Friends of the Dusk (14)

Merrily Watkins #13

by Phil Rickman

When autumn storms blast Hereford, centuries-old human bones are found among the roots of a tree blown down on the city's Castle Green. But why have they been stolen? At the nearby Cathedral, another storm is building around a modernizing bishop who believes that if the Church is to survive it must phase out irrelevant archaic practices. Not good news for Merrily Watkins, consultant on the paranormal or, as it used to be known, diocesan exorcist. Especially as she's now presented with the job at its most medieval. In the moody countryside on the edge of Wales, a rambling 12th-century house is thought to be haunted. Although its new owners don't believe in ghosts, they do believe in spiritual darkness and the need for an exorcism. But their approach to Merrily is oblique and guarded. No one can be told—least of all, the new bishop. Merrily's discovery of the house's links with the medieval legend of a man who resisted mortality threatens to expose the hidden history of a more modern cult and its trail of insidious abuse—a trail that may not be closed.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Horror, Supernatural, Paranormal, Religion

384 pages, Paperback

First published November 5, 2015

About the author

Phil Rickman, also known under the pen names Thom Madley and Will Kingdom, was a British author of supernatural and mystery novels.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phil Rickman continues to write inspired crime fiction blended with spine chilling gothic supernatural horror featuring Vicar Merrily Watkins set in the village of Lewardine and Hereford, on the borders of England and Wales. As has been seen in previous books, it is an area rich in medieval history and folklore, researched impeccably and mined by Rickman, laying the foundation of the intricate stories in this series. He has built up and developed a close knit cast of spellbinding diverse and complex characters that draw you in and have you yearning for their return. The TV series turned out to be a damp squib and an utter disappointment, failing to capture even a smidgen of the brilliance of the novels. Merrily has acquired a new boss, the new bishop, Craig Innes, a slimy, underhand and political man who has every intention of closing down her deliverance work and getting rid of her. His view is that it is more an area requiring mental health services, the preserve of the NHS, not the church. He has made it clear any requests for deliverance services have to go through him, including the police.

DS Frannie Bliss is called to the site where an old corpse has been exposed after a tree near the cathedral is felled during heavy rains and storms. The body has attracted the attention of Neil Cooper, the local authority archaeologist, who identifies it as a rare deviant burial, a medieval practice reserved for those whose malevolent powers extend beyond the grave. Cooper's assistant, Tristram Greenaway, is later discovered brutally murdered and under suspicion of taking the skull, hoping to attract the attention of a subversive group known as The Friends of the Dusk, a tight knit group of characters that revolved around Selwyn Kindley-Pryce, now in a care home for those suffering from dementia. In the meantime, Merrily, with the help of her daughter, Jane, is working below the radar at Cwmarrow, with the recent residents of the house that Kindley-Pryce lived in, where strange and disturbing events are taking place that seem to be rooted in a long ago past. As further deaths take place, Frannie and Merrily find there are connections with Tristram's murder and the frightening terrors experienced in Cwmarrow. Connections that speak of a malignant and dangerous force, a sinister group, grooming and sexual abuse.

This is a superb series that shows no sign of fatigue, and for that we have to thank the gifted Phil Rickman. He has created a set of characters that I adore, they include Jane, Lol, Irene, Gomer, Huw Owen, Sophie and more. I particularly enjoyed the role that Anthea White, ex-intelligence services, with her powerful occult gifts played in the story. I loved this atmospheric and gothic tale of an older version of a medieval vampire on the borders of England and Wales, that relies not on feeding on blood, but on sucking the life force of villagers to defy mortality. A fantastic well written read that will appeal to those who like the unsettling, the spooky and the dark. Highly recommended!

[Veronica-Lynn Pit Bull · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review contains minor spoilers.

