Sarah Dunant books

Sarah Dunant is a British author known for historical fiction set in Renaissance Italy, including The Birth of Venus, In the Company of the Courtesan, and the Borgias duology.

Anthologies

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Arc Short Stories 1998 Buy

Borgias Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Blood & Beauty 2013 Buy
In the Name of the Family 2017 Buy
În numele familiei 2017 N/A

Hannah Wolfe Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Birth Marks 1991 Buy
Fatlands 1993 Buy
Under My Skin 1995 Buy

Maria Masterson Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Exterminating Angels 1984 Buy
Intensive Care 1986 Buy

Non-Fiction

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The War of the Words 1994 Buy
The Age of Anxiety 1996 Buy

Standalone Novels

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Snow Storms In A Hot Climate 1995 Buy
Transgressions 1997 Buy
Mapping the Edge 1999 Buy
The Birth of Venus 2003 Buy
In the Company of the Courtesan 2006 Buy
Sacred Hearts 2008 Buy
The Marchesa 2025 Buy

Sarah Dunant has published 18 books since 1984, moving from crime fiction to historical fiction over the course of her career. Her early work includes the Maria Masterson series (Exterminating Angels, Intensive Care) and the Hannah Wolfe private investigator trilogy (Birth Marks, Fatlands, Under My Skin). These crime novels established her reputation in the 1980s and 1990s.

Starting with The Birth of Venus in 2003, Dunant shifted to historical fiction set in Renaissance Italy. In the Company of the Courtesan (2006) is set in Venice, Sacred Hearts (2008) takes place in a convent in Ferrara, and the Borgias duology (Blood & Beauty and In the Name of the Family) covers the rise and fall of the Borgia family. Her most recent novel, The Marchesa (2025), continues her focus on Italian history.

Between her crime and historical phases, Dunant published thrillers like Snow Storms In A Hot Climate, Transgressions, and Mapping the Edge. She has also written two non-fiction books on contemporary issues and contributed to the Arc Short Stories anthology.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Sarah Dunant written?

Sarah Dunant has written eighteen books across six series.

What was Sarah Dunant's first book?

Sarah Dunant’s first book is Exterminating Angels, published in 1984.

What genre does Sarah Dunant write?

Sarah Dunant has written across several genres during her career. Her early work includes crime fiction (the Hannah Wolfe and Maria Masterson series), but she became best known for historical fiction set in Renaissance Italy, including The Birth of Venus and the Borgias novels.

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