Historical Fiction bestsellers

James

A Novel

By: Percival Everett
Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman
Length: 7 hours 48 minutes

“Chances are if you told me to read a contemporary retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the point of view of Jim, I would say, 'oh, that's interesting,' and then never actually pick it up. But when you tell me it was written by Percival Everett, the most brilliant writer hardly anyone had heard of until his 21st (!) novel was a... Read more

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

A Novel

By: James McBride
Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman
Length: 12 hours 21 minutes

“This is a novel about the power of compassion to stir communities of characters to act as their best selves. The beautiful performance of narrator Dominic Hoffman amplifies the warmth in James McBride's memorable story. I'm grateful to have experienced this story through an audiobook. Read more

North Woods

A Novel

By: Daniel Mason
Narrated by: Mark Bramhall, Michael Crouch, Jason Culp, Mark Deakins, Jayne Entwistle, Billie Fulford-Brown, Arthur Morey, George Newbern, Kirsten Potter & Simon Vance
Length: 11 hours 5 minutes

“It's hard to imagine what could be more lovely than this sprawling, constantly evolving, richly textured story of a place in the American Northeast, unless it's Mark Bramhall's gentle and kindly narration of the audio version, supported by an ensemble sharing the odd snippets grafted on to the greater story, in voices ranging from jolly to prim... Read more

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

A Novel

By: Shannon Chakraborty
Narrated by: Lameece Issaq & Amin El Gamal
Length: 16 hours 59 minutes

“I’ve looked forward to this book for years. I adore Chakraborty’s Daevebad trilogy, and hearing she was working on a new project starring a retired female pirate of the Indian Ocean? I could not contain my excitement. This book blew away every expectation. It was all I hoped it would be and more. It has everything: adventure, magic, and an... Read more

Babel

Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of The Oxford Translators' Revolution

By: R. F. Kuang
Narrated by: Chris Lew Kum Hoi & Billie Fulford-Brown
Length: 21 hours 45 minutes

“IMHO, the best fantasy books give a reader new insights into our own world. Babel passed that test for me with its grounding in Britain's colonial history with an overlay of magic. I loved R.F. Kuang's The Poppy War trilogy, but this finely wrought novel surpasses it. Highly recommended. Read more

Mexican Gothic

By: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Narrated by: Frankie Corzo
Length: 10 hours 39 minutes

“Best book I have read this year. An amazing, gripping tale of a young woman in a strange old house. It's an epic ghost story mixed with some element for "Girl with all the Gifts." Compelling characters and a twist ending that will have you in the edge of your seat until the very end. 10/10 would recommend. Read more

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

By: V. E. Schwab
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
Length: 17 hours 9 minutes

“Epic, beautifully written, heartwarming, and heartbreaking, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a contemplation on life, death, what it means to make your mark on the world, and why we feel it’s important to do so. Addie makes a deal with a demon so she can live her life the way she wants to. But, like most deals, there are strings attached —... Read more

Circe

By: Madeline Miller
Narrated by: Perdita Weeks
Length: 12 hours 8 minutes

“Miller expands on the story Circe, a little-known figure in Greek mythology to create an insightful portrayal of humanity. This is some of the most beautiful writing I've ever experienced. As a society, we are flooded with tales of ordinary to extraordinary, of the special, chosen hero. But what about the power of the ordinary? And of choice?... Read more

The Song of Achilles

A Novel

By: Madeline Miller
Narrated by: Frazer Douglas
Length: 11 hours 14 minutes

“This is one of the best books I've ever read. Do your heart a favor and read this beautiful, tender, heartbreaking book. Read more

The Familiar

A Novel

By: Leigh Bardugo
Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
Length: 12 hours 57 minutes

“Two words: Entertaining and propulsive! Set during the inquisition in 16th century Spain, it’s a political thriller and historical fiction with a dose of magic. Full of secret agendas, pain, fear and desire, you won't want to stop listening to this story. Read more

Black Sun

Between Earth and Sky: Book #1

By: Rebecca Roanhorse
Narrated by: Cara Gee, Nicole Lewis, Kaipo Schwab & Shaun Taylor-Corbett
Length: 12 hours 46 minutes

