I found this book quite good... but with my favorite book of all time being Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman and my favorite character being Joanna (in this book Joan) I was not pleased with the way the author made her look like she disliked her daughter. I know it was just a story and stuff but I can't help but defend Joanna.

Everyone should read this book AND Here Be Dragons (which follows Joanna and Llewellyn's life together)

I just wanted to write and say how very much I enjoyed this book. This book was so well written, the characters so real (some of them are fictional, some are actual historical figures) that I could really envision all of the things that were going on. Child of the Phoenix is about one of the daughters of Llywellyn ap Iowerth of Wales, Elyene, who through a series of marriages becomes a prominent figure of the court of Robert de Bruce (of Braveheart fame). Elyene is a strong, intelligent woman who through looking through the fire, is able to see into the future and sometimes the past. Unfortunately she is unable to tell when these visions are occuring so more often than not they cause her great sorrow as she is unable to warn people of things to come. In this book we meet some of the most fascinating characters in English history, including Edward I, and II, Robert de Bruce and (my favorite) Llywellyn. It was a huge disappointment to reach the end of the book, but luckily I have two more of Ms. Erskine's books to tide me by. As a teacher who specializes in the history of England, Scotland and Wales, this book was a definate treat.

Okay, so Wales isn't that far off from me, but it is a book which sweeps you away. The historical detail is so accurate that you know Barbara Erskine has done her research, but it doesn't detract from the story.

Everything flows so well, that it is easy to imagine the time and place. I really grew to like Eleyna and I was sorry to see the story end. It's one to read again and would make a great present for people who like historical romance.

Reveiwed by Annette Gisby, author of Silent Screams.

As I read this book in the wake of rereading The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, I was thoroughly in the mood for more Celtic tales of Druids, rituals and magic. This story does not conjur up half the magic of Bradley's masterpiece, but it does satisfactorily probe some of that primordial mystery that shrouds the ancient world and its people. In this tale, unhappy adolescent Adam spends most of his time on the hillside where the Celtic stone from another century proudly stands. Little does he know, but the stone is a gateway to another time, a time where Druid Priestess-in-training, Brid, is able to pass from her time, the 6th century into the far future---Adam's time in the 20th century. At first he views the vivacious Brid as a marvelous playmate, but when she initiates him into the pleasures of sexual love, he is smitten--at least for while. As Adam matures, he leaves his home village and sad childhood to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor. His life moves onto other women, marriage and children of his own. However, Brid does not move on, she is still the young and beautiful Druidess who defies her family and her religious traditions to pursue Alan across the boundaries of time. Her obsession is all-encompassing; she lets nothing stop her from getting back into Alan's life and to control him in the only way she can--in his bed. Brid's melancholy and frustration is uniquely portrayed by Erskine--indeed it permeates the tone of the entire story.
Ms Erskine is surely the master of the obsessive tale; the reader while finding Brid somewhat annoying after plaguing Alain for over 50 years, can understand her bewilderment over aging Alan's puzzling behavior when defending his frazzled family from her, and commiserate with both their mutual attraction for one another and Alan's disgust with himself as he falls prey over and over again to Brid's charms. After three generarions of daunting pursuit and umpteen pages, it is to the reader's great relief that with the help of a powerful present day druid and Alan's grandchild, Brid's claim on Alan can finally be loosened and Brid's own immortal soul released from her uncle's grasp.
Although I enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down, I must say I enjoyed Erskine's earlier works much more. In particular, "House of Shadows" certainly pricked those tiny hairs off the back of my neck! Even so, "On the Edge of Darkness" succeeds in eliciting sometimes fright-fraught emotions for both protagonists---even if these emotions are a bit disturbing----which stay with the reader after the book has been closed and put down.

This is a well written, compelling story of a love that intersects the past, as well as the present. An excellent piece of paranormal fiction, it keeps the reader riveted to the pages.

The story begins in the nineteen thirties, when a fourteen year old boy named Adam, while traipsing in the isolated crags of the Scottish highlands near an ancient Celtic stone, meets a girl named Brid whom he mistakes for a gypsy, due to her wild, long hair, and her exotic style of dress. Unbeknownst to him, a portal in time has opened, allowing Adam and Brid, who is actually a Druid from the sixth century, to cross back and forth in time. Adam, however, does not realize that he is actually travelling back and forth in time, while Brid is not only fully aware of what is happening, but is doing so in contravention of what her uncle, a high priest to the Druids, and her training have taught her.

