I’ve always been a fan of historicals. These days, I find myself turning to them more than ever. In a way, I find them comforting. Looking back is a reminder that, so far, throughout human history, the arc of equality and justice has always trended upward. There have been setbacks and bad times. But the emergence from them was a climb once again.
I have a particular love for WWII stories, where love is set against some of the darkest times we’ve faced in modern days. I also enjoy stories set in the twenties, with their unique flavor, although they hold the echo of “it’s going to get worse, before it gets better again.” One of my favorite books ever– sadly now not in print anywhere I can find– is Lucius Parhelion’s “Faster Than the Speed of Light“ about two theoretical physicists, one a veteran, in the post-war atomic bomb lavender-bar-raid days. I can read about those two navigating a very tricky dance under the eye of the FBI, and hope that they lived to see things change a lot for the better.
Today, as worse is coming, I keep reaching for these stories, as reminders of resilience and hope.
Among my favorites:
KJ Charles – Will Darling series, or “Think of England” or Society of Gentlemen (“A Seditious Affair” in particular, with its depiction of a temporarily futile fight against oppression, although best as part of the series)
Joanna Chambers – “Enlightenment” series – which also has things to say about women’s rights
Tamara Allen – excellent US turn of the century (try “Whistling in the Dark” or “The Only Gold” or the free short “If It Ain’t Love”)
“Mr. Warren’s Profession” – Sebastian Nothwell
“Eleventh Hour” – Elin Gregory (1930s) (note sequel is out of print but it stands OK alone)
“Box 1663” by Alex Sorel (1940s atomic bomb project)
“When Skies Have Fallen” – Debbie McGowan (Free, WWII, Lambda winner)
“False Colors” – Alex Beecroft (age of sail)
“Molly House” by AR Pip (don’t be fooled by the cover looking MF – one MC occasionally cross-dresses)
“These Old Lies” by Larrie Barton – WWI to WWII
“Tournament of Shadows” – SA Meade
“The Bells of Times Square” – Amy Lane (WWII)
“Sweetwater” – Lisa Henry
“Behind These Doors” by Jude Lucens (some open/poly with one woman secondary)
“A Minor Inconvenience” – Sarah Granger
Cat Sebastian – I love the 1950s books best – “We Could Be So Good” is among my top favorite reads ever, but also others like “The Soldier’s Scoundrel“ or “Hither, Page”
Harper Fox – “Seven Summer Nights” – just after WWII, some magic or “Brothers of the Wild North Sea” – Vikings, touch of magic
“A Night Full of Stars” – Bealevon Nolan (cold war)
“The Last Kiss” by Sally Malcolm (post WWI)
“Town Bronze” by Ellie Thomas (as well as other lovely novellas)
“By the Currawong’s Call” by Welton B Marsland (set in Australia)
“The Devil Lancer” by Astrid Amara (paranormal but deeply grounded in the Crimean War)
“Honeytrap” by Aster Glenn Gray – 1970s low key special agent story, slow burn or “Tramps and Vagabonds” which brings enormous focus to life riding the rails in the 1930s.
I’ve written a couple myself. The ones available are the free novel Into Deep Waters – taking my main characters from a destroyer in the Pacific, 1942, to 2011. And in the Another Place In Time anthology, with some of my favorite authors, another WWII short novella. (Note, several of the stories from that anthology have been released separately, although not all.) I also have a bunch of short historical stories on my Facebook group – Kaje’s Conversation Corner.
I’m still reading every genre – contemporary, paranormal, scifi, etc. But in the historicals, I find a kind of comfort that is unique and sometimes hits the spot.
I hope, whatever your preferred reading, our stories do the same for you in the months and years to come.
– Kaje Harper
January 2025