BHT Books: What to Read Now

Whether you’re looking for historical fiction, a royal biography or a Bronte heroine reinvented as a serial killer, there's something here for every book lover.

Virgins: An Outlander Novella by Diana Gabaldon
Starting with one of our favorite authors: Diana Gabaldon released a Kindle single version this novella, which promptly landed a spot on the New York Times Bestseller list for E-fiction. Anyone who wants to find out more about young Jamie Fraser’s life--after his first encounter with Black Jack Randall but before Claire fell into his world--will devour all 86 electronic pages of this one. (Click here to read our interview with the author.)

Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave
Author Chris Cleave, even with all his success, feels a little more well-known over in the UK. “Oh! You mean the Little Bee guy, right?” seems to be the reaction to his name on this side of the pond. His fourth novel, historical fiction set in WWII, is inspired by his own family tree: a grandfather who served in Malta and a grandmother who drove ambulances during the blitz. The Guardian says this one “cements his reputation as a skillful storyteller” and that it “portrays the visceral experiences of war with skill and empathy” and with “moments of genuine terror.” (Everyone Brave Is Forgiven goes on sale 5/3.)

Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen: A Novel by Alison Weir 
For everyone who can’t get enough of the Tudors—and who can, really?—historian Alison Weir takes on Henry’s first wife, the true queen: Katherine of Aragon. The first of the “Six Tudor Queens” series (one for each wife!) won’t be on sale until May 31, but the advance praise is already buzz-worthy. Check out what Charles Spencer, aka Diana’s younger brother, had to say: “Yet again, Alison Weir has managed to intertwine profound historical knowledge with huge emotional intelligence, to compose a work that throws light on an endlessly fascinating figure.”

Born to Be King: Prince Charles on Planet Windsor by Catherine Mayer
Speaking of the royals, the latest biography of Prince Charles caused something of a stir in the house of Windsor. Published in the UK under the title Charles: The Heart of a King, it has a few not-so-flattering things to say about the man who will eventually sit on the throne, including a prediction that he’ll make for a “meddling monarch.” (This accusation seems to follow the prince around lately, e.g., Mike Bartlett’s play King Charles III.) He was not pleased; his private secretary even sent a letter to the Times calling these claims “ill-informed speculation, “ which, of course, only created more buzz for the book. (You might want to grab the UK edition. It looks like a few things were edited out for the US version.)

The Servant Queen And The King She Serves
For a less gossipy royal read, you could honor the Queen's imminent birthday by ordering The Servant Queen and The King She Serves. The Bible Society’s website states that the book “uses the Queen’s own words to draw out the central role of her trust in Jesus Christ.” Both meditation and celebration of Her Majesty’s faith, this slim volume also has a forward written by Elizabeth herself: “I have been — and remain — very grateful to you for your prayers and to God for his steadfast love,” she writes. You might have to order a batch of ten and share with friends, but they’re not so expensive.

Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye
We’re suckers for a classic novel reinvented with a new twist, but Jane Eyre as a “gutsy, heroic serial killer”? Yes, it’s an homage to Brontë’s classic tale that you never, ever could have imagined. Think Charlotte’s Jane meets Dexter. Booklist called this historical crime novel “a must for Brontë devotees” and Bookriot raved: “This book scratched all my favorite itches: Victoriana, feminist rage, and excellent, gut-punch sentences. You’ll love this Jane just as much as you love the original.”

A Very English Scandal: Sex, Lies and a Murder Plot at the Heart of the Establishment by John Preston
Even though this much anticipated title doesn’t go on sale in the US until October (!), you can buy a copy from the UK on May 5--and have it delivered to the states. Preston, former arts editor of the Evening Standard and the Sunday Telegraph, presents a throughly researched account of the Thorpe affair, a seminal British political sex scandal which, according to press materials, “revealed such breath-taking deceit and corruption in an entire section of British society that, at the time, hardly anyone dared believe it could be true…an eye-opening tale of how the powerful protect their own, and an extraordinary insight into the forces that shaped modern Britain.”

A Quiet Life by Natasha Walter
Finally, expect this one to be on nominated for all sorts of awards. Impress your friends by reading it before the reviews start pouring in for the thriller inspired by the life of Melinda Marling, wife of the Cambridge spy Donald Maclean. The author, a feminist writer, human rights activist and the director of Women for Refugee Women, calls it “a story of Cold War espionage, but above all it's the story of a woman's survival.” Everyone agrees it’ll be a huge hit. A Quiet Life will be published on June 16 in the UK.