Echoes of the past resonate through time and disturb medievalist Dr DuLac as she struggles with misfortune in the present.
She and Rev Rory have escaped to the island of Madeira on a secondment from their posts, yet they are not to find peace – until they can solve the mystery of the shard of azulejo and the ancient ammonite.
Viv’s search brings her into contact with two troubled women: a noblewoman shipwrecked on the island in the 14th century and a rebellious nun from the 16th century.
As Viv reaches out across the centuries, their lives become intertwined, and she must uncover the secrets of the ominous Dragon Tree in order to locate lost artefacts that can shape the future.
Dr Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of resonances across time. She sees her author brand as a historical fiction writer of romantic mysteries that are character-driven, well-paced, evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners.
Her current series focuses on early medieval dual-time/time-slip mysteries.
Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language/ literature/ history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher.
Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s. She has also indie-published three other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone. Her latest, Daughter of Mercia, is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon dual time mystery/romances where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries.
Her books will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘compelling character-driven novels’, ‘a skilled story-teller’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘incredible writing style’, ‘intricately written’, ‘absorbing and captivating’, and ‘an absolute gem of a trilogy’
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My thoughts: it took me a bit longer to get into this second time travelling adventure, perhaps because it opened on such sadness, or maybe because I haven’t been to Madeira (although I’ve certainly eaten the cake) and don’t know a lot about it or Portuguese history in general. Portugal is that bit further and seems to have wisely stayed out of various mix ups in history that England, France and Spain seemed determined to have. Sensible place really.
But as Viv starts to connect more with the island’s history, Ana and her descendants, finding out more about the turbulent past and the casual erasure of the (most probably) real original settlers – the Moors, and their influences, I enjoyed it more. Viv is reeling for a tragedy and she and Rory are drifting from each other, each in their own private pain.
Moving to Madeira might seem an extreme way to handle grief, but I can see the desire for a place that doesn’t hold the sad memories the way their home in the UK does. Viv’s research has moved forward too – into a later part of the medieval period- the reign of the English Edward III, who doesn’t come across too well in Ana’s memories, shared by Viv. His wife, Philippa of Hainault is an interesting figure and I would have liked a tiny bit more of her.
ramblingmads 
Thank you so much for your support x
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Thank you so much for your lovely review; much appreciated. You might like to know that there is a third book in the series out too: The Rune Stone. Hope you enjoy that one too!
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