Past and present collide on a richly mysterious Nile cruise…
From the bestselling author of Lady of Hay comes this atmospheric and gripping page-turner.
Recently divorced Anna Fox decides to cheer herself up by retracing a journey her great grandmother Louisa made in the mid-nineteenth century – a Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan. Anna carries with her two of Louisa’s possessions: an ancient Egyptian scent bottle and an illustrated diary of the original cruise that has lain unread for over a hundred years.
As she follows in Louisa’s footsteps, Anna discovers in the diary a wonderful Victorian love story – and the chilling secret of the little glass bottle. Meanwhile two men from the tour party develop an unfriendly rivalry for her attention, while showing a disturbing interest in Louisa’s mementoes. Most frightening of all, Anna finds herself the victim of a spectral presence that grows in strength and threat as the dramatic stories from three different eras intertwine in a terrifying climax.
Barbara Erskine returns with this beautiful and haunting tale of dark forces and mystical powersCambridge, present day: Following the death of her mother, Abi Rutherford receives a mysterious bequest - a misshapen crystal sphere known as the Serpent's Stone, which gives her glimpses into mysteries long concealed by the church.Western England, 25 AD: A stranger has come to the chilly Somerset wetlands, with a story of hope and reconciliation. But he is being followed by powerful forces, determined that he will not undermine Roman rule in Britain.Abi questions what connects these ancient events and her gift. Why do so many people seem desperate to hide the truth?A dark shadow has fallen across the centuries, and a woman is in fear for her life. But is it danger that awaits her, or the final truth so long whispered across the echoes of time?
Before you follow the path into your family's history, beware of the secrets you may find...
The new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author.
Ruth has returned to Edinburgh after many years of exile, left rootless by the end of her marriage, career and now the death of her father, from whom she had long been estranged. She is faced with the daunting task of clearing his house, believing he had removed all traces of her mother. Yet hidden away in a barely used top-floor room, she finds he had secretly kept a cupboard full of her possessions. Sifting through the ancient papers, Ruth discovers the diary and letters written by her ancestor from the eighteenth century, Thomas Erskine.
As the youngest son of a noble family now living in genteel poverty, Thomas always knew he would have to make his own way in the world. Unable to follow his brothers to university, instead he joins first the navy and then the army, rising through the ranks, travelling the world. When he is finally able to study law, his extraordinary experiences and abilities propel him to the very top and he becomes Lord Chancellor. Yet he has made a powerful enemy on his voyages, who will hound him and his family to the death - and beyond.
Ruth becomes ever more aware of Thomas as she is gripped by his story, and slowly senses that not only is his presence with her, but so is his enemy's. Ruth will have to draw upon new friends and old in what becomes a battle for her very survival - and discover an inner power beyond anything she has imagined.
The brand-new, gripping historical novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Lady of Hay!
‘Warmth, depth, mystery, magic and the supernatural … such a beautiful book!’ bestselling author Santa Montefiore
‘A dazzling roller-coaster of a book that will thrill, enchant and intrigue those who love history and the supernatural’ bestselling author Alison Weir
Mercia, 788 AD
In the grand Saxon halls of Mercia, King Offa rules with cold ambition. His youngest daughter Eadburh is destined for an arranged marriage, but with reckless spirit her heart is taken by a Welsh prince, a man she can never be matched with and who is quickly and cruelly taken from her.
Eadburh inherited her father’s ruthless ways but it’s the gifts passed down from her mother that are far more dangerous. She is determined to carve her own place in the world, yet her path could cause war.
Offa’s Dyke, 2021
In a cottage hidden amongst the misty Welsh hills of Offa’s Dyke, Bea Dalloway is called to help Simon Armstrong, who is searching for peace. Instead he finds himself disturbed by unsettling noises and visions.
It isn’t long before Bea is also swept up by haunting dreams. The past is whispering to them, calling out for the truth to be told at last. And as dreams and reality weave closer together, Bea and Simon must be strong to resist the pull of the past – and its desire for revenge…
The Sunday Times bestselling author returns with a thrilling tale of lost love, betrayal and secrets that have lain buried over a thousand years…
‘So atmospheric and suspenseful, full of myth and magic and hauntings’ bestselling author Rachel Hore
‘Mysterious and haunting – a richly woven tapestry of history and intrigue’ bestselling author Fiona Valpy
‘If you like brilliantly written history tinged with magic and ghosts, you'll love this’ bestselling author Peter James
Barbara Erskine is Sunday Times bestselling author many times over. Her latest book, The Ghost Tree, was a No. 2 Sunday Times bestseller (on week ending 25th August 2018).
From the Sunday Times bestselling author comes an epic tale of love, passion and heartbreak.In the summer of 1940, eyes are focussed on the skies above the South of England: the Battle for Britain has just begun. But Evie Lucas has eyes for no-one but a dashing young pilot called Tony. Evie has a glittering career as an artist ahead of her but seems only to be fascinated in sketching portraits of him...Seventy years later, recently widowed art historian Lucy is putting the pieces of her life back together, and to do that she needs to uncover the mystery surrounding a painting in her home. As Lucy ties up the loose ends of one lifetime, she stirs up a hornet's nest of history in another. Suddenly, Lucy finds herself in danger from people past and present who have no intention of letting an untold truth ever surface.Some stories are buried in the darkness forever. Some are just waiting to be told...
Two women, centuries apart. One endless nightmare tearing Wales apart - and only they can stop it.
