The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick

Filled with romance, drama, mystery and intrigue The Phantom Tree is Nicola Cornick’s follow up to the hugely popular House of Shadows and once again the story is inspired by a real historical figure. The inspiration is Mary Seymour daughter of Katherine Parr; Henry VIII’s last Queen and her fourth husband Thomas Seymour. Mary’s mother died in childbirth and her father was executed for treason after which she disappears from historical records. Nicola Cornick uses this mystery of Mary’s life and death to weave an exciting tale of secrets, treachery and time travel. Alison is wandering the streets of modern day Marlborough when she sees a familiar face in a Tudor portrait. Although the shop owner is insistent that the portrait is of Anne Boleyn, Alison knows that it’s Mary Seymour and that it is a vital clue to finding out what happened to Mary and to her own son. The time slip tale is narrated by Mary in the Sixteenth century and Alison in the present day and is carefully handled as the secrets and stories twist and turn. With the help and occasional hindrance of handsome TV historian and writer Adam, Alison is determined to uncover Mary’s story. However, to do that she will eventually have to reveal her own secrets; her lost son; her chaotic childhood at Wolf Hall and her real identity. The two narrative threads are carefully handled and the story is a genuine page turner. Perfect for fans of Tracy Rees, Barbara Erskine and Kate Riordan 

Published by HQ

This review originally appeared in Historical Novel Review Issue 80 May 2017 and can be viewed here

https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-phantom-tree/

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

An enchanting story of a young violin prodigy sent violently hurtling back in time to 1776 at the whim of a cruel and controlling family of time travellers. Etta must find a coveted astrolabe while her mother is held prisoner by the Ironwood family. She is aided in her frantic race against time by Nicholas Carter, a young sailor also entangled with the Ironwood family. This is a romantic, action packed page turner perfect for fans of fantasy and historical fiction.

This is the first in a series and I can't wait for the second book. 

Perfect for fans of Outlander and Sarah J Maas.

I reviewed this book for the Inis Reading Guide 2016 published by Children's Books Ireland 

House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick

Everything about this book was guaranteed to entice me from the title to the cover to the tag line 'Dark secrets lie just around the corner..' but most of all the blurb which not only hinted that this is a time-slip novel but recommended the book to fans of Barbra Erskine and Kate Morton. That was it, I was sold so even though the publishers were kind enough to send me an e-galley I just had to get a print edition too.
The book opens with The Winter Queen Elizabeth Stuart, a fascinating woman who I think simply doesn't feature enough in history or historical fiction. Nicola used a setting she knows well Ashdown House where she works as guide and with some poetic licence she has told the story of the house and some of it's occupants, real and imagined. This is my favourite kind of historical fiction mixing the magical and the mystical with the past and the present. In the present day Holly is searching for her missing brother Ben who vanished at Ashdown Mill where he was researching the family tree. Holly begins a desperate race against time to find her brother and discover the secrets about this fascinating place.  Holly discovers a diary written by a 19th Century occupant of the house before it was burned down and from this point Nicola Cornick weaves the three different timelines together skillfully in this deftly plotted book. Wonderful characters and excellent storytelling.
Published by Harlequin Mira. 

Wild Wood by Posie Graeme-Evans

Another Australia author. One I have a bit of a soft spot for because she is such a beautiful writer and she writes my favourite kind of book; time-slip. Just like The Island House Wild Wood features an Aussie heroine exploring her British heritage. This book however is set not on a Scottish island but on the Scottish border. The modern story actually takes place in the early 1980s with Jesse Marley having just discovered that she is adopted she sets out to learn more about her birth family. Arriving in London she has an accident and finds herself in hospital unable to speak. She is treated by a neurologist Rory who encourages Jesse to draw and she begins to draw faces of people she has never met and a castle she has never seen. However the castle is quite real in fact Rory knows it very well because he grew up there. Rory takes her to see the castle and to try and understand what is happening to Jesse and what her connection to Hundredfields really is. Weaving between Jesse's chapters we get the tale of Hundredfields itself and the intriguing mystery that has been handed down through the generations. This is an intriguing tale of history, mystery, family and secrets that fans of Susanna Kearsley, Diana Gabaldon and Rosemary Goring will adore. 

