*NATIONAL BESTSELLER

A haunting tale of love across time perfect for fans of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series—from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Susanna Kearsley.

1707. The walls of Slains castle shelter Jacobite rebels, who are conspiring to sail the young, exiled James Stewart from France into Scotland to reclaim his crown—and a young woman caught up in their plot.

Present day. Writer Carrie McClelland is enchanted by an impromptu trip to Cruden Bay, Scotland, and decides to settle in the tiny village, hoping to find inspiration for her novel about the Jacobite uprising in the area’s evocative past—and in the haunting ruins of the castle.

She creates a heroine named after one of her own ancestors, Sophia Paterson, and quickly finds the words flowing, almost faster than she can write them down. But, discovering that her novel inexplicably contains more fact than she can remember researching, Carrie wonders if she could possibly be dealing with ancestral memory—in effect “recalling” what her ancestor lived.

The only way to discover the truth is to continue writing and to bring to light the whole of Sophia’s story. With each new chapter, Carrie uncovers the tale of an innocent entangled in a dangerous enterprise, the secret of forbidden love, and the final betrayal that cost James his throne—and may cost Sophia her heart.

As a former museum curator, Susanna Kearsley brings her own passion for research and travel to her novels, weaving modern-day and historical intrigue. She won the prestigious Catherine Cookson Fiction Award for her novel Mariana, the 2010 Romantic Times Book Review’s Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction novel for The Winter Sea, was shortlisted for a 2012 RITA Award for The Rose Garden, and was a finalist for the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel from the Canadian Crime Writer’s Association for Every Secret Thing. She lives outside Toronto, Canada.

Susanna Kearsley's profile page

“A terrific read, evocative and romantic.”
— NICOLA CORNICK, author of The Scandals of an Innocent

Praise for The Winter Sea

“I’ve loved every one of Susanna’s books! She has bedrock research and a butterfly’s delicate touch with characters—sure recipe for historical fiction that pulls you in and won’t let go!”
— DIANA GABALDON, New York Times bestselling author of the Outlander series

“An epic romance for an epic season, by one of Canada’s best historical-fiction writers.”
— The Globe and Mail

Praise for Bellewether

“Kearsley’s obvious love of history is infectious."
— GAIL ANDERSON-DARGATZ, author of A Recipe for Bees

“This new title from New York Times bestselling author Susanna Kearsley grapples with the largest of themes: love and justice. Kearsley, a former museum curator, possesses a deep passion for historical detail, and an unflinching determination to confront the atrocities of the past. As such, this narrative is as much an anti-slavery tract as it is a romance.”
— Toronto Star

“Kearsley has written a marvelous book.”
— BERNARD CORNWELL, author of The Burning Land

“A sweeping historical fantasy novel about love, danger, and time travel(!!), Susanna Kearsley masterfully weaves Scotland’s past into the present in this stunning read.”
— The Kit

“Sometimes an author catches lightning in a bottle, and Susanna Kearsley has done just that.”
— The New York Journal of Books

“Perfect for fans of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series.”
— 49th Shelf