Lady MacBethad

Power. History. Love. Hate. Vengeance.

She will be Queen. Whatever it takes...

Daughter of an ousted king. Descendant of powerful druids. Destined to take her place in history.

As a child, Gruoch's grandmother prophesies that she will one day be Queen of Alba and reclaim the lands of her Pictish kin. When, many years later, she is betrothed to Duncan, the heir-elect, the prophecy appears to come true. Determined to never to be as powerless as her parents, Gruoch leaves behind her home, her family and her friend MacBethad, and travels to the royal seat at Scone to seal her fate.

But when a deadly turn of events forces Gruoch to flee Duncan and the capital, Gruoch finds herself at the mercy of an old enemy.

Her hope of becoming Queen all but lost, Gruoch does what she must to survive, until she is given a choice: live a long, peaceful life but fall into obscurity, or seize her chance for vengeance and a path back to the throne.

An unputdownable, sweeping historical epic, Lady MacBethad reimagines the life of Gruoch - the real life Scottish Queen who inspired one of Shakespeare's most famous characters.

 

Review

Love, lust, revenge, power - this completely mesmerising debut has it all ― Good Housekeeping

Suspenseful, atmospheric and full of twists and turns, I loved the brutal backstabbing world that Isabelle Schuler conjures up where only the most ruthless can survive. A thoroughly enjoyable read! -- Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times bestsellers Ariadne and Elektra

It has everything you need from an immersive, captivating epic, packed with brilliant writing and a suspense-laden plot. There will certainly be a lot more to come from Schuler ― Harper's Bazaar, The Best New Fiction Books to Read in 2023

Isabelle Schuler's Lady MacBethad achieves the unthinkable: transforming Shakespeare's wicked queen into an empathetic heroine. I was transfixed by this wholly convincing tale of Scottish mormaers and machinations -- Laura Shepperson, author of Sunday Times bestseller, The Heroines

An extraordinary novel about an extraordinary and unforgettable character. Love, revenge, power and lust - Lady MacBethad has it all and is impossible to put down. Gruoch will stay with me for a long time, I loved her. -- Emily Koch, author of If I Die Before I Wake and Keep Him Close

sabelle Schuler's Lady MacBethad is a stunning debut, and sure to become an instant classic. Gruoch's rise to power is utterly absorbing and believable, and she is a compelling and complex character. Schuler's meticulously researched historical setting weaves history, folklore and literature to create an unputdownable read - even if we know how the story ends, we're desperate to find out exactly how it began -- Cailean Steed, author of Home

As far as feminist retellings of traditional stories go, there is little that compares to the wealth of intrigue, exploration and developed depth that Schuler constructs. A wonderful read and highly recommended. It's very easy to get lost in the world of the great Scottish Queen and her infamous husband -- Chris Reed, NZ Booklovers

This Scottish Game of Thrones, by a Swiss American Hawaiian film-score writer and actress, is certainly a well-crafted page turner. Isabelle Schuler is skilled in complex plotting, memorable characterisation and in ending every chapter with a tempting twist in the narrative to encourage the reader to move to the next even when there are so many other duties calling. The book entertains ― Otago Daily Times


The suspense-filled origin story of one of Shakespeare's best-known characters ― BBC News, Books of 2023
hen there are so many other duties calling. The book entertains ― Otago Daily Times

Lady Macbethad by Isabelle Schuler is an action-packed historical tale and a reimagining of the life of the Scottish queen who inspired the story of Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth ― Belfast Telegraph: Books of 2023

About the Author

Isabelle Schuler is a Swiss-American actress, writer and former Waterstones bookseller.
She has a BA in Journalism and her screenplay Queen Hereafter was longlisted by the Thousand Films Screenwriting Competition in 2019. In 2020, Schuler adapted Queen Hereafter into her debut novel, Lady MacBethad. She lives in Hertfordshire.