Lady's Rock

by Sue Lawrence

A wronged woman’s voice is reclaimed in this gripping tale of revenge and romance—a medieval Gone Girl.

Highland Scotland was no place for a woman in the early 1500s. Life was turbulent and short, battles were waged, and sisters and daughters were traded as pawns in marriage. Catherine Campbell was one such young bride, betrothed to Lachlan Maclean and sent from her fine home to join him on the Isle of Mull, to bear his sons and heirs.

But Lachlan proved to be nothing like the man of Catherine’s dreams, and she was forced to resign herself to enduring life with him for the sake of duty. Until the day when he threatened to take away the one thing she couldn’t her daughter.

Casting a fascinating light on the ruthless Highlands, this sweeping drama by one of Scotland's best-loved novelists explores love, ambition and betrayal and highlights the precarious position of 16th-century women

Genres: Historical Fiction, Scotland, British Literature

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 4, 2024

Reviews

[Beata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good historical fiction, set in Scotland in the 16th century, describing clan traditions and rituals some of which I was unaware.There is too much romance bit to my liking, which stopped my from enjoyed the book fully.
*Many thanks to Sue Lawrence, Saraband Audio, and NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.*

[Betty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find the idea of giving women in history a well-deserved voice quite important. Sadly, in my opinion, that and the descriptions of nature are the only two things I liked about this book. The main character, Catherine, is very ignorant and self-centered. Apart from Lorna and maybe Archibald I did not like any character at all – and I did not understand whether the author wanted me to or not. Also, the plot was quite over-dramatic and the dialogues at times a bit unnecessary.

[Shelbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this book! My husband and I visited Scotland last summer and we saw this book in one of the gift shops.
It was a great book and kept my interest. I love learning more about the different clans in Scotland. I think it’s amazing how families are loyal to their own clan and would do anything for them.
Plot: Catherine, who comes from a powerful family, is married off to Lachlan Maclean for political reasons. After arriving on the Isle of Mull, she finds her husband to be a cruel and unloving man. When he threatens to take her daughter, Catherine is forced to act.

[Emina Sehic · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ quick, easy read. I enjoy the shifting perspectives between characters. I found the short chapters engaging. Crazy that this is somehow a true story!

[Jona-Lynn Rowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow! this is a really good piece of historical fiction. there's so many twists. and it's really cool because I've been to Duart Castle and that's the setting of a lot of the book

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady’s Rock is the latest of Sue Lawrence’s novels which looks at the life of women in Scotland’s dark and mysterious past. As with her two previous novels, The Unreliable Death of Lady Grange and The Green Lady, the author picks up on stories from the past and puts women firmly centre stage.

This book revolves around the legend of Lady’s Rock. In 16th century Scotland, Lachlan Cattanach Maclean, Lord of Duart Castle on Mull is said to have given orders for his wife, Catherine Campbell, to be left on a rock in the middle of the sea where she would undoubtedly perish.

Once again, Sue Lawrence clearly shows how women in the past had few rights and lived a precarious life regardless of their social position. Catherine Campbell’s marriage to Lachlan Maclean was not a love match but like many marriages among rich and powerful families, it was a marriage to cement a political alliance. Her role was one of duty – she was to present Lachlan with a son and heir. She was nothing but a chattel used to strengthen the bonds between the Campbells and Macleans.

I really felt for poor Catherine, leaving behind a large, loving family and her comfortable life at Inverary Castle to live at cold, damp Duart Castle with a man she neither knew nor liked. I almost had shivers up my spine as I imagined the chill and darkness of the castle, reflecting the coldness of their relationship. Like Catherine, I was horrified to read about the practice of Celtic fostering, something I hadn’t heard about before. This was another way that rich and powerful families cemented their alliances. Children of nobility were fostered with other noble families strengthening links between the families. When Lachlan proposes to do this with their child, Catherine takes desperate measures.

I really enjoyed reading about places I have visited before including Duart Castle on Mull, as well as Finlaggan and the Kildalton Cross on Islay. I was on holiday in Islay last year and went to visit the Kildalton Cross. It’s incredible to think about how old it is and how it had already been standing for centuries when the events of this book took place. Incidentally, Kildalton means ‘church of the foster child’.

I thoroughly enjoyed Lady’s Rock which I found to be fast-paced and dramatic, bringing this period of history vividly to life. This is a gripping story of power, love, danger and betrayal, full of detail and a really satisfying read.

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was provided with an audio copy of this story by Netgalley to review.

