Below is a list of fiction books that may be of interest to genealogists and family historians. Most are written by independent authors and many are self-published. If you have written a genealogy-related book, please feel free to submit the form to have your work included at https://pxl.to/BookSubmissionForm (also found at the very bottom of this page).
See the list of Genealogy Books (Non-Fiction) HERE.
Inclusion in this list does not indicate endorsement or promotion by ConferenceKeeper or the National Genealogical Society. This is simply a platform provided for authors to share their genealogy-related publications.
Genealogy Books (Fiction)
| Title | Author | Description | Fiction or Non-fiction? | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | What Happened to Uncle Norman? | Cavill, Sue | For the first forty-one years of his life, Norman made many mistakes. He went on trial at the Old Bailey, was deprived of his corporal stripe innumerable times, went AWOL twice, was handed a twenty-eight day detention, three days under close arrest and charged with dangerous driving. He was without doubt an extremely determined and talented musician and played trumpet obligato at a society wedding. But, then, tragedy struck. How did it affect him and will he be able to redeem himself? This book examines what the whole family want to know “What happened to Uncle Norman?” Become part of the family as his Great Niece gives out first hand clues that answers this puzzling question. | Fiction | https://www.amazon.com/What-Happened-Uncle-Norman-skeletons/dp/1739746015 |
 | The Desk from Hoboken (A Genealogy Mystery Book 1) | Condike, ML | In a bid to heal from the grief of a personal loss, forensic genealogist, RaeJean Hunter, takes on a straightforward case —identify human remains found on a nearby college campus, believed to be the 180-year-old remains of Mary Rogers, a woman who died mysteriously in 1841 and was believed to have been buried in the nearby cemetery that had washed away. It should be simple enough, a project to get her back in the game. Unfortunately, it quickly becomes anything but. In fact, it becomes downright dangerous. What truths have been hidden for 180 years that would be worth bribery, kidnapping, and even murder? RaeJean Hunter is about to find out. | Fiction | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CHN8G37X |
 | Time's Vessel: Echos of Courage (based on true stories) | Davis, Susan | Emma Davis, an overlooked historian struggling in a male-dominated world, receives a cryptic package containing an antique silver mug from beyond the grave. Little does she know, this heirloom harbors a staggering secret. With one sip, Emma is catapulted into the lives of her ancestors, and what begins as a curious exploration into her Bancroft lineage soon becomes a harrowing journey through history's darkest and most perilous moments. From the paths between safe houses along the Underground Railroad to the unforgiving landscapes of a young, bustling city, Emma uncovers the realities of her family’s past as she seeks survival for herself. Time’s Vessel is a gripping tale of courage, legacy, and the unseen forces that shape our lives. | Fiction | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DHR2P2KQ/ |
 | Family Secrets | Farrar, Beth | When Ellie McLellan’s heroic act puts her in the media’s unforgiving spotlight, the secrets of her own family threaten to unravel. With the press digging into her past, Ellie must rely on her sharp genealogical skills—and her trusty seniors group—to uncover the truth before her family's legacy is shattered. Can she solve the mystery in time, or will the headlines expose more than she can handle? | Fiction | https://mybook.to/hPFPtkr |
 | Family Mistakes | Farrar, Beth | When Ruth appears on Ellie’s doorstep, drenched and shaken, she’s holding more than just a packet of letters—she’s holding the key to a mystery that will change her life. Hidden diaries from her attic reveal shocking truths about someone Ruth trusted most. With her world crumbling, she turns to Ellie for help. Together, they dig into a past filled with secrets and lies, racing to uncover the truth. But can they solve the mystery before it’s too late to give Ruth the future she deserves? | Fiction | https://mybook.to/RkHV |
 | Family Promises | Farrar, Beth | When Cozy Corner Café owner Maggie discovers she’s inherited from a mysterious relative, excitement turns to dread. A dangerous family history is revealed, and now Maggie’s life—and everyone around her—is at risk. Can Ellie’s genealogical skills uncover the truth before it’s too late? | Fiction | https://mybook.to/KpA32 |
