The Wandering Queen
US release: 10 February 2026
UK release: 12 February 2026
An epic and fiercely imaginative retelling of the story of queen Dido, the legendary founder of Carthage.
The King of Tyre is dead, his final words anointing his clever and strong-willed daughter, Elissa, as the new queen until his young son, Pygmalion, comes of age. But betrayal and danger soon haunt Elissa, and she is forced to flee the kingdom – exiled with a band of loyal followers and a broken heart.
After an arduous search for a new home, Elissa and her people settle in North Africa, and she is crowned Queen Dido: the ferocious and devoted ruler of her newly established city of Carthage. Soon a powerful trading hub, Carthage thrives under Dido’s governance.
But when a band of Trojan survivors, led by the valiant Aeneas, washes up on a nearby shore, Queen Dido is reminded of a promise she made long ago, never to trust or to love another again. Can Dido overcome her past and open herself – and her city – up to Aeneas, or is their love doomed to burn everything to the ground?
Praise for The Wandering Queen
“THE WANDERING QUEEN by Claire Heywood is an intelligent, sympathetic retelling of the story of Dido, immortalised by Virgil as the irrational lover of Aeneas. Heywood incorporates the myths and legends that surround this mysterious queen and presents a narrative that is both powerful and compelling. Highly recommended.”
— Laura Shepperson,
author of The Heir of Venus
“The Wandering Queen brilliantly flips the traditional story arc; in this novel, the legend becomes a human. With exquisite, expert prose, Claire Heywood deconstructs the notoriety of Dido, revealing the complicated, vulnerable, and resilient woman at her core. This is what retellings are all about!”
— Lauren J.A. Bear,
author of The Mother of Rome
“A triumphant reclamation of the legend of Dido. Heywood brings Dido’s story to vivid life, moving from the wealth of Tyre to the dusty plains of Carthage. In so doing, Heywood weaves an engaging yarn that restores the ancient queen to her rightful place of dignity.”
— Luna McNamara,
author of Psyche and Eros
“The story of Queen Dido, legendary founder of the city of Carthage, is retold in surprising and inspiring ways in Claire Heywood’s rapturous novel… The Wandering Queen is a deliciously written tale that gets inside the heart and mind of one of antiquity’s most tragic heroines.”
— Historical Novel Society (read here)
“Heywood has once again crafted an excellent mythology reimagining. With an adept and expert hand, Dido is painted as a complex, strong heroine in a story she has long deserved. Through themes of love, loss and power, Heywood has brought the ancient world back to life in a tale that is equally as heartbreaking as it is wonderful. Bravo!”
— Claire M. Andrews,
author of the Daughter Of Sparta trilogy
“A gorgeously written reimagining… Heywood elevates Dido from a stepping-stone on Aeneas’s epic journey to a fully wrought character with her own desires, ambitions, and flaws. Equal parts empowering and heartbreaking, the novel highlights the sacrifices women make in order to control their own destinies while remaining true to themselves. Recommended for fans of the mythological retellings of Madeline Miller and Pat Barker.”
— Library Journal (read here)
US release: 10 February 2026
UK release: 12 February 2026
An epic and fiercely imaginative retelling of the story of queen Dido, the legendary founder of Carthage.
The King of Tyre is dead, his final words anointing his clever and strong-willed daughter, Elissa, as the new queen until his young son, Pygmalion, comes of age. But betrayal and danger soon haunt Elissa, and she is forced to flee the kingdom – exiled with a band of loyal followers and a broken heart.
After an arduous search for a new home, Elissa and her people settle in North Africa, and she is crowned Queen Dido: the ferocious and devoted ruler of her newly established city of Carthage. Soon a powerful trading hub, Carthage thrives under Dido’s governance.
But when a band of Trojan survivors, led by the valiant Aeneas, washes up on a nearby shore, Queen Dido is reminded of a promise she made long ago, never to trust or to love another again. Can Dido overcome her past and open herself – and her city – up to Aeneas, or is their love doomed to burn everything to the ground?
Praise for The Wandering Queen
“THE WANDERING QUEEN by Claire Heywood is an intelligent, sympathetic retelling of the story of Dido, immortalised by Virgil as the irrational lover of Aeneas. Heywood incorporates the myths and legends that surround this mysterious queen and presents a narrative that is both powerful and compelling. Highly recommended.”
— Laura Shepperson, author of The Heir of Venus
“The Wandering Queen brilliantly flips the traditional story arc; in this novel, the legend becomes a human. With exquisite, expert prose, Claire Heywood deconstructs the notoriety of Dido, revealing the complicated, vulnerable, and resilient woman at her core. This is what retellings are all about!”
