“In scholarly but accessible prose, popular historian Goldstone underscores the many significant accomplishments of this exemplary queen. A thoroughly intriguing portrait of a neglected historical figure.”—Kirkus

“Veteran author Goldstone expertly describes bloodthirsty 14th-century politics and the complex family entanglements that encouraged siblings and cousins to clash over kingdoms like toddlers brawling over toys… Packed with action and effortless to read, Goldstone’s account will satisfy scholars and entertain book clubs with a heroine who had persistence and unbounded dedication to her realm.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Court intrigue, the murder of a member of a royal house, and a sensational trial: many authors use these elements in combination to forge page-turning medieval mysteries. Goldstone, author of Four Queens (2007), proves once again that truth is often stranger and more intriguing than fiction. Choosing as her subject Joanna, the notorious queen of Naples and titular queen of Jerusalem and Sicily from 1343 to 1382, she chronicles the fascinating life of one of the few women in her time who ruled in her own name…a life well worthy of historical examination.”—Booklist

“The Lady Queen weaves the story of one of the most extraordinary (and unjustly overlooked) rulers of the Middle Ages. The incredible episodes in Joanna’s history—not only murder and plague, but also cannibalism and even a medieval-style credit crunch—sometimes seem like something out of one of Boccaccio’s more fantastical tales. In bringing it all together, Nancy Goldstone has produced the most compelling history of the “calamitous fourteenth century” since A Distant Mirror.”—Ross King, author of Brunelleschi’s Dome, Michelangelo & the Pope’s Ceiling, and The Judgment of Paris

“This is a remarkable story about a remarkable woman told with skill and verve. Nancy Goldstone re-creates the fourteenth-century world of intrigue, family feud, and skullduggery with a flourish.”

—Wendy Moore, author of Wedlock

“Living two centuries earlier than Elizabeth I of England, Joanna I was the first European woman ever to govern a realm in her own name. Written in vivid, pellucid prose, Nancy Goldstone’s terrific biography of this unique and extraordinary woman gives us a glimpse of the significant political power exercised by many women in the Middle Ages, and is nothing short of riveting.”—Francine Du Plessix Gray

“If your tastes run to medieval European politics, then there is nothing better than a good meaty biography of royal intrigue and murder…Goldstone reminds us of Queen Joanna I's shrewdness, as well as the delicious infamy of her reign and times.”—Knight Ridder, McClatchy Tribune

’The Lady Queen’ (Walker & Company) is a murder mystery, a tale of hard-earned political power and a harrowing drama of family discord guaranteed to keep readers turning pages late into the night.” – Connecticut Post

“The Lady Queen is a fascinating account of the life of Joanna I. It provides a sympathetic appraisal of the notorious queen, placing her rule within the broader historical context. This includes her navigation of the political realities of the Black Death, the Hundred Years War, economic downturns, and the papal court’s movement between Avignon and Rome. In an age dominated by men, this previously obscure historical figure fought scandal, betrayal, and personal tragedy to rule in her own name for over a quarter century.” – Historical Novels Review

“Goldstone gives a good, solid account of Queen Joanna, unlike previous works that tend to see her in an overly flowery or overly critical tone…a fascinating read and will appeal to anyone interested in the Middle Ages.” –Medievalist.net