Positives:
• The narrator does a good job and was probably the main reason I persevered to the end of the book.
• The descriptive writing style of the author helps you imagine the world the characters lived in.
• While most of the story feels a little predictable, there was one part that took me by surprise.

Negatives
• The main character Katherine is insufferable and unlikable.
• The pacing of the book feels a little rushed
• Some of the dialogue felt too modern and other parts were recapping events that had just happened (and the way Katherine never shuts up about Inveraray castle drove me mad)
• I think I would have preferred a book focusing more on Hector and Lorna, with Catherine's plot running in the background

[Jo Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was interesting in that it offered up some explanation on the rivalling clans of Scotland at the time, and how marriages were arranged to pertain kinship amongst neighbouring clan.

The story itself wasn’t wholly formed enough for me to rate it any higher. Catherine, our protagonist whilst I felt her troubles, I found it extremely hard to relate to her, and that hampered my investment in the plot a little.

Interesting if you want a light history lesson.

The narration was well done!

Thank you to Saranand Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this title in return for an honest review

[Aimée · Rating 4 out of 5]

Schottland, 1517: Die junge Catherine wird zu Allianz-Zwecken an den grobschlächtigen Lachlan verheiratet und muss von ihrem schönen, warmen Heimatschloss Inveraray auf die Isle of Mull ziehen, ins zugige Duart Castle, wo eindeutig eine weibliche Hand fehlt. Sie versucht, sich zu arrangieren, wird schließlich schwanger und hofft auf ein freundliches Wesen in der Burg - doch ihr Mann will die Tradition der Pflege-Elternschaft aufrecht erhalten und ihre Tochter (zu Allianz-Zwecken) an befreundete Schlossherren abgeben. In ihrer Verzweiflung unternimmt Catherine einen Attentatsversuch Lachlan, der sie daraufhin auf einem Felsen im Meer aussetzt, damit sie ertrinkt...



Hochdramatisch erweckt Sue Lawrence die schottische Vergangenheit zum Leben - die wir hautnah kennenlernen durften, als wir selbst auf Mull in Duart Castle waren und auf den Felsen aufmerksam gemacht wurden. Gänsehaut!

Am Ende gab es mir ein paar zu viele Perspektivwechsel, aber es passiert dann halt vieles an unterschiedlichen Stellen. Wer am Ende überlebt und was mit dem Kind passiert, müsst ihr aber schon selbst herausfinden.



Sue Lawrence hat noch zwei weitere historische Romane über schottische Damen geschrieben - obwohl ich das oben als Reihe zusammengefasst habe, können alle Titel unabhängig voneinander gelesen werden - sie spielen ja nicht mal im selben Jahrhundert. Schaut also einfach mal rein!



"every castle has its stories of battles and bloody disputes."

~ 05.06.2026

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a Scottish legend, "Lady's Rock" is the story of Catherine Campbell, a young woman whose arranged marriage goes very wrong.

Catherine is married, very much against her will, to Lachlan MacClain and sent to live at Duart Castle. She misses her family at Inverary Castle, and also misses the man she's actually in love with. However, in the 16th C., marriages were often about political alliances and that is certainly the case here.

Eventually, things go very wrong indeed; Lachlan is abusive and eventually, after a number of incidents, maroons Catherine on the so-called Lady's Rock to drown. She is rescued by some fisher folk and returned to her family ... although Lachlan has told them she is dead.

I have been to both Duart and Inveraray; they're very different from one another, with Duart being close to people and action and Duart being far more bleak and remote. The settings were vividly portrayed.

It's quite clear that the author did her homework in bringing this legend to life.

[J.]

DNF at 45%

I got the sense that this wasn’t for me pretty early on, because the writing style has a slightly overdramatic quality that I’m not a fan of. The protagonist was irritating, and I was prepared to wait it out to see if this was improved by some character development, but I didn’t have a lot of hope because I felt like the story wanted me to see her as sympathetic (yes she was in a shitty situation as a woman during the period, but I need more than circumstance to become invested in a character). The dialogue was frequently stilted. Also there are so many descriptions of hair. I do not care what’s going on with everyone’s hair.
Then some very dramatic plot happened and I realised I didn’t actually care about the outcome, so I’ve put it down.
I received a free audiobook from NetGalley in return for an honest review. The narrator Angela Ness did a good job with what she had to work with.

[Sven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot.

Apart from well writte descriptions of Scottish life, castles, alliances, and marriages, Catherine Campbell was an intriguing character.