— Lauren J.A. Bear, author of The Mother of Rome
“A triumphant reclamation of the legend of Dido. Heywood brings Dido’s story to vivid life, moving from the wealth of Tyre to the dusty plains of Carthage. In so doing, Heywood weaves an engaging yarn that restores the ancient queen to her rightful place of dignity.”
— Luna McNamara, author of Psyche and Eros
“A gorgeously written reimagining… Heywood elevates Dido from a stepping-stone on Aeneas’s epic journey to a fully wrought character with her own desires, ambitions, and flaws. Equal parts empowering and heartbreaking, the novel highlights the sacrifices women make in order to control their own destinies while remaining true to themselves. Recommended for fans of the mythological retellings of Madeline Miller and Pat Barker.”
— Library Journal (read here)
“Heywood has once again crafted an excellent mythology reimagining. With an adept and expert hand, Dido is painted as a complex, strong heroine in a story she has long deserved. Through themes of love, loss and power, Heywood has brought the ancient world back to life in a tale that is equally as heartbreaking as it is wonderful. Bravo!”
— Claire M. Andrews, author of the Daughter Of Sparta trilogy
“The story of Queen Dido, legendary founder of the city of Carthage, is retold in surprising and inspiring ways in Claire Heywood’s rapturous novel… The Wandering Queen is a deliciously written tale that gets inside the heart and mind of one of antiquity’s most tragic heroines.”
— Historical Novel Society (read here)
The Wandering Queen
US release: 10 February 2026
UK release: 12 February 2026
An epic and fiercely imaginative retelling of the story of queen Dido, the legendary founder of Carthage.
The King of Tyre is dead, his final words anointing his clever and strong-willed daughter, Elissa, as the new queen until his young son, Pygmalion, comes of age. But betrayal and danger soon haunt Elissa, and she is forced to flee the kingdom – exiled with a band of loyal followers and a broken heart.
After an arduous search for a new home, Elissa and her people settle in North Africa, and she is crowned Queen Dido: the ferocious and devoted ruler of her newly established city of Carthage. Soon a powerful trading hub, Carthage thrives under Dido’s governance.
But when a band of Trojan survivors, led by the valiant Aeneas, washes up on a nearby shore, Queen Dido is reminded of a promise she made long ago, never to trust or to love another again. Can Dido overcome her past and open herself – and her city – up to Aeneas, or is their love doomed to burn everything to the ground?
Praise for The Wandering Queen
“THE WANDERING QUEEN by Claire Heywood is an intelligent, sympathetic retelling of the story of Dido, immortalised by Virgil as the irrational lover of Aeneas. Heywood incorporates the myths and legends that surround this mysterious queen and presents a narrative that is both powerful and compelling. Highly recommended.”
— Laura Shepperson,
author of The Heir of Venus
“The Wandering Queen brilliantly flips the traditional story arc; in this novel, the legend becomes a human. With exquisite, expert prose, Claire Heywood deconstructs the notoriety of Dido, revealing the complicated, vulnerable, and resilient woman at her core. This is what retellings are all about!”
— Lauren J.A. Bear,
author of The Mother of Rome
“A triumphant reclamation of the legend of Dido. Heywood brings Dido’s story to vivid life, moving from the wealth of Tyre to the dusty plains of Carthage. In so doing, Heywood weaves an engaging yarn that restores the ancient queen to her rightful place of dignity.”
— Luna McNamara,
author of Psyche and Eros
“A gorgeously written reimagining… Heywood elevates Dido from a stepping-stone on Aeneas’s epic journey to a fully wrought character with her own desires, ambitions, and flaws. Equal parts empowering and heartbreaking, the novel highlights the sacrifices women make in order to control their own destinies while remaining true to themselves. Recommended for fans of the mythological retellings of Madeline Miller and Pat Barker.”
— Library Journal (read here)
“Heywood has once again crafted an excellent mythology reimagining. With an adept and expert hand, Dido is painted as a complex, strong heroine in a story she has long deserved. Through themes of love, loss and power, Heywood has brought the ancient world back to life in a tale that is equally as heartbreaking as it is wonderful. Bravo!”
— Claire M. Andrews,
author of the Daughter Of Sparta trilogy
“The story of Queen Dido, legendary founder of the city of Carthage, is retold in surprising and inspiring ways in Claire Heywood’s rapturous novel… The Wandering Queen is a deliciously written tale that gets inside the heart and mind of one of antiquity’s most tragic heroines.”
— Historical Novel Society (read here)