Originally published on 1/22/26

Greetings, fellow bibliophiles! Here at Woman’s World, we already forecasted it would be a great year for reading—but it’s also shaping up to be an especially exciting one for historical fiction lovers. With a slew of anticipated reads arriving from beloved authors like Maggie O’Farrell, Marie Benedict, M.L. Stedman, Kathryn Stockett (who is releasing her first book in 17 years!) and more, the historical fiction section of your TBR is about to get seriously stacked. From sweeping family sagas to untold stories of remarkable women, these upcoming releases will transport you to another time—and keep you turning pages well into 2026!

Here, we narrowed down eight of our most anticipated new historical fiction books coming out in the first half of 2026. Whether you’re looking for a pirate adventure set off the coast of Ireland, a sprawling Depression-era saga about female friendship set in the South or a glamorous 1920s tale set amid the speakeasies of Harlem, we have something for everyone!

Keep scrolling to discover (and pre-order!) these forthcoming new-release books. Happy reading!

‘Daughter of Egypt’ by Marie Benedict

In bestselling author Marie Benedict’s latest dazzling tale, she transports readers back in time to Egypt. In the 1920s, Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle made headlines after they discovered the treasure-filled tomb of the boy Pharaoh Tutankhamun, a mission that wouldn’t have been possible without Lady Evelyn Herber—Lord Carnarvon’s daughter—but the media doesn’t know that yet. Some 3,000 years earlier, Hatshepsut, Egypt’s lost pharaoh, also made history by becoming one of the country’s first female leaders. Her legacy was erased from history, though—and now, only Evelyn cares enough to bring her historic reign to light. An inspiring story filled with strong women and luminous historical details. (Out March 24, 2026) 

What early readers are saying: “Marie Benedict has once again proven why she is one of the most important voices in historical fiction today. She has an extraordinary ability to shine a light on women who shaped history but were hidden in the shadows, and Daughter of Egypt may be her most daring excavation yet. This book is not only about tombs and treasures—it’s about silenced voices clawing their way back into the narrative. It’s about courage, defiance and the cost of being a woman who refuses to accept the role history has written for her.” 

‘It Girl’ by Allison Pataki

Unforgettable characters and a page-turning story come to life in Allison Pataki’s latest historical fiction novel, inspired by real events. At the dawn of the twentieth century, New York City buzzed with talented and charismatic “It girls,” but none captured attention like Evelyn Talbot—a shopgirl turned starlet who finds herself at the center of a sensational murder case known as “the Crime of the Century.” With her world upended and nowhere to turn, Evelyn must fight to reclaim control of her life. But can the city’s most famous woman survive on her own? Only time will tell. (Out March 10, 2026) 

What early readers are saying: “I picked this up expecting a glamorous historical fiction read with pretty dresses, big personalities and a little drama sprinkled in for flavor. What I got instead was a sharp, emotionally loaded look at the very early machinery of fame and how brutally efficient it’s always been at chewing up young women and calling it entertainment. This book is cozy in the sense that it’s immersive and compulsively readable, but content-wise it absolutely pulls no punches, and I appreciated that.” 

‘Land’ by Maggie O’Farrell

In recent years, Maggie O’Farrell has amassed a devoted global readership for her novels such as The Marriage Portrait and Hamnet—a bestselling reimagining of Shakespeare’s family life that was recently adapted into an award-winning film. And her upcoming novel, Land, is brimming with her signature intimate storytelling, historical insight and deep emotion. The story, set in 1865, centers on Tomás and his reluctant son, Liam, who are working for the Ordnance Survey project to map the whole of Ireland. Their country is still recovering from the Great Hunger and the task at hand is difficult, but Tomás vows his maps will be a record of the disaster. What follows is an unforgettable story about buried treasure, lives overlapping and the everlasting power of both land and history. (Out June 2, 2026) 

What early readers are saying: “Maggie O’Farrell is beloved for her luminous, emotionally rich novels that blend intimate storytelling with sweeping historical insight, earning her a devoted global readership in recent years. She’s best known for Hamnet—a bestselling, award-winning reimagining of Shakespeare’s family life—as well as for her signature ability to bring overlooked women and moments in history vividly to life.”

‘A Harlem Wedding’ by Tiffany L. Warren

From The Unexpected Diva author Tiffany L. Warren comes a beautiful tale of love, ambition and self-discovery. A century ago, Yolande Du Bois, daughter of N.A.A.C.P. icon W.E.B. Du Bois, reigned as the princess of Harlem’s glittering social scene. Stunning and accomplished, she did almost everything her father asked—except when it came to love. Defying his wishes, Yolande falls for Jimmie Lunceford, a working-class musician who steals her heart. Though they part ways and she marries the poet Countee Cullen, the question lingers: Can she ever truly forget Jimmie? An exhilarating blend of history and romance. (Out May 12, 2026) 

What early readers are saying: “Prior to reading this story, I had no real knowledge of Yolande Du Bois. With expert storytelling, the author made me feel as though I knew her personally. I felt sad for Yolande and the burden placed on her by her father to marry a man that was suitable for him despite her heart’s desire to marry another man. This story kept me locked in from start to finish.” 

