Collection: Historical Fiction

In May 1968, France exploded. Leftist student groups occupied the streets of Paris, riot police clashed with protesters, and a general strike spread across France like wildfire, threatening to grind government and industry to a halt. And at the heart of it all -- Elise.

Ten years earlier, Elise came to Paris to try her luck in show business. While she met with success as a pop singer, she soon found herself radicalized by the Algerian War and the poor treatment of Algerian immigrants in Paris. For the next 20 years, she would join the fight against labor exploitation, social injustice, and racism in France -- risking it all for progressive causes. The veiled autobiography of singer Dominique Grange, Elise and the New Resistance is an exhilarating glimpse into the front lines of the spirited social movements of late-20th century France. Drawn with typical mastery by legendary French cartoonist Tardi, this graphic novel resonates powerfully at a time when the fight against injustice still rages.

Swordplay, magic, intrigue and friendships stronger than iron: the first book in a new swashbuckling fantasy series by the bestselling author of The Greatcoats.
Damelas Shademantaigne picked a poor night to flee a judicial duel.
He has precious little hope of escaping the wrath of Vixen, the most feared duelist in the entire city, until he stumbles through the stage doors of the magnificent Operato Belleza and tricks his way into the company of actors. An archaic law provides temporary respite from his troubles--until one night a ghostly voice in his head causes Damelas to fumble his lines, inadvertently blurting out the dreadful truth: the city's most legendary hero may actually be a traitor and a brutal murderer.
With only the help of his boisterous and lusty friend Bereto, a beautiful assassin whose target may well be Damelas himself, and a company of misfit actor who'd just as soon see him dead, this failed son of two Greatcoats must somehow find the courage within himself to dig up long-buried truths before a ruthless band of bravos known as the Iron Orchids comes for his head.
Oh, and there's the that matter of the Vixen waiting to duel him...

New York Times bestselling author Paula Brackston returns with a new, magic-infused series about Hecate Cavendish, an eccentric and feisty young woman who can see ghosts

England, 1881. Hereford cathedral stands sentinel over the city, keeping its secrets, holding long forgotten souls in its stony embrace. Hecate Cavendish speeds through the cobbled streets on her bicycle, skirts hitched daringly high, heading for her new life as Assistant Librarian. But this is no ordinary collection of books. The cathedral houses an ancient chained library, wisdom guarded for centuries, mysteries and stories locked onto its worn, humble shelves. The most prized artifact, however, is the medieval world map which hangs next to Hecate's desk. Little does she know how much the curious people and mythical creatures depicted on it will come to mean to her. Nor does she suspect that there are lost souls waiting for her in the haunted cathedral. Some will become her dearest friends. Some will seek her help in finding peace. Others will put her in great peril, and, as she quickly learns, threaten the lives of everyone she loves.

A dashing rake must prove he has changed his scandalous ways to win his one true love from the arms of another, in a witty new Regency romance from the national bestselling author of The Rake's Daughter.

Heiress Clarissa Studley yearns to be loved for more than her fortune. Warmhearted, but plain and shy, she wishes to marry, but has two firm rules: no rakes and no fortune-hunters -- her father was both, and she'll never forget the misery he caused.

So, when Race, Lord Randall, starts to pay Clarissa attention, she knows she must keep him at a distance. Attractive and charming he might be, Race's reputation precedes him and she's observed first hand his flirtatious ways with London society beauties. But Race sees a beauty in Clarissa that others cannot, and for the first time in his life, he is truly in love. And when a rival for Clarissa's affections appears -- a handsome, wounded war hero, heir to his great-aunt's fortune -- Race becomes desperate as Clarissa seems tempted to make a safer, tamer choice.

Can Race convince Clarissa that his love is true and that she can trust him with her heart? And can Clarissa put aside her unhappy past, and follow her heart, despite the risk of loving a rake?

In a breathless, haunting, and rich historical mystery, New York Times bestselling author Monica Hesse speaks to the depths of trauma and the power of memory.

Seven months ago, Edda was on the World War I front lines as one of two hundred "Hello Girls," female switchboard operators employed by the US Army. She spent her nights memorizing secret connection codes to stay ahead of spying enemies, and her days connecting vital calls between platoons and bases and generals, all trying to survive--and win--a brutal war. Their lives were in Edda's hands, and one day, in fateful seconds, everything went wrong.

Now, Edda is back in Washington, DC, working as an American Bell Telephone operator, the picture of respectability. But when her shift ends, Edda is barely hanging on, desperate to forget the circumstances that cut her time overseas short. When Edda receives a panicked phone call from someone who utters the fateful code word "Brightwood," she has no choice but to confront her past. With precious few clues and help only from Theo, a young man bearing his own WWI scars, Edda races to uncover what secrets may have followed her across the ocean.

Timely and unforgettable, The Brightwood Code sheds light on hidden history and the brutality of being a woman in a war built by men.