Over time, she becomes obsessive about Adam, who is her first love, while Adam, as he grows up, moves on with his life. In leaving the heartsick Brid behind and consigning her to his memories, he takes his life in a seemingly new direction.

Brid, on the other hand, forsaking the teachings of her people and incurring the wrath of her powerful uncle and a sure sentence of death, is dead serious about Adam, and she goes through the time portal in search of him. Adam, who has by now left home to go to medical school, is unaware of her obsession and of the lifelong quest now set in motion.

Over the years, Adam makes new friends, becomes a doctor, gets married, and has a family, but Brid, trapped in the wrong time, begins to haunt them all, as she searches for Adam. Her obsession with him finally turns deadly, and the body count begins, as she seeks to tear him asunder from all whom he holds dear.

It is only fifty years into the nightmare that this obsessive love is finally put to rest. How this happens, and at what cost, will keep the reader turning the pages of this well written and imaginative novel.

This was an excellent edition to my collection of Barbara Erskine tales.

Adam is a troubled 14-year old in the Scottish Highlands when he meets Brid and they become friends. What he doesn't know is she is a Druid from many centuries ago. They become even closer as the years pass, eventually becoming lovers. As Adam gets older and moves on with his life, going away to school and getting married, Brid is confused and consumed with jealousy that she has been abandoned. Her curse follows Adam's family for two generations until it is broken by Adam's granddaughter.

This tale wasn't as creepy as other novels by this auther (House of Echoes or Midnight is a Lonely Place) but it had a very compelling supernatural element. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, its wonderful imagery, characters I grew to love (or, in Brid's case, sympathize with) and the sense of romance in both the location and the relationships.

If you're an Erskine fan already you are in for a treat and if not, this is a great book to get hooked...

This is the 4th novel of Barbara Erskine's that I have read. And this is the one that I like the least. Unlike House of Echoes, this did not scare me, and unlike Lady of Hay and Child of the Phoenix, this book did not transport me to another time and place.

I can't place my finger on what it was, but the story just seemed a little flat. Maybe there were too many characters and they were fairly bland and cliched. I didn't understand which of the two male leads I was meant to like, and decided on Greg who was fleshed out better than Jon.

It was still an interesting story and it won't disuade me from reading more from this author.

This is a very well written and absorbing novel by a master story teller. It is highly descriptive and captures the reader in its thrall. It is a chilling and imaginative ghost story centered around a love triangle that existed approximately two thousand years ago and ultimately ended in murder. The murderer, Marcus, a Roman legionaire, is cursed by his wife, Claudia, after he has her lover, Nion, a druid priest, killed. Marcus then kills Claudia. It is this tragedy that now haunts the present.

When London based author, Kate Kennedy, breaks off with her selfish live in lover, she goes off to lick her wounds and nurse a broken heart in a cottage in a remote area of North Essex. The cottage, though cozy, begins to become a less than hospitable place, when unexplained sounds, scents, and traces of moist earth and sand begin to manifest themselves. Moreover, her landlord's son, Greg, and daughter, Allison, seem determined to have her leave the cottage.

Discovering that Allison has come across an archaeological site not far from the cottage, Kate goes to the site and finds an ancient Celtic ornament. She soon begins to hear voices in her mind and see visions of what cannot be. Ultimately, Greg, Allison, and Kate become trapped in the miasma of these ancient star crossed lovers who are determined to bring their long dormant conflict to resolution. The cost to those in the present is dear, as the reader will soon find out.

Be warned. This is a scary book.

I took this book on a camping trip and all I could think of when I heard strange sounds outside the tent at night time was "the curse", the grave and the strange apperances in the cottage. That was a spooky story that really scared me. I hope that Barbara Erskine will write more books like this one.

Buy it if you like scary stories!!

It could have been great, but the middle just dragged and dragged with the same conversations over and over and the same spooky happenings over and over. I think she just wanted to pad the book. If 100 pages were cut, it probably would have been great. But, it was too slow as is.

