100 best historical fiction books

Vintage The Romanovs: 1613-1918

This is the book to read if you want a sweeping, well-told account of the Romanovs’ entire three-century reign.

Montefiore, who has written well-regarded books on Stalin, Catherine the Great’s relationship with Prince Potemkin, and Jerusalem, among others, has a wonderful ability to pinpoint crucial moments and recount them in a way that brings individuals and complex personal and political dynamics to life.

St. Martin's Griffin The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra

Long before the Dianas and Kates and Meghans of the royal world, the public were obsessed with Russia's famed grand duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia Romanov.

Here, Helen Rappaport, one of the foremost writers on the Romanovs, delves into the lives of the four sisters, pulling from their own writings to illuminate their experiences in the