The perfect Christmas gift for lovers of beautiful books, mythological retellings and literary fiction.

'An illuminating and often thrilling work of feminist reclamation' – The Guardian

No Friend to This House is an extraordinary reimagining of the myth of Medea from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Stone Blind, Natalie Haynes.

This is what no one tells you, in the songs sung about Jason and the Argo. This part of his quest has been forgotten, by everyone but me . . .

Jason and his Argonauts set sail to find the Golden Fleece. The journey is filled with danger, for him and everyone he meets. But if he ever reaches the distant land he seeks, he faces almost certain death.

Medea – priestess, witch, and daughter of a brutal king – has the power to save the life of a stranger. Will she betray her family and her home, and what will she demand in return?

Medea and Jason seize their one chance of a life together, as the gods intend. But their love is steeped in vengeance from the beginning, and no one – not even those closest to them – will be safe.

Based on the classic tragedy by Euripides, this is Medea as you've never seen her before . . .

Readers are loving No Friend to This House:

‘No Friend to This House is brutal and gut wrenching . . . I loved it!’

‘No Friend to This House is well paced, intricately woven and very clever - it's a history lesson without the lecture’

'Haynes once again proves that she's the reigning queen of reimagined myth . . . bold, heartbreaking, and utterly unforgettable. I loved it'

It's superb: sharp, funny, inventive, powerfully humane -- Katherine Rundell, bestselling author of Impossible Creatures
An illuminating and often thrilling work of feminist reclamation * The Guardian *
Natalie Haynes . . . offers an extraordinary feminist reimagining of the myth of Medea, cementing her place in a female pantheon of classical interpreters with Pat Barker, Madeleine Miller and Margaret Atwood * The Oldie *
One of my all-time favourite writers -- Nikita Gill, bestselling author of Hekate
Haynes’ Medea is especially striking – both fearless witch and desperate lover – capturing all the facets and contradictions of the character in the ancient sources . . . Another masterpiece from Haynes. -- Costanza Casati, author of Babylonia
[A] wry, witty and ruthless retelling of Euripides' play * Daily Mail *
Natalie Haynes is a once-in-a-generation storyteller, and No Friend to This House is her masterpiece. Haynes does not so much retell the myth of Medea as excavate it, layer by devastating layer, for truths both timeless and timely. This is a stunning novel that cuts to the bone. -- Dr. Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana
An incredible feat of storytelling, bringing to life all the strands of the divine and human which led to one of the most fascinating myths of all time - Medea -- Martha Kearney
A stunning, slowburning tale full of passion and vengeance * Woman & Home *
The myth of Medea captivatingly retold (complete with the most beautifully foil-tipped pages) will completely reset your commute * Stylist *
If there is one thing Natalie Haynes knows how to do, it is reposition the classics. And her latest offering, No Friend to This House, raises the bar even more . . . In the world of Greek tragedy, Medea is often considered one of the most complex and divisive characters. But Haynes’ No Friend To This House gives readers more to consider about her * Press Association *
Witty, gripping, ruthless -- Margaret Atwood, bestselling author of The Testaments, on Stone Blind
An exceptionally powerful retelling of Medusa's story, an emotional gut punch of a novel . . . It is a dazzling achievement -- Elodie Harper, bestselling author of The Wolf Den Trilogy, on Stone Blind
Inventive and playful . . . [and] very funny -- The Times on Stone Blind
With her trademark passion, wit, and fierce feminism, Natalie Haynes gives much-needed voice to the silenced women of the Trojan War -- Madeline Miller, bestselling author of Circe, on A Thousand Ships
Absorbing and fiercely feminist . . . A many-layered delight -- The Guardian on A Thousand Ships
A sparkling narrative . . . A Thousand Ships blows the dust off the classics -- The Washington Post on A Thousand Ships
Haynes balances a fresh take on the material . . . giving new voice to the often-overlooked but fascinating Jocasta and Ismene -- Madeline Miller, bestselling author of Circe, on The Children of Jocasta
A wonderful and inventive take on an ancient tale -- The Times on The Children of Jocasta
Glorious, gripping and brutal . . . I loved it -- Victoria Derbyshire, journalist and broadcaster, on The Children of Jocasta

Natalie Haynes is a writer and broadcaster. She is the author of The Amber Fury, The Children of Jocasta, A Thousand Ships, which was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2020, Stone Blind and No Friend to This House, both Sunday Times bestsellers. Her non-fiction includes, Pandora’s Jar, a bestseller in both the UK and the US, and Divine Might. She has written and performed ten series of her BBC Radio 4 show, Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics. In 2015 she was awarded the Classical Association Prize for her work in bringing Classics to a wider audience.