In what has become a December tradition here on the blog, it’s time to look ahead to the historical fiction being published in the year to come. I’m listing below a selection of 2025 releases that have caught my attention for one reason or another – some are review copies I’ve received, some are new books by authors I’ve previously enjoyed and others just sound interesting. 2025 looks like being a great year for historical fiction – this list is longer than ever – and I hope there’s something here that appeals to you.
Dates provided are for the UK and were correct at the time of posting.
JANUARY
The Ghosts of Rome by Joseph O’Connor (30th January 2025) – The sequel to O’Connor’s My Father’s House, continuing the story of the Escape Line, a group of activists who smuggle refugees out of Nazi-occupied Rome.
The Queen of Fives by Alex Hay (30th January 2025) I’ve read this one already and will post my review when the book is published. It’s about a Victorian con woman who has five days to win a fortune.
Island Song by Pepsi Demacque-Crockett (30th January 2025) – This debut novel takes Agnes Deterville from the Caribbean island of St. Lucia to a new life in 1950s London.
The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap (30th January 2025) – Follows the story of a young medical student who joins a group of body snatchers, providing corpses to anatomy schools in 19th century Edinburgh.
FEBRUARY
The Night of the Scourge by Lars Mytting (4th February 2025) – This will be the final book in the Sister Bells trilogy set in a Norwegian village and based around the legend of two very special church bells.
The Secrets of the Rose by Nicola Cornick (7th February 2025) – Like most of Cornick’s novels, this is a dual time period one, with the historical storyline being set at Bamburgh Hall in 1715.
The Sirens by Emilia Hart (13th February 2025) – Divided between the 19th century and the present day, this is the story of two sets of sisters separated by two hundred years.
The Woman in the Wallpaper by Lora Jones (20th February 2025) – The story of two sisters who work at a French wallpaper factory during the Revolution.
The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn (27th February 2025) I loved Frances Quinn’s last book, That Bonesetter Woman, so I’m looking forward to this one about a woman who disappears after the sinking of the Titanic.
Carrion Crow by Heather Parry (27th February 2025) – A Gothic novel about a woman locked in the attic of her family home. I’ve read this one in advance and it’s very unsettling!
The Portrait Artist by Dani Heywood-Lonsdale (27th February 2025) – Historical mystery with an art theme, set in the Victorian period.
The Queen and the Countess by Anne O’Brien (27th February 2025) – Set during the Wars of the Roses, one of my favourite time periods, this novel will tell the stories of Margaret of Anjou and Anne, Countess of Warwick.
MARCH
Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd (11th March 2025) – I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by Jess Kidd so far, but this sounds like something different from her – the first in a series of 1950s seaside mysteries.
The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue (20th March 2025) – Donoghue’s new novel is inspired by the Granville to Paris rail disaster of 1895.
APRIL
The Versailles Formula by Nancy Bilyeau (1st April 2025) – I’m not sure about the date for this one as I can’t find details anywhere except Goodreads, but this will be the next book in Bilyeau’s wonderful Genevieve Planché series.
The Eights by Joanna Miller (3rd April 2025) – A novel about the first group of female students to attend Oxford University.
The Greek House by Dinah Jefferies (24th April 2025) – A woman returns to Corfu in 1934, the site of her brother’s tragic disappearance years earlier.
The Midnight Carousel by Fiza Saeed McLynn (24th April 2025) – I’m intrigued by the sound of this novel about a French carousel-maker and a woman who discovers one of his carousels twenty years later.
MAY
Cleopatra by Natasha Solomons (8th May 2025) – I’ve enjoyed some of Solomons’ other books, so will be interested to see what she does with the story of Cleopatra.
The Cardinal by Alison Weir (22nd May 2025) – Following her recent Tudor Rose trilogy, Weir stays in the Tudor period for her new novel which covers the rise and fall of Cardinal Wolsey.
The House of Seymour by Joanna Hickson (22nd May 2025) – I’ve enjoyed most of Joanna Hickson’s other books. Her new one is about the Seymour family of Wolf Hall.