The renowned gothic novel is now available in an affordable softcover edition featuring a striking cover and distinctive interior design elements, making it ideal for classic fiction lovers, readers in high-school or college literature courses, and fans of reading challenges and "Required Reading" lists.

The Wuthering Heights softcover edition:

• Presents Emily Brontë's famed gothic novel of the turbulent love affair between Catherine Earnshaw and the dark brooding Heathcliff, viewed by many literary scholars as one of the greatest novels ever written in English; its 1847 publication helped secure Brontë's place in literature's pantheon of great writers.
• Explores such important themes as romantic love, revenge, obsession, betrayal, and the complexities of social and class divisions.
• Is ideal for Brontë aficionados, fans of literary fiction and classic literature, and people who love both the book and the cinematic adaptations it inspired.

Whether you're buying this as a gift or as a self-purchase, this remarkable edition features:

• Beautiful softcover
• Distinctive decorative interior pages featuring pull quotes distributed throughout
• Part of a 4-volume collection including Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, and Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities.

In this classic gothic story, Catherine Earnshaw is forced to choose between passionate, tortured foundling Heathcliff and gentle, well-bred Edgar Linton. Catherine surrenders to the expectations of her class and sets off a domino effect with lasting consequences. As bitterness and vengeance at this betrayal are visited upon the next generation, Catherine and Heathcliff's innocent heirs must struggle to escape the legacy of the lovers' tortured past.

An affordable edition ideal for your favorite classic fiction lover, literature student, or fan of annual reading challenges.

Sun is ready to leave his village in China for America, the
place known as Gum Saan, Gold Mountain. His father warns
him, though, that passage will not be easy. Because of the 1882
Chinese Exclusion Act, new immigrants like Sun are detained
at Angel Island until they are called to take a difficult oral
exam before they can "land" - leave Angel Island and go
ashore. On the boat, Sun had studied maps of his village and
memorized facts about his ancestors. But as the weeks pass in
detainment, the map's compass points swirl in his memory, and
Sun worries that he will lose his direction and be turned away.
The oil paintings are rich with historical details in this vivid
recounting, based on the author's father-in-law's experiences, of
a disturbing chapter in Chinese American history.

A special new edition of Michael Foreman's award-winning memoirs about his wartime childhood.

'I woke up when the bomb came through the roof. It came through at an angle, overflew my bed by inches, bounced up over my mother's bed, hit the mirror, dropped into the grate and exploded up the chimney.'

War Boy is a modern classic about a young boy growing up during World War II. Life during wartime is vividly brought to life in this personal story filled with childhood memories - from hiding in air-raid shelters to playing in bombed-out ruins.

Michael Foreman's numerous books for children have earned him widespread recognition as one of the world's leading illustrators. He has regularly collaborated with Terry Jones, Michael Morpurgo and others while several of his own books are also considered modern classics.

What does it take to become a female electrician?

In this book you will meet the women apprentices on the journey to become electricians. They are all members of the IBEW - The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3, in New York City. The apprentices are studying in a rigorous, 5-year training program that involves on-the-job training, electrical theory, and college Courses. They will earn a degree in Labor Studies from the Harry Van Arsdale Jr. School of Labor Studies, SUNY/Empire State College.

Meet these courageous, creative young women and learn what it takes to step into this electrifying occupation.

In the third book in the Asha and Baz series, readers learn about secret codes and how to break them from World War II codebreaker Elizebeth Friedman!
A secret code and a mysterious prize up for grabs at school prompts Asha and Baz to once more use their magic stick to travel to the past. This time they land in 1942, where they meet Elizebeth Friedman, a codebreaker working with the US Navy.
She's the perfect person to help the kids with their codebreaking challenge, but she's hard at work decoding secret messages from Nazi spies!
With a navy officer pressuring Elizebeth to work quickly and the Allied war efforts at risk, the kids could be in for more than they expected in Asha and Baz Meet Elizebeth Friedman!

Themes: children's books on STEM/STEAM, Early reader, women in science, women in history, space, gender equality.

Science activity in book can be replicated in schools or at home using simple supplies. Instructions provided in story.

Fans of Kate Quinn and Kristina McMorris will love this gripping historical novel based on the true story of the woman who used her codebreaking skills to bring down Prohibition gangsters and WWII Nazis, and who ultimately helped found the present-day CIA.

Grace Smith has never been one to conform to society's expectations. She flees small-town Indiana to seek adventure--and finds more than she bargained for when she's hired by an eccentric millionaire to learn codebreaking. Soon she's using those skills to help head the government's fledgling cryptanalysis unit.

During Prohibition, Grace takes up the fight against rumrunners--not to mention Al Capone himself. And as the country careens from one Great War to another, it's Grace who must crack the secrets of foreign governments, catch spies, and derail saboteurs . . . before it's too late.

With wry wit and sheer grit, she forges her own path as a codebreaker, wife, mother. She's spent a lifetime going up against powerful men and winning. But as war rages and the stakes grow impossibly high, Grace faces a truly impossible choice: her family or her country?

