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46th out of 65 books
—
90 voters
The Cure of Souls (Merrily Watkins #4)
by
Phil Rickman
As high summer bakes the rich earth of north-east Herefordshire, dark shadows gather around a converted hopkiln where the last owner was savagely murdered. Though the local vicar dismisses claims by its current occupants that the place is haunted, their story is soon splashed over a Sunday newspaper—and Merrily Watkins is directed by the Bishop of Hereford to defuse this s...more
Paperback, 496 pages
Published
November 1st 2002
by Macmillan U.K.
(first published 2001)
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It will soon be summer and time again for me to re-read The Cure of Souls -- it's become a personal tradition to return to the Frome Valley in England as the weather warms. I'll join again with Merrily Watkins as she brushes against the supernatural, along with series regulars Lol Robinson and Frannie Bliss, to solve an old murder. Phil Rickman vividly evokes the heat and haze of summer as he entwines several story lines to provide an engrossing read, if not an entirely satisfying climax. (I won...more
I really want to like this series of books a lot which is why I keep going back to them. However, I find them very confusing, so packed full of plot that it becomes a little difficult to keep on top of what is happening and subsequently to understand what is going on. The plots are so intricate and involved that as a reader you need to be able to completely absorb yourself in the story. Having said this they are still enjoyable, another reason I keep going back, and there is a need to know how t...more
The (fictional) Church of England, wishing to change the perception of the medieval concept of exorcism, has formed a new branch, Deliverance Ministry. Selected to lead this new endeavor is the Reverend Merrily Watkins, divorced single mom who is devoted to bringing her religion in line with current secular thinking. Merrily is requested to consult on the case of an adolescent girl whose mother suspects demonic possession. Merrily is concerned, becoming even more so when she hears that her own 1...more
Wow! I think this fourth book is the best yet in the series!! Well, maybe not quite the very best because the ending was more unresolved than any of the previous books in the series (which honestly, could stand alone, but I would recommend reading them in order for the sake of the wonderful characters and their development). Some loose ends aside (which, this is a series, so perhaps they will be tied up in the next book!), this installment definitely is the most exciting and downright thrilling!...more
I've been reading Phil Rickman's Merrily Watkins books for a while - in totally the wrong order. They do stand alone very well, but there are story arcs involving the characters that probably benefit from being read the right way round.
As with the other Merrily Watkins stories, this is a mystery with an occult twist, set in Herefordshire, in hop farming country. There's a gypsey element, a troubled teenage girl, the mystery of a ghostly woman who appears in the fields, a recent murder, and a muc...more
As with the other Merrily Watkins stories, this is a mystery with an occult twist, set in Herefordshire, in hop farming country. There's a gypsey element, a troubled teenage girl, the mystery of a ghostly woman who appears in the fields, a recent murder, and a muc...more
I discovered Phil Rickman completely by accident, and I am so glad I did.
As per usual from page 1 I was hooked as I was in the first book in the series. Beautifully realised characters, lovely flowing prose and all backed up by damn good stories.
This time the Rev Merrily Watkins gets herself in more trouble than usual as what should be a straightforward exorcism (like what could possibly go wrong) turns into a web of lies, deaths (present and past), and of course gypsies.
Not to mention the very...more
As per usual from page 1 I was hooked as I was in the first book in the series. Beautifully realised characters, lovely flowing prose and all backed up by damn good stories.
This time the Rev Merrily Watkins gets herself in more trouble than usual as what should be a straightforward exorcism (like what could possibly go wrong) turns into a web of lies, deaths (present and past), and of course gypsies.
Not to mention the very...more
The fourth book of the Merrily Watkins mysteries and it was great.
Finally the main characters came together and their personalities shown through. The story, of course, about exorcism and the paranormal, but well written and it moved along at a steady pace. It took me no time to read, unlike the first three which seemed to take me forever.
Of course Merrily gets some abuse from most of the men in the book about being a woman vicar, but she does take it with a grain of salt.
Recommend the series,...more
Finally the main characters came together and their personalities shown through. The story, of course, about exorcism and the paranormal, but well written and it moved along at a steady pace. It took me no time to read, unlike the first three which seemed to take me forever.
Of course Merrily gets some abuse from most of the men in the book about being a woman vicar, but she does take it with a grain of salt.
Recommend the series,...more
This is another one of Rickman’s successes. So far, A Cure of Souls is my favorite of the Merrily Watkins series. The character development in this installment is beyond my expectations. I found that by pulling in the Romany side of things, it added depth to the previously narrated Christian styled writing, without the author focusing so much on Wicca and New Age (as the previous three novels did). This novel was no disappointment and I would definitely recommend it to others. I will certainly b...more
I really like the Merrily Watkins series. Book four was no exception. Lol Robinson was back after a hiatus during book three. The two cases Merrily worked on had an interesting synergy with each other. After reading the end notes for this book, I also downloaded Phil Rickman's book December. It has a character that also appeared in The Cure of Souls. I was interested in reading something that wasn't Merrily Watkins too. I also already downloaded book five of the Merrily Watkins series.
c2001. The rating that I have given to this book is not a true value. I ordered this book after having read a later volume in the series - which I know is not a good idea. All through this book, I kept making mental notes of where the said relationships etc were a number of volumes ahead which did reduce the enjoyment of the book somewhat. Still well written and plotted and can be read as a stand alone but not after the later books as there are some unexpected spoilers.
