LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
From the bestselling author of Lady of Hay, Barbara Erskine‘s The Dream Weavers is a spellbinding saga that spans centuries through a writer’s eerie connections to Anglo-Saxon King Offa and his indomitable daughter.
In 2021, writer Simon has decamped to a cottage on the English-Welsh border to finish his book about King Offa. Unsettled by noises in the cottage - a woman’s distant voice, banging on doors in the dead of night - he enlists the help of modern-day mystic Bea. In 775 AD, Eadburh, the youngest daughter of ambitious, aggressive King Offa has inherited her father’s ruthless streak, along with unusual gifts from her mother, and it’s not long before these two time periods and gripping stories are seamlessly interwoven, not least when Simon’s daughter vanishes in our time.
While the action is epic, the stakes high, and the historic episodes powerfully evocative, Erskine has an accessible down-to-earth style, with lots of character backstory and side strands feeding into the main narratives. Thronging with mystery, ghostly visions and centuries of secrets, this comes recommended for readers who like historic fiction with meandering intrigue.
Joanne Owen
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The Dream Weavers Synopsis
The new, gripping historical novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Lady of Hay
A nest of vipers, they called us. But that is not how it was.
Mercia, 775 AD.
In the grand Saxon halls of Mercia, King Offa rules with ruthless ambition. Aggressive and relentlessly acquisitive, his three daughters are destined to marry advantageously in service of their country. Eadburh, the youngest, is neither the cleverest nor the most beautiful of the three. But, with her father's ruthless spirit and the secret gifts passed down from her mother, she is determined to carve her own path in the world.
2021. Simon Armstrong has escaped to a secluded cottage on the English-Welsh borders, desperate to finish his book about Anglo-Saxon King Offa. But he soon finds himself disturbed by unsettling noises and visions. Calling in local expert Bea to identify the issue, Simon hopes to get back some peace - but soon Bea is as embroiled as he is, feeling increasingly connected to a ghostly presence that is growing ever-stronger in its desire for revenge.
And when Simon's daughter disappears, centuries of secrets and resentment begin to tumble out...
An epic tale of deceit, revenge and exile from the queen of timeslip historical fiction.
Time is running out as the past and present collide...
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9780008195885 |
| Publication date: |
15th April 2021 |
| Author: |
Barbara Erskine |
| Publisher: |
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers |
| Format: |
Ebook (Epub) |
| Primary Genre |
Historical Fiction
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| Recommendations: |
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Press Reviews
Barbara Erskine Press Reviews
Praise for Barbara Erskine:
'Her forte is mood, atmosphere and the toe-curling frisson' Elizabeth Buchan, Sunday Times
'Barbara Erskine's storytelling talent is undeniable' The Times
'Marvellous escapist stuff' Woman and Home
Author
About Barbara Erskine
Barbara Erskine was our Guest Editor in July 2012 - click here - to see the books that inspired her writing.
An historian by training, Barbara Erskine is the author of thirteen novels, at once demonstrating her interest in history and the supernatural, plus four collections of short stories. Her books have appeared in at least twenty-six languages. Barbara’s first novel, Lady of Hay, has sold over three million copies worldwide to date. She lives in Hay-on-Wye.
Author photo © Karolina Webb
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