2024 has already delivered a remarkable selection of historical fiction novels, transporting readers to distant eras and captivating them with rich narratives.

From the turbulent times of wars to the roaring twenties, historical fiction offers a captivating window into the past. This year's crop of historical fiction novels has not disappointed, transporting readers to diverse eras and exploring a wide range of themes. Whether you're drawn to the intrigue of political intrigue, the passion of romance, or the complexities of social change, there's something for every book lover in this year's offerings in historical fiction books.

Best Historical Fiction Books in 2024 (so far)

The Women by Kristin Hannah

Published February 2024 - Story set during Vietnam War

Welcome to HMP Ashcroft. An institution run by a corrupt governor whose determination to impose his will at any cost will have far-reaching consequences on all the inmates.

Within these walls, friendships are forged that will last beyond a sentence, but some inmates can turn in the blink of an eye, because that’s all part of being locked up. In here you are kept from your loved ones and forced into a surrogate family with women you wouldn’t even look at on the outside, let alone call friends. But at Ashcroft, Alliances can mean everything.

Each one of these women has their own story to tell and their own penance to deal with. But whilst they fight for their rights on the inside, who is looking after their family, their friends and children on the outside. Whilst they battle to survive in a closed off world what’s happening in the real world.

At Ashcroft there’s always a price to be paid, and for some it’s high, but these women are prepared to pay anyway they can . . .

The Radio Hour by Victoria Purman

Published May 2024 - Story set in the 1950s

Martha Berry is fifty years old, a spinster, and one of an army of polite and invisible women in 1956 Sydney who go to work each day and get things done without fuss, fanfare or reward.

Working at the country's national broadcaster, she's seen highly praised talent come and go over the years but when she is sent to work as a secretary on a brand-new radio serial, created to follow in the footsteps of Australia's longest running show, Blue Hills, she finds herself at the mercy of an egotistical and erratic young producer without a clue, a conservative broadcaster frightened by the word 'pregnant' and a motley cast of actors with ideas of their own about their roles in the show.

When Martha is forced to step in to rescue the serial from impending cancellation, she ends up secretly ghost-writing scripts for As The Sun Sets, creating mayhem with management, and coming up with storylines that resonate with the serial's growing and loyal audience of women listeners.

But she can't keep her secret forever and when she's threatened with exposure, Martha has to decide if she wants to remain in the shadows, or to finally step into the spotlight.

James by Percival Everett

Published March 2024 - Story set in 1861

When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a new owner in New Orleans and separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson’s Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father who recently returned to town. Thus begins a dangerous and transcendent journey by raft along the Mississippi River, toward the elusive promise of free states and beyond. As James and Huck begin to navigate the treacherous waters, each bend in the river holds the promise of both salvation and demise. With rumours of a brewing war, James must face the burden he carries: the family he is desperate to protect and the constant lie he must live. And together, the unlikely pair must face the most dangerous odyssey of them all . . . 

From the shadows of Huck Finn’s mischievous spirit, Jim emerges to reclaim his voice, defying the conventions that have consigned him to the margins.

Table for Two by Amor Towles

Published May 2024 - Stories set in 1938 and the turn of the Millennium

Table for Two includes six short stories and a novella which Towles wrote in the last ten years. The six stories, all set in New York, mostly take place around the turn of the Millennium.

The novella, which is half the book, follows Evelyn Ross, the character from Rules of Civility, to Hollywood in 1938. 

In Towles's novel Rules of Civility, the indomitable Evelyn Ross leaves New York City in September 1938 with the intention of returning home to Indiana. But as her train pulls into Chicago, where her parents are waiting, she instead extends her ticket to Los Angeles. Told from seven points of view, \"Eve in Hollywood\" describes how Eve crafts a new future for herself-and others-in a noirish tale that takes us through the movie sets, bungalows, and dive bars of Los Angeles.

The Youngest Son by John Byrnes

Published July 2024 - Story set in 1920s

On the unforgiving streets of 1920s Sydney, the Leach family have nothing but each other.

In a tale spanning decades, three children of the broken, working-class family find adventure, heartache and trouble as their lives drift apart.

John finds faith and love at a young age. The inevitable clash between the two leads him into a different kind of brotherhood as war clouds gather.

Maureen dreams of a life 'just like the movies' and waits to be swept off her feet. Yet at every crossroad, she makes the wrong choice.

Bob discovers a natural talent with his fists and an instinct for trouble. But with every win he earns the hard way, more enemies rise.

From police corruption and gambling dens to brothels and blood feuds, the Leach family toil in Sydney's seedy underbelly and on battlefields far away. Against the backdrop of the Great Depression and the Second World War, 

Make it a Book Lover Gift to Remember

Now you know all about our favourite historical fiction books for the year, why not create a unique gift set for your book lover friend and add some of the best historical fiction novels for the year together with amazing Australian products to elevate the reading experience and make a dream gift for every book lover in Australia

Or try the easier option and pick one of our curated bookish gift boxes from Read n Wine to Pages n Pampering or Capture Every Chapter. You are guaranteed to find a bookish gift to please every taste.