Top Ten Tuesday: new-to-me authors I discovered in 2021

It’s been a while since I participated in the TTT, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Today, I list 10 authors I read a book from for the first time in 2021. That wasn’t easy, because more than half of the books I read in 2021 where from ‘new’ authors. As I started the classics club project, I discovered a lot of classic authors too. So I decided to make a selection based on ten authors I would like to read more books from.

1. Gill Paul

Gill Paul was one of those authors on my still to try list. Her dual timeline novels mostly tackle the lives of royal or noble women. In The collector’s daughter we meet Lady Evelyn Herbert who was the first woman to step into the tomb of Tutankhamun. She’s recovering from another stroke when an Egyptian researcher Ana stands at her doorstep asking questions about missing artefacts.

Paul writes with extensive historical knowledge but this book is a light read. However, I’m curious to discover some of her more older books now.

2. Annie Garthwaite

As this book conquered a spot in my top ten of 2021, it’s no surprise that I list Garthwaite’s Cecily. She’s a new voice in historical fiction and I hope she will publish many more books surrounding a strong female lead character.

3. Nathalie Haynes

Nathalie Haynes wrote my favourite Greek myth retelling I’ve read so far. I’ve enjoyed some podcasts with her after her release of ‘Pandora’s jar’, a non-fiction book about the role of women in Greek mythology. I definitely want to read her other novel ‘The children of Jocasta’ and I’m hoping she will one day write a novel about Cassandra.

4. Nicola Cornick

Another must loved author of historical fiction who writes dual timeline novels. The last daughter is set during the Wars of the Roses, one of my favourite periods. I hope to start ‘The phantom tree’ one day, as I’ve heard it’s one of her best books.

5. S.D. Sykes

I read the first two books in the Oswald De Lacy mystery series set right after the great English plague epidemic in the 14th century. Sykes writes clever murder mysteries without losing sight of the intriges of the De Lacy family. I hope to continue this series in 2022.

6. Kate Mosse

An author I was more or less avoiding because I thought her books were too much ‘Dan Brown’. But I am really enjoying this series set during the Huguenots Wars in Southern France. Mosse brings an original perspective to the 16th century. I usually read books about the Tudor period, but the Valois dynasty in France proves equally interesting.

7. Sarah Burton

Apart from the beautiful cover, ‘The strange adventures of H.‘ proved an unexpected gem. Sarah Burton writes with a modern ironic voice but still with a lot of respect for the historical facts (in this case plague-ridden 17th century London). One of the most original books I’ve read in 2021.

8. Toby Clements

I’m in the middle of his Kingmaker series and hope to finish it in 2022. It seems, Toby Clemens hasn’t published any other novels since finishing the series in 2017. Too bad, because I really believe he’s got skill to write bloody battle scenes from a common soldier’s perspective.

9. Anne Brontë

The last Brontë sister I needed to read a book from. ‘The tenant of Wildfell Hall‘ is one of my favourite classics of 2021 and I’m happy to read ‘Agnes Grey’ in the near future.

10. Claire Heywood

Daughters of Sparta was Heywood’s debut novel and an excellent Greek myth retelling. Nothing is known about her future writing plans, but I’m hoping it will again cover some strong female characters.

Were also new-to-me authors in 2021 but didn’t make it to my top ten (because I’m not sure I want to read other work from them): Karen Maitland, Jane Healey, Meghan Masterson, Delia Owens, Michael Ward, Catherine Clemens (will she ever publish another novel?) and a range of classics authors.

Authors of which I’m sure I don’t want to read another novel from (at the moment): Milwood-Hargrave, Mark Knowles and Elizabeth Macneal.

What’s your favourite new author you’ve discovered recently?