Friends of the Dusk is classic Merrily Watkins and a very enjoyable addition to the series. This time around Rickman takes on the vampire myth – Herefordshire style. So not a “classic” vampire exactly; more of a “peradventure the Lord has given power to the evil angel of the lost soul to move about in the dead corpse” sort of vampire. A possession of sorts. Perfect job for the local Deliverance Minister. Except of course nothing is ever straight forward in Merrily’s world.

It starts when Rajab Ali Khan - of the West Midlands cocaine chain fame - asks her to deal with the poltergeists in his cousin Adam Malik’s home. The ancient farmhouse was bought by Adam and his in-laws and is being lovingly restored by his father in law. The property was purchased from the scholar Selwyn Kindley -Price and seems to have come with a bit of baggage and a salacious history. It seems Selwyn connected a medieval vampire tale to the valley in which his farmhouse/castle sits and started churning out pre-Twilight era books aimed at the teen/tween set with the end goal of having as much sex as possible with very young girls. Seems like old lecherous Selwyn invited something nasty in and a Major E might be called for. Too bad Merrily can’t follow protocol and go to her Bishop. Poor old Bernie Dunmore’s had a stroke and his replacement Craig Innes is what Huw Owen unaffectionately refers to as “a cunt” so you know that can’t be good. Innes wants to do away with the Night Job and send it back where it belongs – to the psychiatrists – and so wants to oust Merrily in the process.

As if this isn’t all bad enough a hurricane has taken down an ancient tree at a historical site and it looks like we have a deviant burial – head chopped off and between the knees with a stone in it’s mouth to prevent Selwyn’s original evil angel from coming back. Enter Frannie Bliss because some people feel that ancient skull is worth killing for – brutally – and once again Bliss and Merrily’s paths cross as the mundane intersects with the metaphysical.
In this installment both Lol and Jane are home and do their part to support Merrily.

What I really liked:
-Anthea White batting for the side of light for her little clergyperson and condescending that perhaps a blessing would not cause offense.
-Sophie’s quiet yet respectably devious rebellion and loyalty to Merrily.
-Huw Owen’s very resourceful handling of Bishop Innes – what with all the falling on steps and falling into doors, phones getting nicked and Bishops with anger management problems getting blackmailed.
-Frannie and Annie

What I didn’t like:
-Jane’s coming of age crisis. Classic Rickman – leave the breadcrumbs and let you fill in the blanks. The way it was built up – with the apparent angst and turmoil and secrecy – my blanks pointed towards roofied gang rape on sacred ground. Actual blanks pointed towards….seriously, *that’s* your crisis? Underwhelming.
-Bliss’s visit to Charlie Howe. Once again…did he even know WHY he was going? Was there really something significant he hoped to accomplish or is he simply a masochist?
-The fact that Rickman is much smarter than me because I still feel like I need the ending spelled out…the connection between Selwyn and his Maleficus and his son’s behavior….contamination by approximation? Bad genetics? Aisha’s involvement – is she like Lucy Westenra – one of the possessed Brides of Dracula? And what exactly was she doing wandering around looking like a mature lady who’s been around the block? Or more specifically - *Who* was she doing?

What I can’t wait for (hurry up with the next book already)
-The shit-storm that accompanies the outing of Frannie and Annie (hope they make it)
-Craig Innes’s reaction to having his clock cleaned by Huw and having to suffer the ongoing presence of a Deliverance Minister.

What I hope for:
-Charlie Howe going down for all the dirt
-Lol and Merrily making it official
-Frannie and Annie making it official – unless that means they can’t keep working together; in which case making it a well known secret.










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[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite series; this entry didn't disappoint. Merrily is presented with challenges on all sides - moody, unsettled 19-year-old daughter Jane, an intriguing, disturbing deliverance case, no opportunity to spend time with Lol, and a new bishop who questions the validity of her ministry altogether - yet she manages in her endearing way to wind all these threads together. The characterizations, as always, are top-notch; the series regulars feel like old friends after thirteen books.

