Nicola here. As the UK goes into a second lockdown, I’ve been inspired by Christina’s recent post about the Keeper Shelf to turn back to my bookshelves and find solace in old favourites. It was only as I was sorting out all my timeslip books that I realised what a collection I had gathered over the years and in a spirit of nostalgia I thought I would share my favourites and ask for your recommendations. At this time of year, with the spooky goings-on of Halloween, the darker nights and chilly days, it feels a perfect time to read tales of the supernatural. Perhaps it’s the old idea of the veil between the two worlds of the living and the dead being at its thinnest around All Soul’s Day (which is today). Certainly it feels like a good time to slip between time periods, to travel back – or forwards – to a different or alternative world.
So where did my love of timeslip books begin? With this novel, A Traveller in Time, by Alison Uttley. I actually saw the BBC TV version of this first, in 1978, and was totally hooked on the story of a 20th century teenager going back to Elizabethan times and becoming involved in the Babington Plot to put Mary, Queen of Scots on the throne. I guess I wanted to be that girl, travelling back to the Elizabethan period and getting entangled in so many exciting historical adventures.
This classic time travel book was actually written in 1939 but the idea of stepping out of your own time and into someone else’s remains a staple of the genre to this day. Other books like this that are on my favourites list are The House on the Strand by Daphne Du Maurier and Timeline by Michael Crichton. These two books couldn't be more dissimilar really but they have the same central idea; by some means you can be transported out of your own time and into another. You can be an observer, invisible in the era you are visiting, like the narrator of The House on the Strand, or you can take a more active role, like the team of archaeologists in Timeline who play a fairly decisive part in the Hundred Years War between France and the dastardly English!
It took me a while to discover that Penelope Lively, whose adult fiction I enjoy very much, had also written timeslip for children. I now have two of those books, Astercote and The Driftway. Astercote tells the story of a village wiped out in the 14th century by the Black Death. Traces of it can still be found in the woods and when the intrepid Jenkins children venture into this forbidden territory, they find themselves drawn back in time…
The idea of a lost village is a staple of timeslip fiction and one of the more modern favourites I have in this style is The Drowned Village by Kathleen McGurl. When I was a child, I lived near Semerwater, a lake in North Yorkshire. There’s a legend that there was once a thriving town at Semerwater, but that it was drowned once night when an angel visited in disguise and was refused hospitality at every door. He brought down a curse on the town and the waters rose and drowned it. Even now the thought of hearing the church bells of lost villages ringing beneath the water gives me the shivers and there are plenty of places in the UK where a story like that could be set. I have an idea for one...
I haven’t mentioned Anya Seton yet. Her timeslip novel Green Darkness actually gave me nightmares because I found it so spooky but she is a masterful writer of historical fiction as well as timeslip and I have all of her books. The Mistletoe and Sword seems to have sneaked into my timeslip pile, perhaps because it has some magical elements in it!
If there is a Queen of the timeslip genre, I reckon it must be Barbara Erskine, whose novel Lady of Hay made the genre so popular over thirty years ago. I’ve read and loved so many of Barbara’s books, including River of Destiny, which has a particular place in my heart as it is set on the River Deben in Suffolk where my parents used to live. Knowing the area so well gives me that extra spooky frisson when I read all the ghostly goings on and think about walking in the footsteps of the characters… But my all- time favourite Barbara Erskine book is Daughters of Fire, about Cartimandua, Queen of the Brigantes. What a story that is!
My list wouldn’t be complete without a couple of my fellow Word Wenches, first Wench Emeritus Susanna Kearsley, and I have read and loved all her books from Mariana onwards. It’s a tough choice selecting a favourite but The Rose Garden steals it for me with its glorious Cornish setting, it’s clever twists and a gorgeous hero in Daniel Butler! It’s wonderful that now we have another brilliant timeslip author, Christina Courtenay, on the Wench team too! I've rad and loved Christina's timeslips for years and her Viking timeslip Echoes of the Runes was a top book of mine this year; I can't wait for the next one, coming soon!
Finally two old favourites – Touch not the Cat by Mary Stewart. Is this timeslip? It certainly has all kinds of spookiness going on. And Ferney, by James Long, which has been described as “one of the most brilliant timeslip novels ever written.” No spoilers here, but I couldn’t put it down and I also love James Long’s other timeslip books.
So that’s a whistle-stop tour around my timeslip shelves. I've realise I've missed out some fairly obvious candidates, and this isn't at all an exclusive list, just a taster. I've also sneaked in a picture of my own books - The Forgotten Sister makes it's North American debut next week! I’d love to know what timeslip books and movies you recommend so I can curl up in front of the fire this autumn and escape again into a different time and place.
Lorna Cook has written two books The Forbidden Promise which I have read and The Forgotten Village.
Posted by: Margaret | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 01:16 AM
Anything by Barbara Erskine - I have all of her books and go back to Lady of Hay time after time! She is amazing! I loved The Forgotten Sister, and The Phantom Tree, and very much want to read Echoes of the Runes. I love time slip novels.
