Before you follow the path into your family’s history, beware of the secrets you may find…

The new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author.

Ruth has returned to Edinburgh after many years of exile, left rootless by the end of her marriage, career and now the death of her father, from whom she had long been estranged. She is faced with the daunting task of clearing his house, believing he had removed all traces of her mother. Yet hidden away in a barely used top-floor room, she finds he had secretly kept a cupboard full of her possessions. Sifting through the ancient papers, Ruth discovers the diary and letters written by her ancestor from the eighteenth century, Thomas Erskine.

As the youngest son of a noble family now living in genteel poverty, Thomas always knew he would have to make his own way in the world. Unable to follow his brothers to university, instead he joins first the navy and then the army, rising through the ranks, travelling the world. When he is finally able to study law, his extraordinary experiences and abilities propel him to the very top and he becomes Lord Chancellor. Yet he has made a powerful enemy on his voyages, who will hound him and his family to the death – and beyond.

Ruth becomes ever more aware of Thomas as she is gripped by his story, and slowly senses that not only is his presence with her, but so is his enemy’s. Ruth will have to draw upon new friends and old in what becomes a battle for her very survival – and discover an inner power beyond anything she has imagined.

Reader Reviews

Sandra McKenna

(5/5)

Nov 21, 2024

Exceptional! The author has based this fictional story on her several times great grandfather, Thomas Erskine.Slipping between the 18th century and present day, this exceptionally well written and researched book is an absolute page turner. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Maureen ( NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS)

(4/5)

197

*4.5 STARS* Ruth reluctantly returns to her father’s home In Edinburgh after receiving news that he’s passed away. The pair had been estranged for some years, but she’s inherited his rambling old house and also any assets that her father may have had, however she’s met at the house by a man named Timothy who had befriended and cared for her father in his last months. To her astonishment, Timothy insists that it is he who has legal rights and entitlements to her father’s estate, not her!Whilst tr...

Bex (Beckie Bookworm)

(2/5)

I Have to admit though I usually love this author's work this really wasn't my favourite of her books.I did finish The Ghost Tree though it took me much longer than a book from this author usually does to complete.I still think this was a somewhat solid read just not quite up to what I've come to expect.This is definitely in her usual style but in this story, Erskine has delved into her own family tree for her inspiration and maybe there lies some of the problem. I just wasn't as invested in the...

Amanda

Ruth having split from her husband receives a message that her father is dead and needs to return to Edinburgh, she has inherited his estate but has been estranged from him for quite a while. Upon arrival she meets Timothy a man who befriended her Dad and looked after him until his death and now thinks he has every right to stay in the house and contest the will!!Ruth finds her Mother’s possessions in a cupboard and her ancestor Thomas Erskine’s diaries and letters written in the eighteenth cent...

Leila

(3/5)

I chose this book to read because I have always been a fan of timeslip novels and Barbara Erskine has written some excellent books around this subject. As in all of her novels the here and now switches to and fro with the past by the means of a diary discovered by the main character Ruth though this time there is no hypnotism. It is a tale with more than one theme but haunting is one of the main ones and plays a large part throughout the book. it is the first one of Barbara Erskine's novels to d...

J.A. Ironside

Borrowed from local library via Overdrive.It's been a while since I read anything by Barbara Erskine. I was surprised by how little I liked this one when I was very keen on some of her previous books...and then I remembered that I'd liked those books more than twenty years ago; I might well not enjoy them now! I don't want to tear strips off this because I think ultimately I just fell outside the target audience, which wasn't the case when I was a teen. Basically my big problems with the Ghost T...

Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice*

EXCERPT: Ruth swung the car out of the lane and drove down into Cramond village, turning into the car park. Her panic had returned and was growing stronger. She couldn't get rid of the feeling that someone or something was with her inside the car, clinging to her jacket, tangled in her hair. Flinging open the door, she scrambled out and ran through the hedge towards the beach to stand staring out across the stormy Forth. The wind had risen. It tore at her hair,and her jacket, thrashing the water...

Kathy

A long, involved read between two time periods which is signature Barbara Erskine. Not her best, but still a good read. And as the title states – ghosts feature heavily in the telling of this story. Current time - Ruth is called to her home where her estranged father has died to find Timothy living in the house claiming he is his son. Historical time – Ruth finds old diaries and letters of her ancestor Thomas. Both stories intertwine as ghosts sort out grievances of old time. The ending was a bi...

Rachel (not currently receiving notifications) Hall

Supernatural historical fiction with ghosts from the past reappearing in the present day that is let down by a weak present day narrative and much over-egged spookiness!The Ghost Tree is my first taste of Barbara Erskine’s work and despite being well-written it failed to live up to my high expectations given her bestseller status and the fact that the historical component of the story is based on her own great grandfather, five times removed - Thomas Erskine, Lord Chancellor of England. Ruth Dun...

BeverleyR

I read other reviews before writing mine as I was afraid I was being unfair and maybe missed something others found in the book.. It appears there is a mixture of lovers and haters and unfortunately I am in the latter camp. The storyline held great promise for me - Ruthie finding her estranged father had died.and had left her his estate, although being contested by Timothy, her father's apparent carer. Sorting through all the effects left she discovers diaries and letters belonging to.an ancesto...

Ophelia Sings

When Ruthie's father dies, she returns to the Edinburgh home in which she was raised to wind up his affairs. However, somebody has got there first - and wants her inheritance. But it soon transpires that flesh and blood bogeymen are the least of Ruthie's worries...Barbara Erskine can usually be relied upon to furnish her readers with lovely big dollops of delicious, fanciful escapism and for that reason alone I looked forward to The Ghost Tree with some amount of relish. Sadly, however, her late...

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The Ghost Tree

The Ghost Tree

The Ghost Tree

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Reader Reviews