Introduction

An England of Old is a collection of 10 novels all set in England from the 17th to 19th century. the aim of this collection is to inspire teenage readers to engage in the historical fiction genre. there are novels at a slightly lower level to introduce any reluctant readers and elevating to more complicated material either once they are comfortable or are simply already ready for higher reading. 

House of furies

Roux, Madeleine. house of furies, New York: HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2017

House of furies is a Gothic, horror, historical fiction novel for teenagers set in Georgian era (1714-1837) England. This is the first of a two book series with the same name as this book.
House of furies follows a girl named Louisa as she escapes from her harsh school and coming to work as a maid in an English boarding house. It doesn't take long for her to discover that her mysterious employer and his staff execute cruel judgements on the guests.
This book is suitable for teenage readers looking for a horror novel in an underused time period and don't mind a story with a leisurely pace and a menacing tone.

The wreckers

Lawrence, Iain. the wreckers, New York: Delacorte Press, c1998

The wreckers is the first in a trilogy for younger teenagers, called "the high seas trilogy" focused primarily on a boy named John Spencer.
in the first book, John and his father are shipwrecked near an English coastal town which holds an evil secret that they must deal with while also trying to get back out to sea. this is an actin packed, suspenseful book well suited for younger teenagers who are reluctant to read.

The Duchess

Steel, Danielle. the duchess, New York: Delacorte Press, [2017]

The duchess is a story of a noble orphan who has been forcefully removed from her ancestral home by a vicious half-sibling who then takes in abused streetwalkers and transforms them into high-class courtesans in an exclusive bordello.
This story is very plot driven and has an engaging writing style and is a great read for those who enjoy reading about abused women being lifted from the gutters to upper class women.

The meaning of night: a confession

Cox, Michael. The meaning of a night: a confession, New York: W.W. Norton, 2006

The meaning of night: a confession is a compellingly written story filled with rich details, psychological suspense and an intricate plot.
the story is of a man named Edward Glyver who is utterly convinced that he is destined for great wealth, power and influence and will do anything to seize what he believes to be rightfully his.

Olivia Twist

Citation: Langdon, Lorie. Olivia Twist, New York: Blink, 2018

Olivia Twist is a new re-imagining of Charles Dickens story of Oliver Twist in which the main character is instead a girl forced to live as a boy for her own safety until she is rescued from the streets in order to discover her place in society. This book is written for teenagers in a fast paced manner with a fast-paced story-line.

The crimson petal and the white

Faber, Michel. the crimson petal and the white, New York: Harcourt, 2002

The crimson petal and the white is a very popular and well received historical fiction novel of a woman yearning to escape a life of prostitution. It has a steamy tone with a strong sense of place and is largely character-driven, intricately plotted with an open-ended story.

The Great Train Robbery

Crichton, Michael. the great train robbery, New York: Knopf, 1975

The great train robbery is a story about a man named Edward Pierce attempting to rob a supposedly uncrackable safe aboard a fast moving train carrying the payroll for Crimean troops. This story is plot-driven, fast-paced and suspenseful it was also later made into a film.

A taste for monsters

Citation: Kirby, Matthew J. A taste for monsters, New York: Scholastic Press, 2016

A taste for monsters is a historical fiction novel suitable for teenagers who enjoy paranormal themes set in the past.
the story follows a girl named Evelyn, who has been disfigured by the phosphorus in the match factory where she used to work, who gets hired as a maid for Joseph Merrick, the elephant man. during her employment jack the ripper begins his killing spree leading Evelyn and Merrick to be haunted by the ghosts of jacks victims and get swept up in the mystery of Jack's identity.

The Forgotten Family

Matthews, Beryl. the forgotten family, Sutton: Severn House, 2007

The forgotten family is about a girl named Queenie who, at the age of 2 is pulled away from her large family in the slums to live in a big house in the country and is told that this is now her home. 15 years pass and Queenie sets out to find her forgotten family. this journey will hold pleasure, distress and sometimes danger.

Perlman's ordeal

Citation: Hansen, Brooks. Perlman's Ordeal, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux,1999

Perlman's ordeal is a novel set in the turn of the century about a music lover and opium addict named Dr. August Perlman and a catatonic girl that shows up on his doorstep. this causes a chain of events that leads back to the ancient city of Atlantis. This is an award winning historical fiction including themes of spiritualists, reincarnation and hypnotism suitable for those who like a character with obvious flaws.