Posted by: Elaine Fearnley | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 04:29 AM
Generally, I am not a fan of the time slip genre but Jude Deveraux’s A Knight in Shining Armor is one on my keeper shelf. Always makes me cry.
Posted by: Denise | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 06:18 AM
Hi Margaret - I've read and enjoyed The Forgotten Village which I enjoyed very much. Another one on one of my favourite themes!
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 06:37 AM
Thanks so much, Elaine! I'm so glad you enjoyed those two books of mine and I know you will love Christina's timeslip. Barbara Erskine is wonderful, isn't she. I have read her for so long and loved all her books.
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 06:39 AM
Thank you for the recommendation, Denise. I will definitely pick that up.
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 06:39 AM
Oh, I just love timeslip novels! Barbara Erskine, Suzanna Kearsley and Anya Seton got me started. Mary Stewart has a few gentle ones which are lovely. The House on the Strand was wonderful and there was one called The Nonsuch Lure but sadly, I have forgotten the author. I have a suggestion tho - J.Suzanne Frank has a series that is so well done - the first book is Reflections in the Nile about a modern archeologist who is transported back to ancient Egypt. The detail and research are phenomenal.
Posted by: Donna H. | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 07:09 AM
The Nonesuch Lure was written by Mary Luke, I own a much loved and read copy I have had for years. Barbara Erskine is definitely one of the authors I have read numerous times and love Susanna Kearsleys books.
Posted by: SUSAN WARD | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 07:43 AM
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is one I really enjoyed, though I have not read the subsequent novels. My favorite is The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.
Posted by: Pamela DG | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 07:44 AM
In general I am not a fan of timeslip; but I DO love Susannah Kearsley! There are some others also on my list but I'm not remembering the names. (I think this forgetfulness may be because I don't really assing novels to this subgenre.)
Posted by: Sue McCormick | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 09:06 AM
I also have The Nonsuch Lure. I've loved it and reread it for many years. I'll have to reread it this week now that I've been reminded of it.
Elswyth Thane's last book in her Williamsburg series has time slip elements. Dawn's Early Light.
Mary Stewarts Touch Not the Cat is also a favorite keeper.
Barbara Michael's had a couple with kind of time slip elements. Come Home Aimee and Witch.
Posted by: Vicki L | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 09:17 AM
What a fun column, Nicola! I've long enjoyed books with a time travel element or something similar.
Replay by Ken Grimwood is a very old favorite of mine. I've had it on my shelf for perhaps thirty years or so.
Another old favorite is Jack Finney's Time and Again.
Some of my favorite Star Trek novels have an element of this, too. Yesterday's Son and Time for Yesterday both by A.C. Crispin; and Ishmael by Barbara Hambly.
Posted by: Kareni | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 09:33 AM
Thanks to all who gave me the author of Nonsuch Lure. I am definitely going to try to find it again. Connie Willis is another author who is classified as SciFi but I think of as timeslip - Her Domesday Book is very good and she also has a few where modern people go back to the Blitz. Jack Finney is exceptional.
Posted by: Donna H. | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 11:12 AM
Thank you Elaine, I hope you enjoy it!
Posted by: Christina Courtenay | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 11:25 AM
Thank you so much for the mention, Nicola - you know I love all your stories too! My absolute favourite time slip novels are Midnight is a Lonely Place by Barbara Erskine and The Winter Sea (aka Sophia's Secret) by Susanna Kearsley. The first I was scared to read when I was alone at home (very spooky!) and Susanna's book made me cry (in a good way). That doesn't happen very often!
Really didn't like Ferney (that ending - nooo!) but adored Silence and Shadows.
Posted by: Christina Courtenay | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 11:28 AM
Eric Temple Bell the mathematician, well known for his book 'Men of Mathematics', also wrote SciFi under the pseudonym John Taine and I particularly remember his story 'The Time Stream' which together with 'The Time Machine' by H G Wells was my introduction to time travel fiction. I do like time slip novels but haven't read very many ... particularly enjoyed your 'Phantom Tree', a couple by Pamela Hartshorne and Suzanne Kearsley's 'The Shadowy Horses'. So a glimpse of your keeper shelf is very interesting .... thanks for the fascinating post Nicola and for the wenchly contributions.
Posted by: Quantum | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 12:15 PM
My favorite timeslips usually are movies - Star Trek IV, Berkeley Square, Somewhere in Time, that sort of thing - but I have read and liked all of Nicola's timeslips.
For time travel itself you can't beat HG Wells's The Time Machine, or the travels of the various Doctors (Tenth and Eleventh being my favorites).
Quantum mentioned The Time Stream - it's been decades since I've heard John Taine mentioned. I should dig his books out. I'm sure they're still here, somewhere :)
Posted by: Janice | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 02:10 PM
I love Julie McElwain's series of "In Time" books. An FBI agent, Kendra Donavon goes rogue to assassinate the killer of her team members.
