The Empty Hammock

The Empty Hammock by Brenda Barrett

Published by Jamaica Treasures

ISBN  978-9769528734

I am not a fan of e-books, but this one came as a gift and I am very glad that it did - it was a pleasure to read.  Set in Jamaica, it is a tale of time travel between 2007 and the 1490s, with our heroine Ana as the central figure.

Ana takes a much needed holiday from work to visit her family home and while catching up on some rest, in a hammock in the garden, strange dreams overtake her - but are they dreams?  The people and events that she encounters in her dreams / travels seem so real that when she is awoken from them, she rushes back to sleep to continue her adventure.

Ana travels back to the time when European countries were trying to discover a passage to the Indies, but found the Americas instead.  The way of life of the inhabitants of the Caribbean was about to be changed forever as the adventurers sought for treasure to take back to their monarchs, without a thought or care as to the effect it would have on the people of those islands. 

The story moves between the two time scales very well, bringing the history alive.  The discovery of a treasure chest in the present day unravels a chain of events which only become clear as the story closes, and what a clever ending that becomes.

Super book, very well written and researched - highly recommended.