[Jamie Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for the newest Merrily Watkins book! I’ve caught up with this series now, and I hope Rickman keeps writing. These are really interesting spooky mystery books featuring a female Church of England vicar who is serving as the “deliverance consultant” (modern term for exorcist) for the Diocese of Hereford in England, close to the Welsh border. (This office really exists in the Church today.)

I just watched the new TV series based on these books, Midwinter of the Spirit, and it was not half bad. Anna Maxwell Martin does a good job as Merrily, even though she got rather too hysterical at times; in the books Merrily doesn’t go much past frazzled.

As for this novel, it’s a nice read, as always. A Muslim family is having trouble with a possibly haunted house, and their Imam declines to assist, telling them the problems “relate to lower spiritual forces from something entirely British” and that they should see a Christian priest. Also there’s a murder to investigate, which might be related to yet another cult of people doing evil things. (Rickman’s Britain is positively eaten up with such cults.)

I’m glad that Jane and Lol are back - although Jane is again full of angst and neglecting her boyfriend Eirion, who is lovely; while Merrily is busy neglecting Lol, who is even more lovely. He's back from his tour and bursting with news that Merrily scarcely takes time to hear. Very frustrating.

I love the thing with police detectives Francis Bliss and Annie Howe, who seemingly aren’t going to be able to keep their illicit relationship hidden much longer; their happiness is beginning to leak out at the seams. This side story provides a nice balance to the doom and gloom which pervades these novels.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find the Merrily Watkins stories have you coming back for more, I've read from the start and feel as if I know Merrily, Jane, Lol and Huw, and especially Gomer, you can't forget Gomer :) they now seem like friends who share there adventures with me, and what adventures, always that bit scary, great books, great author.

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Merrily by Numbers. I'm afraid I'm reading these out of loyalty now. Rickman gives all his Characters the same voice. Even the "menacing" Athena White (who isn't at all menacing). I do identify strongly with Jane and even more since this book portrays her identity crisis so vividly. Without going into foo much detail, I know what it feels like to question everything that once gave you energy. Not enough spook, too much Francis Bliss, not enough plot. Plods along with none of the passion of the earlier books.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Merrily Watkins books & was looking forward to the next one in the series. I was not disappointed. I had enjoyed the TV adaptation of Midwinter of the Spirit & I wondered if this would influence the way I visualised the characters- to an extent it did but not in a bad way. If you enjoy your crime with some scary 'other world-iness' thrown in (or maybe your scary story with some crime thrown in) I can highly recommend Phil Rickman's books.

[Deborah Pickstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I am slightly 'off' with this latest of the series - the dialogue is just a little too slick to convince. That aside, it's an excellent series with memorable, likable characters - and who doesn't like a good ghost story? Lol and Merrily really should be a bit more sure of each other after 13.5 books, I think; poor Lol puts the 'iffy' into diffident, he's so eager to please!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this series and number 13 does not disappoint; intricate and satisfyingly creepy. Merrily Watkins is such a unique protagonist and her cast of supporting characters, Lol, Huw, Sophie, Gomer, Bliss and especially her daughter Jane are terrific. I don't know how Rickman does it but he nails the inner turmoil of a mother of a teenaged daughter and the teenager daughter's angst perfectly. Jane and Merrily's loving but rocky relationship is the best part of all these books. Jane's now 19 and returned to Ledwardine from some time away on an archeological dig carrying, what appears to be, some heavy baggage. That finally, through conversations with her closest confidant, Lol, she is able to work through. Now that she is 19 it's great to see her lightening up a bit on poor Merrily. Her increased appreciation and understanding of her mother is heartwarming to see. I loved how, in this book, she actually assisted her Mom with her investigation and the two are interacting more like two adults with mutual respect than an acrimonious mother and daughter. This story was a true ghost story focusing on some pretty frightening myths and events from the Middle Ages. As with all books it effectively rolls in a couple modern day but disturbing murders such that much of what Merrily dwells in as Deliverance Minister appears far less extreme and unbelievable when crimes committed in the here and now are equally horrific. Another highly recommended read in this fabulous series.

