Looking for the best books set in England? There are so many incredible stories set in England, so if you love to read and love everything English then these are the books you’ll want to pick up! From old classics to more contemporary reads, from serious literature to comedic books, and with a wide variety of genres, these 16 books are sure to help you find your next favorite English book!
1. Persuasion by Jane Austen
When looking for the best novels set in England, one novel you need to be sure to pick up is Persuasion!
This romantic classic tells the story of Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth, a couple who was engaged at one point before a family friend convinced Anne to break off the engagement. Anne has always regretted breaking it off…but now that Wentworth has finally returned from years of journeying across the sea, will the two be able to surmount the obstacles in their paths to be reunited in their love?
Austen’s Persuasion is a beloved classic novel, and much of it takes place in Bath and Lyme Regis. So if you’re hoping to “visit” these two beautiful places in England through reading, then this is the book for you!
2. To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
If you’re interested in books set in England that were written in more modern days, then To Say Nothing of the Dog may be just the book you’re looking for!
This book is part of the Oxford Time Travel series, and it is set in a futuristic Oxford where time travel has now become possible and the people in charge of time travel are the Oxford historians. When a wealthy patron decides to rebuild Coventry Cathedral, the time travelers at Oxford must jump to do everything she says…including multiple time jumps to make sure all the historical details are absolutely accurate, and nothing is missing from the new cathedral.
But in the midst of the craziness before the new cathedral’s dedication, something starts to go wrong with the time continuum and historian Ned Henry is sent back to the past to right the issue before it gets out of hand. But unfortunately, Ned Henry’s been on too many time travel missions already and is suffering from disorienting time lag…meaning he’s fuzzy on the details of how he’s supposed to save the continuum… Can he figure it out before it’s too late?
If you’re looking for a hilarious sci-fi read set in England, then this is definitely the book to pick up. Plus, you’ll get to visit future Oxford as well as past Oxford while enjoying this uproarious read!
Buy To Say Nothing of the Dog now!
3. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Another book that takes place in England that you might enjoy is Mrs. Dalloway. This work is one of Virginia Woolf’s most well-known works and is often considered her greatest novel, so be sure to add this to your list!
Taking place in the span of a single day, this book tells the story of Mrs. Clarissa Dalloway as she plans the last-minute details for hosting a party. Yet, while she prepares, her mind wanders to remembering the past and her past choices, thinking of the realities of her life in the present, and finally looking toward the future and to growing old.
It’s a fascinating read, and if you’re looking for books set in London then this is a good choice to pick up!
4. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
North and South is another enjoyable book set in England, and it is also one of the best classic romance novels!
This story follows Margaret Hale as she moves from the South to the factory-driven world of the north of England during the Industrial Revolution. While the south of England is filled with light and beauty, the north is filled with poverty, coal smoke, and division between the rich mill owners and the poor mill workers. Margaret soon finds herself in conflict with local mill owner John Thornton…but is he the villain she first believes him to be?
While the book primarily takes place in the fictional town of Milton in the north of England, it still vividly feels like a real English location. Add to this the fact that much of Gaskell’s work reflects her reaction to the industrialization of her real-life city of Manchester, and it’s clear that even though the name of the town is fictional the setting is entirely real.
5. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
If you’re looking for the best classic books set in England, then Oliver Twist is another good choice to add to your list!
This classic Dickens novel follows the titular Oliver Twist through the dark, criminal side of London. Orphaned at birth, Oliver’s life is steeped in poverty and mistreatment. He’s then sent to the workhouse, drawn into company with criminals, and…well, just generally everything goes wrong that can go wrong. But will his innocent nature win out over evil in the end, or will evil overtake him?
If you’re looking for more books to read that are set in London, then this is a classic you won’t want to miss!
6. Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Tess of the D’Urbervilles is another classic English read, and follows the tragic story of Tess Durbeyfield.
Driven by poverty, Tess finally seeks to claim the wealthy D’Urbervilles as her family…but, unfortunately, her cousin Alec sets in motion events that will lead to her downfall. Meanwhile, Angel Clare offers Tess love and seeks to rescue her. Will Tess’ past stand in the way of her hope for the future?
Hardy is not at all an author that I like; his books are sad and make me so, so angry. But I know lots of people who do love his novels, AND this book offers up a pretty famous scene set at Stonehenge. So even though it’s not my cup of tea, it definitely still belongs on this list of books set in England! And who knows, maybe you’ll like it?
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7. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Another beloved book that takes place in England is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Although technically written as a children’s book, readers of all ages have fallen in love with the magic of Narnia!
This first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series follows the four Pevensie Children as they stumble their way into Narnia for the first time. At the beginning of the book, we find them sent away from London to live in the English countryside because of WWII. Here, they live in a mysterious old house with a man called the Professor.
One day, while playing hide and seek, Lucy falls through the back of a wardrobe into a strange, snow-covered world…where she soon learns that it has fallen under an evil enchantment? Will the four siblings be able to battle the evil and free Narnia with the help of the lion Aslan?
While this novel does not take place entirely in England, it does start out in the English countryside…which makes this the perfect read for those who want a taste of England with a heavy dose of an exciting fantasy world!
Buy The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe now!
8. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Looking for even more novels set in England? Peter Pan is another story that takes place partially in England and partially in a fantasy world, and (as evidenced by the wildly popular Disney film) it is a beloved story to many people!
This book follows the Darling children (Wendy, John, and Michael) as they meet and have adventures with the elusive and forever-youthful Peter Pan. When Peter visits the children’s nursery one night, he teaches them to fly and convinces them to come back with him to Neverland—a place filled with pirates, fairies, and all sorts of adventures. But Neverland has a strange draw that lures all children who visit into forgetting their previous lives and staying forever. Will the Darlings give into the lure and become members of the Lost Boys? Or will they be able to remember their family and return to their old life?
