Biographical fiction books

We know novels have the power to take us to different places and time periods. And with biographical historical fiction books, you can explore the lives of famous or lesser-known historical figures through a blend of captivating facts and rich, imaginative storytelling. These stories not only offer a glimpse into pivotal moments in history, but they also share the intimate and unseen imagined moments of these people’s lives. 

Featuring royals, famous Hollywood stars, writers and unassuming wives and daughters, these truthful tales with a fictional spin are sure to entertain and educate. We gathered 10 of our favorite biographical historical fiction books. Itching to know more about everyone’s favorite royal, Princess Diana? Try The Princess by Wendy Holden. Or maybe you want to go all the way back to Shakespearean times. If so, immerse yourself in Jodi Picoult’s By Any Other Name. Keep scrolling for all our recommendations. Happy reading!

‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ by Philippa Gregory

Travel back in time to Tudor England with Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl. The story follows Mary Boleyn as she comes to court and is entranced by Henry VIII. Soon Mary falls in love with the prince and embraces her role as future queen. However, Mary is just a pawn in her family’s schemes. When she is forced to step aside from Henry and the crown for her best friend, rival and sister, Anne, Mary takes things into her own hands to defy her family. 

What readers are saying: “Wow! What a stunning book! Phillippa Gregory has managed to pull off a nearly impossible feat—weaving a tapestry of Tudor England, the struggles of Henry the VIII to sire an heir with the tempestuous Anne Boleyn, and the long-ignored sister of history, Mary Boleyn—in a way that is fresh, immediate, fascinating, and amazingly contemporary. Gregory gives us an utterly real cast of characters, with foibles and failings aplenty, but for all their flaws, we still feel, care and love them as we would difficult siblings.”

‘The Paris Wife’ by Paula McLain

Unmarried at 28 in 1920’s Chicago, quiet Hadley Richardson is practically an old maid. Then she meets Ernest Hemingway. The brilliant writer has a hypnotic pull on Hadley and they quickly marry and move to Paris. At the center of a glittering social circle, they’re tested by the era’s hard-drinking, bohemian ways. When a heartbreaking deception is exposed, Hadley must decide how much she is willing to bear in the name of love.

What readers are saying: “I fell in love with The Paris Wife right from the start. There was something so authentic about Hadley’s voice, the way she described the circumstances of meeting Ernest Hemingway, of being drawn to him—and vice versa—never knowing how their lives would entwine and separate again.”

‘The Princess’ by Wendy Holden

Readers are transported to 1961 Britain in this fascinating tale about beloved Princess Diana Spencer. Born into the Spencer earldom, Diana grew up amid her parents’ divorce, and her refuge was always her romantic novels. So when she becomes a candidate for the Prince of Wales, her dream to be loved intersects with Charles’ need for a bride. What follows is an astonishing story of Diana’s route to the altar and beyond. 

What readers are saying: “Wow! This book is phenomenal! It is moving, heartbreaking, engrossing and so much more! Whenever I picked up “The Princess’, I was whisked back in time, and went on such an emotional journey with this story.”

‘The Brightest Star’ by Gail Tsukiyama

At the dawn of the new century, America is falling in love with silent movies, and that includes Wong Liu, the daughter of Chinese immigrants. She dreams of being an actress and has chosen a stage name, Anna May Wong. At 16, Anna May leaves to pursue her Hollywood dreams. A page-turning tale inspired by the real-life events of Anna May Wong, who found fame during Hollywood’s Golden Age.

What readers are saying: “The Brightest Star, by Gail Tsukiyama, is an amazing story about an amazing and brave trailblazer! Learning about Anna May Wong’s life, her family and her friends was just fascinating. She struggled as the first Asian movie starlet, so others wouldn’t have to. It’s just a shame that it took so long for her to get the appreciation that she deserved.”

‘The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post’ by Allison Pataki

Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, in the late 1800s, Marjorie finds herself gluing cereal boxes in her father’s barn—but no one could have predicted that C. W. Post’s Cereal Company would grow into the General Foods empire and reshape the American way of life. After her father’s success, Marjorie became a high-society wife and mother. Then, she made history with her business acumen, which was unheard of for a woman in the 1900s.

What readers are saying: “This was one of my favorite books of all time. Do you know why? Not only was it superbly written, it was written from the heart and brought us back to times gone by with eloquence and from a woman’s point of view. I loved it. How lucky we were in America to know her. Read this book.”

‘The Girls in the Picture’ by Melanie Benjamin

Want to take a peek into Hollywood before its classic Golden Age? This immersive tale is set in 1914 Hollywood during the “silent era” in film. The story centers on the friendship of two real-life trailblazers of the early film era, actress Mary Pickford and screenwriter Frances Marion. As collaborators, their friendship cycles through phases of support and rivalry through Hollywood’s early days. A propulsive and powerful story of sisterhood.

What readers are saying: “I’m a huge fan of the Silent Era and this book was like a ripple in time. You could imagine yourself right there through all of the ups, downs, tragedies and triumphs the two famous women experienced as they took on Hollywood and left a lasting legacy that helped birth our present-day media world.”

‘The First Ladies’ by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Eleanor Roosevelt was an outspoken First Lady who fought for civil rights and women’s rights. And when she befriends the daughter of formerly enslaved parents, Mary McLeod Bethune, an activist and educator, the pair share their secrets and dreams. Their friendship becomes something they rely on, and they are there for each other through the best and worst of times.

What readers are saying: “The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray is a biographical historical fiction novel of a beautiful and significant friendship between a First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt, and the First Lady of the Struggle, Mary McLeod Bethune. I loved the new historical facts and people I learned of while reading this story. I highly recommend this story!”

‘The Frozen River’ by Ariel Lawhon

Inspired by real-life Revolution-era diarist and midwife Martha Ballard, this novel is set in the winter of 1789. When the body of one of the most respected men in Hallowell, Maine, is found in a frozen river, Martha is called in to investigate. Relying on her medical knowledge as a healer and the diaries she keeps about the goings-on in her village, she begins to unearth the truth behind an unspeakable crime. And when a local physician undermines her conclusion by declaring the death to be an accident, Martha must overcome secrets and lies to solve the case.  

What readers are saying: “This biographical history based on the actual diary of Martha Ballard is intricately plotted, peopled with very real characters, some lovable and some despicable. Lawhon’s writing is picturesque, lovely to read, compelling in pushing the story forward. Loved this novel from beginning to end.”

‘Strangers in the Night: A Novel of Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner’ by Heather Webb

Dive deep into the luxurious lives of Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner in this sparkling tale set in Hollywood’s Golden Age. Ava was a small-town beauty who turned into a massive movie star and Frank was the crooner whose iconic voice skyrocketed him to success. An exciting, star-studded story that follows their relationship and rollercoaster careers in Hollywood.

What readers are saying: “Heather Webb tells the story of the love affair between Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner through their alternating perspectives. I found this novel very entertaining and well-written. It was like reading the tabloids of Old Hollywood, but it gives more personal insight into their tumultuous and passionate relationship.”

‘By Any Other Name’ by Jodi Picoult

Melina Green is a playwright in NYC having no luck getting her play about her ancestor Emilia Bassano, who she believes is the real author of many of Shakespeare’s works, produced. So when Melina’s friend submits her play under a male name, she gains a sense of Emilia’s struggle, creating art without acknowledgment.

What readers are saying: “This book was one of the best researched and well thought out dual timelines novels I’ve ever read. The history as well as the fiction held me captive and drew me so far into the story that I’ve researched things on my own to explore the people Jodi brought (back) to life.”

Have you read any of these books? Share your favorites in the comments below!