Before you follow the path into your family's history, beware of the secrets you may find. Before you follow the path into your family's history, beware of the secrets you may find. Ruth has returned to Edinburgh after many years of exile. Left rootless by the death of her estranged father, she is faced with the daunting task of sorting through his possessions. Amidst the dust of her old life, Ruth discovers a hidden diary from the eighteenth century, written by her ancestor, Thomas Erskine. As she sifts through the ancient pages of the past, Ruth is pulled into a story that she can't escape. As the youngest son of a noble family Thomas' life started in genteel poverty, but his extraordinary experiences propel him from the high seas to Lord Chancellor. Yet, on his journey through life, he makes a powerful enemy who hounds him to the death - and beyond.

Ruth has opened a door to the past that she can't close. The inspiration for The Ghost Tree lies in Barbara Erskine's own personal history - branching back to the days of Thomas Erskine, her great grandfather, five times removed. Gold title -Barbara is a regular Sunday Times bestseller, with millions of copies sold. Her latest hardback, Sleeper's Castle, hit the Top 10 and enjoyed huge book-on-book volume growth. -THE GHOST TREE tells of a ghostly connection across time & takes the reader on a sweeping journey from the 18th century to the present day. It is based on Thomas Erskine, the author's great (x5) grandfather, who was the Lord Chancellor of England and has an intriguing personal history, brought to life in vivid colour by Barbara. -Nobody writes timeslip novels quite like Barbara Erskine. Her classic debut novel, Lady of Hay, has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.

Competition: Last Letter Home;The Last Secret of the Deverills;the clockmaker's daughter;Labyrinth;Melmouth;The Witchfinder's sister;The Moon sister. Kate Mosse;Diana Gabaldon;Beth Underdown;Sarah Perry;Lucinda Riley;Philippa Gregory;Kate Morton;Rachel Hore.