Best Historical Fiction

  The Woman at the Wheel imagines the story of Bertha Benz, whose husband built the first prototype automobile, which eventually evolved into the Mercedes-Benz marque. She lived in the shadow of her husband. This story celebrates her contribution to his success. Second half of 19th century. From a young age, Bertha Ringer is fascinated by her father’s work as a master builder in Pforzheim, Germany. Bertha is bored with every man her mother tries to push her way until she meets Carl Benz. Despite her mother’s skepticism, Bertha is fascinated with his idea of the horseless carriage. His old clothes don’t scare her. It’s his mind that fascinates her. The storytelling beautifully exposes his passion and his drive, and her strong believe in him. Her belief is so strong that she invests her dowry and inheritance in him. The path to success is not easy and meanwhile they need to make a living. They work as equal partners. They invent components for carriages, farming equipment, buildings,...

  Egypt 1935. The story begins with sixteen-year-old Cleo Davenport being told that she needs to move to London. She was raised by her adoptive mother, and her life is absorbed by finding out about her parentage. In London, she has a chance to meet the Prince of Wales, now crowned as Edward VIII, as a debutante. In Paris, she is able to talk to a courtesan who tells her a story of meeting Prince of Wales during WWI and the consequences when she gets pregnant. The story for most of the part is absorbed by personal matters with a slow progression. The dimensions to the character are stronger in the second half. She has an ambition of designing jewelry but WWII changes her plans. She wants to be useful during the war, so she finds some duties.  It is an interesting premise of the known courtesan to be claiming to have a child with Prince of Wales and her creating a story what happened to that child.  Release date: September 12, 2023 Source: William Morrow