Barbara Erskine’s sweeping new historical novel, THE DREAM WEAVERS (HarperCollins), has flown straight to the Number 4 spot in the Sunday Times hardback bestseller chart after just three days on sale, while the audiobook sailed into the Audible Top 10 bestsellers at Number 7. THE DREAM WEAVERS has also been included in Waterstones’ Best Books to Look Out For in April and was a LoveReading Exciting New Books on the Horizon pick.
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…
You can read more about Offa’s Dyke in Barbara’s article for The Telegraph.
THE DREAM WEAVERS also garnered wonderful early praise from authors:
‘If you like brilliantly written history tinged with magic and ghosts, you'll love this’ – Peter James
‘As if by magic, THE DREAM WEAVERS transported me to another time and place. Mysterious and haunting - a richly woven tapestry of history and intrigue.’ – Fiona Valpy
‘Time-slip novels are rarely as compelling as this one, and Barbara Erskine is the supreme mistress of the genre. THE DREAM WEAVERS is a dazzling roller-coaster of a book that will thrill, enchant and intrigue those who love history and the supernatural. Erskine’s grasp of time, place and atmosphere is second to none, the storytelling a masterpiece, the ending one of the most moving I have ever read. If you read one book this year, read this one!’ – Alison Weir
‘So atmospheric and suspenseful, full of myth and magic and hauntings’ – Rachel Hore
‘Warmth, depth, mystery, magic and the supernatural … such a beautiful book!’ – Santa Montefiore
‘Barbara Erskine has done it yet again. From the very first pages of THE DREAM WEAVERS, you are drawn into the lives of modern-day characters who will, inexorably, slip the bonds of time into the mysterious and magical world of the early Saxons, and find yourself turning the pages with increasing urgency to follow this terrific, epic tale of secrets and betrayals.’ – Liz Trenow
Translation rights in THE DREAM WEAVERS have already been sold in the Czech Republic and Russia. New audio editions of her classic novels LADY OF HAY, WHISPERS IN THE SAND and KINGDOM OF SHADOWS will also be released throughout 2021, with introductions written and read by Barbara herself.
About the Author:
Historian and novelist, Barbara Erskine was the first writer to become a major bestseller with dual time period novels. Her first novel, LADY OF HAY, catapulted her to international success and has been constantly in print for 35 years. Often imitated, never equalled, Barbara’s work is published all around the world in English and in 26 other languages. Her books are regular Sunday Times bestsellers in both hardback and paperback, with millions of copies sold.
Barbara Erskine has 16 novels and 3 original short story collections to her name. Euromedia published ‘The Best of Barbara Erskine’ short story collection in the Czech Republic in October 2020.
She lives in an old police station in Hay-on-Wye, the setting of LADY OF HAY and SLEEPER’S CASTLE, and near Offa’s Dyke, a key location in THE DREAM WEAVERS.
Praise for Barbara Erskine
‘Fascinating, absorbing, original. But perhaps the most suitable word is hypnotic.’ – SHE
‘Erskine never disappoints.’ — Historical Novel Society
'My perfect storm of escapist bliss.' – Saga
‘The acknowledged queen of the historical time-slip novel.’ – Daily Mail
‘Whether you class her as historical or supernatural, she is certainly a first-rate storyteller.’ – The Bookseller