Historical fiction author Carrie McClelland suddenly finds her current work-in-progress stalled and during a brief visit to Scotland she comes under the spell of Slains Castle in the remote northeast town of Cruden Bay. The spell works its magic, the past comes alive and Carrie’s fingers fly across the keyboard and she transports the reader back to the Jacobite plot of ’08 to restore King James to Scotland’s throne.
The story:
Sophia Paterson arrives at Slains castle, home of distant relative and she’s soon as immersed in Jacobite intrigue along with the rest of the family. John Moray, one of the many people who carries messages between Scotland and France, falls in love with Sophia, but he’s a very much wanted man and cannot stay in Scotland, nor can he take her back to France.
Parallel with Sophia’s story is Carrie’s, along with two brothers in love with her (although I’m pretty sure it’s only true love for one of them). Sophia’s past seems to have a life of its own, to the point that she’s writing real events before she could possibly have known them. Is *someone* from the past guiding her to discover what happened 300 years ago? If so, why?
I just loved this book to bits and frankly couldn’t put it down. A perfect blend of romance, real history and what if and for once I enjoyed the storyline in the present as much as that of the past. One big thumbs up to the author, she did a great job using her characters and dialogue to cover back history without those annoying info-dumps, i.e. historian brother Graham explaining in plain English to brother Stuie about Jacobite history. Nicely done. This novel has also been published in the UK under the title Sophia’s Secret, so don’t go and buy the same book again. 4.5/5 stars.
FTC, why I got it from the publisher since they so kindly offered (thank you Sourcebooks).
At Home With A Good Book and the Cat 
Glad you enjoyed it — everything I’ve read by Susanny Kearsley has been quite good. She reminds me a lot of Mary Stewart and Daphne du Maurier; very atmospheric and evocative writing.
I’ve seen an interview with Kearsley where she states she had an influence from Mary Stewart (who I love).
Excellent review, as always. Yet another goody that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. TBR pile, here I come!
I’m glad this is finally available in the US Holly. About time.
Great review and good point about how it is hard for an author to balance the contemporary and historical stories. Kearsley does this well. I hope people will find this book although I was annoyed to see Borders is not carrying it.
I really want to read this one! I’ve entered a few giveaways around the blogosphere and I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
It’s a keeper.
I so want to read this…..off to Ammy. 🙂
I am so glad that you loved this one! I know that you have heard me gush more than once about SK’s books!
Hmmmm. Just finished this one. It was just okay to me. The flip-flop between the two was annoying; once you’d get into one time period, she’d end it and start up the other. Using the “genetic” marker as her reasoning for remembering her ancestor’s past was ridiculous (maybe because I’m a science teacher)…that made it so unbelievable it was hard to keep going. I enjoyed Outlander by Diana Gabaldon more because although it’s an impossibility it was romantic to imagine traveling back in time to a previous life/marriage etc. I’m glad I found your blog. I’m going to keep digging and hope I come up with a good new read!
I love Du Maurier and Stewart – this sounds like a book for me!