 | Family Crimes | Farrar, Beth | When Aunt Norma reveals a long-buried family crime, Ellie and her senior genealogy group set off for Virginia’s Cabins to fix the past. But with treasure to find, secrets to uncover, and a proposal to pull off, this trip will be anything but restful! | Fiction | https://mybook.to/wSheTTZ |
 | Family Christmas | Farrar, Beth | A Family Feud and a Christmas Mystery - Ellie’s holiday plans are derailed when a long-standing family feud threatens Percyville’s beloved Christmas tradition. With her senior genealogy group, Ellie must find a hidden town treasure before it’s lost forever. Can she save Christmas in time? | Fiction | https://mybook.to/fPH0DsU |
 | Family Links | Farrar, Beth | Ellie McLellan never expected her new role at the Percyville Historical Society to uncover more than dusty archives. With her senior genealogy team, Ellie unearths a town mystery—and a startling secret about her own family. Will the truth bring peace or more questions? | Fiction | https://mybook.to/PXIuX6X |
 | Family Ties | Farrar, Beth | When Ellie lands in Scotland, she’s thrilled at the thought of meeting Quinn’s family, but nothing could prepare her for the emotional impact of discovering an aunt she never knew existed. Welcomed by her mother’s side of the family, Ellie finds a connection she’s longed for, but her joy is soon eclipsed by a surprising revelation about Quinn. As their relationship takes on a deeper meaning, Ellie must confront this new truth and what it means for their future. | Fiction | https://mybook.to/4BArY1a |
 | Family Vows | Farrar, Beth | Ellie’s wedding dreams teeter on chaos as the Cozy Corner Café transforms into her venue and UK relatives descend with secrets in tow. When a mysterious WWII-era photo and whispers of a witch ancestor emerge, Ellie must solve family mysteries while preparing to say “I do.” | Fiction | https://mybook.to/4TA9L |
 | Hiding the Past | Goodwin, Nathan Dylan | A Genealogical Crime Mystery. The Forensic Genealogist series #1. Peter Coldrick had no past; that was the conclusion drawn by years of personal and professional research. Then he employed the services of one Morton Farrier, forensic genealogist – a stubborn, determined man who uses whatever means necessary to uncover the past. With the Coldrick Case, Morton faces his toughest and most dangerous assignment yet, where all of his investigative and genealogical skills are put to the test. However, others are also interested in the Coldrick family, people who will stop at nothing, including murder, to hide the past. | Fiction | https://mybook.to/HidingthePast-ebook |
 | The Lost Ancestor | Goodwin, Nathan Dylan | A Genealogical Crime Mystery. The Forensic Genealogist series #2. When Morton Farrier, the formidable forensic genealogist, is called upon to uncover the mysterious disappearance of a housemaid working in a large Edwardian country house in 1911, he embarks on a perilous journey into the past. Uncovering surprising secrets and facing dangerous adversaries, Morton must use his comprehensive genealogical skills to solve the case. Will he be able to put the pieces together before it's too late? | Fiction | https://mybook.to/TheLostAncestor-ebook |
 | The Orange Lilies | Goodwin, Nathan Dylan | A Genealogical Crime Mystery. The Forensic Genealogist series #3. Morton Farrier's life as a forensic genealogist has kept him from his own family's secrets- until now. This Christmastime novella follows Morton as he investigates the mysterious events surrounding his family's past, as well as events from one hundred years ago. In the course of his research, it soon becomes clear that not all of the soldiers had a peaceful truce on the Western Front during that fateful 1914 Christmas... | Fiction | https://mybook.to/TheOrangeLilies-ebook |
 | The America Ground | Goodwin, Nathan Dylan | A Genealogical Crime Mystery. The Forensic Genealogist series #4. Morton Farrier, the renowned English forensic genealogist, had finally cleared a space in his busy schedule to track down his own elusive father. But when he is presented with a case that challenges him like no other, his own family history takes a backseat as he races to find the killer of a woman murdered more than a hundred and eighty years ago. With the threat of sinister elements determined to derail the investigation, the clock is ticking for Morton to solve the mystery. | Fiction | https://mybook.to/TheAmericaGround-ebook |
