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Historical Fiction May 2023 |
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| Night Flight to Paris by Cara BlackSeries alert: Night Flight to Paris is the sequel to Three Hours in Paris, which first introduced readers to retired spy and sharpshooter Kate Rees.
This time: Kate's relatively quiet new life as a shooting instructor in the Scottish Highlands is disrupted when her former handler returns with an assignment that seems too important not to take -- one that could finally end World War II.
Reviewers say: "The gritty, determined Kate is a heroine for the ages" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| The Woman with the Cure by Lynn CullenWhat it is: a descriptive and character-driven biographical novel about Dr. Dorothy Horstmann, the pioneering epidemiologist whose work was a crucial part of the development of the polio vaccine.
Read it for: clever and determined Dorothy's dedication to her work and and courage in the face of discrimination from her male colleagues.
For fans of: Paula McLain and Marie Benedict. |
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| Marvelous by Molly GreeleyInspired by: the life of Petrus Gonsalvus, whose marriage is cited as one of the possible inspirations for Beauty and the Beast.
What it's about: Born with a genetic condition that causes dark hair to grow all over his body, Pedro is kidnapped as a child and brought to the French court where the queen, Catherine de' Medici, has him educated and makes it her mission to find a bride for him.
Read it for: the emotional journey of Pedro and his eventual wife Catherine, taking them from strangers to unhappy newlyweds to stalwart allies in the struggle to maintain influence in the cutthroat French royal court. |
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| Essex Dogs by Dan JonesHow it starts: with titular Essex Dogs -- a rough-and-tumble band of 10 mercenaries-- landing on the beaches of Normandy in 1346 to join up with King Edward III's invasion of France.
Read it for: the chance to get to know this engaging, ragtag bunch of men-at-arms, including a volatile priest, a brooding young archer, and their battle-hardened, world weary captain.
About the author: British historian Dan Jones is known for his well-researched and accessible books including The Templars, The Hollow Crown, and Magna Carta. Essex Dogs is his first novel. |
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| The Perfumist of Paris by Alka JoshiSeries alert: The Perfumist of Paris is the final entry in Alka Joshi's Jaipur trilogy, which began with The Henna Artist and continued with The Secret Keeper of Jaipur.
This time: It's 1974, and talented Paris-based perfume maker Radha is returning to India at her employer's behest to search for inspiration for new fragrances. Unbeknownst to Radha, a young man is traveling in the opposite direction and his arrival in Paris could unravel the careful life she's built for herself.
Reviewers say: "Filled with the rich and evocative scents of India and Paris, this novel will transport readers to Radha's world as she deals with heartaches and triumphs on her journey to wholeness" (Library Journal). |
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| White Fox by Owen MatthewsSeries alert: White Fox is the final volume in the trilogy of Cold War novels starring KGB officer Alexander Vasin, beginning with Black Sun and its sequel Red Traitor.
This time: After a career setback, Vasin is assigned to a new post as the director of a remote Siberian gulag. When tensions at the camp boil over into a riot, Vasin quickly finds himself on the run with a mysterious ally -- a prisoner who might know one of the most dangerous secrets in the world.
Reviewers say: White Fox is "a surprising but oddly fitting finale to the saga of a reluctant rebel" (Booklist). |
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Briefly, A Delicious Life
by Nell Stevens
What it's about: In 1473, 14-year-old Blanca died in childbirth at a Mallorcan monastery and for centuries her unquiet soul has lingered on the island, observing the living. But the 1838 visit by writer George Sand (and her lover composer Frédéric Chopin) unsettles Blanca in ways she no longer thought possible.
Why you might like it: Blanca is both a world-weary spirit and an excitable teenage girl, a compelling combination that gives her a fascinating perspective and engaging narrative voice.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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