Sleeper's Castle by Barbara Erskine

Barbara Erskine's lastest book returns to the landscape where she set her debut novel Lady of Hay 30 years ago. Miranda, Andy to her friends has lost the man she loves and her home. After nearly ten years together her beloved Graham is dead and with no will his home that he shared with Andy is now the property of his estranged wife Rhona. Andy is left rudderless but she is offered a lifeline by an old friend; Sue is heading to Australia for a year and she needs a house sitter for her beautiful home in the Welsh Borders. Sleeper's Castle is old and full of shadows and secrets so Andy is really not surprised when she begins to dream about the past. In the early 1400s Catrin lived at Sleeper's Castle with her father a poet and a bard. Catrin also writes poetry but she must keep it secret for her father is a controlling man and Wales is in turmoil as shifting allegiances bring war to their door and it is a dangerous time to be a bard and a seer. As Catrin and her father are drawn into the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr and she begins to fall for a handsome English widower, Catrin's story seems determined to be told.
Barbara Erskine once again beautifully blends past and present allowing the tension and darkness to seep from the past into the present. Loyal fans will not be disappointed with this new book and new fans will be equally enchanted. If you have not yet discovered Barbara Erskine you are in for a treat. She cleverly weaves together mystery, history, romance and the gothic and will appeal to fans of Diana Gabaldon and Susanna Kearsley.
This book will be released on June 30th 2016 from Harper Collins who kindly sent me a proof copy to review.

The Edge of Dark by Pamela Hartshorne

The Edge of Dark is the first Pamela Hartshorne novel I've read but it certainly won't be the last. This is a time slip novel, a genre that I adore. The two protagonists are Jane a butcher's daughter who makes an advantageous marriage in Sixteenth Century York and Rosalind newly appointed events director at Holmwood House. It is the restored Elizabethan townhouse in Micklegate that connects the two women. The echoes of the past are brought to life by the work being done in the house. As the house begins to look as it did in Elizabethan times and the staff are encouraged to dress as Elizabethans for the grand opening so the restless spirits of Jane and her family begin to overpower Roz and her colleagues. The time shifts between the two characters are expertly done leaving the reader dying to know more about both time lines and with both stories coming to dramatic climaxes. This is a fantastic page turner, filled with twists and turns and a great cast of characters. It is at times thrillingly dark as the title suggests and I can't wait to read the author's previous books. This novel will be perfect for fans of Tudor fiction such as Philippa Gregory and of course fans of time slip fiction such as that of Barbara Erskine.

Thank you to Louise Buckley of Pan MacMillan for a review copy of the book.

Author Feature: Anna Belfrage

Today's featured author is the lovely Anna Belfrage.

Anna is the author of the fantastic Graham saga of time slip novels set in the seventeenth century. A firm favourite with historical fiction readers across the world. There are now seven books in the series and you can find out more about the books and Anna on her website http://www.annabelfrage.com/





Five favourite books

What a horribly difficult question! Favourite books come and go, I think, believing on my present situation in life and my mood. But if I make a humongous effort, I can put together a list – not at all comprehensive, of course, but still…

1. Lord of the Rings – author name unnecessary, right? A book (well, trilogy) I’ve returned to over and over again throughout my life. A book that has been a door-opener into the magic world of literature for my sons (not my daughter), a book that is so well-read it is falling apart along the spine.

2. Kristin Lavransdotter by S Undstedt. The first truly historical book I ever read – at a very young age. Medieval times in Norway with an unforgettable female protagonist. What more can one want?

3. For whom the bell tolls. My favourite among Hemingway’s books – probably because of the setting and the streak of romance.

4. La fiesta del Chivo – The Feast of the Goat – by Mario Vargas Llosa. Beautiful language, at times quite unbearable content. What stays with me are the contrasts - the good guy sipping chicken soup for lunch while Trujillo is torturing someone in a nearby prison.

5. Here be Dragons by Sharon K Penman. It should probably come at the top, given the number of times I’ve read it. This particular book had me running off to buy a book called “Learning Welsh” (did not go so well), made me re-direct our entire honeymoon to visit each and every one of Llewellyn’s castles, and can still reduce me to tears – every single time.

And now to my top five writing tips

1. Read! Read some more. A writer develops his/her craft through reading, how else? Discover what you like, what you don’t like – I, for example, am not a fan of first person narrative as it restricts the story substantially. Learn from the masters, consider the perfection of Barbara Vine’s prose, or Philip Roth’s. Read Michael Dibdin to learn how to write introspection, Elizabeth Chadwick to see how she inserts historical feel. Study dialogue by laughing your head off when reading Janet Evanovich, sigh and dream of other places when you lap up the gorgeous descriptive writing of Barbara Gaskell Denvil. That is how we learn to write: by reading.

2. Write for yourself. Forget about commercial angles, ignore the savvy advice of those who tell you that any historical novelist wanting success must write a Tudor novel – unless you desperately want to write a Tudor novel (and yes, Tudor novels sell amazingly well; can’t quite comprehend why…) writing is first and foremost a selfish pleasure, an opportunity for the writer to wallow in precisely the genre/period he/she adores above all others.

3. Grow a couple of extra layers of skin. Very many people may like your book – just as many won’t, and several of these will gladly tell you just what a terrible read your novel is. But if you’re true to point two, it will be easier to ignore the negative reviews – after all, your aim is first and foremost to please Number One.