[David Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book from the Waterstones shop in the Oracle Centre, Reading. I was pleased to see it on the shelf because it's a I follow Rickman's Merrily books - but had no idea it was coming out. I scour publisher catalogues, follow publicists on Twitter and trawl book blogs - and yet, surprises are still possible!

This is even more astonishing given that Merrily has now been adapted for TV. Bit of a publicity failure there, I think.

Friends of the Dusk covers familiar ground for fans of the series - the uncertainties and difficulties of Merrily's life as the Hereford Diocese's "deliverance consultant" ("Exorcist" to you and me), her teenage daughter Jane's growing-up angst, Merrily's relationship with Lol and, of course, the oddly matched police couple Frannie Bliss and Annie Howe. Here, Merrily struggles with a hostile new Bishop at the same time as she gets an awkward call for help from a Muslim couple. Bliss and Howe investigate a missing skull, and Jane struggles with - well, teenage stuff. Along the way we see a very nasty old man in a care home, and reacquaint ourselves with Athena White.

Some things are a little different. Gomer Parry only appears briefly, and both Merrily and Gomer (when he shows up) are puffing on e-cigarettes. We get rather less than usual of Ledwardine life - the daily ins and outs of the small town - and the challenges Merrily faces all come from outside: the Bishop, the problems of the Maliks in Cwmarrow (which confront Merrily with political, rather than spiritual, issues, and a chance to become emrboiled in controversy at just the wrong time). I rather regretted this, and also the feeling that Merrily is being acted on rather than setting the pace. Rickman evokes the creepiness of Cwmarrow very well, and has some other fine moments of tension and ear which wind Merrily up but she doesn't actually do a great - rather she's the catalyst for others to reveal information - Huw Owen, maverick freelance exorcist, the Maliks and those who lived at Cwymarrow before them, Jane who undertakes a lot of background research into Cwmarrow, even Sophie the Bishop's Secretary. And of while she's the occasion for the new Bishop to unload a great deal of negativity - he clearly wants rid of her - again she doesn't do much.

We've seen in previous books of the series how much of a force Ms Watkins can be, so this was somewhat disappointing. (In earlier books she has sometimes been less central to the action - with Howe and Bliss taking more of a role - but she was always active, even so). I also felt that the ending didn't, perhaps, come together. There is a very quick resolution of one plot thread which had been built up throughout the book into a real menace and might, realistically, have been given rather more space to wind down. Another - involving Howe and Bliss - doesn't resolve (but that's OK with me, no doubt it will feature I the next book). I was also left unclear about the precise scope of the supernatural element.

That isn't meant to detract from the book. Time spent in the company of Merrily Watkins is always time well spent, and Friends of the Dead is, as ever, well written. It also has a surprisingly fresh take - based on real events, or at least events as recounted in medieval chronicles - on what has become a rather hackneyed staple of horror fiction. And there are some real gems in here - Rickman could I'm sure easily produce the YA "Chronicles of the Summoner" books which feature here (though I hope he doesn't, given what we learn of their origin) and he springs a number of surprises as well as entering into the mind of teenage Jane in what seemed (at least to this middle aged male reviewer) a very convincing way.

My overall verdict would be, I think, that if you like the Watkins books this is the sort of thing you'll like - if you've been turned on to them by the TV production you're best in any case to start at the beginning (because spoilers, but also because you get a more intense Merrily experience).

Disclaimer: the reviewer's wife is a Church of England Vicar, but definitely not a deliverance consultant.

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been looking forward to reading this thirteenth book in this compelling series and it was definitely worth waiting for. I read it over two days and was completely absorbed in it. Some people may consider it starts off quite slowly but I found the tension really building almost from the first page. Bernie Dunmore has been replaced as Bishop of Hereford by Craig Innes who seems to want to sweep Deliverance under the carpet almost and refer all cases brought to Merrily's attention to the nearest psychiatrist.