The Elopement by Gill Hornby (22nd May 2025) – In this sequel to Hornby’s Godmersham Park, Jane Austen’s niece, Fanny Knight, is now married to Sir Edward Knatchbull and busy raising his five children.
The Mourning Necklace by Kate Foster (29th May 2025) – Inspired by the real-life story of a woman who survived her own hanging in 1724.
JUNE
A Schooling in Murder by Andrew Taylor (5th June 2025) – After writing six books in the Marwood and Lovett series, Taylor is moving on to something different with this new historical mystery set in 1945.
The Rush by Beth Lewis (12th June 2025) – A new historical crime novel set in Canada during the Gold Rush.
Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor (19th June 2025) – Set in 1930s Kansas, this is the story of Emily Gale, Dorothy’s Aunt Em from The Wizard of Oz.
Love, Sex and Frankenstein by Caroline Lea (26th June 2025) – I’ve read several novels about the summer of 1816 at Lake Geneva when Mary Shelley began to write Frankenstein. It will be interesting to see how Lea approaches the subject.
JULY
Sinners by Elizabeth Fremantle (3rd July 2025) – Set in Rome in 1599, this novel is based on the true story of the Italian noblewoman, Beatrice Cenci.
The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson (10th July 2025) – I’ve loved all of Shepherd-Robinson’s previous books and this new one, a thriller set in Georgian London, sounds equally wonderful!
The House at Devil’s Neck by Tom Mead (15th July 2025) – This will be the fourth book in Mead’s mystery series set in the 1930s and featuring the partnership of Scotland Yard detective Inspector Flint and the retired magician, Joseph Spector.
Love and Other Poisons by Lesley McDowell (17th July 2025) – Based on a true crime in which a woman, Madeleine Smith, is accused of murdering her lover in Victorian Glasgow.
A Case of Life and Limb by Sally Smith (17th July 2025) – The second in Smith’s new series about Gabriel Ward, a lawyer who works in London’s Inner Temple in the early 20th century. I loved the first book, so am particularly looking forward to this one!
How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days by Sophie Irwin (31st July 2025) – Irwin has written two very entertaining Regency romances and I’m sure this one will be just as much fun.
The Death of Shame by Ambrose Parry (31st July 2025) – I love this series set in the medical world of 19th century Edinburgh, so I’m happy to see there’s a new book coming next year.
AUGUST
Boudicca’s Daughter by Elodie Harper (28th August 2025) – Following her success with the Wolf Den trilogy, Harper’s next book is going to tell the story of Solina, Boudicca’s daughter.
SEPTEMBER
Circle of Days by Ken Follett (23rd September 2025) – Follett’s new novel will follow the stories of several people involved in the building of Stonehenge.
OCTOBER
House of Splinters by Laura Purcell (9th October 2025) – A new haunted house novel returning to the setting of Purcell’s earlier book, The Silent Companions.
Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory (9th October 2025) – Gregory returns to the Tudor period for her new book about Jane Parker, wife of Anne Boleyn’s brother George.
The Witching Hour by various authors (16th October 2025) – I enjoyed The Winter Spirits so am looking forward to this new, similar collection of short stories by some of my favourite current authors of historical fiction.
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Are you interested in reading any of these? Are there any other historical novels coming in 2025 that I’ve missed?
She Reads Novels 
Oh my, Helen, there are some fantastic titles to look forward to next year. I’m especially pleased to know that the final book in the Sister Bells trilogy is to be released. I’ve been watching for it on net galley but it doesn’t seem to be there.
No, I haven’t seen the Sister Bells book on NetGalley yet, but there’s still time for it to appear. I really enjoyed the first two books.
I’ll keep looking, Helen! I loved the first two books.
I was scribbling down lots of titles as I read your post. I’m very happy to see that Tom Mead has a new one coming out next year; I enjoy his Spector mysteries. The new Sophie Irwin looks very fun, too. And I can’t wait to read your review of The Queen of Fives. 😀
Yes, I’ve enjoyed all of the other Joseph Spector mysteries, so I’m looking forward to the new one. The Queen of Fives is great!
