Ediciones B, 2023

TO CONQUER THE CROWN, YOU MUST CHANGE THE RULES OF THE GAME.

A historical thriller that reveals the origins of modern chess and the intrigues of the court of Isabella the Catholic.

“Luis Zueco is on the Olympus of Spanish historical novels.” – 20 minutos

Luis Zueco, author of The Soul Surgeon and The Book Merchant, delivers his most ambitious novel yet, full of excitement and intrigue, immersing us in the court of Isabella I of Castile, when the queen, both in the game and in history, became the most powerful figure for the first time.

Year 1468. Castile is at a crucial moment in its history. Alfonso de Trastámara has died under suspicious circumstances, and Henry IV rises as king, forcing his half-sister Isabella—the only one who could oppose his plans—to sign a peace treaty. She accepts, knowing she is destined to become Isabella the Catholic and understanding that great games are not won on the first move.

While court affairs keep the kingdom on edge, the mysterious murder of a nobleman brings together Gadea, a young woman passionate about chess with a dark past, and Ruy, a chronicler who loves history and books. Their dangerous race against time to uncover the culprit intertwines with the conspiracies and wars of Isabella’s court, where the queen, like a master on a chessboard, forever transformed the role of the queen in the game of chess.