“An epic high fantasy that follows several different characters, throughout different points in time as they are all set to converge on the day of a solar eclipse. On this day, the fate of their world will be altered. An incredible story and great listen on Libro.fm, but definitely something you have to pay attention too or you will miss... Read more

The Frozen River

A Novel

By: Ariel Lawhon
Narrated by: Jane Oppenheimer & Ariel Lawhon
Length: 15 hours 5 minutes

“Suspenseful historical mystery inspired by the true story and diaries of midwife Martha Ballard in post-revolutionary Maine (still part of Massachusetts). Respected by women but not by Harvard-trained men, her opinion that the cause of death of the man found frozen dead in the river was murder conflicts with the men in power who rule it an... Read more

A Gentleman in Moscow

A Novel

By: Amor Towles
Narrated by: Nicholas Guy Smith
Length: 17 hours 51 minutes

“I believe A Gentleman In Moscow is without dispute a modern day masterpiece. Towles uses exquisite language to tell the story of Count Rostov, a charming and witty "man of intent", who is confined to a fabulous hotel in Moscow for all his days. But that doesn't stop the count from living a sumptuous and meaningful life and he, in turn, ... Read more

Cloud Cuckoo Land

A Novel

By: Anthony Doerr
Narrated by: Marin Ireland & Simon Jones
Length: 14 hours 51 minutes

“Highly imaginative and incredibly ambitious, Cloud Cuckoo Land is a story within a story that is about stories. Though the premise, like the title, sounds maddening, I found Anthony Doerr’s novel to be rich, intricate, and deeply profound. Like the thread that binds together a vibrant tapestry, the story within the story, also named Cloud Cuckoo... Read more

Horse

A Novel

By: Geraldine Brooks
Narrated by: James Fouhey, Lisa Flanagan, Graham Halstead, Katherine Littrell & Michael Obiora
Length: 14 hours 5 minutes

“Another well researched historical fiction by Brooks. This time she writes about race and horse racing, transporting the reader to the Antebellum South. The book is written from the point of view of several people in the life of the famous race horse and sire named Lexington. We follow his life primarily through the eyes of his enslaved groom... Read more

Hester

A Novel

By: Laurie Lico Albanese
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
Length: 9 hours 52 minutes

“Maarleveld’s entrancing voice made this story magical. I loved the way she brought vibrancy to this compelling novel of a woman struggling to share her own colorful gifts. This is the perfect audiobook to accompany an autumn stroll. Historical fiction fans who crave strong female characters shouldn’t miss this one! Read more

Long Island

By: Colm Toibin
Narrated by: Jessie Buckley
Length: 9 hours 27 minutes

OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK * INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * “Stunning.” —People * “Dazzling yet devastating...Tóibín is simply one of the world’s best living literary writers.” —The Boston Globe * “Momentous and hugely affecting.” —The Wall Street Journal *

From the beloved, critically acclaimed, bestselling author comes a spectacularly moving... Read more

Weyward

A Novel

By: Emilia Hart
Narrated by: Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley & Nell Barlow
Length: 10 hours 51 minutes

“This feminist take on a family whose women show an uncanny connection with wild creatures from damsel flies to crows is both stellar historical fiction and an ode to the natural world. Three parallel narratives follow generations of Weyward women, Altha, accused of witchcraft in the 15th century; Violet, living under the cruel control of an... Read more

The Goddess of Warsaw

A Novel

By: Lisa Barr
Narrated by: Jane Oppenheimer
Length: 13 hours 3 minutes

“Utterly gripping. . . a transformative and immersive story so powerful and captivating that I could not put it down. . . . Truly one of the best books I’ve read.”—Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish“Lisa Barr's new historical fiction, The Goddess of Warsaw, gifts the reader with jaw-dropping moments worthy of a... Read more

The Honey Witch

By: Sydney J. Shields
Narrated by: Mia Hutchinson Shaw
Length: 13 hours 1 minute

The Honey Witch of Innisfree can never find true love. That is her curse to bear. But when a young woman who doesn’t believe in magic arrives on her island, sparks fly in this deliciously sweet debut novel of magic, hope, and love overcoming all.
 
Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow... Read more

A Ruse of Shadows

The Lady Sherlock Series: Book #8

By: Sherry Thomas
Narrated by: Kate Reading
Length: 13 hours 3 minutes

"I cannot recommend this series enough."—#1 New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood

Charlotte Holmes is accustomed to solving crimes, not being accused of them, but she finds herself in a dreadfully precarious position as the bestselling Lady Sherlock series continues.

