This paper will explore the recent trend in the popularising of history and its impact on teaching and learning. There has been a steady increase in the amount of fiction, films, television shows, documentaries and children's programs situated in or concerned with historical events, eras or historical figures. The evident popularity among the wider public for these popularised forms requires teachers of history to re-evaluate their use in the classroom. They might also be tools in which we can reengage pre-service teachers and students into the subject area. This paper will present the findings of a pilot study concerned with exploring the use of historical fiction in pre-service teacher education programs. What emerged from the findings suggests that the inclusion of historical fiction in pre-service teacher education programs, and within history classrooms, may potentially have a positive impact on learning and result in higher levels of engagement with the subject.