Hi historical fiction fans!
Do you ever read a book that leads you to another book that leads you to another book? I’m in one of those daisy-chained book trails right now. I recently finished reading The Poison Squad by Deborah Blum (which I’d been wanting to read for some time after reading her other book, The Poisoner’s Handbook). And after reading about The Jungle and its relationship with food adulteration and food safety laws at the turn of the 20th century, I thought, ‘huh, I’ve never read that — maybe it’s time.’
I started it immediately after finishing The Poison Squad, and I will say reading them as a pair definitely heightens the experience of both. The first half of the book went by in a horrifying flash, but it starts to slog on after that. I’m in the final bit now, getting through Sinclair’s lengthy socialist manifestos, and let’s just say I’ll be happy to get to the last page. Very happy to have read it! But also very happy to be done reading it. It’s probably partially my fault for reading the original version, unedited by the publisher.
Anyway, that’s my latest bookish adventure. On to the historical fiction recommendations!
Bookish Goods
Oxford, Freaking, Comma Mug
Make sure everyone knows your stance on the Oxford comma with this playful mug. $14 and up.
New Releases
The Call of the Wrens by Jenni L. Walsh (November 15, 2022)
In this novel spanning both World Wars, a young woman joins the Women’s Royal Navy Service (the “Wrens”) to train and deliver carrier pigeons via motorcycle on the Western Front. Her life converges with that of an automobile racer in the 1940s when women are called to become despatch riders once more.
The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks (November 15, 2022)
A Scottish immigrant trying to understand the world of the East Coast American elite finds herself thrust into the limelight — and notoriety — when her young charge, Charlie Lindbergh, is kidnapped from his home. Betty wants nothing more than to find justice for the little boy that she adores, but in doing so, she will first have to prove she wasn’t the one who took him.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!
Riot Recommendations
Look, it’s cold and rainy/snowy (the worst combination?) and I want nothing more than to cozy up under some blankets with my dog. This kind of weather always makes me think of mysteries, and truly what better way to get through a cold, gray day than by reading a book full of thrills and suspense? Here are three that deliver on both counts.
Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen
A down-and-out former policeman is brought in to help investigate the death of a reclusive family’s matriarch in the 1950s. Irene Lamontaine was notoriously secretive about her soap recipes, but that wasn’t the only secret she held dear. She and her family stayed hidden to protect themselves, but now they must let someone in. And Evander Mills is beginning to see that there might be more to life than nightclub trysts and desperate lies. But certain members of the Lamontaine family are hiding darker secrets. And Mills is beginning to think he might be on the hunt for a killer after all.
The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
In 1920s Bombay, Perveen Mistry has just become one of the first female lawyers in India. When she comes across a strange amendment to a will, she suspects the three widows living in seclusion after their husband’s death are being taken advantage of. When her investigation results in a murder, Perveen knows her suspicions were right. What exactly is happening on Malabar Hill? And will her skills as a lawyer and a women’s rights activist help her make it right?
The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich
An unsolved murder haunts the town of Pluto, North Dakota, generations after it changed the lives of the Ojibwe living on the nearby reservation forever. And in a reckoning during the present day, a part-Ojibwe girl, her grandfather, and a local judge come together as a wrenching truth is finally revealed.
That’s it for now, folx! Stay subscribed for more stories of yesteryear.
If you want to talk books (historical or otherwise), you can find me @rachelsbrittain on Instagram, Goodreads, Litsy, and occasionally Twitter.
Right now I’m slogging through reading The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. What about you?