<p>'<strong>A wondrous tale of subterfuge, courage, and resolve</strong> set among Kings and Queens, war and passion in eleventh century Scotland'</p>

- Liz Robinson, Lovereading

<p>'a historical romance seen from the perspective of <strong>a strong and determined woman</strong> fighting for life and love,</p>

- Andy Beaven, Mail on Sunday

<p>'Val McDermid paints a more sympathetic and certainly more feminist portrait of the Queen, <strong>adding subtlety, romance and drama to her story</strong>'</p>

- Nora McElhone, Dundee Courier

<p>'In the fifth book in the <strong>critically acclaimed ‘Darkland Tales’</strong> series from Polygon Val McDermid plunges into medieval Scotland. Overturning Shakespeare’s propaganda, the reader will encounter a new Lady Macbeth amidst <strong>a web of vicious intrigue</strong>'</p>

GoodReading Magazine Australia

<p>'This <strong>gripping entry in the Darkland Tales series</strong> of fictional retellings of Scottish history finds the mighty Val McDermid interpret the story of Lady Macbeth with <strong>searing feminist power</strong>'</p>

Waterstones Says

<p>'A <strong>powerful, moving, timely</strong> retelling of the story of a legendary queen'</p>

- Life_of_reilly_76,

<p>'successfully <strong>dismantled my blood-soaked Shakespearean assumptions</strong> about Lady Macbeth'</p>

- Libby Brooks,

<p>'McDermid’s short, sharp novel <strong>does everything it can to upset the narrative we think we know</strong> to tell us a magical new story... <strong>a pushy, playful rewriting of Shakespeare and Scottish history</strong> in the context of the hurly-burly present.</p>

The Conversation

<p>'Chapter after chapter, past and present are warp and weft, alternately <strong>interweaving the compelling, violent machinations of pre-Scotland royal bloodlines with an enthralling love story</strong>. McDermid offers a no-nonsense, authentic earthiness of language, dialogue and descriptive passages'</p>

- Simon Rickman, Historical Novel Society

<p>'It is <strong>Thelma and Louise with crossbows</strong>. The three companions are delightfully skilled, fast, furious, and deadly in battle... <strong>a terrific novella</strong>'</p>

- Roger Hutchinson, West Highland Free Press

<p>'In Queen Macbeth, <strong>McDermid brings [Lady Macbeth's] story to life as only she can</strong>, with a vivid and often vicious depiction of medieval Scotland based on Gruoch's life and times'</p>

SNACK Magazine

<p>'It’s <strong>a story we think we all know</strong>, but <strong>this excellent novel will tell you otherwise</strong>'</p>

Books from Scotland

<p>'Val McDermid’s reimagining of the Macbeth story involves <strong>as daring a trick as anything Shakespeare provided for the theatre</strong>... the alternative Lady Macbeth will please many of [McDermid's] readers.'</p>

- Allan Massie, The Scotsman

<p>'McDermid <strong>allows Lady Macbeth to reclaim her real name</strong> – Gruoch – and casts her in an altogether more sympathetic light'</p>

The Irish News

<p>'McDermid is best known for her crime books, and <strong>there's plenty of blood and guts in this one</strong>, but here she has delved into Scotland's past to bring us <strong>a version of history from the female perspective</strong>'</p>

SA (Australia)

<p>'Very beautiful'</p>

BBC Saturday Live

<p>'This book is<strong> one of the finest ones Val has written</strong> because it has shown the versatility and the depth and breadth of the literary talent she undoubtedly is'</p>

- Nicola Sturgeon,

<p>'McDermid steps into the breach with <strong>a novel that offers a very different interpretation of this medieval queen</strong>, attempting to <strong>redress centuries of misinformation</strong>'</p>

- Rosemary Goring, Herald

<p>'I <strong>enjoyed Queen Macbeth so much</strong>... I really enjoyed going back to the eleventh century'</p>

ABC Radio

<p>'Queen Macbeth <strong>fits well into the Darkland Tales series, but it also fits well into the McDermid canon</strong>, which has since her very first novel featured determined women battling to have their voices heard'</p>

- Louise Fairbairn, Crime Book Girl

<p>'Terse,<strong> atmospheric, and superbly reimagined</strong>, McDermid’s latest perfectly captures the terror of living in a medieval Scotland <strong>riven by violence. Scottish history enthusiasts will enjoy</strong>'</p>

Library Journal

<p>'Chapter after chapter, past and present are warp and weft, alternately<strong> interweaving the compelling, violent machinations of pre-Scotland royal bloodlines with an enthralling love story</strong>. McDermid offers a no-nonsense, authentic earthiness of language, dialogue and descriptive passages, which linger beyond the ending'</p>

- Simon Rickman, Historical Novels Society

<p>'Queen Macbeth is <strong>a fascinating and thought-provoking addition to this series</strong> of dramatic retellings of stories from Scotland’s past that intersect history, myth and legend'</p>

- Lucinda Byatt, Historical Novels Review

<p>'McDermid’s <strong>considerable talent</strong> for <strong>reconstructing medieval Scotland in all its tribal viciousness</strong>, as well as its beauty and joy, is <strong>a real treat</strong>'</p>

Globe and Mail (US)

<p>'<strong>an engrossing, pageturning counternarrative</strong> about one of Shakespeare's great villains, Lady Macbeth'</p>

Toronto Star

<p>'Scottish crime-novel legend Val McDermid <strong>brings the story to rip-roaring life</strong> with a novel that centers this woman who outmaneuvers countless men to claim the throne'</p>

- Michael Glitz, Broadway Direct

<p>'<strong>a visceral and insightful novella</strong> which touches on a part of Scotland's history which is still known by too few of us'</p>

Scots Whay Hae podcast, 10 Best Crime Novels of 2024

<p>'Val McDermid <strong>has dragged the truth about the real Queen Macbeth out of the shadows</strong> to reveal a woman caught up in the patriarchal prejudices and vicious political intrigues of her time'</p>

Gone Medieval podcast