Works of Historical Fiction feature fictionalized or dramatized accounts of actual historical figures, events, or places. These books are typically set in a specific historical time period or location, and may include real historical figures as either primary or secondary characters.
It's important to understand that not all books set in historic time periods are classified as "historical fiction." Typically, the relationship between the book's copyright date and the book's time setting distinguishes the two.
For example, John Hersey's 1944 novel A Bell for Adano is considered a work of contemporary/realistic fiction because it was both written during and set in the World War II era. Though Markus Zusak's 2005 novel The Book Thief is also set in World War II, it is considered a work of historical fiction because it was published much more recently.