Dr. Helena P. Schrader is an award-winning historical novelist and non-fiction author with a distinguished career spanning aviation, the Second World War, ancient Sparta, and the Crusader States. Her extensive body of work includes six critically acclaimed non-fiction books and twenty historical novels, twelve of which have earned prestigious literary awards. Among her notable titles are "Cold Peace," a 2024 Independent Press Award winner for Political Thrillers, "Moral Fibre," which received the Global Book Awards Gold for 20th Century Historical Fiction, and "Where Eagles Never Flew," honored with the Hemingway Award for 20th Century Wartime Fiction. Her novel "Envoy of Jerusalem" also secured the Book Excellence Award for Best Biography in 2017.
Schrader's writing is distinguished by meticulous research and nuanced character development, reflecting her academic background and diplomatic experience. She holds a PhD in history from the University of Hamburg, where her doctoral thesis examined a leader of the German Resistance to Hitler. Her professional tenure as an American diplomat in Europe and Africa further enriched her understanding of historical and geopolitical dynamics. Currently, she is completing "The Bridge to Tomorrow Series," a trilogy exploring the Berlin Crisis of 1948–1949 through multifaceted perspectives. The first installment, "Cold Peace," has garnered multiple accolades, including recognition from the Historical Fiction Company and Feathered Quill Awards.
Retired and residing with her husband and two dogs, Schrader continues to craft narratives that bridge historical events with human experiences. Her works, praised for their depth and authenticity, offer readers a window into pivotal moments of the past while illuminating universal themes of resilience and conflict.
Balian D'Ibelin Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
Balian d'Ibelin: Knight of Jerusalem
2014
2
Defender of Jerusalem
2015
3
Envoy of Jerusalem
2016
Bridge to Tomorrow Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
Cold Peace
2023
2
Cold War
2024
Leonidas of Sparta Trilogy Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
A Boy of the Agoge
2010
2
A Peerless Peer
2011
3
A Heroic King
2012
Tales from the Languedoc Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
A Widow's Crusade
2013
2
The Disinherited
2013
Templar Tales Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
The English Templar
2007
2
St. Louis' Knight
2014
The Rebels of Outremer Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
Rebels Against Tyranny
2018
2
The Emperor Strikes Back
2019
The Templar Trilogy Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
The Cypriot Knight
1995
2
Sir Jean of Acre
1997
Standalone Novels
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
The Olympic Charioteer
2005
2
Are They Singing in Sparta?
2006
3
The Lady in the Spitfire
2006
4
Where Eagles Never Flew
2007
5
Spartan Slave, Spartan Queen
2007
6
Traitors for the Sake of Humanity
2008
7
The Last Crusader Kingdom
2017
8
Lack of Moral Fibre
2021
9
A Rose in November
2021
10
A Stranger in the Mirror
2021
11
Moral Fibre: A Bomber Pilot's Story
2022
12
The Tale of the English Templar
2025
Non-Fiction Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
Sisters in Arms: The Women Who Flew in World War II
2006
2
The Blockade Breakers: The Berlin Airlift
2008
3
Codename Valkyrie: General Friedrich Olbricht and the Plot Against Hitler
2009
4
The Holy Land in the Era of the Crusades: Kingdoms at the Crossroads of Civilizations, 1100–1300