[Recommendations?]

I know you get a lot of these sort of posts, I aplogise in advance. This is also my first post here, so I hope I do it right!

Anyway, a couple of things.

Firstly, I have just finished (re)reading (again) The King's General by Daphne Du Maurier. It is a fictional story based on real events, set in the English Civil War. I know the range of 'historical fiction' is one that is wide and extremely varied, so I was wondering if anyone could recommend any good novels set in this period?

Another thing is, I'm really into Daphne Du Maurier (can you tell, I go round suggesting her books everywhere? and have read pretty much all of hers I can get my hands on) and I was wondering if anyone could suggest anything else similar, either of the period (1930s ish onwards) or in the same sort of style/vein of writing, particularly female writers, though not excuslively.. if that makes any sense what so ever. I'm sorry for my vagueness :/

The last thing (sorry!) I've been spending a lot of time in Waterstones recently looking at books.. anyway, just wanted to know, anyone got anything to say about 'Graceling'?? yay? nay?

Thank you so much :)