4. Write your book. Put it aside. Not for one day, not for one week, not even for one month. No, leave it alone for three months or so, before opening it anew. Errors will leap out at you – but there will also be passages that make you grin with pride. Correct the errors. Repeat the entire process.

5. If you really want to publish your book, do not stint on the editing. Every author needs a good editor, because try as you might, you will never catch all your errors on your own!


And now on to Lisa’s tricky questions…

1. Do you plan your story first and then do the research or does reading and researching spark ideas? In my case, it works both ways. I may have an interesting plot line in my head but can’t quite find the period in which to place it, and then one day as I am reading a non-fiction book, a little detail may catch my eye, and hey presto! I have my period! Research is important – but beware of wanting to show off all your knowledge in your final product. “Info dumps” can smother the best of stories.
Research is a bit like an airplane: it lifts you off the ground and flies you somewhere else. But the adventure starts when you reach your destination. I generally read non-fiction from the periods I am interested in, so already in my selection of research literature I have narrowed down my choices. Having said that, now and then I pick up a book about something totally unrelated and end up somewhere else than where I’d planned to go – like buying a last minute ticket to an exotic destination.

2. Do you think historical fiction is enjoying a resurgence and if so, why? Yes, I do. Partly because of a number of excellent authors, such as Hillary Mantel, taking it on, partly due to a general increase in curiosity about history. TV shows like Game of Thrones also help – especially if you write medieval fiction. Plus, if we’re going to be quite honest, Historical Fiction is more of an umbrella than a genre, as everything from crime to romance can be dressed in the garments of the past – something quite a few authors (and readers) have discovered.

3. What draws you to writing about the past? History had always been my passion – and especially British history. Combining my desire to write with this never-ending curiosity about life in the past was a given, somehow.

4. Do you have a typical writing day? Not really. I steal my writing moments – other than writing, I have a challenging and inspiring day-time job, as do many writers. I apply discipline to my writing on my weekends. On such days, I will eat a leisurely breakfast, write for four or five hours, take a break for a long walk, write some more. There are a couple of mandatory props when I write: tea, sweatpants and my trusted red computer. Plus I use a lot of post-its.

5. What are you working on now? I am working on a trilogy set in the 14th century.
“A trilogy?” my BFF asked earlier today. “I thought it was two books.” “Things expanded,” I explained. They very often do… Anyway: my new series is about Kit Coucy who is coerced into marrying Adam de Guirande while pretending to be someone else. Adam is one of Roger Mortimer’s most loyal men, and in marrying him, Kit is drawn into the events surrounding Mortimer’s rebellion against Edward II. Plenty of adventure, very much love, and all of this against a background of  exciting real life events!


Thank you so much for allowing me to visit with you Lisa!

Thank you Anna I am also a massive fan of Here be Dragons and thanks for some top writing tips.

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Headline Publishing have re-issued  a number of titles from the powerful and hugely influential science fiction author Octavia E. Butler with titles available in both print and e-book format. I was delighted to be sent a print copy of this classic American book first published in 1979. While there is an element of science fiction in this novel it is also a politically charged tale of pre-civil war slavery. Dana a young black writer just moving into her new home with her husband feels dizzy and wakes up to find herself in early 19th century Maryland. She sees a young boy thrashing about in a river and pulls him out and revives him saving his life just as a hard faced man points a rifle into her face she is suddenly back home in her new apartment and soaked through. A series of trips back into the past then commences, some lasting for weeks and months at a time. Dana experiences first hand the cruelty of slavery and of being considered something to be traded as she struggles to stay alive and to keep her ancestors from harm. This book raises huge questions about equality, identity, race and gender. It is powerful, compelling and disturbing. Recommended even if you aren't a fan of time travel (as I am) or of science fiction generally. Thanks to Headline and Bookbridgr for a review copy of this book.

A Rip in the Veil by Anna Belfrage

This was one of my favourite books of 2013. I simply cannot say enough good things about it. It is a time slip novel, one of my favourite fictional tropes and it features present day heroine Alex who falls through a crack in time during a freak thunderstorm in the Scottish countryside and finds herself at the mercy of escaped convict Matthew Graham. It is 1658. Matthew feels he must take responsibility for this stranded and confused woman. Alex must come to terms with being separated from her family and reliant on a stranger in this strange and dangerous time. As the book features time travel, romance and Scotland it obviously reminded me of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. While there are some similarities the differences are enough to set the two firmly apart. Anna's writing is sharp with great interaction between the characters and there is adventure, mystery and intrigue in abundance. I don't want to give away too much detail here as it would spoil the read. Suffice to say that it is the first in a series and I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you enjoy historical or time slip fiction, are a fan of Diana Gabaldon, Barbara Erskine or Susanna Kearsley then this is for you.