She must find him at a castle by disguising herself as an actress in Regency costume. Another assassin gets there before her. To save herself from being killed, she runs into a stairwell only to be transported back to 1816 within the same castle.
Each book must be read in order to really feel the changes in Kendra as she adapts to the past.
"A Murder in Time", "A Twist in Time", "Caught in Time", "Betrayal in Time", "Shadows in Time"
Look for "Ripples in Time" next year.
Posted by: Patricia Franzino | Monday, November 02, 2020 at 07:33 PM
Thank you so much, Donna. Both of those are new to me and I love the sound of them!
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Tuesday, November 03, 2020 at 12:38 AM
Outlander has become such a phenomenon, hasn't it! I read the first book too. I also enjoyed the Time Travellers wife which was complicated but very thought-provoking. I like it when authors take the genre and do something a bit different with it.
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Tuesday, November 03, 2020 at 12:39 AM
Absolutely, Sue! Susanna's books all have pride of place on my timeslip keeper shelf!
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Tuesday, November 03, 2020 at 12:40 AM
I'm definitely going to try and find The Nonsuch Lure.So many recommendations of it must be good! I read one of the Barbara Michaels books too and it really scared me!
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Tuesday, November 03, 2020 at 12:42 AM
Kareni, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you! I haven't read any of the titles you suggest and look forward to checking them out.
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Tuesday, November 03, 2020 at 03:59 AM
Thanks, Donna! I love that I'm discovering so many of people's old favourites.
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Tuesday, November 03, 2020 at 04:00 AM
Christina, wasn't that Barbara Erskine book scary! I remember that one giving me the shivers too. Interesting that you didn't like the ending of Ferney. It was a real shocker; I tried to do something similar with House of Shadows and my editor very firmly said no!
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Tuesday, November 03, 2020 at 04:02 AM
That you for the John Taine recommendation, Quantum. I will seek that one out. Pam Hartshorne wrote beautiful timeslip; I do hope she will write some more. And I am delighted you enjoyed The Phantom Tree - thank you!
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Tuesday, November 03, 2020 at 04:05 AM
Thank you so much, Janice. Another vote for John Taine - I'm definitely going to find that book!
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Tuesday, November 03, 2020 at 04:06 AM
That sounds brilliant, Patricia. I'm going to buy that. My Lockdown Part 2 reading is all set!
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Tuesday, November 03, 2020 at 04:07 AM
I love your time slip novels! My favorite is The Phantom Tree!
Touch Not the Cat by Mary Stewart is one of my favorites ever!
Have you read Jude Deveraux's Remembrance and A Knight in Shining Armor? These are two lovely timeslips.
Thank you for writing your marvelous times lip novels!
Posted by: Tai | Tuesday, November 03, 2020 at 09:12 AM
Oh Patricia! I love these books too. Can't wait for the next one. I also love Connie Willis' books. Nicola - I've really loved your books too. I found you from here on the Word Wench blog. Isn't that nice?!
Posted by: Jeanne Behnke | Tuesday, November 03, 2020 at 03:05 PM
That's wonderful, Jeanne. Thank you so much!
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Wednesday, November 04, 2020 at 04:09 AM
Thank you, Tai, it's so kind of you to say that! I have two Jude Deveraux books to look out for now. Touch Not the Cat is a keeper for me as well!
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Wednesday, November 04, 2020 at 04:10 AM
Put me down as another huge Susanna Kearsley and Christina Courtney fan! I also have a well-thumbed copy of Touch Not the Cat and many of the others mentioned, but another of my favourites is Jenny Colgan's 'Working Wonders', which is a sort-of time slip/fantasy, which I love. And also, if we delve into children's books - Tom's Midnight Garden, which was one of the first books I read that made me want to write.
Posted by: Jane Lovering | Wednesday, November 04, 2020 at 06:34 AM
Hi Jane
How lovely of you to visit. You're amongst fans here!
I hadn't realised that Jenny Colgan had written a sort of timeslip fantasy. I'm there for that!
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Thursday, November 05, 2020 at 01:45 AM
Don't know how I missed this post. Didn't get any notification.
It's uncanny Nicola but nearly all the books you've mentioned are also on my shelves! I only read A Traveler in Time a couple of years ago for the first time. I LOVE time travel/timeslip stories and it can be hard to get good ones.
Sophia's Secret by Susanna Kearsley is one of my all time favorites.
If you enjoy short stories, Jack Finney has two books (that I know of). Some are quirky but they're great reads.
Any other recommendations I would have had are already here. We all have great taste :):)
Posted by: Teresa Broderick | Thursday, November 05, 2020 at 12:16 PM
Hi Teresa! I'll definitely look out for the Jack Finney short stories. Thank you. I'm not at all surprised we have the same timeslips on our shelves! We like so many of the same books and are interested in the same history.
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Monday, November 09, 2020 at 03:56 AM