Such a great list! And what a year for historical fiction, there are a few books I didn’t know about yet. Such as the new Mytting book (I though the last one was the end of the story) and the Fremantle book (an Italian setting yet again, I love it). I think the Harper book is the one I’m looking forward to the most.
I’m looking forward to the new Harper book too, but I still need to read the last book in the Wolf Den trilogy first.
There are so many books that I want to read on this list. I’m definitely interested in The Elopement. I’m fascinated by the fact that my review of Godmersham Park is my most frequently viewed post. Not sure why though 😳
That’s interesting! I don’t think mine has that many views. I enjoyed that book, though, and am looking forward to The Elopement.
I’m very excited to see that Elodie Harper is starting a new series! And I really want to start reading the series that begins with Death and the Conjurer, but I have to wait for my hold from the library. Then I’ll hopefully work my way through up to the latest. There are lots of others here that sound interesting, I’ll be looking for your reviews.
I’m looking forward to the new Elodie Harper, but I still need to read the third Wolf Den book first! I hope you don’t have to wait too long for Death and the Conjuror. It’s not completely essential to read that series in order unless you want to.
I am looking forward to reading the book by Jess Kidd. I had an email offering me a chance at a paperback copy, but I never heard back, so I guess I didn’t get it. I liked Shepherd-Robinson’s Square of Sevens book so much that I should look at whatever else she has written and not just wait for this one.
Shepherd-Robinson has also written two historical mysteries, Blood and Sugar and Daughters of Night, which I would definitely recommend.
Oh, thanks!
I especially want to read The Eights. And given I am so far behind on that Andrew Taylor series, I think starting fresh with a new one will be good!
I have a recent Nicola Cornick I want to read and wrap for my mother before Christmas, if I can remember where it is . . . .
Yes, I’m looking forward to The Eights. I’ve read all of the books in the Andrew Taylor series and enjoyed them, but after six books I think I’m ready for a change!
I have The Eights from NetGalley and am also looking forward to Danielle Giles’s The Mere.
The Eights does sound good, doesn’t it? I’ll be interested to hear what you think of Mere!
Quite a few of these sound tempting! I have a copy of Love and Other Poisons, but am ready to be persuaded into several more when you review them… 😀
Yes, I think it looks like being a good year for historical fiction! I hope we both enjoy Love and Other Poisons.
lots of very interesting books here, you have definitely picked out some good ones! The Historical Novels Society do a look ahead as well I think so worth keeping an eye out for if you haven’t already. I like the look of Emma Donoghue’s next novel and Andrew Taylor’s as well (as always). But the enticing prospect of many of other good novels coming out soon, great!
Yes, the Emma Donoghue book sounds good. She always picks such interesting topics to write about. And Andrew Taylor’s books are always something to look forward to!
Such wonderful choices! Love this post and will bookmark it for sure. Great job compiling all these titles for next year 🙂
Thanks, Shellie! I hope you’re able to read some of these.
I’m so happy that I decided to check this list out too; I’ve just copied at least a dozen titles onto my phone to look up properly in a minute and most likely add to my TBR. Without a doubt Carrion Crow will be one of those to get added as I adore gothic novels and am always on the lookout for more. The Mourning Necklace sounds especially intriguing too.
A couple were already on my TBR too like House Of Splinters, Boudicca’s Daughter & Witching Hour.
Wonderful list and I hope you enjoy them all 🥰 I’ll definitely be on the lookout for your 2025 list.
I’m glad you found some books to interest you here! Carrion Crow was very dark and quite disturbing to read, but I do recommend it. I’m looking forward to The Mourning Necklace as I enjoyed Kate Foster’s last book, The King’s Witches.
I’ll bear that in mind when I pick it up but I do love an atmospheric gothic read. I hope you enjoy The Mourning Necklace too whenever you get to it. I haven’t read anything by the author yet but hope to get both of her previous books out of the library sometime. I’m glad you enjoyed The King’s Witches.
There are SO many great-looking historical novels coming in 2025. I can’t wait! I’m especially excited about THE LOST PASSENGER. I love anything Titanic 🙂
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Yes, The Lost Passenger sounds great! I loved Frances Quinn’s last book.