Carol McGrath Books in Order

Edith Swanneck, King Harold's handfasted wife, faces the destruction of her world after the Norman Conquest. Displacement, resistance, and her son's captivity force her to fight for her family's survival amid England's changing rulers.

King Harold's daughter Gunnhild longs to leave Wilton Abbey and accepts the attentions of Count Alain of Richmond. Elopement brings a tangled love story, as she questions whether her suitor wants her heart or her inheritance.

Exiled after her father's defeat, King Harold's daughter Thea becomes betrothed to a prince of Kiev. In an unfamiliar court threatened by enemies, she must seek happiness, earn her husband's respect, and establish a measure of independence.

Widowed merchant Elizabeth Williams tries to preserve her cloth business despite opposition and secrets about her late husband. Marriage to ambitious lawyer Thomas Cromwell offers love but brings fresh dangers in the turbulent world of Tudor London.

Thirteen-year-old Ailenor of Provence becomes Henry III's wife and enters England's royal court. Her intelligence and influence provoke resentment among the barons, while foreign threats force her to learn the ruthless demands of queenship.

Captivity during the baronial rebellion and the death of her baby harden Eleanor of Castile's determination to protect her family. As she moves toward queenship beside Edward, love and political ambition shape her struggle for security.

This social history examines intimate life in early Tudor England, from courtship and marriage to childbirth and sex work. McGrath explores how religious beliefs, ideas about the body, and expectations of women shaped sexual behavior.

In plague-stricken London, aspiring stonemason Agnes receives a summons from disgraced Queen Isabella, who wants her story told. Listening to the queen’s troubled marriage and ambitions draws Agnes into questions of independence, loyalty, and survival.

Named her father’s heir after a royal tragedy, Empress Matilda returns to England expecting the crown. Opposition to a female ruler and her cousin’s rival claim plunge the country into civil war, forcing her to evade capture and fight for power.

During the Third Crusade, Princess Berengaria travels with Eleanor of Aquitaine to join her promised husband Richard the Lionheart. Assassins, pirates, storms, and war threaten a journey that demands courage before she can build a future as queen.

Widowed Elizabeth Seymour leaves the Tudor court to establish a new life as a Yorkshire landowner. Her sister’s rise toward queenship and Elizabeth’s marriage into the Cromwell family draw her back into political intrigue and religious upheaval.