Published by Matador. I am grateful to the author for a review copy.

Shadows of the past by Carmen Stefanescu

Shadows of the Past is a book that straddles a number of genres. It is romance, time-slip, paranormal and magical. Telling the story of Anne and Neil in present day England who are trying to heal the rifts of the past with a romantic country weekend away and of Genevieve and Andrew in medieval England. I found the story easy to read and I wanted to know what happened next to the characters. I will admit however that I enjoyed the historical plot line a lot more and found Genevieve's tale more compelling and better developed. Genevieve grows up as an apprentice to a wise woman, a country hedgewitch with knowledge of herbs and their magical and healing properties. Left alone when her guardian dies she eventually becomes a nun and it is at the convent that she finds both great evil and great love. There were a number of historical inaccuracies that niggled such as the use of modern names for things although this may have been a problem with translation or editing rather than the author. I was a little dissapointed that the story was not set in the author's native Transylvania however the story was well written and dramatic and will appeal to fans of time slip or paranormal romance. You can find out more about the author on her blog http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/

This book is available as an e-book from Wild Child Publishing. Thank you to the author for sending me a review copy.

The Medici Mirror by Melissa Bailey

This is a haunting historical mystery set in three different time periods. Beginning with Catherine de Medici, Queen of France who cuts a lonely figure as a jealous wife, she begins to dabble in the black arts. Then travelling to present day London where recently divorced architect Johnny is commissioned to redesign an abandoned shoe factory into a designer split level home. Johnny discovers a hidden room in the basement, there he finds a long forgotten Venetian mirror. Spooked by his encounter with the mirror Johnny feels the dark presence that had been locked away in the hidden room spill out into his own life impacting on his burgeoning relationship with Ophelia, both are drawn to the mirror and the secrets it holds. Johnny begins to research the mirror's history and discovers a link to a tragic death which took place in the factory many years before. Is it possible that the mirror is haunted?
This is a wonderful piece of storytelling in the vein of Barbara Erskine, Rachel Hore, Kate Mosse and Helen Moorhouse, with fantastic characters and a thrilling denouement. I enjoyed the way that Melissa drip fed the three story lines throughout the book never revealing too much or too little. I look forward to this author's next book and highly recommend this to fans of the ghostly, the historical and the time-slip.

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

Susanna Kearsley's latest novel is out in paperback now. I bought this while on holidays and started it straight away I had heard great things from The Historical and Time Slip Novels Book Club on facebook so I just had to have it. I certainly wasn't disappointed. Nicola has a special gift she can hold an object and see a glimpse of its past. It's a tool that's come in handy in her work as an art dealer. Margaret Ross travels down from Scotland to the London gallery where Nicola works to find out more about a family heirloom and how much it could be worth. Nicola holds the carved wooden firebird for a moment and immediately she sees that the Ross family stories are true it was given to an ancestor of Margaret's by The Russian empress Catherine. However Nicola has never told her boss or any clients about her gift so she needs to find evidence to back up her vision. She decides to investigate and enlists the help of old flame Rob McMorran who has a psychic gift even greater than Nicola's. Together they uncover the fascinating story of Anna a young Scottish woman who  lived  in Eighteenth Century St Petersburg and became embroiled in Jacobite politics. This is a brilliant and well written tale perfect for fans of Diana Gabaldon and Barbara Erskine.

Out now from Allison & Busby.

The Orpheus Descent

This review was originally published as a guest review earlier this week over at Shaz's Book Blog. You can check out Sharon's great blog here http://shazsbookboudoir.blogspot.ie/ and see the original review here http://shazsbookboudoir.blogspot.ie/2013/06/crime-fiction-week-guest-review-tom.html

I was delighted to be given the chance to do a guest review for Shaz’s Book Blog as it has introduced me to a new author I really liked. This is my first encounter with Tom Harper which surprises me as he has written a number of historical mystery novels and his books will appeal to fans of Kate Mosse and Manda Scott.

The Orpheus Descent is a dual time mystery following the philosopher Plato as he journeys to Italy to meet a friend and discovers a tiny golden orphic tablet; the secret to a life changing mystery, before returning home to write the texts which made him famous. The book is also the story of Lily an archaeologist who while working at a dig in Italy discovers a tiny golden tablet and her husband Jonah who arrives at the dig to find that Lily has disappeared. The story follows Plato and Jonah on their separate but parallel journeys across Greece and Italy and the plot includes Greek Mythology, the riots and unrest in modern Greece and the secretive group of university friends who might know more about Lily’s disappearance than they are pretending too. My only criticism is that the climax of the story is a little drawn out stretching over a number of chapters, although it leads to a satisfying conclusion.

The Orpheus Descent is out now in hardback from Hodder.