After the other books by Ms Erskine, I did not think her writing could get any better but she has proven us wrong I thoroughly enjoyed House of Echoes from beginning to end. The story of Joss who inherits Belheddon Hall from a mother she never knew. All that Joss knows about the house is that two young brothers died there many years ago, but local townspeople whisper darkly of a curse on both the house and Joss's family. Joss and her husband and small son Tom move in, thinking the house is an end to all their troubles, but little do they know they are just about to begin, Joss start's to hear the laughter of two small boys and her son Tom start's too go into hysterics at the sight of a tin man. Intrigued from beginning to end this is a book that can be read again and again!

I didn't think any book by Ms. Erskine could come close to "Lady of Hay", but this one did.
I was on the edge of my seat and truly could not put this one down.
If you like Ms. Erskines books, you will love this one!

Unlike the similarly-themed (we won't say cookie cutter) _Lady of Hay_, in this one the historical sections of the book do not save the boring modern sections. Isobel, Countess of Fife fulfilled her family's destiny and crowned Robert the Bruce King of Scotland. For that, she was captured by the English and forced to spend years living in a cage. But I think having her life history exploited in this book is an even worse crime.

If you like Scottish / English history and/or time travel, you need to read this book! It lead me to investigate the real Isobel and what happened to her. I don't want to give away any spoilers but what the book has Edward I condemning her to really happened!

I've read several other books by Barbara Erskine and highly recommend them all. Lady of Hay is another one that has a story based on real people. The format of the present day character always switching places with the historical person wears a bit thin after a few of her books but I guess if you find a format that works, don't change it!

Highly recommended

Kingdom of Shadows weaves a tale of a modern woman with that of her ancestor, and it makes for interesting reading.

I enjoyed this book tremendously, but there is no doubt that Isobel, Countess of Buchan is the true heroine of the book. I found myself skimming through the modern story of Clare in anticipation of the tragic story of the wild Isobel.

There seems to be an irony in that Isobel - who belonged to a time when women were expected to do nothing more than enter a convent or marry and provide heirs - never stopped fighting to be free of her loveless marriage, while Clare - a 20th century woman who belongs to a time when women are much more empowered - submits meekly to her selfish husband (except for, of course, the issue of selling Duncairn).

Also, in the hero department, Isobel's lover, Robert of Carrick -later to become King of Scots - is much more likable than Clare's Neil. Both husbands (John Comyn - Lord Buchan - and Paul Royland) were despicable.

If only for the beautifully told story of Isobel of Fife, I recommend this book.

I love anything to do with time travel and approached this highly recommended book with great anticipation. The sections in the past although interesting suffered from some material from the viewpoint of characters other than the woman who had been hypnotized and was living this twelfth century life. How could that be? I would also have liked to know that some of the characters besides King John were historical BEFORE I read the book.

Besides that, the modern woman, Jo, suffered from monumental stupidity. If two men are plaguing you with violence, including rape for heaven's sake you CHANGE THE LOCKS! Especially when one of the men has a key to your flat!

The book was also about 200 pages too long since multiple scenes accomplished the same purpose, especially the modern day sequences.

It's an interesting idea - hypnotically regressed to a former life and forced to relive it - along with your friends - to make up for the mistakes made.

I quite enjoyed this book, but I have to say I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I had not recently read Diana Gabaldon's superb 4 book set beginning with Outlander (Cross Stitch in Australia).
These similarly themed (albeit time travel rather than hypnosis) and far far superior novels dampened my enjoyment of the quite well written Barbara Erskine novel.

A comment on Lady of Hay - I found that each time Jo regressed, it took me a little while to work out "where" she was. Often there was a gap of a number of years between the year in one regression and another, even though the regressions occurred within a day or so of each other. I understand that Jo herself did not know "where" she would be until she went back there and 'relived' it, but I'm sure my enjoyment would have been greater if there was some guideline as to the date or year that she was in at the time. Perhaps this could have been done without Jo herself knowing, as a chapter heading or such.

I recommend this book - but read it before the Diana Gabaldon books - AND THEN READ THEM!!!

Like the other reviewer said earlier, had I not recently read Diana Gabaldon's Outlander Series, this book would have been much more enjoyable to me. But Outlander is definitely better. I came across this book while I am waiting impatiently for DG's fifth book in her series. I usually not quite like recarnation stories, but this book is very interesting and I couldnt put it down, I finished in One day!! Jo is a 20th century free lance writer whose previous life was Matilda 800 years ago, 3 men loved her back then and followed her into 20th century as well, Jo was trying to figure out what indeed happened in the past and what she can do to right the wrong in the present, and as for the men in her life now, she tries to sort out which is which from the past, I thought I figoured it out myself soon , but was I wrong!

