AI-generated summary reviewed by our editorial team.
- These 7 historical novels are all set in New Orleans, spanning the 1700s to 1950s.
- Isabel Allende is among the celebrated authors featured on this list.
- Renée Ahdieh’s ‘The Beautiful’ blends romantasy with New Orleans’s haunted history.
Few American cities carry as much history—or mystery—as New Orleans, Louisiana. Between the whispers of voodoo, the sounds of jazz spilling out of the French Quarter and centuries of secrets tucked into every corner, it’s no wonder so many authors have set their stories here. These seven historical novels capture the love, danger and magic that make New Orleans one of the most storied cities in America. Keep scrolling to find your next great read.
Which city’s history would you love to read about next in a historical fiction novel?
Best historical fiction books about New Orleans
From magic to mayhem, here are the best historical fiction books about New Orleans.
‘The Seamstress of New Orleans’ by Diane C. McPhail
Set in 1900, the tale follows Alice Butterworth, a pregnant young woman abandoned by her husband. Desperate for a second chance, she heads to New Orleans, where she offers sewing lessons at an orphanage. After seeing Alice’s sewing skills, widow Constance Halstead offers Alice lodging in exchange for a gown for the much-anticipated Leap Year ball of Les Mysterieuses. As the two begin to work together, secrets begin to unravel, they wonder who they can trust.
What readers are saying: “The Seamstress Of New Orleans is a tale of mystery, intrigue, friendship and female empowerment. If you love historical fiction as I do, you’ll enjoy this fun read.”
‘Out of the Easy’ by Ruta Sepetys
Mystery, intrigue and murder abound in this novel set in the 1950s French Quarter. Seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine is known around town as the daughter of a prostitute, but that hasn’t stopped her from wanting more for herself. But when a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie tangled in an investigation, things change. Now Josie must choose who she trusts within the city, before the killer comes after her too…