Not only is this novel partially set in England, but it’s also one of the shortest classic books you’ll ever find so it won’t take long to read. So if you’re considering reading this book but on the fence, give it a try and you’ll read through it in no time!
9. At Bertram’s Hotel by Agatha Christie
At Bertram’s Hotel is one of the Miss Marple mysteries, and takes place in a hotel in London. When Miss Marple decides to take a two week vacation at Bertram’s Hotel, she soon finds herself embroiled in mystery and mayhem. With family drama, missed flights, concussions, hidden pasts, and (of course) murder, there’s a lot to straighten out as the police seek to untangle the mysteries and find the murderer!
Many of Agatha Christie’s novels take place at least partially in England, so if this London-based one doesn’t sound interesting then there are plenty of others to choose from (including the London-based Tommy and Tuppence novel The Secret Adversary, which is one of Christie’s novels you can read for free). If you like mystery, then picking up one of the Queen of Crime’s novels is a good choice!
10. A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
A Study in Scarlet is the first published novel about Sherlock Holmes. Here, Dr. Watson has just returned form Afghanistan and meets Sherlock for the first time when they become flatmates at 221 B Baker Street. Of course, a Sherlockian mystery ensues with Dr. Watson tagging along as the faithful sidekick.
I love the idea of Sherlock Holmes because detectives and solving mysteries is fun, but in reality these books have never been my favorite. However, Sherlock is nearly as synonymous with London as a detective gets—you can even visit 221 B Baker Street (now a Sherlock museum) on a real-life visit to London! And there are lots more Sherlock stories to read if you find you enjoy this first one.
11. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Wuthering Heights is another famous classic read, following the story of Heathcliff and Catherine who grew up together and fell madly in love. However, when Catherine throws over Heathcliff and marries a wealthy man instead, their love story turns into one of revenge.
Set in the Yorkshire moors in England, this story feels Gothic in nature and is what some would call a dark romance. Others, like me, think it’s not so much a romance and more just a tale of revenge, destruction, and societal issues…but if it sounds at all like something you’re interested in, give it a go and see if you like it!
12. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice is another Austen classic (even more famous than Persuasion), and is a delightful read! It follows the the Bennet family and their five unmarried daughters (most especially Elizabeth Bennet) as their mother strives to marry them off and make sure they are all happily settled. Luckily, a rich young man has just moved into the neighborhood…and we all know that means he must be in want of a wife!
Pride and Prejudice’s real-life locations move between several places, including Hertfordshire, Brighton, London, Derbyshire, and Kent. The actual houses mentioned aren’t real, but the countryside and areas where they’re located most definitely are! Of course, all of Austen’s works could end up on this list of books set in England and are all lovely books to read before traveling to England…but we’ll stop on this list with the two already mentioned. Just know you can pick up any of her other novels as well and find that perfect English setting!
13. My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
Right Ho, Jeeves is part of the Jeeves and Wooster series, where Bertram Wooster is always falling into scrapes and his personal gentleman (valet) Jeeves always comes up with a way to get him out of whatever trouble he’s fallen into. If you’re a fan of silliness, misunderstandings, and a bit of slapstick, then this series is definitely one you’ll want to pick up! In this specific novel, Bertie Wooster gets himself into all sorts of scrapes including prize giving at a grammar school, unwanted engagements, and even his aunt’s beloved French chef quitting! But Jeeves is here to set it all right…
Some of the Jeeves and Wooster series is set in New York, while other stories and novels are set in England. But Right Ho, Jeeves mostly takes place at Bertie’s Aunt Agatha’s house in England called Brinkley Court, which makes it an excellent addition to these novels set in England!
14. A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
A Bear Called Paddington is the first in a beloved series of books about a bear from Darkest Peru. When Paddington travels to London for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Brown find him on the platform of Paddington Station with a sign asking someone to “look after this bear.” So they take him home, and thus begins Paddington’s adventures…including lots of disasters, like accidentally flooding the house! Will the Browns like their new lives filled with adventure due to Paddington’s escapades?
This book takes place in London, and is so well-loved that the real-life Paddington Station has even put up a statue of Paddington the bear that you can visit at the train station! It’s a fun location to visit if you travel to England.
Buy A Bear Called Paddington now!
15. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome
Another book set in England that you may enjoy is Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K. Jerome. This book is a humorous travel account of boating on the Thames, and was partially the inspiration for Connie Willis’ book mentioned earlier on this list.
The three men in this travel account are based on Jerome himself and two friends, George Wingrave and Carl Hentschel, who often took boating trips together. But the dog in the book, Montmorency, is entirely fictional. While this book was at first intended to be a serious travel guide, in its writing it transformed into humorous accounts of life and vacation on the river.
Yet while the story itself turned into mostly a fictional tale, the section of the Thames the characters travel along is very real and an itinerary you can follow yourself (from Oxford to Kingston) if you so choose. Additionally, the accounts of the places along the river, including pubs and inns, are also real and many of them are still open to visit on the river today!
So if you want to go on a journey on the Thames through reading, this is the book to pick up!
16. Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy Sayers
Murder Must Advertise follows amateur detective Lord Peter Wimsey as he infiltrates and ad agency to try to figure out whether recently-deceased Victor Dean’s fall down the stairs was an accident or on purpose. Did someone send him to his death, or was it the simple accident everyone supposes it to be?
If you’re looking for mystery books set in England, then this is another excellent choice to pick up! With the ad agency’s location in London, and all sorts of fun English things popping up throughout (like cricket games), this is an exciting book to read!
Buy Murder Must Advertise now!
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