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🗺️ Historical Fiction · United Kingdom

Best Historical Fiction Books from United Kingdom

Historical fiction places imagined characters in the documented past, using the tools of the novel — interiority, scene, dialogue — to make history legible and emotionally immediate in ways that non-fiction rarely achieves. United Kingdom has produced some of the most internationally recognised works in historical fiction, with titles that have appeared on major prize lists and critical surveys worldwide. This page ranks the best historical fiction from United Kingdom by editorial consensus.

#1
Cover of Wolf Hall
historical-fiction

Wolf Hall

Hilary Mantel· 2009
★Booker Prize★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score100/100
#2
Cover of Bring Up the Bodies
historical-fiction

Bring Up the Bodies

Hilary Mantel· 2012
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score86/100
#3
Cover of Sacred Hunger
historical-fiction

Sacred Hunger

Barry Unsworth· 1992
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score74/100
#4
Cover of Small Island
historical-fiction

Small Island

Andrea Levy· 2004
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score74/100
#5
Cover of Day
literary-fiction

Day

A.L. Kennedy· 2007
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score70/100
#6
Cover of The Tenderness of Wolves
mystery-thriller

The Tenderness of Wolves

Stef Penney· 2006
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score70/100
#7
Cover of The Electric Michelangelo
literary-fiction

The Electric Michelangelo

Sarah Hall· 2004
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score69/100
#8
Cover of Coram Boy
historical-fiction

Coram Boy

Jamila Gavin· 2000
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score59/100
#9
Cover of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
fantasy

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Susanna Clarke· 2005
★Hugo Award
Editorial Score55/100
#10
A Room with a View
literary-fiction

A Room with a View

E. M. Forster· 1905
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#11
His Last Bow [8 stories]
literary-fiction

His Last Bow [8 stories]

Arthur Conan Doyle· 1917
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#12
Howards End
literary-fiction

Howards End

E. M. Forster· 1910
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#13
The Woodlanders
literary-fiction

The Woodlanders

Thomas Hardy· 1800
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#14
The Complete Sherlock Holmes [4 novels, 56 stories]
literary-fiction

The Complete Sherlock Holmes [4 novels, 56 stories]

Arthur Conan Doyle· 1900
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#15
Sherlock Holmes (Adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes / His Last Bow / Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes [11 stories] / Return of Sherlock Holmes)
classic-literature

Sherlock Holmes (Adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes / His Last Bow / Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes [11 stories] / Return of Sherlock Holmes)

Arthur Conan Doyle· 1928
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#16
Cover of The Machine Gunners
historical-fiction

The Machine Gunners

Robert Westall· 1975
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score53/100
#17
Cover of Middlemarch
literary-fiction

Middlemarch

George Eliot· 1871
Guardian 100 Best NovelsTimes Literary Supplement
Editorial Score52/100
#18
Under the Greenwood Tree or, The Mellstock quire
literary-fiction

Under the Greenwood Tree or, The Mellstock quire

Thomas Hardy· 1872
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score50/100
#19
The moon and sixpence
literary-fiction

The moon and sixpence

William Somerset Maugham· 1919
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#20
Poirot investigates
literary-fiction

Poirot investigates

Agatha Christie· 1924
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score50/100
#21
The Mystery of the Blue Train
literary-fiction

The Mystery of the Blue Train

Agatha Christie· 1928
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#22
Sad Cypress
literary-fiction

Sad Cypress

Agatha Christie· 1939
Library Journal
Editorial Score50/100
#23
The well-beloved
literary-fiction

The well-beloved

Thomas Hardy· 1897
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score50/100
#24
Novels (Agnes Grey / Jane Eyre / Wuthering Heights)
literary-fiction

Novels (Agnes Grey / Jane Eyre / Wuthering Heights)

Anne Brontë· 1947
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score50/100
#25
Cover of Works (Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans / Adventure of Wisteria Lodge / Adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Hound of the Baskervilles / Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes / Return of Sherlock Holmes / Sign of Four / Study in Scarlet)
classic-literature

Works (Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans / Adventure of Wisteria Lodge / Adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Hound of the Baskervilles / Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes / Return of Sherlock Holmes / Sign of Four / Study in Scarlet)

Arthur Conan Doyle· 1984
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score50/100
#26
Cover of Tulku
adventure