‘The Calamity Club’ by Kathryn Stockett

In 2009, Kathryn Stockett released her debut novel, The Help, which went on to sell millions of copies and was adapted as a major motion picture starring Viola Davis, Emma Stone and Octavia Spencer. Now, 17 years later, Stockett returns with The Calamity Club—a sprawling Depression-era saga about friendship and resilience. Readers are transported to 1933 Oxford, Mississippi, where people are struggling through the Depression and women on the margins are facing impossible choices. There’s 11-year-old Meg, who is considered unadoptable in her orphanage, Birdie, an unmarried woman who arrives in Oxford with plans to ask her sister for help and Charlie, a woman trying to outrun her past. As the women’s worlds collide, they form an unlikely bond and promise to help one another take control of their lives. (Out May 5, 2026) 

What early readers are saying: “This is a story of female persistence, strength, and grit in a time when women and girls were told they weren’t supposed to possess those traits. It gives readers a glimpse into the time after the Great Depression in 1933. It’s about sisterhood. It’s about blood family and found family. It’s about closed minds and what it takes to fight those in power when some are ‘different’ than others.”

‘The Foursome’ by Christina Baker Kline

Christina Baker Kline is known for her poignant historical fiction bestsellers such as Orphan Train and The Exiles—and her latest, The Foursome, is a reimagining of a shocking true story about two sisters who marry conjoined twins. But what’s even more astonishing? The 19th-century sisters are Kline’s own distant relatives! It’s 1839 in Wilkes County, North Carolina, and conjoined twins Chang and Eng Bunker are the talk of the town. Soon, the brothers open a store, buy land, start building a plantation—and begin a search for wives. Sarah and Adelaide Yates, daughters of a disgraced family, are eager for reinvention. Addie is drawn to the twins’ glamour and fame, but Sarah harbors secret doubts. As their lives intertwine, love, ambition and identity collide in ways no one could have imagined. (Out May 12, 2026) 

What early readers are saying: “There is so much nuance and intimacy that Christina Baker Kline brings to this story. It examines an unusual family living on a plantation, beginning in 1839 and spanning five decades. The beauty and struggle of family and children are woven throughout the narrative, while in the background, Sarah’s growing discomfort with slavery quietly looms. Kline delicately presents the characters’ reactions as shaped by the norms of their time, while also revealing the underlying agony of this way of life.”

‘A Far-Flung Life’ by M.L. Stedman

The upcoming novel by the bestselling author of The Light Between Oceans asks the question, “When we do something that can’t be undone or mended, how do we go on living?” Set on a remote sheep station in Western Australia in 1958, the story follows the MacBride family after a devastating accident shatters their world. Youngest son, Matt, is forced to confront impossible moral choices, secrets and sacrifice. Luminous and unforgettable, M. L. Stedman’s latest novel explores how compassion and forgiveness can help us live with the things that cannot be undone. (March 3, 2026) 

What early readers are saying: “The story is beautiful and so well told. I marked up my copy with notes on tragedy, shame, family, forgiveness and courage. It will break you down, leave you on edge and build you up again. Well done, M.L. Stedman.” 

‘Where the Wildflowers Grow’ by Terah Shelton Harris

From critically acclaimed author Terah Shelton Harris comes another groundbreaking story with themes of survival and redemption. Leigh is the last of the Wildes. She knows this because she has watched all of her relatives die in a series of tragedies that have left her haunted and grief-ridden. So, when a transport bus taking her to prison goes off the road and kills everyone onboard except her, Leigh does what she does best: She survives. This time at a flower farm in rural Alabama, home to Jackson, the farm owner, who sees right through Leigh’s tough exterior. With his help, Leigh begins to heal from the tragedies of her past and starts to look toward the future for the first time, despite the looming ghosts of her family.  (Out February 17, 2026)

What early readers are saying: “Where the Wildflowers Grow is a breathtaking meditation on survival—not just of the body, but of the heart, the spirit and one’s sense of self after unimaginable loss. This isn’t a story about flowers and romance on the surface—though it delivers both with grace—it’s a story about how we piece ourselves back together, how we learn to trust the soil we once thought too barren to grow anything. It’s tender, atmospheric, grounded, and at times heart-wrenching, but never without hope.” 

Written with Melissa D’Agnese

Link to original: https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/books/new-historical-fiction-books-2026