Barbara Erskine
Author of Lady of Hay
About the Author
Works by Barbara Erskine
Hiding from the Light: An enchanting historical fiction story of witches, secrets and revenge... 4 copies, 1 review
2001 1 copy
Child of the Phoneix 1 copy
Associated Works
The Book Lovers' Appreciation Society: Breast Cancer Care Short Story Collection (2009) — Contributor — 97 copies, 1 review
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1944-08-10
- Gender
- female
- Education
- University of Edinburgh (BA|History)
- Occupations
- researcher
author
historical novelist - Agent
- Blake Friedmann Literary Agency
- Relationships
- Hope-Lewis, Michael (husband)
Rose, Nigel (father) - Short biography
- Barbara Erskine says: I studied Scottish history at Edinburgh University and it was there that I began (and temporarily abandoned) my first attempt at a novel – the story which would one day become Kingdom of Shadows. Later while I worked for an educational publisher and then as a freelance researcher for books on art and history I began to sell short stories and to dream about becoming a full-time writer with a handful of historical Mills & Boons – a wonderful training in professionalism and in coming to terms with the horror of the deadline. At the same time while I was living in the Black Mountains near Hay-on-Wye in the Welsh Border March I started working on the research for Lady of Hay, at first as a part-time hobby and a barely formed idea, then with more and more urgency. Exactly 10 years after I first roughed out the story line, the book was finally published. That same year I found myself to my amazement and total terror talking about it on prime time TV and later doing a coast to coast tour of the USA. What had my dreams got me into.
- Nationality
- England
UK - Birthplace
- Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK
- Places of residence
- Suffolk, England, UK
North Essex, England, UK
Hay-on-Wye, Powys, Wales, UK - Associated Place (for map)
- England, UK
Members
Discussions
Sci-fi book that takes place in UK or Ireland in Name that Book (March 2021)
fiction probably at least 15 years old in Name that Book (October 2010)
Reviews
The Ghost Tree: Escape with this magical historical fiction novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Barbara Erskine! by Barbara Erskine
Set in Edinburgh in the present day and the 18thC, this is a dual timeframe ghostly tale. Ruth has returned to the home of her estranged late father to clear out his belongings. As she is sifting through his papers she comes across diaries and letters written by her ancestor, Thomas Erskine, Lord Chancellor, who seems to have been haunted by a revengeful spirit. This revengeful spirit seems to have also travelled through the ages to seek further retribution……
I love a bit of ‘wiggly show more woo’ as I call it even if I have to suspend belief. I thoroughly enjoyed this tome of a book. I found it a page turner. I was gripped from beginning to end. I liked the characters and there were some great villains. There were some spine tingling moments. It’s one scary ghost! 😱 A perfect blend of historical fiction and fantasy, an excellent and chilling read. show less
I love a bit of ‘wiggly show more woo’ as I call it even if I have to suspend belief. I thoroughly enjoyed this tome of a book. I found it a page turner. I was gripped from beginning to end. I liked the characters and there were some great villains. There were some spine tingling moments. It’s one scary ghost! 😱 A perfect blend of historical fiction and fantasy, an excellent and chilling read. show less
Lady of Hay - Erskine
3 stars
On a clear day you can see forever; possibly. During a thunderstorm you may regress to a previous life. During a thunderstorm, or under hypnosis with an ethical therapist, or with an evil therapist, or with your abusive boyfriend or….. whenever and wherever you are, if you are the 20th century journalist, Jo Clifford; formerly known as Matilda de Braose. Jo starts with the intention of debunking the practice of past life regression, until she and all of her show more male admirers become trapped with the consequences of their 12th century behavior.
Matilda de Braose, Lady of Hay, was married to the abusive, 12th century Welsh Baron, William de Braose. Historically, she is also known to have taunted King John concerning the murder of Arthur of Brittany. King John was not a good man * to cross. Barbara Erskine adds to John’s lack of appeal by giving him a sexually dominant role in Matilda’s life. And, just to make things more complicated, she adds a star crossed lover, Richard de Clare.
Extreme suspension of disbelief is required. Maybe my personal supplies of credibility are running low. I could accept time travel by past life regression. I enjoyed the historical sections of this book, although I disliked how disjointed the historical timeline became. Jo Clifford’s regressions into Matilda’s life jump through the decades from her girlhood, to her marriage and child rearing, and finally to her tragic death. In the meantime, Jo experiences just a few, very disturbing months of the 20th century. The behavior of the contemporary characters just didn’t make sense to me. It was suspenseful, but it didn’t make sense. I couldn’t get past the unlikely and unethical behavior of a therapist sharing confidential information with the potentially dangerous friends of a client. I find it too unbelievable and very distasteful that a character who has been raped will describe the perpetrator as ‘not like himself’ and continue to trust this person in future encounters. The more I thought about this book the more I found myself disliking it. Sexual violence against women is certainly a part of the past and the present. But this book made it seem too commonplace and far too easily ignored by the contemporary characters.There’s even the suggestion that ‘our Jo’ really does like it rough. And ……… well, my biggest objection is a huge spoiler……………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
I would not, could not, believe that Jo, who clearly remembers that King John threw her into a pit to starve to death with her oldest son, could ever allow her contemporary self to fall in love with John’s contemporary recreation. Not. Ever.