Set in a wonderfully reimagined 15th century West Africa, Masquerade is a dazzling, lyrical tale exploring the true cost of one woman's fight for freedom and self-discovery, and the lengths she'll go to secure her future.

"Sangoyomi delivers an incisive examination of gender, temptation, and the lengths people will go to hold power--a magnificent debut!" --Vaishnavi Patel, New York Times bestselling author of Kaikeyi

Òdòdó's hometown of Timbuktu has been conquered by the warrior king of Yorùbáland. Already shunned as social pariahs, living conditions for Òdòdó and the other women in her blacksmith guild grow even worse under Yorùbá rule.

Then Òdòdó is abducted. She is whisked across the Sahara to the capital city of Ṣàngótẹ̀, where she is shocked to discover that her kidnapper is none other than the vagrant who had visited her guild just days prior. But now that he is swathed in riches rather than rags, Òdòdó realizes he is not a vagrant at all; he is the warrior king, and he has chosen her to be his wife.

In a sudden change of fortune, Òdòdó soars to the very heights of society. But after a lifetime of subjugation, the power that saturates this world of battle and political savvy becomes too enticing to resist. As tensions with rival states grow, revealing elaborate schemes and enemies hidden in plain sight, Òdòdó must defy the cruel king she has been forced to wed by re-forging the shaky loyalties of the court in her favor, or risk losing everything--including her life.

Loosely based on the myth of Persephone, O.O. Sangoyomi's Masquerade takes you on a journey of epic power struggles and political intrigue which turn an entire region on its head.

Lady Kiera Darby and her dashing husband, Sebastian Gage, hope they've finally found peace after a tumultuous summer, but long-buried family secrets soon threaten to unravel their lives . . .

October 1832. Kiera is enjoying the slower pace of the English countryside. She, Sebastian, and their infant daughter have accompanied her father-in-law, Lord Gage, home so that he can recuperate from the injuries he sustained in a foiled attempt on his life. But as the chill of autumn sweeps across the land, they receive a summons from an unexpected quarter. Lord Gage's estranged uncle--a member of the notorious Roscarrock family--has been murdered, and his family is desperate for answers. Despite Lord Gage's protests, Kiera and Sebastian press on to Cornwall to assist.

It isn't long before they discover that almost nothing is as it seems among the Roscarrocks, and they've been lured to their isolated cove under false pretenses. There are whispers of a lost treasure and frightening allusions to a series of murders stretching back decades that touch the lives of the family personally. Kiera and Sebastian are left with no choice but to uncover the truth before the secrets of the past threaten to destroy them all.

From the New York Times best-selling author of The WindUp Girl and The Water Knife comes a sweeping literary fantasy about the young scion from a ruling-class family who faces rebellion as he ascends to power.

"Steeped in poison, betrayal, and debauchery, reading Navola is like slipping into a luxurious bath full of blood." --Holly Black, #1 New York Times best-selling author

"You must be as sharp as a stilettotore's dagger and as subtle as a fish beneath the waters. This is what it is to be Navolese, this is what it is to be di Regulai."

In Navola, a bustling city-state dominated by a handful of influential families, business is power, and power is everything. For generations, the di Regulai family--merchant bankers with a vast empire--has nurtured tendrils that stretch to the farthest reaches of the known world. And though they claim not to be political, their staggering wealth has bought cities and toppled kingdoms. Soon, Davico di Regulai will be expected to take the reins of power from his father and demonstrate his mastery of the games of Navolese diplomacy: knowing who to trust and who to doubt, and how to read what lies hidden behind a smile. But in Navola, strange and ancient undercurrents lurk behind the gilt and grandeur--like the fossilized dragon eye in the family's possession, a potent symbol of their raw power and a talisman that seems to be summoning Davico to act.

As tensions rise and the events unfold, Davico will be tested to his limits. His fate depends on the eldritch dragon relic and on what lies buried in the heart of his adopted sister, Celia di Balcosi, whose own family was destroyed by Nalova's twisted politics. With echoes of Renaissance Italy, The Godfather, and Game of Thrones, Navola is a stunning feat of world-building and a mesmerizing depiction of drive and will.

An Appalachian granny woman. A daughter on a crusade. A granddaughter caught between the two.

Maggie McCoury, a generational healer woman, relies on family traditions, folklore, and beliefs gleaned from a local Cherokee tribe. Her daughter, Carrie Ann, believes her university training holds the answers. As they clash over the use of roots, herbs, and a dash of mountain magic versus the medicine available in the town's apothecary, Josie Mae doesn't know whom to follow. But what happens when neither family traditions nor science can save the ones you love most?

Daughters of Green Mountain Gap weaves a compelling tale of Maggie, Carrie Ann, and Josie Mae, three generations of remarkable North Carolina women living at the turn of the twentieth century, shedding light on racism, fear of change, loss of traditions, and the intricate dynamics within a family. Author Teri M. Brown skillfully navigates the complexities of their lives, revealing that some questions are not as easy to answer as one might think.