Looking for an unforgettable collection of books similar to The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah? As an award-winning author and longtime blogger, I know how stories can reveal the complexities of family. Here are my top three recommendations:
The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess - a heart-wrenching mystery about a grieving teen’s search for answers about her anorexic sister’s sudden and tragic accident.
Purge by Sofi Oksanen - a stunning novel about two women in Estonia in 1941 and the way their lives are bound through silence, shame, and betrayal.
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon - set in New England during the early days of America, a midwife finds herself in the middle of solving a rape and murder.
You’ll find detailed reviews of these and many other favorites below.
So which books like The Nightingale should you read next? Discover your next great read in this roundup. All of these novels are set in another time period when one or more characters is struggling with a mystery, a war, sisterhood or other complicated family relationships, or some combination of those. I hope you find something that catches your interest. Happy reading!
The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse
“When things come to an end in a way you didn't expect, in a way you never could have imagined, do they really come to an end? Does it mean you should keep searching, for better answers, for ones that don't keep you up at night? Or does it mean it's time to make peace?” ― Monica Hesse from The Girl in the Blue Coat
The Girl in the Blue Coat hooked me from the very beginning. It's a historical mystery, set in Amsterdam during WWII, and the protagonist is a teenage girl who trades black market goods to support her family. One of her clients asks her to help find a missing Jewish girl. Hanneke is good at finding things, but this isn't her kind of thing.
Still, she is drawn into the mystery and can't help herself from searching. As the pages unfold, we learn about Hanneke's lost love, meet new friends, and see her grow as a person.
Sometimes, young Hanneke seems bratty, singularly focused, and unfeeling, but at the same time, her instincts have helped her stay alive this far. If you enjoyed The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, I think you will love this one too.
Purge by Sofi Oksanen
"The only thing left alive was the shame." ― Sofi Oksanen from Purge
I picked up Purge to add to my list of YA books about human trafficking, but this novel is pure literature, a stunning international masterpiece that spans decades of history, generations of pain, and dark twisted family secrets.
Set in Estonia and bouncing between 1941 and 1992, two protagonists tell their tales in a long and dizzying narrative that weaves between present terror and past horror. These women are bound to each other in multiple ways. Their mutual distrust them unreliable narrators, so that only the reader really only has the full picture, and sometimes even that picture is murky.
As I think back on each of these women's experiences, I see so many parallels in what happened to each, even though the details are very different on the surface. For example, both are raped. Both are silenced. Both are shamed. One is betrayed. One is a betrayer.
This is the kind of epic novel that I can think about for a long time and even read again. I missed things and know that I would see even more in a second reading because the book is so sweeping and full of such meaningful symbolism and detail.
If you loved The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and want another sweeping historical novel, be sure to add Purge to your TBR pile.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
“I am haunted by humans.” ― Markus Zusak from The Book Thief
No list of historical novels like The Nightingale would be complete without including The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. How could you have missed this one? It has been at the top of the best seller lists for years—and with good reason!
In this historical novel set in Nazi Germany, we meet a young foster girl named Liesel. She’s an orphan. She loves books. She and her foster parents are sheltering a Jewish man in their basement. He also likes to read.
The writing is lovely. Zusak paints Liesel’s world of poverty, anxiety, fear, and grief in shades of stark contrasts. He is both a poet and a novelist.
What a wonderful, heartbreaking, haunting, and gripping story! It makes you really ask deep questions. It’s so beautiful. It’s transformational. It’s the reason why I love books.
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
“It’s an unimaginative accusation and one that I am frankly tired of hearing. Witchcraft. As though there is no other explanation for a woman who excels at her work.”― Ariel Lawhon from The Frozen River
What a wonderful book! Historical fiction isn't my usual genre, but the cover and the accolades for "The Frozen River" made me give it a try.
On a high level, this mystery is about a midwife named Martha Ballard. The body of an accused rapist is found frozen in the river, and after examination, Martha says that the victim was murdered. She becomes a key witness in a trial for the woman who was raped because she treated the woman's wounds after the assault. The other accused man is a judge.
This novel has many layers. Beyond the mystery, there is the social commentary on women, family, sexual assault, and society during early days of America in New England. Paul Revere is mentioned as a friend of the family. The author depicts a rich setting of cold winter, warm homes and hearts, young love and pre-marital relationships, and the early court system. I couldn't put it down.
Fans of The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah will love this one.
