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Historical novels useful for research!

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  • Historical novels useful for research!

    Unless you have a Kindle you may not have noticed my recommendation for the Penny Green Series of books by Emily Organ.

    They are not "great literature" but they are who dunnits which are well researched with the sort of detail which give a very good flavour of living in late Victorian London without being worthy about it. The books are set in the 1880s, at the time when my paternal ancestors had all arrived in the capital from their various areas of the UK. I did find it a little creepy when she was describing a road which I had been looking at on Booth's map that morning - MAP OF PENNY GREEN’S LONDON.

    Each book has detailed historical background at the end which is interesting in itself.

    I read them on kindle unlimited or you can get hold of the paperbacks used/unused on Amazon. Although they say you can read them out of order, as there are personal stories running alongside, I'd read them chronologically.

    Caroline
    Caroline's Family History Pages
    Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

  • #2
    I will need to update my article for the 52 weeks challenge. Week 12: Very “historical” fiction

    Has anyone else any other favourite novels they would add for us all to read for historical background while we are looking for things to do?


    Caroline
    Caroline's Family History Pages
    Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

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    • #3
      Cynthia Harrod Eagles "Morland Dynasty" is described as history without tears, lol. She is an excellent writer and the historical backgrounds are very well researched. 36 novels, read them in chronological order for the best effect.

      OC

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      • #4
        Oh heavens, I remember these being a firm favourite of the blue rinse brigade. Whenever the latest one was mentioned in the quality Sunday supplements, on the Monday there would be a deluge of request cards through the letterbox before it was even published. I agree that the historical background was well researched but I found her prose a bit ponderous.

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        • #5
          I think you can tell what my favourite type of reading is

          S.J. Parris Giordano Bruno series (London mainly but he gets about a bit in the service of Elizabeth I, even gets to Paris and his homeland of Italy)
          C.J. Sansom Richard Shardlake series (London mainly but he gets about a fair bit, this time it’s in the service of Henry VIII)
          P. [Paul] C. Doherty Hugh Corbett series (same idea as above but in the time of Edward I)
          Paul Doherty Kathryn Swinbrooke series (Canterbury 15thC)
          S. [Shona] G.MacLean Alexander Seaton series (1620s-30s Aberdeen)
          Pat McIntosh Gil Cunningham series (Glasgow and out into the surrounding countryside 1490s)

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          • #6
            Originally posted by GallowayLass View Post
            C.J. Sansom Richard Shardlake series (London mainly but he gets about a fair bit, this time it’s in the service of Henry VIII)
            I started reading these on my Kindle after Martin Lewis of Money Saving Expert chose one on "A Good Read" on Radio 4, I usually don't get on very well with historical fiction as sometimes the history is way off mark or modern attitudes and speech are imposed on the characters, but this series of books worked well for me.
            Last edited by Jill on the A272; 13-04-20, 16:37. Reason: typo

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            • #7
              The Sharpe Series by Bernard Cornwell. However, they are best read in chronological rather than in written order. The Indian trilogy (the Raj and the East India Company) followed by the Napoleonic Wars - (Trafalgar ending with Waterloo). Beautifully written with authentic historical content - I have read all of these several times over the years. These were televised with the main protagonist played by Sean Bean.

              My son has all of his Grail Quest novels (The Hundred Years War), Warlord Chronicles (recreation of Arthurian Britain) and The Saxon Stories.

              Kat

              My avatar is my mother 1921 - 2012

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              • #8
                I think I must have similar tastes to GallowayL

                Margaret Frazer, two series. Sister Fidelma series ......... nun living in an abbey but linking to Geoffrey Chaucer's son and to his daughter who married the Duke of Suffolk, and all those treacheries, ca 1430-1450-ish. Similar to Cadfael except she leaves the abbey. Joliffe series, all titles start with A Tale of ........, same time period or slightly later

                Susanna Gregory, two series ......... the unorthodox physician Matthew Bartholomew, in a small college in the University of Cambridge, 1348- ca 1370, finds himself helping to solve murder mysteries. Thomas Chaloner, once a spy for Cromwell now trying to make a living in the restoration time of Charles 1.

