The Ghost Tree
When Ruth Dunbar inherits her father’s Edinburgh house, she discovers the journals of an eighteenth-century ancestor, Thomas, among her deceased mother’s things. At first, she feels enchanted by his account, his adventures at sea, at the bar, and in love. However, while she delves deeper into his life, she realizes that a deadly adversary pursues him at every step, plotting his ruin and disgrace even from beyond the grave. As Ruth finds herself faced with an enemy of her own—a certain Timothy Bradford contests her father’s will and stalks her—she begins to suspect, that she, too is haunted by a powerful spirit who might have the ability to take possession of others’ souls and bodies. After a series of terrifying rapes and finally a murder occur, her private affair turns public, and Edinburgh is on the hunt for a killer. But are they targeting the right culprit and for the right reasons? Only Ruth and her friends, two of whom are mediums, know the answer.
A time-slip novel that is equal parts ghost story, detective thriller, contemporary romance, and historical fiction, The Ghost Tree is the work of an extraordinary raconteur. Based on the life the author’s own distinguished forbear Thomas Erskine, the eighteenth-century sections, its characters, and plot twists shine particularly bright. A highly entertaining and immersive read for a long winter’s night.
