From the million-copy bestselling author of The Frozen River comes a thrilling story inspired by the life of an infamous Irish sea captain and folk heroine who risked everything to protect her people against the powerful Elizabethan regime.

Grace O’Malley was born to be at sea. Raised by her father, chief of clan O’Malley, Grace learns early that her dreams of the open water are not compatible with the life she's expected to lead as the daughter of a noble family. And when her father marries her to a neighbouring chief, Grace's world shifts for the worse.

Undaunted, Grace raises a family without abandoning her passion, aiding her hot-tempered husband in his campaigns against rival tribes. Eventually ousted from her husband's land in the wake of his death, Grace returns to her childhood home and begins her career as a pirate in earnest, claiming new territories and finding deeper love, only to see her livelihood threatened by English incursions into Ireland, and her family endangered in an attempt to check her power.

Channelling the natural beauty of sixteenth-century Ireland alongside the brutality of the period, Ariel Lawhon deftly explores an unforgettable heroine and defender of her people, who truly earned the title ‘the Pirate Queen of Ireland’.

'This propulsive 500-page book delivers a spirited, layered feminist historical chronicle of one woman who resists convention every step of the way.' New York Times

Details

ISBN13: 9781761429651
Format: Paperback / softback
Number of Pages: 528
Edition:
Publication Date: 15 Sep 2026
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
Publication City, Country: East Roseville, Australia
Dimensions (cm): 23.4(H)x15.3(L)550
Weight (gm): 550

Author Biography

ARIEL LAWHON is a critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction. Her books have been translated into numerous languages and have been LibraryReads, Indie Next, Costco, and Book of the Month Club selections. She lives in the rolling hills outside Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and four sons. Ariel splits her time between the grocery store and the baseball field.

Reviews

'This propulsive 500-page book delivers a spirited, layered feminist historical chronicle of one woman who resists convention every step of the way.'

  * New York Times *
'A page-turner. . . Bold and daring, it’s a thrill-a-minute adventure with an absolute badass at the helm.' * Real Simple *
'A captivating tale inspired by one of history’s most fascinating women. . . Few authors research quite as meticulously as Ariel Lawhon. . . Thrilling. . . The Pirate Queen is a masterfully written, meticulously researched epic that delivers everything that I love about her work: a classic, powerful female protagonist and storytelling that feels like a genuine work of art. It’s a complex, rich narrative that gives you plenty to digest.' * Woman’s World *
'A vivid portrait of a larger-than-life figure whose feats of bravery and cunning have become the stuff of legend.' * Library Journal *
'Exhilarating . . . rewards attentive readers with recurring imagery and motifs forming an increasingly complex portrait of the heroine. This is transportive.' * Publishers Weekly *
'A thrilling story, and the fun that Lawhon clearly had with scenes of bloody mayhem, storms at sea, treacherous machinations and low Gaelic dialect is contagious. Her pirate queen is brilliant, beautiful and fearless; her loyal servants are adoring and capable; her male foes are sleazy scumbags and detestable boobs – all exactly as it should be. A heroic, exciting and stormy voyage.' * Kirkus Reviews *
‘An immersive odyssey.' * Booklist (starred review) *