The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess
“It’s easier to think about food and the physical pain inside my body from not eating than the other pain of not having Kat. My sister would totally understand this. She would. As long as I’m connecting to her this way—our familiar, hungry old way—she’s with me.” ― Khristina Chess from The Delinquent Hero
For readers who loved the complex and tragic sister relationship in The Nightingale, The Delinquent Hero offers a similar, raw exploration of sisterhood, eating disorders, and devastating loss. If you’ve ever lost someone you love, this gripping YA novel speaks directly to the grief of saying goodbye.
At its core is Molly, desperate for answers after her older sister, Kat, lands in the hospital. Something is suspicious. The investigation unfolds in real time, peeling back layers of secrets, regrets, and the painful bond they’ve always shared. For Molly, reconnecting with Kat means slipping into their old patterns—the kind that consume and starve in equal measure.
"I'm not very hungry. I am, and I'm not. I am hollow, but this feeling seems less about food and more about Kat. At any rate, I do not want to eat."
What makes The Delinquent Hero truly unforgettable is its heart-wrenching puzzle—not just unraveling what happened that night, but understanding Kat herself. This novel doesn’t just tell a story; it forces you to feel every ache, every unanswered question, every regret, every desperate search for why.
A beautifully crafted novel, The Delinquent Hero has sparked conversations across book clubs and reader communities. I wholeheartedly recommend this lovely and memorable sister story. If The Nightingale left you in tears, The Delinquent Hero is an absolute must-read.
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
I have read several of Laurie Halse Anderson's books, and I found this one to be ambitious, compelling, and heartfelt. I learned things about slavery during the American revolutionary war that were new since most literature I've consumed has been during the later period of the civil war. The author’s research into the book made it rich and come alive.
Readers who liked The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah will love this amazing historical YA book about class difference, race, and slavery in early American history to your reading list. In fact, Laurie Halse Anderson is such a great author that she’s on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she’s all-around amazing!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
“If there was only one tree like that in the world, you would think it was beautiful. But because there are so many, you just can't see how beautiful it really is.” ― Betty Smith, quote from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
I first heard about this book from Oprah Winfrey and picked it up during the book club years. A classic YA novel published in 1943, before YA was really “a thing,” A Tree Grows in Brooklyn tells the story of a poor young girl growing up in Brooklyn, a child of struggling immigrant parents.
This classic historical YA book about immigration, class, and poverty, and Francie, has remained with me for decades. There’s a reason why this novel has stood the test of time. If you liked The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, you’ll devour this one.
We Walked the Sky by Lisa Fiedler
“The show must go on, even when it's not the show you expected to be in.” ― Lisa Felder, quote from We Walked the Sky
Fiedler's multi-generational novel really captured and held my interest. Two parallel stories are running: the grandmother, Victoria, is a 16-year-old who runs away and joins the circus in 1965, and her granddaughter, Callie, is a teen who has followed in her circus footsteps, but now finds herself in a new place.
There are mysteries to unravel and friendships to develop. I loved all the circus lore and animals and characters. Really, it was an enchanting story. I want to read more by this author.
When compiling the list of amazing historical novels like The Nightingale, be sure to add this one.
The Women by Kristin Hannah
“The women had a story to tell, even if the world wasn't quite yet ready to hear it, and their story began with three simple words. We were there.“― Kristin Hannah, quote from The Women
I learned so much from this beautiful novel! Frankie is a well-crafted character who is immensely sympathetic, even when she begins her really self-destructive spiral during PTSD. Maybe even more so because of everything she went through. She and the other women are fierce, loyal, compassionate, and inspirational.
One image that sticks with me is the army regulation "uniform" with high heels that Frankie arrives in Vietnam wearing. Another is the way Americans spit on her when she returned home at the end of her tour. Another is the way the Veterans hospitals kept turning her away.
This is my second Kristin Hannah, and I loved it as much as The Nightingale. Kristin Hannah has an impressive catalog of titles, and I'll be going back for more!
Other Books You’ll Devour If You Liked The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
If you’re looking for other books like The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, Goodreads also offers a great book list: Readers Who Enjoyed The Nightingale. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads.
Khristina Chess is an award-winning author of a dozen young adult novels, including The Cutting Edge of Friendship, The Delinquent Hero, and Junior Missing. Hollow Beauty, her book about eating disorders, was named a finalist in the Next Generation India Book Awards. She tackles tough teen topics and writes binge-worthy books across multiple genres, including contemporary, thriller, mystery, and adventure.