Julia Ibbotson – The Dragon Tree

Today, it’s the turn of The Dragon Tree. The second book in the Dr. Dulac series. Thanks again go to Rachel’s Random Resources and Julia Ibbotson for the copy of the book

A haunting medieval time-slip
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 at the island convent in 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.
For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.

It only seems like yesterday since I reviewed the first book. Actually, it was! Well, I return with The Dragon Tree today. A fresh timeslip historical fiction novel.we are re acquainted with Dr Viv Dulac. Who again has misfortune in her life and echoes of the past reverberate through the ages.

Another captivating timeslip historical fiction novel from Julia Ibbotson. With Viv Dulac and Rev Rory escaping to the island of Madeira on secondment. They have a mystery to solve, the mystery of the shard of Azelujo and ancient ammonite.

As Viv searches, she doesn’t find the historical artefacts; she instead reaches out across centuries to not one  but two women. One from the 14th century, a noblewoman shipwrecked on the island. The other from the 16th century, a rebellious nun. Their lives become entangled and she finds she needs to unearth the secrets of the Dragon Tree before she can find the objects that can shape the future.

Just as I found with A Shape On The Air, The Dragon Tree is another totally immersive, historical, so historical, in fact that the author has brought two timeslips into the story. The characters are again so real that I was with Viv, in my head anyway!

Again, Julia Ibbotson has created a mystery that flows perfectly between the timelines. I always love a historical story, and I almost feel spoilt with this book. Adventure, mystery, and history! It has everything needed for an excellent read.

(for A Shape on the Air) “In the best Barbara Erskine tradition …I would highly recommend this novel” -Historical Novel Society
(for the series) “Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense” – book tour reviewer
“The idea of being able to ‘feel’ what happened in the past is enticing … The sense of the island is really wonderful … Julia brings it to life evocatively”  – Joanna Barnden
“an engaging and original time-slip novel that keeps the reader turning the pages…the characters are authentic and the mystery is neatly woven between the centuries … seamless time transitions” – Melissa Morgan

Purchase Link – http://myBook.to/TDT

Author Bio

Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She sees her author brand as a historical fiction writer of romantic mysteries that are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip/dual-time 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 (Endeavour) for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s. She has published five 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 work in progress is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon mysteries (Daughter of Mercia) 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: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination’, ‘beautiful story-telling’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘brilliant and fascinating’ and ‘I just couldn’t put it down’.

Social Media Links

Amazon Author page:  Author.to/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Author website & blog: http://www.juliaibbotsonauthor.com

Facebook (author):  https://www.facebook.com/JuliaIbbotsonauthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/JuliaIbbotson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia.ibbotson

Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/juliai1/

Goodreads author page:  https://www.goodreads.com/juliaibbotson