Historical Thriller Books

The best historical thriller book reviews. Historical thrillers feature suspenseful situations set in specific time periods, in which the survival of fictional characters are threatened by the real circumstances of prior historical eras and places.

Veil of Doubt

Veil of Doubt, an Engrossing Courtroom Thriller by Sharon Virts

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The Bottom Line: Veil of Doubt is a perfectly paced courtroom thriller with flourishes of forensics that will excite fans of Caleb Carr’s Angel of Darkness or the TV series Law and Order. I love murder mysteries, courtroom dramas and psychological thrillers. Virts adds all these elements together in a very engrossing tale about a woman who is charged with murdering her husband and four …

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They Became Silent (Book 1) , a Wondrous Historical Thriller by LaShawn Evans

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The Bottom Line: A wondrous blend of moving coming-of-age fiction and historical thriller that will leave readers breathless.  Set in 1963, They Became Silent (Book 1) is told from the point of view of 17-year-old black football star Joseph Freeman. Known as the “next Jim Brown,” the book documents Freeman’s struggle to adapt to life after his family moves to the fictional town of Cullingland, Georgia, the first …

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In the Shadow of the Sun, an Atmospheric Thriller by Poli Flores

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The Bottom Line: A meticulously-crafted and atmospheric thriller that explores themes of homecoming, survivor’s guilt, forgiveness and the impact of war on returning soldiers.  Matt Bradley carries a scar on his face that will forever remind him and others of his service in Vietnam. The only survivor when his helicopter was shot down by the Viet Cong, he has applied his military training as a tracker to his post-war civilian life. Working as a Border Patrol officer, he patrols the remote corners of Allen County, tracking dopers and smugglers.  Despite establishing a post-war career, Matt’s life is far …

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The Desiderata Stone, an Unputdownable Historical Thriller by Nick Aaron

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The Bottom Line: An unputdownable historical thriller that gloriously tethers ancient Rome to the 1960s. In the sixth installment in Nick Aaron’s wildly popular Blind Sleuth Mysteries series, set in 1964, 41-year-old intern Daisy Hayes travels to Rome. There, upon invitation from doting Father Boudry, she has the opportunity to study sculptures by touch at the Vatican Museums. It’s a rare treat – as Daisy …

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D for Daisy, a Remarkable World War II Mystery by Nick Aaron

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The Bottom Line: A highly engaging World War II mystery with a remarkable amateur sleuth at the helm.  Set during World War II, D for Daisy begins as the eponymously named British bomber returns to base. The landing is a harrowing one, as the plane’s pilot, Ralph Prendergast, is dead on arrival. It’s up to the flight engineer to take the controls while the rest of the crew hangs on …

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They Became Silent (Book 2), a Highly Recommended Conspiracy Thriller

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The Bottom Line: A terrifying conspiracy thriller that blends real-life history with a fight for survival that is every bit as imaginative as The Hunger Games. Highly recommended.  They Became Silent (Book 2) picks up where the first installment left off, following the tragic death of a beloved civil rights leader. Violence has shaken cities across America and is subject to strictly enforced sundown curfew, with security …

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The Best Lucy Foley Books in Order

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Looking for a list of Lucy Foley books in recommended reading order? You’ve come to the right place. Bestselling British author Lucy Foley is a favorite among fans of contemporary mystery and crime fiction and critics alike. She also writes historical fiction. Further, one of her short stories is included in a collection of Agatha Christie fan fiction focusing on Christie’s iconic character Mrs. Marple. …

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Verity Easton, a Magical & Absorbing Murder Mystery by M. Rebecca Wildsmith

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The Bottom Line: Lucy Foley fans will fall hard for ’s magical and absorbing new murder mystery, Verity Easton.   Set in the 1930s, opens aboard a steamer ship sailing turbulent seas near the coast of Malta. Thirteen-year-old Verity is accompanying her father, a professor at the British Museum, who is tasked with finding the ancient resting place of ancient Egyptian queen Nefertiti. Making the trip …

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Blood Before Dawn

BLOOD BEFORE DAWN, The Year’s Best Historical Thriller

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The Bottom Line: The year’s best historical thriller (Winner, The BestThrillers.com Book Awards). April 1979: Ken Verrier and his wife, Sam return to Liberia only to buy diamonds, but they get caught up in a bloody rice riot and a coup d’état. Ken witnesses and unwittingly participates in a period of Liberia’s tumultuous yet poorly documented history—the overthrow of the Tolbert presidency that ultimately ends …

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The Memory Seeker, an Astonishing Historical Thriller by Ronald Niezen

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The Bottom Line: An astonishing debut novel that establishes Ronald Niezen as one of the most exciting new voices in historical fiction. Peter Dekker, fresh off a fellowship at Cambridge, takes a job as an investigator for the International Criminal Court in The Hague. A trained anthropologist with Dutch-Canadian ancestry, Peter learns that he’ll be assigned to the civil war in Mali. It’s a truly …

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