Jeanette’s pick 

Title: The Warrior’s Princess

Author: Barbara Erskine (London : HarperCollins, 2008)

The Warrior’s Princess is an interesting blend of history, the supernatural and suspense all seasoned with a little touch of romance.  

When Jess is raped after a party, she flees to her sister’s place in Wales to act as caretaker while her sister is in Rome.  She is disturbed by the sound of a ghostly young voice, the appearance of a long lost girl and poltergeist activity.  Little did she know that two thousand years before, a dreadful battle took place. between the forces of Rome and the Celtic King Carodoc better known as Caractacus. In a barn where her sister’s house now stands, Caradoc’s wife and young daughter, Eigon, were also brutally raped.  Somehow, their shared experience creates a bond between Eigon and Jess which spans the centuries and countries, as Jess leaves the haunted hills of Wales for Rome.  The threats and danger suffered by Eigon in Rome, are mirrored by Jess, as her rapist follows her and proceeds to make her life hell.

Barbara Erskine is a master of the time shift novel.  She is able to create the world of ancient Rome as easily as she does the modern city. As Eigon and Jess’ stories unfold the reader is carried along as the suspense builds to its inevitable climax. 

I recommend this book to anyone who likes something a little different in a novel.