 | The Spyglass File | Goodwin, Nathan Dylan | A Genealogical Crime Mystery. The Forensic Genealogist series #5. Morton Farrier was no longer at the top of his game. With his career in forensic genealogy faltering and no new cases to work on, Morton decides to focus on finding his own biological father. But when a mysterious woman abandoned in the midst of the Battle of Britain begs him to uncover her past, Morton can't help but accept the challenge. What Morton discovers is a secret document with links that could expose the wrongdoings of powerful people who want its contents to remain hidden forever. | Fiction | https://mybook.to/TheSpyglassFile-ebook |
 | The Chester Creek Murders (Venator #1) | Goodwin, Nathan Dylan | When Detective Clayton Tyler is tasked with reviewing the formidable archives of unsolved homicides in his police department’s vaults, he settles on one particular cold case from the 1980s: The Chester Creek Murders. Three young women were brutally murdered—their bodies dumped in Chester Creek, Delaware County—by a serial killer who has confounded a slew of detectives and evaded capture for over thirty-eight years. With no new leads or information at his disposal, the detective contacts Venator for help, a company that uses cutting-edge investigative genetic genealogy to profile perpetrators solely from DNA evidence. Taking on the case, Madison Scott-Barnhart and her small team at Venator must use their forensic genealogical expertise to attempt finally to bring the serial killer to justice. Madison, meanwhile, has to weigh professional and personal issues carefully, including the looming five-year anniversary of her husband’s disappearance. | Fiction | https://getbook.at/ChesterCreek-ebook |
 | The Sawtooth Slayer (Venator #2) | Goodwin, Nathan Dylan | April 2020, Twin Falls, Idaho. A serial killer is on the loose. A nameless man is kidnapping young women from their own homes, taking them out of the city to kill them before returning their bodies to random locations around the city. Detective Maria Gonzalez heads up the investigation but has very few leads to pursue. As time passes and fears rise that the killer might strike again with a fifth victim, Maria turns to Venator—an investigative genetic genealogy company—in the hope that they can identify the killer from his DNA alone before he has the chance to take yet another life. Despite her initial reticence to take on the company’s first ever live case, Madison Scott-Barnhart and her team in Salt Lake City agree to try to reveal the identity of this barbaric serial killer. In the midst of the global pandemic that has closed the Venator office and posed both personal and professional problems for Madison, time is running out on this case. | Fiction | https://mybook.to/sawtooth |
 | The Hollywood Strangler (Venator #3) | Goodwin, Nathan Dylan | In the glitzy, gritty underbelly of 1980s Los Angeles, a chilling series of murders left the city gripped with fear. Six small-time actors and actresses met brutal ends; their bodies grotesquely posed in scenes from the films that had given them their fleeting fame. The Hollywood Strangler evaded capture, leaving behind only a trace of DNA and a legacy of terror. Decades later, the case remains ice-cold, a favorite for true-crime aficionados but a nightmare for detectives. The LAPD Cold Case Homicide Unit, desperate for a breakthrough on this case, turns to Venator, an elite investigative genetic genealogy company headed up by Madison Scott-Barnhart. Knowing the media storm that the case will attract, Madison reluctantly agrees to take on the investigation, where she and her small team must use their forensic genetic genealogy skills to identify one of the most infamous serial killers in U.S. history. But only if the remaining DNA proves sufficient to test… | Fiction | https://getbook.at/Hollywood-ebook |