Tulku

Peter Dickinson· 1979
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score49/100
#27
Cover of Carrie's War
historical-fiction

Carrie's War

Nina Bawden· 1973
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score48/100
#28
Cover of Granny Was a Buffer Girl
literary-fiction

Granny Was a Buffer Girl

Berlie Doherty· 1986
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score48/100
#29
Where Angels Fear to Tread
literary-fiction

Where Angels Fear to Tread

E. M. Forster· 1920
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#30
The Trumpet-Major, and Robert His Brother
literary-fiction

The Trumpet-Major, and Robert His Brother

Thomas Hardy· 1880
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#31
Typhoon
literary-fiction

Typhoon

Joseph Conrad· 1902
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score45/100
#32
Cover of Dead Man's Folly
literary-fiction

Dead Man's Folly

Agatha Christie· 1956
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#33
Cover of Novels (Jane Eyre / Tenant of Wildfell Hall / Wuthering Heights)
literary-fiction

Novels (Jane Eyre / Tenant of Wildfell Hall / Wuthering Heights)

Anne Brontë· 1982
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score45/100
#34
Works (Adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes / His Last Bow / Hound of the Baskervilles / Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes / Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes / Return of Sherlock Holmes / Sign of Four / Study in Scarlet / Valley of Fear)
classic-literature

Works (Adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes / His Last Bow / Hound of the Baskervilles / Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes / Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes / Return of Sherlock Holmes / Sign of Four / Study in Scarlet / Valley of Fear)

Arthur Conan Doyle· 1989
Library Journal
Editorial Score45/100
#35
Cover of The Pillars of the Earth
historical-fiction

The Pillars of the Earth

Ken Follett· 1989
Oprah's Book Club
Editorial Score44/100
#36
Works (Child's History of England / Master Humphrey's Clock)
historical-fiction

Works (Child's History of England / Master Humphrey's Clock)

Charles Dickens· 1958
Notable Work
Editorial Score43/100
#37
Cover of Vanity Fair
literary-fiction

Vanity Fair

William Makepeace Thackeray· 1848
Times Literary Supplement
Editorial Score42/100
#38
Cover of The Passion
literary-fiction

The Passion

Jeanette Winterson· 1987
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score42/100
#39
Cover of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
mystery-thriller

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

John le Carré· 1963
Goodreads Choice Award
Editorial Score41/100
#40
Cover of Fingersmith
mystery-thriller

Fingersmith

Sarah Waters· 2002
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score41/100
#41
Orlando
literary-fiction

Orlando

Virginia Woolf· 1928
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score40/100
#42
Novels of the sisters Bronte (Agnes Grey / Jane Eyre / Professor / Shirley / Tenant of Wildfell Hall / Villete / Wuthering Heights)
classic-literature

Novels of the sisters Bronte (Agnes Grey / Jane Eyre / Professor / Shirley / Tenant of Wildfell Hall / Villete / Wuthering Heights)

Anne Brontë· 1905
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score40/100
#43
Cover of The Buried Giant
fantasy

The Buried Giant

Kazuo Ishiguro· 2015
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score39/100
#44
Cover of Atonement
literary-fiction

Atonement

Ian McEwan· 2001
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score38/100
#45
Cover of Tipping the Velvet
historical-fiction

Tipping the Velvet

Sarah Waters· 1998
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score38/100
#46
Cover of Nights at the Circus
literary-fiction

Nights at the Circus

Angela Carter· 1984
ALA Notable Books
Editorial Score38/100
#47
Cover of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
mystery-thriller

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

John le Carré· 1974
Goodreads Choice Award
Editorial Score37/100
#48
Cover of A Tale of Two Cities
historical-fiction

A Tale of Two Cities

Charles Dickens· 1859
Times Literary Supplement
Editorial Score37/100
#49
Cover of Night of the New Magicians
science-fiction

Night of the New Magicians

Mary Pope Osborne· 2006
Library Journal
Editorial Score35/100
#50
A good night for ghosts
fantasy

A good night for ghosts

Mary Pope Osborne· 2009
Library Journal
Editorial Score35/100
The Tribe Manager
The Leadership Companion
The Tribe Manager
Leading People the Way Evolution Intended
Manage with human nature, you get loyalty. Manage against it, you get quiet quitting.
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