Charlotte’s success on the RMS Provence has afforded her a certain... Read more

Hamnet

By: Maggie O'Farrell
Narrated by: Ell Potter
Length: 12 hours 42 minutes

“I wanted to live in this book forever and for it to never, ever end. I have never had a book hangover like the one I had when I finished this book. It is so, so, so, good. Every word is perfectly chosen and often not the expected choice. I can't say enough about both the writing and the narration and I already can't wait to listen to this one... Read more

Trust (Pulitzer Prize Winner)

By: Hernan Diaz
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Jonathan Davis, Mozhan Marnò & Orlagh Cassidy
Length: 10 hours 20 minutes

“Hernan Diaz does things I've never seen in a novel before. Trust ties up threads of money and art, family and history, lies and truth. Think historical fiction turned meta, with a beating heart and spectacular writing. Read more

The Poppy War

A Novel

The Poppy War

By: R. F. Kuang
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
Length: 19 hours 27 minutes

An AudioFile Magazine Best Audiobook of 2018!A Library Journal, Paste Magazine, and ENTROPY Best Books of 2018 pick!Washington Post ""5 Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Novel of 2018"" pick!A Bustle ""30 Best Fiction Books of 2018"" pick!“I have no doubt this will end up being the best fantasy debut of the year [...] I have absolutely no doubt... Read more

The Four Winds

A Novel

By: Kristin Hannah
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
Length: 15 hours 20 minutes

“I devoured Kristin Hannah’s masterful work of historical fiction, narrated by one of the best audiobook narrators working today, Julia Whelan. I found myself desperately rooting for the Martinelli family as they face a persistent series of crises during the Great Depression & the Dust Bowl. This is character driven storytelling at its best —... Read more

The Lincoln Highway

A Read with Jenna Pick (A Novel)

By: Amor Towles
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Marin Ireland & Dion Graham
Length: 16 hours 38 minutes

“I LOVED A Gentleman in Moscow and have been so excited to read The Lincoln Highway. IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! Towles is such a master storyteller, it’s impossible to not find yourself rooting for every character. It’s such a different book than his previous work. The Lincoln Highway is a fun, fast-paced adventure tale with a lovable cast of... Read more

The Rose Code

A Novel

By: Kate Quinn
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
Length: 16 hours 1 minute

“While many WWII stories have been told in triplicate, Kate Quinn presents a new angle on the Bletchley Park/code breaker part of the war. She gives us three magnificent main characters who must navigate the turbulent waters not only of the war, but of a new puzzle to solve shortly before the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth... Read more

Lady Tan's Circle of Women

By: Lisa See
Narrated by: Jennifer Lim & Justin Chien
Length: 13 hours 15 minutes

“Historical fiction of the kind we don't get enough in the US. Rich with See's meticulous research, we are taken on an intimate journey to one remarkable woman's life during the Ming Dynasty. Beautiful writing of complicated women's relationships, women's health, class, and the politics of the day. A book to savor, especially with the stunning... Read more

The Nightingale

A Novel

By: Kristin Hannah
Narrated by: Polly Stone
Length: 17 hours 37 minutes

A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK

A #1 New York Times bestseller, Wall Street Journal Best Book of the Year, and soon to be a major motion picture, this unforgettable novel of love and strength in the face of war has enthralled a generation.

With courage, grace, and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of World War... Read more

The Once and Future Witches

By: Alix E. Harrow
Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
Length: 16 hours 3 minutes

“Alix E. Harrow's second novel propels the listener from the year 1893 through a past and the future, with fantasy releasing the spells the Sisters Grimm have hidden in plain sight. I also delighted in the witchy affirmation of historical moments and unions at the turn of the 20th Century. Read more

The Starless Sea

A Novel

By: Erin Morgenstern
Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman & Various
Length: 18 hours 36 minutes

“Harry Potter meets Greek mythology in this fantastical novel. Part adventure story, part fairytale compilation, The Starless Sea is an amazing book that takes listeners on a magical journey beyond time and fate. Zachary Ezra Rollins is a quiet man living a comfortable life of solitude. He allows himself just enough social interaction to not be... Read more

