The House of Barbary
The fierce, feminist retelling of Bluebeard
Published on 26. March 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
368 pages
978-1-5266-4732-0 (ISBN)
Description
'If you crossed The Miniaturist with Promising Young Woman, you'd get The House of Barbary . . . a blazing feminist roar of a novel' Naomi Kelsey
Beatrice has been lied to her whole life.
Beatrice Barbary has been raised to believe that while education will set her mind free, there are some questions better left unanswered.
Her life is in disarray.
But when her father, one of the most powerful men in Bern, is brutally murdered in their own home, she is left reeling, unprotected and vulnerable.
Her future uncertain.
Plunging head first into the mysteries surrounding her father and her own upbringing, Beatrice discovers The Order of St. Eve and the violent secrets they have been hiding her entire life.
It's time for her to take control.
Will she be able to right the wrongs of her father, or will the Order silence her first?
Set in a city at breaking point, Beatrice's story toes the dangerously thin line between retribution and revenge, and the choice we must make when confronted by evil.
Beatrice has been lied to her whole life.
Beatrice Barbary has been raised to believe that while education will set her mind free, there are some questions better left unanswered.
Her life is in disarray.
But when her father, one of the most powerful men in Bern, is brutally murdered in their own home, she is left reeling, unprotected and vulnerable.
Her future uncertain.
Plunging head first into the mysteries surrounding her father and her own upbringing, Beatrice discovers The Order of St. Eve and the violent secrets they have been hiding her entire life.
It's time for her to take control.
Will she be able to right the wrongs of her father, or will the Order silence her first?
Set in a city at breaking point, Beatrice's story toes the dangerously thin line between retribution and revenge, and the choice we must make when confronted by evil.
Reviews / Votes
A novel of exceptional vigour and originality * Sunday Times, 'the best historical fiction of 2025 - so far' * It is inspired distantly by the Bluebeard legend, but 'outcreeps' Angela Carter's retelling of that famous myth. One of the most original books I have read in a long time -- Katherine Mezzacappa * Historical Novels Review, Issue 111 (February 2025) * If you crossed The Miniaturist with Promising Young Woman, you'd get The House of Barbary . . . a blazing feminist roar of a novel set in c17th Bern. Twists abound in this gripping tale: it's a thrilling, visceral follow-up to the very brilliant Lady MacBethad' -- Naomi Kelsey A raw, visceral tale, Shakespearean in scope, that presents the difficult choices that await a young girl when she discovers the evil she has inherited along with her wealth. Set in seventeenth-century Switzerland, Schuler skilfully weaves a tale of the paradoxes inherent in a supposedly civilised city that maintains a literal bearpit at its centre. If you enjoyed Lady MacBethad, you will be obsessed with Beatrice Barbary -- Laura Shepperson I loved the dark, tangled web of intrigue and the intelligent, fiery Beatrice. As a fan of fairytales, I adored the echoing of Bluebeard and the historical detail brought the period and setting to life with such vivid beauty. A wonderful novel! -- Georgia Leighton Praise for Lady MacBethad: 'Suspenseful, atmospheric and full of twists and turns, I loved the brutal, backstabbing world that Isabelle Schuler conjures up where only the most ruthless can survive -- Jennifer Saint Praise for Lady MacBethad: Isabelle Schuler's Lady MacBethad achieves the unthinkable: transforming Shakespeare's wicked queen into an empathetic heroine' -- Laura SheppersonMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Dimensions
Height: 193 mm
Width: 127 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
260 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5266-4732-0 (9781526647320)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
03/2025
1st Edition
Raven Books
€9.49
Available for download
E-Book
03/2025
1st Edition
Raven Books
€9.49
Available for download
Person
Isabelle Schuler is a Swiss-American actress, writer and former Waterstones bookseller. She has a BA in Journalism and her screenplay Queen Hereafter was longlisted by the Thousand Films Screenwriting Competition in 2019. In 2020, she adapted Queen Hereafter into her debut novel, Lady MacBethad. She lives in Hertfordshire.