Sunday Times bestselling author Barbara Erskine returns to Hay in the year that marks the 30th anniversary of her sensational debut bestseller, Lady of Hay.Hay-On-Wye, 1400 - War is brewing in the Welsh borders, Catrin is on the brink of womanhood and falling in love for the first time.
Her father is a soothsayer, playing a dangerous game playing on the mixed loyalties and furious rivalries between welsh princes and English lords. For two hundred years, the Welsh people have lain under the English yoke, dreaming of independence. And finally it looks as though the charismatic Owain Glyndwr may be the man legend talks of.
In the walls of Sleeper's Castle, Catrin finds herself caught in the middle of a doomed war as she is called upon to foretell Wales's destiny... And what she sees, is blood and war coming closer...Hay, 2015. Miranda has moved to Sleeper's Castle to escape and grieve. Slowly she feels herself coming to life in the solitude of the mountains. But every time she closes her eyes her dreams become more vivid. And she makes a connection with a young girl, who's screaming, who's reaching out... who only Miranda can help. Is she losing herself to time?
A spine-tingling collection of haunting tales, from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Lady of Hay.
Sands of Time features two intriguing stories that pick up the fortunes of characters from Whispers in the Sand, Barbara Erskine's captivating Egyptian novel. Still haunted by ancient mysteries, and the subject of dark intentions, Anna and Louisa must once more do battle with the past in order to survive the present.
Alongside these are a host of other tales, all with a touch of the unexpected. A happily married woman has an affair – with a man who died in the First World War. Who is the little girl on the swing in the garden – and why does only Charlotte see her? And how does a traveller find herself transported suddenly from her airplane seat to the snowy Canadian wasteland below?
Suspense, romance, passion, unexpected echoes of the past – vintage Barbara Erskine, and storytelling at its most compelling.
Readers LOVE Barbara Erskine:
‘Atmospheric’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Enthralling’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Spellbinding’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Another fabulous read from the mistress of the genre’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Immensely and deeply immersive fiction’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I loved every minute’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘An exceptional writer of great books’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘You can rely on this author to keep you wanting more’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A joy to read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Captivating and engrossing’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
From the bestselling author of Time's Legacy and Lady of Hay comes a thrilling new novel, River of Destiny, an epic story that spans Anglo Saxon Britain, Victorian Suffolk and the present day.Perfect for fans of Kate Mosse's Labyrinth.On the banks of the River Deben in Suffolk are ancient barns dating back to Anglo Saxon times - within these walls lie secrets that have been buried for centuries.New arrivals Zoe and Ken move into one of the converted barns, ready to start a life away from the hustle and bustle of the city. To the outside world they seem happy, but they are growing further apart by the day. Meanwhile the strange presence Zoe feels within their home and the ghostly shapes she sees through the cloying mists on the river are getting harder to ignore.Nearby, farmers are ploughing the land beside the river and human bones are found. Are they linked to the Victorian tragedy the locals whisper about? The secret of the grassy mound has remained untouched through history, but now that it's been disturbed, will there be devastating consequences?
A stunning novel of contemporary and historical betrayal and revenge, from the author of LADY OF HAY.After a broken love affair, biographer Kate Kennedy retires to a remote cottage on the wild Essex coast to work on her new book, until her landlord's daughter uncovers a Roman site nearby and long-buried passions are unleashed...In her lonely cottage, Kate is terrorized by mysterious forces. What do these ghosts want? Should the truth about the violent events of long ago be exposed or remain concealed? Kate must struggle for her life against earthbound spirits and ancient curses as hate, jealousy, revenge and passion do battle across the centuries...
A story spanning centuries. A long awaited revenge.In London, journalist Jo Clifford plans to debunk the belief in past-lives in a hard-hitting magazine piece. But her scepticism is shaken when a hypnotist forces her to relive the experiences of Matilda, Lady of Hay, a noblewoman during the reign of King John.She learns of Matilda's unhappy marriage, her love for the handsome Richard de Clare, and the brutal death threats handed out by King John, before it becomes clear that Jo's past and present are inevitably entwined. She realises that eight hundred years on, Matilda's story of secret passion and unspeakable treachery is about to repeat itself...Barbara Erskine's iconic debut novel still delights generations of readers thirty years after its first publication.
A story spanning centuries. A long awaited revenge.
In London, journalist Jo Clifford plans to debunk the belief in past-lives in a hard-hitting magazine piece. But her scepticism is shaken when a hypnotist forces her to relive the experiences of Matilda, Lady of Hay, a noblewoman during the reign of King John.
She learns of Matilda's unhappy marriage, her love for the handsome Richard de Clare, and the brutal death threats handed out by King John, before it becomes clear that Jo’s past and present are inevitably entwined. She realises that eight hundred years on, Matilda’s story of secret passion and unspeakable treachery is about to repeat itself…
Barbara Erskine’s iconic debut novel still delights generations of readers thirty years after its first publication.
When Joss, an adopted child, discovers that her real mother has left the beautiful family home, Belheddon Hall, to her, she is thrilled, until she discovers that the Hall is haunted by a presence which will not tolerate husbands or sons living in the house.Joss Grant is eager to begin a new life when she inherits Belheddon Hall. She brings her husband, Luke, and their small son, Tom, to the dilapidated house, and sets about discovering her family roots.But not long after they move in, Tom wakes screaming at night. Joss hears echoing voices and senses an invisible presence watching her from the shadows. Are they spirits from the past? As she learns, with mounting horror, of Belheddon's tragic history, she realises that both her family and her own sanity are at the mercy of a violent and powerful energy that seems beyond anyone's control.