The Night Circus

A Novel

By: Erin Morgenstern
Narrated by: Jim Dale
Length: 13 hours 38 minutes

“Listening to The Night Circus is truly a magical experience. Narrated by Jim Dale–best known for being the voice of a certain child wizard–the listening experience was part nostalgia, part wonder. Be ready to be swept away to Victorian London and the romance of a century. Read more

The Fox Wife

A Novel

By: Yangsze Choo
Narrated by: Yangsze Choo
Length: 14 hours 36 minutes

“A moving, deeply emotional story about a woman seeking vengeance for the death of her daughter. Snow is a Fox spirit, an almost immortal being who feeds off qi and are both revered and feared, especially in early 20th century China, at the end of the Qing dynasty. As she seeks her daughter's murderer, a detective with a mysterious tie to foxes... Read more

The Warm Hands of Ghosts

A Novel

By: Katherine Arden
Narrated by: Michael Crouch, January LaVoy & Katherine Arden
Length: 11 hours 37 minutes

“A Canadian Combat nurse returns to the trenches of World War I to find her brother Freddie. Her parents died in the Halifax explosion. Is Freddie dead too? His effects were returned but why were there two dog tags? Is he still alive?  And who is the mysterious German Hans Winter?  What is happening at Farland's hotel?  This is a historical novel... Read more

The Comfort of Ghosts

Maisie Dobbs: Book #18

By: Jacqueline Winspear
Narrated by: Orlagh Cassidy
Length: 10 hours 6 minutes

A MILESTONE IN HISTORICAL MYSTERY FICTION AS MAISIE DOBBS TAKES HER FINAL BOW

London, 1945: Four adolescent orphans with a dark wartime history are squatting in a vacant Belgravia mansion—the owners having fled London under heavy Luftwaffe bombing. Psychologist and Investigator Maisie Dobbs visits the mansion on behalf of the owners and discovers... Read more

A Fate Inked in Blood

Book One of the Saga of the Unfated

Saga of the Unfated: Book #1

By: Danielle L. Jensen
Narrated by: Nina Yndis
Length: 15 hours 15 minutes

“Blood brilliant! (Figuratively and literally!) Oh, this is SO good and addictive! I knew within the first few pages of starting that this book was going to be great. Dark, gritty, bloody, inspired by Norse Mythology, and desperately romantic, A Fate Inked in Blood is an exciting new addition to the romantasy genre that combines the high-octane... Read more

Lincoln in the Bardo

A Novel

By: George Saunders
Narrated by: George Saunders, Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, Carrie Brownstein, Don Cheadle, Lena Dunham, Bill Hader, Kirby Heyborne, Keegan-Michael Key, Julianne Moore, Megan Mullally, Susan Sarandon, Ben Stiller & Various
Length: 7 hours 24 minutes

“This was my first audiobook and i've been devoted to them ever since. This novel was one-of-a-kind to begin with, so it's no wonder it took a cast of over one hundred actors to realize it in audio. I will admit, at first I found the citations jarring - yes, real and fictional historical sources presented mid-narrative - but by the end they were... Read more

The Vaster Wilds

A Novel

By: Lauren Groff
Narrated by: January LaVoy
Length: 7 hours 5 minutes

“Lauren Groff is at the height of her power as a writer. The Vaster Wilds explores how one young woman’s experience of survival defines her. Rich in nuance, gorgeous, and full of the mystery of spirit, this novel meditates on life itself. Read more

The Briar Club

A Novel

By: Kate Quinn
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
Length: 15 hours 3 minutes

The New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye and The Rose Code returns with a haunting and powerful story of female friendships and secrets in a Washington, DC, boardinghouse during the McCarthy era.Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the... Read more

The Ten Thousand Doors of January

By: Alix E. Harrow
Narrated by: January LaVoy
Length: 12 hours 20 minutes

“This is the type of book that you can totally immerse yourself in, and when you reemerge, the world will feel like it has more magic and possibility than it did before. It is best read on a wet and dreary day, with lots of blankets around and a kettle full of tea. When you are finished, you will remember it like an old friend, as if you took an... Read more