Meanwhile Merrily's daughter, Jane has returned home and may have problems of her own. Lol Robinson is back in Ledwardine with some good news and Frannie Bliss has a murder to investigate which will take him into some strange byways where he will need help and information from Merrily. Then Merrily is asked to look into what may be a haunting but will bring her into contact with other faiths in what is potentially an explosive situation. That is without mentioning the cult which has grown up around two books published years ago for young adults.

Well written, meticulously researched as ever and with lots of undercurrents and tensions which keep raising the hairs on the back of your neck while you're reading. I love the series characters - Merrily, Jane and Lol, Sophie - Merrily's and the Bishop's secretary - Annie Howe, Frannie Bliss and an assortment of others including Anthea (Athena) White.

If you like your crime stories with more depth than the average and with an added supernatural element then this series might be for you. I can thoroughly recommend them and I have read and re-read them many times. I also recommend the various standalone novels including the last one to be published 'Night after Night'.

[Kenneth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is number thirteen in the series. I have not read any of the previous Merrily Watkins books so I had to get to know the characters from scratch. That was a problem because there were so many characters. The stories, there are actually three going on at the same time, unfold slowly and I found one distracting especially because there is nothing more than a single line space to denote a change of scene. in one paragraph you have a conversation between two people in one place, then in the next you have two different people having a different conversation in a different place with nothing to indicate a shift of scene. I read this on a Kindle so this may be handled better in a print edition.
The end came as a disappointment to me, there was a big build up then suddenly it was all over.
It was an enjoyable read but it didn't blow me away.

[Jeanne Grunert · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Sigh* I don't think I have ever given one of Phil Rickman's books only 3 stars but this....this book. The books was slow to take off, had a great middle and build up, and the end absolutely disappointed in every way. Imagine the "Exorcist" movie and the priests show up at the house to exorcise the demon only to be greeted by the news that the little girl is healed, no need to come in, everything back to normal, bye! That's about the size of it. A great premise that landed nowhere.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content Warning for this novel: references to the Jimmy Saville case and other instances of grooming children and young people for abuse and exploitation.

Merrily has gained so much knowledge, experience, and self-confidence in her role as Deliverance consultant, but there are always new challenges, including interfaith issues.

[Zoe Obstkuchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read a Phil Rickman I am torn between reading it as fast as I can to find out what's going on, and as slowly as I can to savour the experience. Having been a fan for over 20 years I'm going to enjoy it but this one is outstanding.

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new bishop at the Cathedral sees Merrily's work in 'Deliverance' (aka exorcism) at risk. Meanwhile she is asked to take on a case of strange activity at a 12th century house on the border between Wales & England. The new owners have been seeing & hearing weird shadows & noises, but when Merrily goes to see them, she has the feeling they are holding something crucial back. Good news - Lol is finally back. Bad news - so is Jane. Elsewhere, police detective Frannie Bliss is called in when storm damage unearths a skeleton.

Another long & mostly slow plot that somehow manages to keep me interested enough to keep reading. I don't know how Phil Rickman does it, I really don't. Merrily was bearable enough in this one, & the plot strand about the possible haunting was quite interesting. Can't say the same about Bliss & his boring relationship with boss, Annie Howe. Also, I find Jane very trying to read about. Her behaviour towards her boyfriend (& not just in this book) is inexcusable & if I were Eirion, I'd have dumped her months ago. Mind you, Merrily is almost as bad sometimes with Lol. Just take 10 mins to talk to the man!

