Buddy reads -- historical fiction

Since you all had such wonderful suggestions for my last post, here's another one. I'm looking for picks for a buddy read with my boyfriend. He loves historical fiction (his favorite book is Pillars of the Earth), most enjoys books with strong, propulsive plots, and is a sucker for lyrical writing. He also requested that our buddy read book be fewer than 500 pages. Does anything come to mind?

I’m about halfway through Sutton, set mostly in the 1910s-1930s, centering around bank robber Willie Sutton. Though you may be looking for something set further back in time.

Most of the books I would like to recommend are more than 500 pages.

However, how about WW I? Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey, by Kathleen Rooney is a fascinating novel about the use of homing pigeons as messengers. Cher Ami is at the Smithsonian!

I may have already suggested The Boys in the Boat in another thread. It’s worth it. It’s the story of the 1936 US Olympic rowing team. Admirably done take.

Oh, sorry. You asked for fiction.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles has the lyrical writing but maybe not the strong, propulsive plot. Excellent book, though.

Thank you, all! I'll add these to our list :)