 | Nothing Really Bad Will Happen | Holman, Deborah | Winner of the prestigious 2024 Richard G. Tomlinson Literary Award, "Nothing Really Bad Will Happen" masterfully intertwines a family's struggles against the backdrop of Hitler’s regime. What unfolds when a man loses everything in a world consumed by hatred? In 1938 Vienna, Sigmund Lichtenthal, a once-thriving hat maker, faces the unimaginable: he loses everything he holds dear. Determined to reclaim his legacy, he embarks on a lifelong odyssey, confronting the heart-wrenching reality of his son’s internment in a concentration camp. The echoes of this family tragedy resonate through time, profoundly affecting Sigmund's granddaughter, Doris. This book is perfect for history buffs, genealogy enthusiasts, and anyone captivated by real-life stories of resilience and personal discovery. Witness the courage of a family navigating the trials of displacement and adaptation in America and explore untold stories that shaped generations. Unlike other Holocaust narratives, this poignant story focuses on the emotional impact of losing everything and the strength to start anew. With meticulous attention to actual records and intimate letters, it encourages readers to reflect on their self-worth in the face of unimaginable challenges. Experience the indomitable spirit of humanity as you follow Sigmund, his son, and their descendants on a transformative journey that highlights the power of recognizing one's intrinsic value and the legacy it leaves behind. This deeply personal tale invites you to explore generations of love, loss, and legacy, as you uncover the secrets of a family’s past. | Fiction | https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-Really-Bad-Will-Happen-ebook/dp/B0CVW7SZM4 |
 | Another Day in Paradise | Knight Tony | A genealogy murder mystery set in Southampton, England and the Gulf Coast of Florida was the debut offering from author, Tony Knight. Aspects of Tony’s family history feature in a novel with many twists and turns. The story follows genealogist Tom Harding and American client Annie Kane as they track down the truth about Annie’s family secrets. Set both in the current time and in years gone by, the reader is regularly catapulted into the past and back again, mixing historical fact and more than a little fiction. As their research progresses, their relationship gets closer despite the best efforts of the mysterious David. Who is David and why is he trying to stop them in their tracks? Is murder a genetic trait? | Fiction | https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DPLKLD8W?binding=kindle_edition&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tkin |
 | Another Day in Birmingham | Knight Tony | Book 2 in the Tom Harding and Annie Kane genealogy murder series from author, Tony Knight, the sequel to ‘Another Day in Paradise’ is set in Birmingham, England and the Gulf Coast of Florida. Aspects of Tony’s family history feature with many twists and turns as genealogist Tom Harding and ex-client, now girlfriend, Annie Kane seek the truth about their Police Chief client and his family secrets. The reader’s journey is to the past and the present mixing historical fact and with more than a little fiction. What is the Chief’s secret and why is he trying to stop them in their tracks? What is the truth about the lives of his murderous ancestors? Is murder a genetic trait? Find out when you read “Another Day in Birmingham” | Fiction | https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0DPN2F2L3?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_1&storeType=ebooks |
 | Blood-Tied | Percival, Wendy | First book in the genealogy-inspired Esme Quentin Mystery series. A desperate crime, kept secret for 60 years... but time has a way of exposing the truth... Esme Quentin is devastated when her sister Elizabeth is beaten unconscious, miles from her home. Two days later Esme discovers that Elizabeth has a secret past. Desperate for answers which the comatose Elizabeth cannot give, Esme enlists the help of her friend Lucy to search for the truth, unaware of the dangerous path she is treading. Together they unravel a tangle of bitterness, blackmail and dubious inheritance, and as the harrowing story is finally revealed, Esme stumbles upon evidence of a pitiful crime. Realising too late the menace she has unwittingly unleashed, Esme is caught up in a terrifying ordeal. One that will not only test her courage and sanity but force her to confront her perception of birth and family. | Fiction | https://mybook.to/Blood-Tied |
