HWA authors launch five historical fiction novels

The Historical Writers’ Association’s book ecosystem produced a concentrated burst of new historical fiction on May 21, 2026, when five member titles by Alison Weir, Glenda Young, Lucy Waverley, Mike Hollow and Tracy Cook were published. Historia Magazine, the HWA-linked publication, posted separate new-book entries for each release and tied several of them into its broader 2026 books list. The titles ranged from Tudor England to Victorian London and the world wars. Together, they offered a snapshot of the periods and subgenres HWA members are publishing this year. ### Which five books came out on May 21? Alison Weir’s *The Boleyn Secret* was listed by Historia Magazine as published on May 21, 2026. The novel follows Kate Carey, Anne Boleyn’s niece, from Anne’s execution through Elizabeth’s rise, with the plot centered on what Historia described as a family secret that reshapes Kate’s life. Glenda Young’s *Celebrations at the Toffee Factory* was also listed as a May 21 paperback release. (historiamag.com) Historia said the novel is set after the First World War and follows factory workers Elsie, Anne and Hetty as they confront romance, business trouble and the return of men from the Front. Lucy Waverley’s *Noble Beasts* arrived the same day as a debut novel set around artist Sir Edwin Landseer in 1858. (historiamag.com) Historia said the book places Landseer under pressure as he works on the Trafalgar Square lions while struggling with scandal, memory and alcoholism. Mike Hollow’s *The Bloomsbury Murder* and Tracy Cook’s *Wings Over Valletta* completed the group. Historia described Hollow’s book as a January 1941 murder investigation during the Blitz, while Cook’s novel follows Kitty Campbell, an aircraft plotter in Malta in 1941 searching for the daughter she gave up for adoption. (historiamag.com) ### How broad was the historical range? The five releases covered at least four distinct historical settings. (historiamag.com) Weir’s novel is rooted in the Tudor court of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, Waverley’s in Victorian and Regency-era Britain, Young’s in the aftermath of the First World War, and Hollow’s and Cook’s in the Second World War. Historia’s annual 2026 round-up placed those books inside a much larger HWA pipeline. (historiamag.com) The magazine said on January 1 that it had identified more than 130 HWA-member books for 2026 so far, spanning historical fiction, history and biography across periods from ancient history to the mid-20th century. ### What do the individual books show about current HWA publishing? Tracy Cook’s release was paired with an author feature on the same date. (historiamag.com) In that article, Cook wrote that the women who worked in Malta’s plotting room were “the only civilian women in the war to plot aircraft battles at a Fighter Command,” and said their work inspired *Wings Over Valletta*. The release notes also show a mix of formats and career stages. (historiamag.com) Historia identified *Noble Beasts* as Waverley’s debut novel, while Young’s *Celebrations at the Toffee Factory* and Hollow’s *The Bloomsbury Murder* were both issued in paperback on May 21 rather than as first-time hardback launches. ### Where can readers track what comes next? The Historical Writers’ Association says on its website that it exists to help traditionally published authors connect with other writers and find publicity opportunities. (historiamag.com) Historia, which is linked from the HWA site, is continuing to update its 2026 books coverage and said readers should return to its year-round round-up as more titles are added. Penguin Random House lists a U.S. edition of Weir’s *The Boleyn Secret* for May 26, 2026, while Historia said it would also publish a feature from Lucy Waverley about the background to *Noble Beasts*. (historiamag.com) Those posts give readers the next named milestones after the May 21 cluster of releases. (penguinrandomhouse.com) (historicalwriters.org)