She comes across as spoiled, entitled, and difficult but really can't be blamed for her behavior. Married to a despicable man, who does everything under his power to make her miserable, flaunting his long-term mistress and natural son, being uncouth and unkind and to top it all, taking her daughter away just builds the steps for Catherine to break. She's been taken away from her family, her lover, her loving home, and thrown in the inhospitable Duart castle. Her only friend is a harpist, Lorna. So what's a woman to do when all she wants is her life of loving and caring back. She plots, she schemes, she avenges, and she fights.

Well written and fast-paced. I was thoroughly surprised. The narration was done well, and emoted the book the well.

#netgalley #LadysRock

[Wafa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lady's Rock : the legend says that in the early 16th century, Lachlan McLean, head of the McLean clan, left his wife Catherine Campbell stranded on that small island one night, intending for her to drown when the tide would submerge the island.


Despite it's promising premise, I didn’t find this book that exciting. I found it difficult to root for Catherine... Lorna and Hector's subplot was better written and way more compelling, even though ... It felt disconnected from the main story. 

I don’t regret the 8 hours spent listening to this audiobook though. Not gonna lie, I'm still not sure if it's just a local legend or a true story, but it's interesting nonetheless.


🎧 Audiobook : 5/5 Loved the tone of voice and the accents, great work !


Thank you NetGalley and Saraband Audio for providing this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

[Fiona Brichaut · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed listening to Lady's Rock; it's dramatic, immersive and very colourful. The historical setting is one that I have no familiarity with, so I enjoyed getting a sense of the time and place.

The main characters - Catherine, Lachlan, Hector and Lorna - are vividly portrayed and I got pretty caught up in the whole story. Yes, it's a romance, but it's pretty dramatic and not saccharine. Some excellent scenes, and I loved the way the women's lives are brought to life.

Is is historically accurate? I have some doubts ;-). Is it realistic? Even more doubts! However, my suspension of disbelief was pretty high and I enjoyed immersing myself in Catherine and Lorna's world.

My thanks to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing an ARC. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.

[JCS · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable story with good narration bringing it to life alongside a light and interesting history lesson about the highland clans. I didn’t wholly warm to the main character, Catherine Campbell, who seems to think she is perfect. She is responsible for innocent people being punished or killed to protect herself and doesn’t really show any remorse, just moves on. It also highlights the way women and girls were used as bargaining chips. Thank you to Net Galley for an audio arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Mallee Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 16th century Scotland, Catherine is forced to marry Lachlan to forge an allegiance between the Campbells and the MacLeans. She arrives at Lachlan's dingy and cold castle where nothing is to her taste—the food is mostly seabirds and Lachlan uncouth table manners and lack of conversation at table leave her in despair. He is often away and she soon learns he has a mistress. Her only friend is Lorna who is a talented harpist living in a small cottage nearby. Can she survive this lonely life with a husband she begins to despise more as every day passes?

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great settings on the western isles off Scotland and the early 1500s. Lawrence has taken a legend about a tall rock between Oban and Mull that is regularly covered by the high tide and imagines why a woman might be abandoned there to die. Clans, rivalries, power denied women in those days and societies, and how bright and strong women survived, all have a place. My not-great rating is because the main character kept shifting from admirable to overly-arrogant.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

AUDIOBOOK: Thank you to #netgalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook.

Although I had to restart this a couple of times to get into it, it eventually had me engaged and enjoying the story of Lady Catherine Campbell.

I liked the twist at the end also, evidencing the strength of a woman’s love for her child. This is a mixed tale of honour, arranged marriage, and the love of family.

[Jane Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read all of Sue Lawrence’s books. Her vivid and well researched evocation of Scottish islands in this novel Lady’s Rock is on top form. Sue’s love of the Scotland’s countryside, especially its islands shines through. Catherine Campbell, the main character has to bear a hard life. The men around her imagine they can use her as a pawn. Let’s just say she is not a woman to be pushed around!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good historical fiction. Catherine, raised as a lady, is given in marriage to an old and unmannered man, to unite their clans. She tolerates him, until she realizes he practices fosterage, to unite himself with other clans. That’s when Catherine does what she believes she needs to do.

[hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this ! so much betrayal and deception

[Julie Klehr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really needed to end a couple of chapters earlier, and the final twist was just unnecessary.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing story about clan rivalries and the role marriage plays in building alliances. The role women played and how they were mere pawns in a men’s world.

[kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

God damn girl !!

[JM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent fast paced historical novel- interesting informative and wanted to keep reading to see what happens to the main character yet didn’t want it to finish. Power and powerlessness of women in 15C- with an unexpected ending. Would make a wonderful film. Definitely recommend