Lady of Hay

If you love historical and contemporary fiction as I do, this is the book for you. This particular novel is two stories in one. One, is the story of Lady Mathilda of 12th century Wales. While the other story, parallel to that of Mathilda is about Jo Clifford, reporter. Note the definitive word: "parallel"; because Jo and Mathilda are one and the same person in different incarnations, along with the people with whom they interact in their respective lifetimes. This book has all the elements of a good story... beautiful visuals of the 12 century Welsh landscape and castles, not to mention murder, suspense, mystery and romance. Another page-turner to be sure.

What wonderful news to see a classsic book make a reappearance. Who can we thank for such insight? LADY OF HAY is classic past lives/reincarnation, certainly a step up from current time travel . This is where it all started influencing authors such as Jeanette Baker and Jude Deveraux. LADY OF HAY was a wonderful read when it first came out and is now a classic in its own right, sure to help a whole new generation of readers discover this exceptional author. The concept of writing two storylines in two seperate time periods with each effortlessly interwoven with the other is only possible because of the exceptional writing talent of Ms Erskine. If you are reader who devours all sorts of the paranormal historicals and historical romances this one should be an automatic buy, because this is where is all began. This is not time travel this is reincarnation and no one does it better than Barbara Erskine. Jody Allen, Charter member-RIO Reviewers International Organization

20th century journalist Jo Clifford gradually becomes drawn back to the 12th century and a previous existence after being regressed as a student. Brilliant and quite scary. I tried the first Diana Gabaldon book after reading this and it was nothing like as good. It took an ice age to read and the characters were not as interesting.

I read this book in 1986 on the advice of a friend and from that time onwards I seek out all of Ms. Erskine's books on a regular basis. This particular book was real find if you want to become entranced with a modern day independent woman who was made to realize she had lived before many centuries ago in a time when women were sold off in marriages made of convenience for money, power, property. The parallels of the past life haunt the present life of the central character as she "sees" how the three men in her present life draw distinct parallels to the men in her past life. To say anymore would be unfair! READ IT, SAVOR IT, YOU WILL LOVE IT!! Then follow up reading this book with the book that followed this one,Kingdom of Shadows, which takes place in Scotland.

I bought this book some years ago and must have read it at least 8 times since then. It has also been around the world as everyone in the family has taken it on holiday - all read it within 2 days !! It's the story of Jo Clifford, an investigative journalist who is debunking all the modern myths including reincarnation only to find out when undergoing hypnosis that she has lived before. The story then switches between a love affair being carried out amidst the brutality of 12th Century Wales and the exasperating time Jo is having trying to get over a broken relationship whilst keeping up a successful career in the 20th Century. To add further spice to the story, there were three men who loved the 12th Century Matilda and each has been reincarnated in the 20th Century but who is the handsome Earl of Clare? and who is the arrogant King John? The story becomes more and more enthralling as Jo discovers more and more about her past life through the regression sessions and the past and present become increasingly entwined until it seems that the tragic events of the past are destined to repeat themselves