Join us for What’s New in Historical Fiction, a lively panel series that celebrates fresh perspectives and bold new storytelling in the genre we love. Moderated by Colin Mustful, founder of History Through Fiction, this special August event features four remarkable authors whose new novels illuminate forgotten histories, daring heroines, and the extraordinary courage of ordinary people across time.
Panelists:
Madeline Martin, The Secret Book Society
Erika Robuck, The Last Assignment
Roseanna M. White, The Collector of Burned Books
Amy Lynn Green, The Codebreaker's Daughter
Madeline Martin presents The Secret Book Society, a captivating new novel set in Victorian London about a forbidden book club, dangerous secrets, and the women who dare to break free.
London, 1885: Trapped by oppressive marriages and rigid expectations, three women receive a mysterious invitation to tea at the reclusive Lady Duxbury’s home. Beneath the genteel facade lies a sanctuary—a secret book club where they can share forbidden ideas, forge unbreakable bonds, and find the courage to rewrite their own stories. But in a world where secrets can be deadly, one misstep could cost them everything.
Erika Robuck delivers The Last Assignment, a harrowing and awe-inspiring novel based on the true story of Dickey Chapelle, the pioneering photojournalist who risked everything to reveal the cost of war.
Manhattan, 1954. Grounded after defying orders at Iwo Jima, Dickey Chapelle struggles with her failing marriage and fading career. But she refuses to back down. Determined to document war from the front lines, Dickey travels to frozen wastelands, jungles, and raging seas, capturing the brutal truth behind the headlines. In the process, she discovers that to save the world, she may first have to save herself.
Roseanna M. White’s The Collector of Burned Books is a gripping World War II novel about the power of words, unlikely alliances, and the fight to preserve the truth in Nazi-occupied Paris.
Paris, 1940. As the Nazis seize France’s libraries and burn “dangerous” books, Corinne Bastien has spent years safeguarding banned works in a hidden library. When the occupation threatens everything she’s built, her knowledge becomes vital to the Allies. Meanwhile, Christian Bauer—a German scholar forced into a uniform he despises—risks everything to protect the ideas his homeland will need once the madness ends. In a city under siege, their courage and convictions will shape history.
Amy Lynn Green’s The Codebreaker’s Daughter weaves a dual-era tale of secrets, sacrifice, and a mother-daughter bond tested by the perils of war.
In WWII-era Washington, DC, Dinah Kendall’s job in the Office of Strategic Services is to craft rumors to demoralize the enemy—until she uncovers that her mother, Lillian, was once a pioneering codebreaker during the Great War. As mother and daughter navigate espionage, personal loyalties, and a dangerous new threat on the eve of D-Day, they must work together to protect the secrets that could change the course of history. Inspired by true stories of female codebreakers and OSS agents, this is a stirring tale of courage across generations.