WATERSTONES SCOTTISH BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018! ******* 'Scotland's Outer Hebrides provides the sensuous setting for this impressive debut...a beautifully crafted novel' - Publishers Weekly 'Lovely atmospheric descriptions of Hebridean light and landscape' - The Scotsman A captivating story of a crumbling estate in the wilds of Scotland, its century-old secret and an enduring mystery... Following the death of her last living relative, Hetty Deveraux leaves London and her strained relationship behind for Muirlan, her ancestral home in Scotland - now in ruins. As Hetty dives headfirst into the repairs, she discovers a shocking secret protected by the house for a hundred years. With only whispered rumours circulating among the local villagers and a handful of leads to guide her, Hetty finds the power of the past is still affecting her present in startling ways. 'There is an echo of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca in Sarah Maine's appealing debut novel' The Independent *previously published as Bhalla Strand*

Discover the spellbinding new novel from Sarah Maine, author of the Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year The House Between Tides Scotland, 1940. Wounded in action, Archie Maxwell has returned to his family estate of Rosslie. But between the uneasy company of his father's beautiful new wife, and the memories that haunt his nights, he finds the house more of a battleground than a refuge. Forty years later, Eva Bayne is a journalist looking for a story. Ever since the disappearance of Rosslie's heir during the war, the Maxwells have lived under a shadow - and Eva is drawn to the mystery. Especially when the glimpse of an old photograph stirs up long-buried memories of her childhood in Newfoundland . . . Could uncovering the truth heal the wounds of Eva's past? And what will it cost for Rosslie to give up its secrets? From the shores of western Scotland to the wild coast of Newfoundland, this is a spellbinding story of family secrets, love and redemption.

The new novel from the acclaimed author of The House Between Tides, winner of the Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year 2018! 'Sarah Maine is a master of Scottish historical fiction' Sunday Post **** It is the women who are keepers of tales. Atmospheric, intoxicating and filled with intrigue, this sweeping novel is an epic story spanning the centuries, that links three women together across history. Libby Snow spent her childhood hearing stories and legends from long ago. Now an archaeologist, her job is to dig deeper into the past, but her excavation at Ullaness, on Scotland's west coast has a very personal resonance. For the headland of Ullaness holds not only the secrets of the legend of Ulla, the Norsewoman, but also begins the strange story of Ellen. Libby's grandmother passed on these tales - of love, betrayal and loss - but the more Libby learns at Ullaness, the more twisted the threads become. When human remains are discovered in the dunes, it becomes clear that time, and intention, have distorted accounts of what happened there. Is it too late to uncover the truth? Or is Libby herself in danger of being caught up in this tangled web of fable and deceit? Praise for Sarah Maine: 'An echo of Daphne du Maurier' - Independent 'Maine adroitly weaves together the three strands of her novel' Sunday Times 'Maine writes beautifully about the wilderness' - The Times 'Maine skillfully balances a Daphne du Maurier atmosphere with a Barbara Vine-like psychological mystery...' - Kirkus

An immersive and compelling novel that explores the struggle by two women, divided across centuries, for control over their lives, set against a beautiful historical backdrop. 'An echo of Daphne du Maurier' Independent A grieving woman . . . Yorkshire, 1890. Forced to exchange her childhood home for her uncle's vicarage after a tragic loss, Olwen Malkon finds herself trapped between her aunt's cruelty and the sinister advances of her cousin. A troubled past . . . When Olwen finds herself afflicted by strange dreams of a woman from a distant past, whose fate is overshadowed by menace and betrayal, those around her are determined to dismiss them as hysteria - except the local doctor, John, with whom she develops a connection. A long-buried secret . . . As the visions intensify, they begin to mirror reality, threatening to expose chilling secrets. What dangers lie ahead for Olwen, and does the past hold the key to her own future...?

An immersive and compelling novel that explores the struggle by two women, divided across centuries, for control over their lives, set against a beautiful historical backdrop. 'An echo of Daphne du Maurier' Independent A grieving woman . . . Yorkshire, 1890. Forced to exchange her childhood home for her uncle's vicarage after a tragic loss, Olwen Malkon finds herself trapped between her aunt's cruelty and the sinister advances of her cousin. A troubled past . . . When Olwen finds herself afflicted by strange dreams of a woman from a distant past, whose fate is overshadowed by menace and betrayal, those around her are determined to dismiss them as hysteria - except the local doctor, John, with whom she develops a connection. A long-buried secret . . . As the visions intensify, they begin to mirror reality, threatening to expose chilling secrets. What dangers lie ahead for Olwen, and does the past hold the key to her own future...?

