What Time Has Kept
Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard
Type: ARC
Genre: Historical fiction, mystery, literary
Word count: 90,000
In 1870s Scotland, pioneering female archaeologist Christian Maclagan becomes obsessed with a rare 5,000-year-old carved stone ball. In 2023, graduate student Ellen Byrne discovers what may be the famous artifact’s unknown companion, launching a search for truth that could threaten her career—and change everything. An intriguing, multi-layered novel inspired by a true archaeological mystery.
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In 1870s Scotland, Christian Maclagan—one of Britain’s first female archaeologists—struggles for recognition in a world determined to silence her. Emboldened by her acquisition of a rare Neolithic carved stone ball, she becomes obsessed with unlocking its ancient secrets. But as she studies the mysterious artifact, disturbing dreams begin to unravel her. Eventually, Christian must grapple with the shocking truths she has unconsciously buried for decades.
One hundred fifty years later, American graduate student Ellen Byrne arrives in Scotland to research her thesis. Reeling from a devastating betrayal and haunted by her father’s suicide, Ellen discovers a Victorian journal leading her to an extraordinary find—a possible companion to Scotland’s most famous carved stone ball. As Ellen races to authenticate her discovery, her increasing obsession with the stone threatens not only to derail her promising career but also to destroy her faith in herself.
An intriguing blend of historical and contemporary fiction, inspired by a true archaeological mystery, What Time Has Kept explores the interplay of memory and consciousness, the emotional power of objects, and the remarkable resilience of the human spirit.
Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard is an author of historical and women’s fiction. She has a lifelong interest in human consciousness, metaphysics, extrasensory perception, and spirituality—concepts she often explores in her novels. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the shortlist for the 2025 Eric Hoffer Book Award Grand Prize. Her novel Sisters of Castle Leod is an Editors' Choice of the Historical Novel Society and a #1 Amazon Kindle Bestseller in two categories. Elizabeth's immediate family includes her husband and two rescue dogs—a Lab and a Boxer mix. When she is not writing, she enjoys hiking with them in the desert and mountains of Arizona.
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