Carol McGrath Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Carol McGrath

Carol McGrath has built a reputation for writing meticulous, emotionally resonant historical fiction that highlights the lives of women who were either vilified or forgotten by traditional history. If you are new to her work, you have two excellent entry points depending on your historical interests.

Option 1: The Daughters of Hastings Trilogy. This is McGrath's debut series and remains her most famous. Starting with The Handfasted Wife is the most common path, taking you directly into the chaos of the Norman Conquest of 1066 from the perspective of the women who survived it.

Option 2: The Rose Trilogy (She-Wolves). If you prefer the high drama of medieval queens and court politics, start with The Silken Rose. This trilogy explores the lives of three of England's most controversial medieval queens—Eleanor of Provence, Eleanor of Castile, and Isabella of France—who were labeled "she-wolves" for daring to exert political influence.

The Daughters of Hastings Trilogy

This trilogy is set during and immediately after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Rather than focusing on military tactics, McGrath explores the human cost of the invasion through the eyes of the women of the defeated House of Wessex.

• The Handfasted Wife (2013): Centers on Edith Swanneck, the common-law (handfasted) wife of King Harold Godwinson. Following Harold's death at the Battle of Hastings, Edith must protect her children and navigate the brutal new Norman regime.
• The Swan-Daughter (2014): Follows Gunnhild, the daughter of Edith Swanneck and King Harold. Gunnhild is forced into an arranged marriage with Count Alan Rufus, a Breton commander, and must find a way to secure her freedom and agency in a country under occupation.
• The Betrothed Sister (2015): Focuses on Thea (historically Gytha of Wessex), Harold's daughter. She flees England for Denmark and is eventually married off to Vladimir II Monomakh, taking her on a dangerous exile to the court of Kievan Rus.

The Rose Trilogy (She-Wolves Trilogy)

Set during the 13th and 14th centuries, this trilogy rehabilitates the reputations of three misunderstood queens. Each book pairs the historical queen's perspective with that of a fictional working-class woman, grounding the royal court drama in the realities of everyday medieval life.

• The Silken Rose (2020): Focuses on Ailenor (Eleanor) of Provence, who arrives in England in 1236 to marry King Henry III. As she learns to navigate the treacherous English court, her story is mirrored by Rosalind, a talented embroiderer.
• The Damask Rose (2021): Follows Ailenor's daughter-in-law, Eleanor of Castile, during the Barons' War of 1266. Determined to never be vulnerable again after losing a child, Eleanor establishes herself as a powerful landowner. Her companion is Olwen, a Welsh herbalist.
• The Stone Rose (2022): Centers on Isabella of France, the wife of King Edward II. Betrayed by her husband's favorites, Isabella orchestrates a rebellion. Decades later in 1350, Agnes, a stonemason's daughter, is hired to carve Isabella's tomb, prompting the former queen to reveal her true story.

The Tudor Court Duology (Cromwell & Seymour Connection)

Moving forward to the Tudor era, McGrath shifts her focus to the families behind the crown, examining the precarious nature of power during the reign of Henry VIII.

• Mistress Cromwell / The Woman in the Shadows (2017): Focuses on Elizabeth Cromwell, the wife of Henry VIII’s chief minister, Thomas Cromwell. The novel offers an intimate look at the domestic side of the Tudor court, depicting Elizabeth's efforts to support her husband as he climbs to power.
• The Queen's Sister (2026): The direct sequel to Mistress Cromwell. It follows Elizabeth Seymour, the sister of Queen Jane Seymour. After Jane's death, Elizabeth marries Gregory Cromwell (Thomas Cromwell's son), tying the two families together and forcing her to survive the rapid downfall of the Cromwell dynasty.

Standalone Medieval Novels

McGrath has written two standalone novels set during key crises of the High Middle Ages. While they can be read in any order, they fit beautifully into her wider medieval catalog.

• The Stolen Crown (2023): Set during "The Anarchy" (the 12th-century civil war between Empress Matilda and King Stephen). It depicts Matilda's fight for the English throne after the White Ship disaster, told from her perspective and that of a fictional companion named Alice.
• The Lost Queen (2024): Set during the Third Crusade in 1191. It follows Berengaria of Navarre, the only English queen who never set foot in England during her husband Richard the Lionheart's reign. The novel tracks her hazardous journey across the Alps alongside Eleanor of Aquitaine to marry the King in Cyprus, accompanied by Lady Avelina, a fictional woman searching for her missing husband.

Carol McGrath Books in Chronological Order

If you want to read Carol McGrath's historical fiction in the order of their historical settings, follow this timeline to journey from the Norman Conquest through the Tudor era:

1. The Handfasted Wife (Set in 1066)
2. The Swan-Daughter (Set in 1070s)
3. The Betrothed Sister (Set in 1070s–1080s)
4. The Stolen Crown (Set in 1135–1150s)
5. The Lost Queen (Set in 1191)
6. The Silken Rose (Set in 1236 onwards)
7. The Damask Rose (Set in 1266 onwards)
8. The Stone Rose (Set in 1308 onwards, with a frame narrative in 1350)
9. Mistress Cromwell / The Woman in the Shadows (Set in the 1520s–1530s)
10. The Queen's Sister (Set in the late 1530s onwards)

Non-Fiction and Anthologies

For readers who want to dive deeper into the historical facts behind the fiction, Carol McGrath has also published non-fiction and contributed to historical essay collections:

• Sex and Sexuality in Tudor England (2022): A non-fiction exploration of intimacy, courtship, hygiene, and reproductive health in the 15th and 16th centuries.
• Castles, Customs, and Kings (Volumes 1 & 2): Anthologies compiled by the English Historical Fiction Authors group, featuring short historical essays by McGrath and other prominent writers in the genre.