proud women she’s come to admire. The novel explores women’s activism in the postwar period. (March 1)

NATIVE AMERICAN

Daughters of the Deer by Danielle Daniel 

“Danielle Daniel renders the stories of her ancestors vividly, poetically and with deep love and respect. Daughters of the Deer gives long overdue voices to the Indigenous women who came before. A subtle, moving demonstration of how colonization attempted to strip Indigenous women of their power and place, and a testament to the enduring strength and wisdom that no colonial power could extinguish.” —Jessica McDiarmid, author of Highway of Tears: A True Story of Racism, Indifference and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

The story of two women, mother and daughter, of the Deer clan in Algonquin territory, who are forced into lives they don’t choose for the good of their tribe. The mother must marry a French man to stave off starvation for her people. The daughter is in love with another woman, considered a blessed state to her mother’s people but vilified by her father’s. This novel depicts the violent disruption of Native America lives by white settlers (March 8)

FANTASY

All the Horses of Iceland by Sarah Tolmie (March 1)

“A hypnotic historical fantasy with gorgeous and unusual literary prose, from the captivating author of The Fourth Island.” ~from the book description

Historical fantasy is another love of mine, as are horses (Picked this one for Lantern Anne Beggs!). The main character is a Norse trader. In his travels through Central Asia, where he barters for horses and encounters magic that follows him home. The fictionalized story of Iceland’s wild horses are brought to life here. (March 1)

FAMILY SAGA

The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey 

“Finding inspiration in the true story of Edith Vanderbilt and her mysteriously disappeared wedding veil, Harvey intertwines a veil’s generations-spanning journey, the lives of the women who wore it, and the strength required to remove the veil and follow one’s heart instead.”—Booklist

A family saga that includes an heirloom passed down over four generations means another novel I must grab immediately! Edith Vanderbilt struggles to maintain the Biltmore Estate after the death of her husband in 1914. In the 1930s, a mysterious stranger gives a wedding veil to a stranger on a train. Present day, on her wedding day, something tells Julia Baxter the veil’s luck isn’t enough to promise her a happy marriage. She panics and runs away. (March 29)

World War II

Sisters of Night and Fog by Erika Robuck (March 1)

​​A Girl During the War by Anita Abriel (March 8)

The Lost Son by Stephanie Vanderslice (March 14)

​​Blackout by Simon Scarrow (March 29)

Until We Meet by Camille Di Maio (March 1)

Mystery

Murder at the Porte de Versailles by Cara Black (March 15)

The Unveiling of Polly Forrest by Charlotte Whitney  (March 15)

Romance

Big Duke Energy by Kerrigan Byrne (March 29)

The Marquess Makes His Move by Diana Quincy (March 29)

Love’s Fortress by Jennifer Uhlarik (March 1)

Thriller

Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr (March 1)

All the White Spaces by Ally Wilkes (March 29)

African-American

Things Past Telling by Sheila Williams (March 15)

Mexican-American War

A Ballad of Love and Glory by Reyna Grande (March 15)

Biographical

The Great Passion by James Runcie (March 15)

​​The Last Confessions of Sylvia P. by Lee Kravetz (March 8)

Need more books on your TBR? See more new release titles at Historical Novel Society