Shakespeare's queens take centre stage in Piatkus trilogy

Piatkus Fiction has acquired Blood Queen, a telling of the story of Lady Macbeth and the first novel in a new trilogy from author Joanna Courtney.

The Shakespeare's Queens trilogy aims to unearth "the real women behind Shakespeare's most infamous queens". This first book in the series, sees Courtney begin with “the most vilified“, Lady Macbeth.

Publishing director Anna Boatman bought UK and Commonwealth rights from Kate Shaw at the Viney Agency, calling the novels “brilliantly researched” and “evocatively written”.

“Behind every great man may be a great woman, but behind every powerful woman seems to lurk an evil reputation. Joanna’s brilliantly researched and evocatively written novels are a delight – seeing Shakespeare’s villains and victims recreated as flesh and blood women is surely the essence of Herstory. We can’t wait to share this trilogy with readers,” said Boatman.

Courtney said: “I’m thrilled to be working with Piatkus on Shakespeare’s Queens and can’t wait for readers to meet the bard’s heroines in all their true glory, as powerful, independent, exciting women of their own times.”

Blood Queen will be released in trade paperback in September 2018, and in paperback in Summer 2019.