9 Amazing Historical Novels Written By and About Women

Edited by Ezvid Wiki Editorial on 24 September 2018

If you're a woman with an interest in history, you're probably fed up with how often scholars and authors of fiction alike focus only on men. Lucky for you, there are plenty of talented female authors who have written great stories about women living in the past that are both eye-opening and relatable. The nine books on our list cover a wide range of eras, from Victorian London to Colonial America. When you click links from this website, we may receive advertising revenue to support our research. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.

9 Amazing Historical Novels Written By and About Women

Title Author More by the Author
1. Radio Girls Sarah-Jane Stratford The Midnight Guardian The Moonlight Brigade
2. The Fever Tree Jennifer McVeigh Leopard at the Door
3. My Notorious Life Kate Manning Whitegirl
4. The Lightkeeper's Daughters Jean E. Pendziwol Once Upon a Northern Night No Dragons for Tea
5. Lady of Ashes Christine Trent Stolen Remains A Virtuous Death
6. The Silver Music Box Mina Baites Dreams of Silver
7. Property Valerie Martin Trespass Mary Reilly
8. The Orphanmaster Jean Zimmerman Love, Fiercely Savage Girl
9. The Second Mrs. Hockaday Susan Rivers N/A

10 Real Women Who Changed History

  1. Claudette Colvin: Teenage civil rights activist
  2. Jane Addams: Nobel Peace Prize winner & suffragette
  3. Rosalind Franklin: Made ground-breaking discoveries about DNA
  4. Sojourner Truth: Abolitionist and women's rights activist
  5. Indira Gandhi: First female prime minister of India
  6. Margaret Sanger: Fought for women's right to birth control
  7. Marsha P. Johnson: Trans woman and LGBT rights activist
  8. Junko Tabei: First woman to reach the summit of Mt. Everest
  9. Hedy Lamarr: Actress, inventor, and mathematician
  10. Betty Friedan: Social activist and author of The Feminine Mystique

10 Firsts for American Women in History

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  2. 11 Scintillating Novels Written By Women For Women
  3. 15 Spectacularly Written Historical Fiction Novels
  4. 9 Memoirs by Women Who Have Overcome Hardship
  5. 10 Incredible Sci-Fi Series Written By Women

In Depth

When students learn about history in school, the narrative usually focuses almost exclusively on men. If you're interested in learning about what life was like for women in the past, a well-written period piece can be an entertaining way to dive into the subject. In no particular order, here are nine historical novels by female authors that feature female protagonists.

#1: "Radio Girls" by Sarah-Jane Stratford. After the Great War, Maisie Musgrave becomes a secretary at the British Broadcasting Corporation. She is thrilled to get the chance to work with some of the best minds in the industry, but she soon finds herself in the middle of a conflict. Her boss, the Director General of the BBC, is always butting heads with the head of the programming department, who sees Maisie's potential to be more than just an office assistant and decides to teach her the ins and outs of the business. Their friendship is put to the test when they discover a shocking conspiracy that threatens their lives.

#2: "The Fever Tree" by Jennifer McVeigh. In 1880, Frances leaves London to accept a marriage proposal from Edwin, a wealthy man from South Africa. Though she is filled with hesitation, she knows that marrying him is the only way to help her family, so she travels to South Africa to be formally engaged to Edwin. During her trip, she meets William, a handsome man who falls in love with her. The journey lasts for days, which is enough time for her to become smitten with William as well. The main character must choose between continuing her original plan and taking a chance with this stranger.

During her trip, she meets William, a handsome man who falls in love with her.

#3: "My Notorious Life" by Kate Manning. Axie has had a rough childhood. She and her siblings were sent to an orphanage at a young age and when she was old enough, she got a job as an assistant midwife. Several years later, she and her husband own a maternity center. The business becomes very profitable, which makes her one of the richest and most popular people in New York. However, the leader of a social organization wants to pull her down, along with everything that she has worked for. The protagonist bravely confronts the issues thrown at her to protect her wealth and her dreams.

#4: "The Lightkeeper's Daughters" by Jean E. Pendziwol. Elizabeth spends her senior years in a care home. As she grows older, she gets weaker and her eyesight starts to go. While inside the facility, she recollects the happy memories of her childhood, especially her days with her father at his lighthouse. One day, her father's logbook is found hidden in her brother's boat. Since she can't see well enough to make out the words, she asks Morgan, a delinquent teenager who is serving community service, to read it to her. As Morgan reads the entries, she enters Elizabeth's past: a world full of adventure and love.

#5: "Lady of Ashes" by Christine Trent. Violet is the wife of an undertaker and the owner of a funeral parlor that becomes extremely popular when she handles the burial service for a friend of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. But problems arise when her husband Graham disappears, leaving Violet to manage the business on her own. Things get more complicated when she finds out that some of the dead bodies she's dressed have been murdered. The protagonist believes that the killer is still at large. If she is not careful, she will be the next victim.

If she is not careful, she will be the next victim.

#6: "The Silver Music Box" by Mina Baites. Johann is a Jewish silversmith who serves his country during the first World War. Before leaving for battle, he crafts a beautiful ornamented box with a singing filigree bird inside. The box is a parting gift for his son, Paul, so the child will remember him. A half century later, the memento is in London, owned by Lilian, who recently inherited it from her parents. The keepsake contains a letter, a confession from her mother that she is their adopted daughter. The main character goes on a journey to discover her roots, and trace the whereabouts of the other members of her family.

#7: "Property" by Valerie Martin. Manon is the wife of a sugar plantation owner in Louisiana in 1828. Her heartless husband owns several slaves, including Sarah, a black woman who also serves as his mistress. The main character strongly despises Sarah at first, but eventually feels compassionate towards her. When she learns the there is a brewing slave rebellion, she realizes that she has the opportunity to free the lives of many people, including herself.

#8: "The Orphanmaster" by Jean Zimmerman. The story is set in 17th century New Amsterdam and follows Blandine, a charming young lady who owns a fur trading store. She is on good terms with people of all classes and races, including black people and Native Americans. Her partner, Edward, is a British spy. Things turn eerie when orphan children start to go missing. People believe that the culprit is on the loose, and may strike at any given moment. The couple is resolved to hunt down the suspect before another child disappears.

She is on good terms with people of all classes and races, including black people and Native Americans.

#9: "The Second Mrs. Hockaday" by Susan Rivers. Placida is a teenager who gets married to Major Gryffth. Their honeymoon is cut short after her husband is called to join the Civil War. Being young, the protagonist is not prepared to take care of their 300-acre farm, some slaves, and her infant stepson. After two years, Gryffth returns home and learns that his wife is accused of conceiving a baby in his absence and murdering it. If proven guilty, Placida will spend the rest of her life in jail.