To Battle! Books of War and Espionage

Try these books if you're looking for:

• action
• thrillers
• fantasy
• adventure
• emphasis on war and espionage
• smart characters 
• realistic tactics
• some lighthearted moments

Transfer of Power 
By Vince Flynn
F FLYNN Mitch_Ra #1
When a gang of terrorists seizes control of the White House, taking hostages, leaving many dead, and driving the president to a secret bunker, it is up to the CIA's top counterterrorism specialist, Mitch Rapp, to stop the insurrection.

Rules of Deception 
By Christopher Reich
F REICH Jonathan #1
Following the death of his wife in a mountaineering accident, Dr. Jonathan Ransom receives a mysterious message that makes him the subject of an international manhunt as he struggles to unravel the truth behind his wife's secrets.

Under Heaven 
By Guy Gavriel Kay
SCI-FI KAY
Shen Tai, son of an illustrious general, has spent two years honoring the memory of his late father by burying the bones of the dead from the site of one of his father's last great battles. In recognition of his labors, an unlikely source has sent him a dangerous gift: 250 Sardian horses. Two hundred and fifty is an unthinkable gift, a gift to overwhelm an emperor. A gift men would kill for.

For more espionage and action thrillers, you may want to try:

• The General's Daughter by Nelson DeMille 
• At Risk by Stella Rimington 
• The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins 
• Semper Fi by W. E. B. Griffin 
• Killing Floor by Lee Child 

For more epic fantasy novels with wars and interwoven plots, you may want to try:

• Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (starting with The Eye of the World) 
• The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss 
• Sabriel by Garth Nix 

For lighter stories with smart characters, you may want to try:

• The Naming by Alison Croggon 
• Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown 
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

Fast-paced, Romantic, and Intriguing Mysteries

Try these books if you're looking for:

• Mysteries
• Fast pace
• Romance

The Likeness
By Tana French
MYSTERY FRENCH
Detective Cassie Maddox has transferred out of the murder squad and started a relationship with Detective Sam O'Neill, but she's too badly shaken by previous experiences to make a commitment to him or to her career. When Sam’s new case turns up a murder victim who looks just like Cassie—and has the name Cassie used to go undercover in a prior case—things take an interesting turn.

Green Darkness
By Anya Seton
F SETON
When Celia Marsdon and her husband Richard visit his family's hereditary manor of Medfield Place in Sussex, she begins to relive the experiences of an earlier Celia. In a parallel tale, Celia de Bohun has a love affair with Stephen Maisdon, a priest in 1552, that leads to heartbreak and tragedy.

Caught in the Light
By Robert Goddard
MYSTERY GODDARD
Goddard blends suspense with the biography of an early nineteenth century female photographer. Edgier than Du Maurier’s writing, it still offers similar appeal: strong characters caught in extreme circumstances, a compelling story of obsession revealed through layers of issues and meaning, polished prose, and psychological undercurrents.

The Weight of Water
By Anita Shreve
F SHREVE
A photographer who has come to a small island off the coast of New Hampshire to shoot a photo-essay about a double murder that took place there over a century ago, notices parallels between her own life and the lives of the murder victims.

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
By Lauren Willig
F WILLIG
Leaving Harvard to complete her dissertation on the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian in England, Eloise Kelly discovers information about the most elusive spy of all time, a figure who single-handedly saved England from Napoleon's invasion.

Historical Fiction with Romantic Subplot

Try these books if you're looking for:

• Historical Fiction
• Romance
• Intrigue and Espionage
  

The Golden Tulip
By Rosalind Laker
F LAKER
Francesa Visser is about to begin an art apprenticeship with Jan Vermeer when she finds out that, in order to get money to pay off gambling debts, has found a new patron to support him—a patron with a shady past who demands Francesca as collateral. An unexpected person provides the needed financial aid to allow Francesca to go free—and to pursue a relationship with a tulip grower.

The Memoirs of Cleopatra
By Margaret George
F GEORGE
History and legend are combined in this story of Cleopatra, who tells of life from the time of her mother’s death to her own suicide. This emotional saga includes political intrigue and passion.

The Innocent
By Posie Graeme-Evans
F GRAEME-EVANS
Anne, a beautiful young peasant, travels to London to find work. Her skills with herbs and healing attract the attention of the Queen, while her beauty catches the eye of King Edward IV.

The Black Tulip
By Alexander Dumas
F DUMAS
Famous author Alexander Dumas weaves historical events surrounding a brutal murder into a tale of romantic love. Set in Holland in 1672, this timeless political allegory draws on the violence and crimes of history, making a case against tyranny and creating a symbol of justice and tolerance: the fateful tulipa negra.