The Fraud

A Novel

By: Zadie Smith
Narrated by: Zadie Smith
Length: 12 hours 24 minutes

“I am in awe of Smith's talent. This book will make you laugh, shock you, get your ire up, and inform you. Mrs. Touchet, whose voice is unique and unforgettable, is merely one of the complex characters Smith brings to life in this book. Zadie Smith is also incredible at narration! This audio book is the whole package. Read more

Jade City

The Green Bone Saga: Book #1

By: Fonda Lee
Narrated by: Andrew Kishino
Length: 19 hours 6 minutes

“A slow burn with frequent bursts of action. For fans of mafia dramas and martial arts action. The Green Bone culture & mythology are unique & captivating. This book and its characters got better and better as the story progressed. Lee writes like a watchmaker, and this book ticks away like a finely-tuned machine. Read more

Husbands & Lovers

A Novel

By: Beatriz Williams
Narrated by: Helen Laser & Caroline Hewitt
Length: 12 hours 31 minutes

Two women—separated by decades and continents, and united by an exotic family heirloom—reclaim secrets and lost loves in this sweeping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Wives.

“My favorite kind of page-turner—unputdownable!”—Martha Hall Kelly, author of The Golden Doves

New England, 2022. Three years ago, single... Read more

The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece

A novel

By: Tom Hanks
Narrated by: Tom Hanks, Peter Gerety, Natalie Morales, Ego Nwodim, Nasim Pedrad, Connor Ratliff, Holland Taylor, Rita Wilson & Full Cast
Length: 15 hours 57 minutes

“I just finished listening to the Libro.fm audio of Tom Hanks reading this novel.  All of the characters come together to make the movie plus details on the whole process of how a movie comes to be.  What a fun read! Read more

The Lost Apothecary

A Novel

By: Sarah Penner
Narrated by: Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony & Lauren Irwin
Length: 10 hours 17 minutes

“This book was a wonderful escape and was absolutely lovely to listen to. It switches back and forth between the point of view of two women in London in the 1790s and an American woman visiting London in present day. The story unfolds quickly. I was pleasantly surprised by the twists that I hadn't anticipated and the emotions that welled up... Read more

Black Leopard, Red Wolf

The Dark Star Trilogy: Book #1

By: Marlon James
Narrated by: Dion Graham
Length: 23 hours 59 minutes

“Marlon James’ Black Leopard, Red Wolf is a shot across the bow of fantasy literature: bold, fresh, and filled with brutal wonder and endless imagination. James’tale set in a fantastical ancient Africa follows a hunter known only as Tracker as he trails the scent of a lost boy, meeting a shape-shifting leopard along the way. At turns... Read more

The Marriage Portrait

A novel

By: Maggie O'Farrell
Narrated by: Genevieve Gaunt & Maggie O'Farrell
Length: 13 hours 21 minutes

“Brilliantly read by Genevieve Gaunt, I could not pause The Marriage Portrait. The story of the young dutchess Lucrezia de Medici, I listened while walking the dogs, making dinner, and driving to work. Maggie O’Farrell, who authored Hamnet, is the master of creating tension through the details of the day. Loved every beautiful sentence and am not... Read more

The City of Brass

A Novel

By: S. A. Chakraborty
Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
Length: 20 hours 1 minute

“S.A. Chakraborty introduces a fantasy set in the Middle East that thrusts us into the magical world of Daevabad. The City of Brass follows, in parallel, Nahri, a con artist and naturally gifted healer, and Ali, prince of Daevabad and fiercely trained soldier. Nahri and Ali find themselves learning new lessons on how to survive changing... Read more

The Sicilian Inheritance

A Novel

By: Jo Piazza
Narrated by: Rachel F. Hirsch & Carlotta Brentan
Length: 11 hours 53 minutes

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

One of the NY Post's Best Beach Reads, an US Weekly pick for "mystery novels to read on the beach”, a Woman's World "captivating beach read you won't be able to put down this summer" ("a riveting saga"), an Eater food-filled beach read for your summer vacation ("an appealing mix of romantic escapism, whodunit intrigue, and... Read more

How to Stop Time

By: Matt Haig
Narrated by: Mark Meadows
Length: 10 hours

“Both incredibly poignant and unceasingly charming, How to Stop Time is the story of a man who has an abundance of time and a scarcity of love. Tom Hazard ages very slowly, so slowly that nothing feels new to him as memories from the past crowd every moment of his present. He has also discovered that time without the people we love loses all... Read more