The only thing I dont quite like about the story is there weren't enough said about the relationship between Matilda and the one she was destinated to be with, why did he punish her so hard if he really loved her?? I dont quite understand that.. Otherwise the book is very enjoyable, I recemend it!

I am a huge fan of everything Barbara Erskine has written and when I saw this book on the shelf, I snatched it up without even reading the description of the book. So you can imagine my disappointment when I realized that it was actually a collection of 40 short stories. My philosophy is that if its a good story - the longer the better! Some of these stories are less than 10 pages!

However, I will admit they display Erskine at her best. Every story is orignal in plot and character and manages to hook you. She infuses each story with such feeling - romance, fear, confusion - depending on the theme of the tale.

If you are a fan of this author, this collection will keep you going until her next novel appears (soon, I hope!). If you haven't read any of her stories yet, make sure you pick up one of her full-length novels - you'll love it!

Anna is a recently divorced wwoman who decides to go to Egypt on a vacation for refreshment. She also takes a scent bottle and a journal of her great great grandmother, Louisa. Louisa made her journey to Egypt during the mid nineteen hundred and she was accompanied by her guide Hassan. the scent bottle isnt an ordinary one, its very sacred and Carstairs want it. The scent bottle was a gift from Hassan to Louisa. The scent bottle belongs to the lords. Anna keep on reading Louisa's journal and meanwhile her adventure continues too as so many people in the ship envied her scent bottle and she has been pursued by Carstairs. The adventure begins........

Barbara Erskine re-explores her favorite themes of obsession, romance, and the supernatural in this 500+-page novel told against the exotic backdrop of the lush banks of the Nile and the fascinating monuments of Egypt's ancient kings.

In 1866, famous artist Louisa Shelley, newly widowed, cruises down from Luxor to Ashram. She recounts her travel adventures through her paintings/sketches and in her diary. In particular she revels in the telling of a newfound love and his love token of an ancient scent bottle.

Now in modern times, Louisa's great-great-granddaughter, Anna, at odds with her own life, returns to the scene of her ancestor's adventure, bringing the diary and the now antique scent bottle back to Egypt where their return initiates a chain of events which threaten Anna's very life. Feelings of greed, obsession,and jealousy stir amongst the passengers on-board Anna's cruise, but the main force unleashed whirls from the hub of the scent bottle, the contents of which is protected by two malevolent priests who drain the lifeforce of all those who come within the bottle's sphere of influence.

This particular foray into the supernatural is written very much in the more hurried style Ms Erskine employs in "On The Edge of Darkness". The characters are not as finely drawn as in her earlier successes, "Lady of Hay" and "Child of the Phoenix", nor does it contain the mind-chilling fear generated so frightfully well in "House of Echoes". Here, the frenetic state of the modern-day cruise passengers due from "exposure" to the priests and the bottle seems trite and a little too indignant to be considered realistic. There is a lot of angry repetitive conversation and a lot of toe-treading right from the start which in a normal holiday environment would not exist and could only be thought of as contrived by the author to suggest the dark behind-the-scenes workings of the priests. Even so, the events flow quickly and remain somewhat interesting due to the technique of interspercing Louisa's diary entries---by far the more compelling of the two parallel tales--- with corresponding moments during Anna's tour. One final problem---As the story runs on, accruing one catastrophe after another, it dies abruptly with no apparent ending or resolution other than an afterward by the author where we are told that we, like the characters, must acknowledge the priests' evil and decide that some form of semi-unification amongst the book's persona will eventually and successfully combat it. While this ending may seem "real", it is nonetheless not a satisfacatory literary ending. The priests may or may not be subdued, nothing is rectified concretely and consequently,the reader feels taken for a 500+ page ride with an appropriate destination in sight, but, alas, disappointingly never quite reaches the goal. Nevertheless, I still recommend it as Ms Erskine's niche of combining the supernatural with the everyday has otherwise not been filled.
Hopefully, Ms Erskine's next endeavor will render a more satisfactory conclusion and rekindle that fresh interest in the unknown/occult that her earlier works evoke.