Mystery #4 starring reluctant Anglican exorcist Merrily Watkins is another hit. In it, we learn much about gypsy culture and beliefs about the afterlife, and the characters of Merrily and cynical daughter, Jane, are developed in promising directions. There is also more development of the complex relationships between Merrily & Lol and Jane & Eirion. Very nice indeed. I'm looking forward to reading #5.
This book has made me want to move to Frome in Somerset and live in a Vine yard. Seriously. Despite the scary nature of the read, the picture painted of the village life and the whole ambiance makes me want to sit in the fields and read some more.
Nice to see Lol return as a regular character but I think my favorites are still Jane and Merrily herself though Irene has a little place in my heart :) I have become very invested in this series and cannot seem to stop moving straight to the next one.
I think of all the Merrily Watkins books I've read up to now, this one has had the most twists and turns in it - also emotion, there are a lot of emotional issues dealt with here, for all the characters. I'm still very much enjoying reading them.
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Not up to the standard of the series. The Gipsy thread tends to trivialize rather than heighten the drama here. Rickman had blended Celtic & Gipsy mystticism far better in December. Here both are diluted.
Fourth in the Merrily Watkins series of clerical mysteries cleverly combining the supernatural and crimional with an engaging seasoning of local, Welsh border, colour and domestic angst.
Big and dense and all about faith and skepticism and God and psychiatry and mysticism and ghosts and Nick Drake and and... The plot got a little ridiculous by the end but I don't think that is a problem. I am going to read every one of these.
Very much a return to form after two so, so books. Perfect reading for a cold, dark winters evening with a genuinely unsettling finish.
Books I like to read in the Winter. Merrily is my favourite Vicar! This story was a bit strange, no one believes Merrily .......
Life goes on for Merrily and Jane, with dramas and twists and the usual spookiness. Thoroughly entertaining.
Well I did enjoy this but found it a bit pretentious, the murder was nearly three hundred pages in, I found the characters a bit far fetched, I would read another Phil Rickman but I'm not in any rush !!
Phil Rickman is at the top when it comes to favourite authors. His characters are amazing and endearing, even the awful ones, and he writes in so many layers that these books can be reread many times and you always discover another layer. Very good author.
Merrily Watkins is just a wonderful heroine. A female vicar, a modern day exorcist, and a single mum who can't give up smoking. You've got to love her. This is who-dunnit with some paranormal thrown in. Fab characters.
Good roll along thriller with believable characters and an interesting plot
Jan 05, 2008
Lisa Greer
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
mystery/thriller lovers
Shelves:
gothic-mystery
This is one of the Merrily Watkins series. Merrily is a chain smoking fireball of an Anglican deliverance minister. In other words, she does exorcisms in Great Britain usually on the Welsh border where all kinds of strange things happen. This is my favorite novel in the series so far. I really like the character of her boyfriend, Lol, and I found some great music due to this novel (Nick Drake-- "Time of No Reply", anyone?). The whole series is worth reading. The author is agnostic, by the way.
Wierd!!
Another good Rev Merrily Watkins marcher mystery.. Finished the book before I knew it.. Always a good sign.. Well plotted story with a ghost twist which is believable,even if you believe in the after life or not - its rational.
If you can, start at the first book in the series and then develop through the series with the characters and their lives on the English Welsh border - The Marches. For me its a lesson on how to live in that part of the UK, while also enjoying a good story..
If you can, start at the first book in the series and then develop through the series with the characters and their lives on the English Welsh border - The Marches. For me its a lesson on how to live in that part of the UK, while also enjoying a good story..
Oct 16, 2011
Renee
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobook,
read-in-2011
4.5 stars
Excellent book and series.
This is a good, absorbing mystery novel. I liked the way it dealt with the supernatural elements - enough there to be spine-chilling and not so much that it becomes ludicrous. This is the first of the Merrily Watkins series I've read, and I like the way he draws her character. She seems very human and believable. I will search out the earlier books in the series, as there is evidently a back-story to this one.
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aka Will Kingdom, Thom Madley.
Phil Rickman, born in Lancashire, has won awards for his TV and radio journalism. After five acclaimed novels, he introduced the fascinating Merrily Watkins series with The Wine of Angels. He is married and lives on the Welsh Border.
More about Phil Rickman...
Phil Rickman, born in Lancashire, has won awards for his TV and radio journalism. After five acclaimed novels, he introduced the fascinating Merrily Watkins series with The Wine of Angels. He is married and lives on the Welsh Border.
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