Grand Prize Winner, Silver, and Bronze Winners for the 2025 HFC Book of the Year
- DK Marley
- Dec 31
- 5 min read
Note from Dee Marley, the CEO of The Historical Fiction Company:
Once again, now in our fifth year of the contest, I'd like to personally thank everyone who entered and who supported us along the way, as well as a special thanks to all of our fabulous reviewers, who are the backbone of this contest.
All the authors who entered this year, you deserve huge commendations for making this year's decision very difficult, as the quality of the writing and the books submitted was just stellar. Not only does it make the decision harder, but it also makes our job of reading and reviewing a huge privilege and a lot of fun to dive into your stories, the ones that we know you spent so much time and effort on. We at HFC applaud each and every one of you!!
CONGRATULATIONS
TO THE
GRAND PRIZE WINNER,
SILVER RUNNER-UP,
& BRONZE RUNNER-UP
FOR THE 2025 HFC BOOK
OF THE YEAR AWARDS!
"While historical fiction frequently tells tales of exile, wrongful imprisonment, and homecoming, The Lost Seigneur stands out for taking a very intimate approach. Exploring the inner landscape of a man torn from his time, his family, and his place in society is more important to Loux than sensationalism.
In this story, a man struggles to reclaim his identity, his family, and his place in a world that has moved on without. It is a hauntingly beautiful story of grief, tenacity, and silent triumph that is written with elegance, historical accuracy, and emotional depth.
David Loux's novel will appeal to those who appreciate character-driven drama, historical fiction, or any other story of tenacity in the face of injustice. This is a worthy successor to Chateau Laux and a notable continuation of Jean-Pierre's legacy." - HFC Reviews
The Lost Seigneur is a sequel to the award-winning Chateau Laux. It is the story of Jean-Pierre du Laux, a nobleman in southern France, who was wrongly imprisoned during a time of religious intolerance and subsequently endeavors to return to his family. Many years have passed since he saw them, and his long incarceration has broken his health. Any reunion would clearly have been impossible, without the unlikely help of a youthful companion that he meets along the way.
David Loux is the author of Chateau Laux, a critically acclaimed, award-winning novel that tells the story of a shocking incident in eighteenth century America. His second novel, The Lost Seigneur expands on the themes detailed in Chateau Laux. and completes the story of a French family’s migration to America in the eighteenth century. He lives in the Eastern Sierra with his wife, Lynn.
For fans of Mary Shelley's unforgettable style and her legendary creature, J.F. Baker gives us another literary gothic tale worthy of sitting on a shelf next to Frankenstein, while melding the cinematic force of Arthur Miller's The Crucible into this chilling novel.
“The Widow of Hartforde” by JF Baker is an incredible read that weaves witchcraft and religion together with human nature at its best and its worst. Combined with Baker’s fast-paced and gripping writing style, the reader is in for an unforgettable and poignant return to the American colonies of the 1660s, with a narrative that will leave much to reflect on. - HFC Reviews
A chilling historical horror novel of witch trials, survival,
and the true monster hiding among us.
Connecticut Colony, 1662
During a midnight witch trial, an unsettlingly woman confesses to making a pact with the Devil—after encountering a terrifying beast in the woods. Her words send a shiver through newcomer Rebecca Easton. She’s seen that creature too.
But when Rebecca dares to speak the truth, suspicion turns on her. Accusations fly. The townspeople whisper.
And now, she too is facing the judge.
To save her, Rebecca’s husband Caleb—Hartforde’s devout reverend—strikes a horrifying bargain: the beast will be found before sunrise… or Rebecca will hang.
As Rebecca leads the search party into the dark forest to chase down danger, Caleb uncovers a deeper, deadlier secret—one that exposes the judge’s hidden agenda and forces the town to confront the real evil lurking behind the witch hunts.
A gripping standalone for fans of The Witch, Year of Wonders,
and dark historical fiction with an unexpected twist.
Combining folklore, feminist horror, and true events from one of America’s earliest witch trials, this novel delivers atmospheric suspense, richly layered characters,
and a haunting mystery that won’t let go.
J.F. Baker is the author of historical thriller THE WIDOW OF HARTFORDE; the romance 26 WAYS TO COME HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (the 2025 International Book Award — Romance category winner); the middle-grade fantasy THE BROTHERS DRAGON: BEYOND LAND'S END; and various short stories.
She worked as a writer and editor for Disney Parks for 19 years. She has an MA in Creative Writing (Harvard University) and is repped by Folio Literary Management.
Even a young girl in pre-WWII China, fascinated with the timeless stories from Jane Austen, can dream of her own Mr Darcy and the lush countryside of Derbyshire. This novel shows a powerful connection that spans across racial divides and nationalistic boundaries, and how books and the written word can create connections no matter where you live... even in the midst of horrific war and tragedy. - HFC Reviews
In war-torn Shanghai in 1937, 21-year-old a-Ling is desperate to escape her loveless family and pursue her lifelong dream: a literature fellowship in London. She just needs money to pay for it. But no one will hire her over the cheap refugee labor flooding into Shanghai’s British-controlled International Settlement as Japanese soldiers terrorize the city outside. With nowhere else to turn, a-Ling begs her estranged cousin for a job at his small magazine. He agrees on one condition: she must help him circumvent the censorship laws that recently suspended all Chinese periodicals, including his.
The censorship laws contain a loophole: they only apply to periodicals registered by Chinese nationals. If she can convince a foreigner to front their registration, her cousin’s magazine can resume publication, and she can earn enough money to go to London. a-Ling’s last hope for the fellowship rests on an elusive British financier, Edgar, with inexplicable ties to the Settlement’s murky underground politics.
With Edgar’s support, the magazine grows more popular, and a-Ling’s relationship with Edgar grows romantic. But when the brutal war enters the Settlement and pro-Japanese terrorists murder a-Ling’s cousin, she knows the magazine was more than just a standard periodical, and Edgar more than just a financier.
Caught in the crossfire between foreign superpowers and pro-Japanese terrorists, a-Ling must decide whether to betray her cousin’s life dream and her country and escape to London—or stay home and fight for freedom.
Florence Chien is the author of the forthcoming political fantasy novel, The Revenant of Surolifia. An excerpt of her historical fiction, Hollow Whispers of the Wind, was a winner of the Uncharted Magazine’s 2024 Novel Excerpt Prize.
Florence is also a co-host of #SmallPitch, a pitch event centered around connecting authors with independent publishers.
Florence was born in China and now resides in Toronto, Canada. She is bilingual in Mandarin Chinese and English. Outside of writing, she is also a real estate lawyer, a connoisseur of coffee, and a fountain pen aficionado.
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