A beautiful and sweeping historical novel that takes the reader from the west coast of New Zealand, to Scotland and Melbourne in the 1870s 'Its portrayal of life in a gold-rush town is vivid, and Rose's story is absorbing' The Times 'Worth reading for its occasional streaks of brilliance and insight' Telegraph India 'A gripping page-turner' Woman Magazine 1866. Will Stewart is one of many who have left their old lives behind to seek their fortunes in New Zealand's last great gold rush. The conditions are hostile and the outlook bleak, but he must push on in his uncertain search for the elusive buried treasure. Rose is about to arrive on the shores of South Island when a storm hits and her ship is wrecked. Just when all seems lost she is snatched from the jaws of death by Will, who risks his life to save her. Drawn together by circumstance, they stay together by choice and for a while it seems that their stars have finally aligned. But after a terrible misunderstanding they are cruelly separated, and their new-found happiness is shattered. As Will chases Rose across oceans and continents, he must come to terms with the possibility that he might never see her again. And if he does, he will have to face the man who took her . . . Readers love Alchemy and Rose: 'A real rollercoaster of emotions' 5* reader review 'One of her best yet' 5* reader review 'Both gripping and romantic (quite a combination!) and keeps you hooked right up to the end' 5* reader review 'One of those books that you need to find out what happened, but at the same time you don't want it to finish' 5* reader review 'Couldn't put it down, a real page turner' 5* reader review

A beautiful and sweeping historical novel that takes the reader from the west coast of New Zealand, to Scotland and Melbourne in the 1870s 'Its portrayal of life in a gold-rush town is vivid, and Rose's story is absorbing' The Times 'Worth reading for its occasional streaks of brilliance and insight' Telegraph India 'A epic read . . . a beautifully written, evocative novel that I anticipate you reading and re-reading for years to come' Woman's Way 'A gripping page-turner' Woman 1866. Will Stewart is one of many who have left their old lives behind to seek their fortunes in New Zealand's last great gold rush. The conditions are hostile and the outlook bleak, but he must push on in his uncertain search for the elusive buried treasure. Rose is about to arrive on the shores of South Island when a storm hits and her ship is wrecked. Just when all seems lost she is snatched from the jaws of death by Will, who risks his life to save her. Drawn together by circumstance, they stay together by choice and for a while it seems that their stars have finally aligned. But after a terrible misunderstanding they are cruelly separated, and their new-found happiness is shattered. As Will chases Rose across oceans and continents, he must come to terms with the possibility that he might never see her again. And if he does, he will have to face the man who took her . . . Readers love Alchemy and Rose: 'A real rollercoaster of emotions' 5* reader review 'One of her best yet' 5* reader review 'Both gripping and romantic (quite a combination!) and keeps you hooked right up to the end' 5* reader review 'One of those books that you need to find out what happened, but at the same time you don't want it to finish' 5* reader review 'Couldn't put it down, a real page turner' 5* reader review

From the author of The House Between Tides, winner of the Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year, comes an atmospheric and stunningly evocative historical novel. Perfect for fans of Sarah Perry's The Essex Serpent. 'Maine writes beautifully' THE TIMES 'Riveting' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Scotland,1893. Nineteen-year-old Evelyn Ballantyre, the daughter of a wealthy landowner, has rarely strayed from her family's estate in the Scottish Borders. She was once close to her philanthropist father, but his silence over what really happened on the day a poacher was shot on estate land has come between them. An invitation to accompany her father to Canada is a chance for Evelyn to escape her limited existence. But once there, on the wild and turbulent Nipigon river, she is shocked to discover that their guide is James Douglas, Ballantyre's former stable hand, and once her friend. He disappeared the night of the murder, charged with the shooting. Evelyn never believed that James was guilty - and her father's role in the killing has always been mysterious. What does he have to hide? In the wild landscape of a new world, far from the constraints of polite society, the secrets and lies surrounding that night are finally stripped away, with dramatic consequences. ***** 'Stunning' Booklist 'Maine's gift of setting the mood shines' RT Reviews