………….end of spoiler ………………...
*King John was not a good man —
He had his little ways.
A. A. Milne - King John’s Christmas
show less
A historical timeslip novel with dual narrative set both in the present day and back in the time of King Offa of Mercia in the 8th Century.
In the present day, mystic Bea is called by her friend to help a historian, Simon, who has rented her holiday cottage in the Welsh Marches for 6 months while he completes his latest book - an Anglo Saxon history of the old kingdom of Mercia. Simon is being regularly disturbed by a woman endlessly calling for 'Elise' outside his remote cottage, and show more occasionally banging on his door.
While not a ghosthunter as such, Bea is able to connect to troubled spirits and lost souls and help to ease them on their way, or lay them to rest. It's an ability she keeps very private and shares only with a select few people she trusts. Her husband is Canon Treasurer at Hereford Cathedral and the last thing Bea wants to do is cause difficulties for him in his role within the church.
Bea feels excited by what she can sense when she goes to visit Simon at his cottage and can't resist becoming embroiled in what becomes one of her greatest challenges and most dangerous callings yet. Soon her dreams are drawn into the 8th Century and the very troubled life of Eadburh, the youngest and most headstrong daughter of King Offa. Bea becomes increasingly less able to control her visits to the 8th Century and when Simon's teenage daughter, Emma, become embroiled in Eadburh's life, Bea isn't sure she has the skill and experience to bring about a safe resolution.
Some interesting history, following Eadburgh from Mercia to Wessex, where she became queen, and later exile across the seas to Charlemagne's empire; mysticism, witchcraft, and at the heart of the story an all-encompassing romance.
This was my first Barbara Erskine novel and I really enjoyed it. There was one complex character I felt needed to be developed better and I felt slightly dissatisfied with the way, or the pace at which, the novel resovled but on the whole I'd really recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good historical epic.
The Dream Weavers is published on 15th April 2021 (UK) show less
In the present day, mystic Bea is called by her friend to help a historian, Simon, who has rented her holiday cottage in the Welsh Marches for 6 months while he completes his latest book - an Anglo Saxon history of the old kingdom of Mercia. Simon is being regularly disturbed by a woman endlessly calling for 'Elise' outside his remote cottage, and show more occasionally banging on his door.
While not a ghosthunter as such, Bea is able to connect to troubled spirits and lost souls and help to ease them on their way, or lay them to rest. It's an ability she keeps very private and shares only with a select few people she trusts. Her husband is Canon Treasurer at Hereford Cathedral and the last thing Bea wants to do is cause difficulties for him in his role within the church.
Bea feels excited by what she can sense when she goes to visit Simon at his cottage and can't resist becoming embroiled in what becomes one of her greatest challenges and most dangerous callings yet. Soon her dreams are drawn into the 8th Century and the very troubled life of Eadburh, the youngest and most headstrong daughter of King Offa. Bea becomes increasingly less able to control her visits to the 8th Century and when Simon's teenage daughter, Emma, become embroiled in Eadburh's life, Bea isn't sure she has the skill and experience to bring about a safe resolution.
Some interesting history, following Eadburgh from Mercia to Wessex, where she became queen, and later exile across the seas to Charlemagne's empire; mysticism, witchcraft, and at the heart of the story an all-encompassing romance.
This was my first Barbara Erskine novel and I really enjoyed it. There was one complex character I felt needed to be developed better and I felt slightly dissatisfied with the way, or the pace at which, the novel resovled but on the whole I'd really recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good historical epic.
The Dream Weavers is published on 15th April 2021 (UK) show less
Oh Dear this was bad! I stuck it out for as long as I could, but I got to the stage where if I had to listen to one more story with a woman unable to function without a man in her life I was going to scream.
Individually, each story was OK, there were some inventive ideas in here. But cumulatively the effect was entirely depressing. It is a bit like trying to eat an entire packet of marshmallows. One or two are OK, but after a while you start to feel a little bit ick. Don't bother yourselves show more with this one. I made it through ~ 3/4 before deciding to quit before I lost the will to live. show less
Individually, each story was OK, there were some inventive ideas in here. But cumulatively the effect was entirely depressing. It is a bit like trying to eat an entire packet of marshmallows. One or two are OK, but after a while you start to feel a little bit ick. Don't bother yourselves show more with this one. I made it through ~ 3/4 before deciding to quit before I lost the will to live. show less
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