 | The Indelible Stain | Percival, Wendy | Book 2 of the genealogy-inspired Esme Quentin Mystery Series. Esme Quentin’s arrival in north Devon is marred by the gruesome discovery of a fatally injured woman at the foot of Warren Cliff. Esme is troubled by the woman’s final words and curious about the old photograph clutched in her hand. The police, however, dismiss Bella Shaw’s death as accidental. But Bella’s daughter, Neave, has her own questions and approaches Esme for help. The subsequent trail leads Esme back to the brutal penal history of 19th century England and the mystery of a Devon convict girl transported to Australia for her crime. As evidence of betrayal and duplicity are revealed, Esme discovers Bella’s link to events in the past – a link which now endangers Neave and, by association, Esme. A legacy of hatred which has festered for generations in the 'land beyond the seas' now threatens to spill over on to Devon soil with devastating consequences. | Fiction | https://mybook.to/TheIndelibleStain |
 | The Malice of Angels | Percival, Wendy | Book 3 of the genealogy-inspired Esme Quentin Mystery Series. Esme Quentin is reminded of a painful past when Max Rainsford, a journalist colleague of her late husband Tim, turns up unannounced asking about a story Tim reported on thirty-five years ago – the murder of an old soldier. Esme, wary of Max’s motives, declines to get involved. Meanwhile, Esme’s friend Ruth, prompted by WWII anniversaries, wants to solve the mystery of Vivienne, her mother Bea’s sister, a wartime nurse who never came home. Despite Bea’s disapproval, Ruth is convinced the truth will finally help Bea come to terms with her loss and asks Esme to investigate. Esme unpicks the threads of Vivienne’s past and stumbles upon a disturbing connection, linking the old soldier’s murder to her own distressing past and her late husband’s fate. As events unravel, Esme realises that to uncover the secrets behind Vivienne’s story, she must also confront the terrifying truth behind her own. | Fiction | https://mybook.to/MaliceofAngels |
 | The Fear of Ravens | Percival, Wendy | Book 4 of the genealogy-inspired Esme Quentin Mystery Series. TWO FAMILIES HAUNTED BY A SINISTER PAST: When Esme Quentin is engaged to research the history of an ancient mill owned by her client, Anna Brannock, she stumbles upon a bitter family feud, tales of witchcraft and a century-old allegation of murder. As Esme digs deeper, the past begins to converge on the present, when Anna becomes the target of a disturbing campaign, echoing menacing events from many years before. Can a 19th century curse still wield its formidable power? What connects Anna with the 24 year-old mystery concerning the whereabouts of the charismatic Ellen Tucker?Esme must uncover the truth to save Anna from becoming a 21st century victim, in a cruel repetition of her ancestor’s merciless fate. | Fiction | https://mybook.to/FearofRavensPBK |
 | The Scourge of the Skua | Percival, Wendy | Book 5 of the genealogy-inspired Esme Quentin Mystery Series. The discovery of a 100-year-old murder in a client’s family history leaves Esme Quentin bewildered by her client’s curious reaction. But with no instruction to find out more, Esme instead turns her attention to clearing the dilapidated outbuilding at her new cottage. Amongst the junk she finds a 17th-century map associated with the name Chalacombe, a local family with an intriguing and mysterious history. As Esme begins to unpick the threads of the family’s story, she is plunged back to a time when lawlessness ruled the high seas and piracy was rife. The arrival of an unwelcome visitor raises questions which Esme cannot answer, and in a desperate search for the truth, Esme stumbles upon a bizarre and disturbing crime. Has she inadvertently uncovered a link between the Chalacombe family’s enigmatic past and the 100-year-old murder? But who might be threatened by such a revelation now, in the present day? Who has got the most to lose? | Fiction | https://mybook.to/Pbk |
 | Death of a Cuckoo | Percival, Wendy | An Esme Quentin Short Read A letter. A photograph. A devastating truth. When Gina Vincent receives a letter of condolence from a stranger following her mother’s death, a photograph slipped inside reveals a disturbing truth – everything she’s ever known is based on a lie. Shocked and disorientated, she engages genealogy detective Esme Quentin to help search for answers. The trail leads to an isolated and abandoned property on the edge of Exmoor, once the home of a strict Victorian institution called The House of Mercy and its enigmatic founder, whose influence seems to linger still in the fabric of the derelict building. As they dig deeper, Esme realises that the house itself hides a dark and chilling secret, one which must be exposed to unravel the mystery behind Gina’s past. But someone is intent on keeping the secret hidden. Whatever it takes. | Fiction | https://mybook.to/Death-of-a-Cuckoo |