                Michael Jecks, medieval west country series with an ex-Knight Templar. 31 books in that series. He has at least one other series, but I haven't read any, the Vintner series

                Peter Tremayne, Fildema, set in Ireland in the from ca 660 AD, 31 book series.

                Bernard Knight (ex UK Home Office pathologist), Crowner John mystery series set in 12th century Devon

                Candace Robb, set in late 14th century York, a blind in one eye Owen Archer and his wife a Master Apothecary, also ventures into Wales. Also has 2 more series that I haven't read.

                Maureen Ash, Templar Knight series set in Lincoln, early 13th century
                My grandmother, on the beach, South Bay, Scarborough, undated photo (poss. 1929 or 1930)

                Researching Cadd, Schofield, Cottrell in Lancashire, Buckinghamshire; Taylor, Park in Westmorland; Hayhurst in Yorkshire, Westmorland, Lancashire; Hughes, Roberts in Wales.

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                • #9
                  We certainly do like the same things Sylvia. I really enjoyed the Candace Robb Owen Archer series. I had forgotten all about Crowner John. I haven’t read all of those though.

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                  • #10
                    Not novels, but Liza Picard's books on everyday life in Restoration London, Georgian London, Victorian London, Dr Johnson's London and Chaucer's London give a good insight into life in those times.

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                    • #11
                      I haven't read them as i hate historical fiction (well reading any fiction for that matter lol), but philippa gregory. I've seen her white queen series about elizabeth woodville and her white princess series about elizabeth of york.

                      while she isn't a trained "historian" as is so often levelled at her, she's quite clever. She takes a lot of her storylines from contemporary rumour about high born individuals and weaves into her stories scenarios where the rumours are plausibly started. A lot i thought was absolute bull until i started googling.

                      surprised hillary mantel hasn't got a mention.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by kylejustin View Post
                        I haven't read them as i hate historical fiction (well reading any fiction for that matter lol), but philippa gregory. I've seen her white queen series about elizabeth woodville and her white princess series about elizabeth of york.

                        while she isn't a trained "historian" as is so often levelled at her, she's quite clever. She takes a lot of her storylines from contemporary rumour about high born individuals and weaves into her stories scenarios where the rumours are plausibly started. A lot i thought was absolute bull until i started googling.

                        surprised hillary mantel hasn't got a mention.
                        They're the ones I referred to at the end of my article .. they are writing documentaries and calling them fiction in my opinion. I got on well with Philippa Gregory's early books but then found her hard going.

                        I am glad I started this thread - I am looking to start my next books and I had forgotten about some of those medieval authors. What is interesting is that many of them are also who dunnits - I shall go back a few centuries this time.

                        I was going to add some more but then remembered that we do have a review section in the Reference LIbrary already, so I think it will be worth making a recommended reading list for us to dip into - just a list no need for reviews!

                        Book reviews - Historical fiction

                        We also have:

                        Book reviews - Historical non-fiction

                        Book reviews - Family History Research
                        Caroline
                        Caroline's Family History Pages
                        Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          GallowayL .................

                          I'm currently re-reading some of those books, trying to read the series in one go, though I don't have all the books in some series.

                          I do have all of Crowner John, and Michael Jecks west country series.

                          I'm currently re-reading what I have of Candace Robb's Owen Archer series, and have just 0rdered 2 of the ones I'm missing .............. plus she has 2 new ones out in the series, published 2019 and 2020 which are not yet in paperback.
                          My grandmother, on the beach, South Bay, Scarborough, undated photo (poss. 1929 or 1930)

                          Researching Cadd, Schofield, Cottrell in Lancashire, Buckinghamshire; Taylor, Park in Westmorland; Hayhurst in Yorkshire, Westmorland, Lancashire; Hughes, Roberts in Wales.

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