Historical Fiction set in the 1920s

[Divia]

I live this time period. The clothes, the naughty things that were going on..women finally being able to break out and test the waters. But it seems like there are so few novels about this time. I read Gatsby's Girl this year. Can anyone thinkg of another novel set during the 1920s from a female pov?

[diamondlil]

I remember reading a book called Silver Wattle by Belinda Alexandre that is set in the 20s. She is an Australian author though, and the book is set in Australia. Not sure how available it is elsewhere.

I also read a series of mysteries that are set in Australia in the 1920s and you definitely get a feel for the era in those. The sleuth is a female as well. It is the Phryne Fisher series of mysteries by Kerry Greenwood. I know that some or all of the books in this series is available in the US.

[Ash]

Divia, after medieval times, this is my favorite era (actually I'd go back to pre WWI, then through the 20s). I love silent movies, I love the clothes, the art and so much more. There is a new non fiction book about the time period that looks intriguing:

http://www.amazon.com/Flapper-Madcap-Celebrity-America-Modern/dp/1400080541/ref=sr_1_1/180-1009574-3199029?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227452001&sr=1-1

[annis]

Patrick Neate's "Twelve Bar Blues" a novel about jazz music.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1741108.stm

I enjoy Kerry Greenwood's Prynne Fisher series as well.

Although they're not actually historical fiction , I still have fun reading Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and Poirot mystery series, and the work of authors like Evelyn Waugh and Dorothy Sayers.

[Caveowl]

"Tisha" - set in Chicken, Alaska in 1927: Not a novel, but extremely well received by library patrons.

Also, some of the novels by Ellen Glasgow, perhaps "Barren Ground."

[annis]

Hi Caveowl, I remember reading "Tisha" many years ago- an inpirational story.

[Ariadne]

Anna Davis's The Shoe Queen is set in 1925 Paris, and Caryn James's What Caroline Knew takes place in Jazz Age Manhattan. If you liked Gatsby's Girl, you may like both of these too.

[Leo62]

This is one of my favourite periods, but doesn't seem to be much in style at the moment.

Some good ones I've read in the last couple of years have been:

A Star Called Henry by Roddy Doyle (set in Ireland covering the period from the Easter Rising in 1916 to the early 20's)

Jacqueline Winspear's terrific "Maisie Dobbs" mystery series (set in the late 20's/early 30's but usually rooted in events from WW1):
Maisie Dobbs
Birds of a Feather
Pardonable Lies
Messenger of Truth
An Incomplete Revenge

[Ash]

Oh, Thomas Mallon's Bandbox is set in the 20s. Its a comedy of errors set around a popular magazine. Really quite fun; reminded me of Dawn Powell's novels of the 40s in terms of evocation of the time period, and the sense of humor.

[tsjmom]

Just saw a new release at the library called (?) 'The House at Riverton'. IIRC it takes place in England in the 20s and 30s in a grand estate with some romance and mystery thrown in. It looked interesting!

[Vanessa]

I really enjoyed The House at Riverton. I have Kate Morton's second novel, The Forgotten Garden, on my TBR pile. Her third, The Distant Hours, is due out in 2010 apparently.

[diamondlil]

The House at Riverton wasn't a bad read. I am looking forward to reading the follow up book, The Forgotten Garden.

[Libby]

I have The House at Riverton somewhere in the growing pile of books waiting to be read. I may move it nearer to the top.

[Leyland]

A Woman of the World by Genie Chipps Henderson may interest you, Divia. Check out #3 on Leyland's Log for 2009 and also at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Woman-World-Genie-Chipps-Henderson/dp/0425199134/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231947114&sr=1-1

[Kasthu]

Just saw a new release at the library called (?) 'The House at Riverton'. IIRC it takes place in England in the 20s and 30s in a grand estate with some romance and mystery thrown in. It looked interesting!

The House at Riverton is very, very good! I also recommend her follow-up, The Forgotten Garden, though it's not out in the US yet until Apirl.

There's also The Glimmer Palace, by Beatrice Colin. Not set during the 1920s, but leading up to it, and set in Berlin.

[Kasthu]

I really enjoyed The House at Riverton. I have Kate Morton's second novel, The Forgotten Garden, on my TBR pile. Her third, The Distant Hours, is due out in 2010 apparently.


I'm glad to hear that she's in the process of writing/ publishing a third! May have to oder thi off Amazon UK, as the US is so slow to pick up her novels.

[Divia]

A Woman of the World by Genie Chipps Henderson may interest you, Divia. Check out #3 on Leyland's Log for 2009 and also at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Woman-World-Genie-Chipps-Henderson/dp/0425199134/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231947114&sr=1-1

that does look interesting. thanks :)

[Belili]

A Star Called Henry by Roddy Doyle (set in Ireland covering the period from the Easter Rising in 1916 to the early 20's)

This book is great. Early 20th century Ireland is really interesting.

One of Tracy Chevalier's novels, Falling Angels, is partially set in the 1920's.

[Margaret]

While I was visiting my old hometown, Denton, Texas, over the weekend, one of my old high school friends introduced me to a novel set in Denton in the 1920s that I had never heard of. Even better, it's really good! It's by Lee Martin, and it's titled Quakertown, after Denton's once-thriving black community. Quakertown was moved farther away from Denton's city center during the 1920s, an event the novel revolves around. I've reviewed it at http://www.HistoricalNovels.info/Quakertown.html.