Beyond the Pages

A collection of historical fiction insights, book recommendations, and behind-the-scenes stories. Explore immersive settings, strong women, and the moments that shape unforgettable stories.

What You’ll Find Here

Book recommendations and reading lists
Historical insights and research discoveries
Behind-the-scenes writing reflections

Best New Historical Fiction Books to Read This September (Part 1)

September's new historical fiction releases take an unexpected turn toward magic and mystery. Here are eight books worth adding to your list — from a real-life pirate queen to secret societies of witches.

Historical Fiction That Will Make You Cry

Some books make you cry because they’re trying to. These make you cry because they get grief right. Here’s why historical fiction does it best—and three novels that prove it.

Your Summer Reading List: 5 Historical Fiction Picks

Summer afternoons were made for this — five historical fiction reads that pull you into another world and make you want to linger there just a little longer.

How to Write Historical Fiction: What Research Really Takes

How much research does historical fiction really take? From four years immersed in Napa Valley's wine country to a single train ride to Toronto, here's an honest look at where research ends and writing begins.

The Parisian Chapter: A Paris Library Historical Fiction

Bestselling author Janet Skeslien Charles returns to the American Library in Paris in The Parisian Chapter, revisiting the world of The Paris Library in this Behind the Book conversation.