Mary of Magdala

by Joanna Courtney

The next sweeping, romantic historical fiction by Joanna Courtney, author of Blood Queen

Genres: Historical Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

Expected publication June 4, 2026

About the author

My first literary accolade was a creative writing prize at primary school and from that point on I wanted to be a novelist. I was always reading as a child and often made up stories for my brother and sister on long car journeys. I was also a huge Enid Blyton fan and by ten I was writing my own (doubtless terrible) boarding school novels. Perhaps inevitably, I took my degree in English literature and it was at Cambridge, specialising in medieval literature, that I first discovered what has become a true passion for ancient history.

I took a sidestep after university to work in a wonderful textiles factory in Lancashire - a move that led me to my lovely husband, but didn't satisfy my yearning to write. Married and living in Derbyshire, however, I took up my pen again in the sparse hours available between raising my two stepchildren and two more of my own. At that hectic time, I primarily wrote shorter fiction and I've had well over 200 stories and serials published in women's magazines. As my children began to grow up and then leave home, however, I have had more time to write.
My passion is freeing women from either the obscurity or the mistruths of male-dominated history. My first trilogy, The Queens of the conquest, is about the women fighting to be Queen of England in 1066 - Edyth of Mercia, wife of King Harold; Elizaveta of Kiev; wife of Harald Hardrada; and Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror.
My second explores the true story of three of Shakespeare's most famous - and most maligned heroines - Lady Macbeth, Ophelia and Cordelia.

I also write WW2 fiction as Anna Stuart.

Reviews

[Nessa’s Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who knows me knows I’m an endlessly curious person. I’m the kind of reader who likes to wander into history, myths, folklore, and religion and ask a lot of “but what about this?” questions. So Mary of Magdala: The Story of the Church as You Should Have Known It immediately caught my attention.

This book tells the story of the early Christian movement through the eyes of Mary of Magdala, and honestly, I found that perspective fascinating. Instead of being pushed to the edges of the story, Mary is right at the centre. A woman drawn to the radical teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, even when following him means losing the approval of her family and the safety of the life she knew.

Alongside companions like Prisca and Lydia, Mary begins a journey to spread a message of hope, love, and renewal in a world that really wasn’t interested in listening to women. Watching these women find their voices, face hostility, and still stand firm in what they believe was one of the most compelling parts of the book for me.

What I appreciated most was how human the story felt. Faith, doubt, courage, fear….it’s all there. Mary isn’t just a figure from history here, she’s a woman trying to navigate belief, purpose, and the growing movement around her.

It also quietly makes you think about how many stories from history have been told from only one perspective… and how different they might look if we listened to the voices that were left out.

This was a really interesting reimagining of a familiar story and one that definitely gave me plenty to think about.

[Francesca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is a good weave of the stories of the women who led the early churches.

I was really excited that this book was coming out. I loved Cleopatra and Julius and the complex relationship between Salome and her mother in the author’s previous books.
I have also read many theories about Mary of Magdala’s role in Jesus’ life. Some naming her his partner/ wife/ healer/ source of huge inspiration.

I was disappointed that the book didn’t explore these standpoints more. The narrative also begins years after Jesus’ death and it feels like a lot of the key moments in the character’s lives has already happened.

I really enjoyed hearing the story of Jesus in Salome from the view points of characters who were not immediate converts but grappled with the conflicts that arise from the emergence of a new religion. In comparison this book offered less to me as a non-christian.

Many of the interesting features across the story lines in this book came from the embellishments of the characters rather than the context of the time which would definitely have been extremely interesting politically but this is sort of casually brushed over.

[Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a mission to finish. Loved the concept but maybe I just don’t like historical fiction as a medium for storytelling anymore.