Overall, interesting enough but some characters make you want to commit a literary murder yourself. 3.5 stars (rounded up)

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Merrily continues to annoy her superiors. There's a new bishop in charge and he doesn't believe in the deliverance (exocism) practice. Merrily's love life isn't closer to being sorted, and her daughter is having challenges in her own love life, and figuring out her career.
Merrily is asked to intervene for a family living in an old house with a mysterious past. The current occupants are a Muslim family and their non-Muslim in-laws. There seems to be a powerful and negative presence in the house.
The house and its surroundings are tied to a centuries-old story of an evil figure. There used to be a village and a castle. The village has all but disappeared and the castle is in ruins. Merrily and her fellow exorcist, the Welsh vicar, Huw, are in pursuit of the history, while Merrily avoids her bishop who wants to get rid of her.

Another decent chapter in the Merrily Watkins series.

[Diane Dickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had taken a break from Merrily and her troubles and I think that was a decent decision because coming back and reading this I enjoyed it as much as the best of them.

I don't read vampire stories, can't abide em I'm afraid, sparkly teenagers and what all but this was different. It was wonderfully dark, nicely gory and suitably mysterious.

I liked the characters more, I was getting a bit irritated by Jane but I found her very endearing in this book, there was her inner turmoil but she is maturing nicely. Lol is still lovely and poor Merrily got well bashed up and abused yet again. All in all a good read.

Looking forward to the next one.

[Lesley Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series of novels. The continuing story of Merrily, Lol and Jane and the workings of the church diocese are really good. You're always left waiting for the next instalment of their lives.
The plot of this novel was quite unnerving - especially the idea of real evil and what it can look like. There was a lot of emphasis on the way teenagers get so involved in teenage books about vampirism and the associated romantic notions of it .
I love the research which shows that old ideas and folklore still have something to say nowadays.
The descriptions of grooming being something which has been around for years - but not recognised as such until the more recent past - added a really thought-provoking aspect, as did the older policemen's attitudes which reminded me of how society was when I was younger.

[Alison S ☯️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was perfect Autumn reading: A story set in a wet and chilly November with some interesting character and plot developments. The narrative centres on folklore and myths about Djinns, British vampires, and a mysteriously deserted medieval village. As ever, the author uncovers lots of intriguing geographical, historical, cultural and archaeological byways. It's also always fascinating to enter Merrily's world of the more paranormal aspects of religion.

[Laura Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, this instalment of the series is brilliant. The way the characters grow and change is so natural, and it keeps you coming back for more. Sad I’m nearly done with the series now.

[Mélyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Merrily book dealing with vampire lore - I was bound to enjoy it, wasn't I?!

[Joanne Sheppard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends of the Dusk is the thirteenth book in Phil Rickman's Merrily Watkins series, of which I've been a fan for many years. Although I enjoyed The House of Susan Lulham, a short 'extra' novella which preceded Friends of the Dusk, the last full-length Merrily Watkins book, The Magus of Hay, was probably my least favourite in the series - but I'm pleased to say I found Friends of the Dusk to be a real return to form.

The story begins with the discovery of an ancient skeleton buried on unconsecrated ground, the skull of which is stolen. However, it's not this 'deviant burial' that Anglican vicar and deliverance minister (or exorcist) Merrily is looking into, but the apparent haunting of a old, isolated property occupied by a builder who specialises in the renovation of listed buildings and his Muslim daughter and son-in-law. Meanwhile, DI Francis Bliss is investigating the brutal murder of a young archaeologist. Needless to say, Merrily and Bliss soon cross paths - but are their cases really linked, and if so, how?

Friends of the Dusk sees Merrily return to centre-stage after her disappointingly low-key role in The Magus of Hay. She's not only central to the supernatural elements of the plot, but is also grappling with the threat posed by the obnoxious new bishop to her deliverance role. There's much more of Merrily's daughter Jane in this book too, and it was interesting to see her undergoing something of a crisis of her own (although it's not one that seems to be fully resolved, so I'll be interested to see if it continues in the next book). The relationship between Merrily and Jane has matured convincingly and touchingly over the course of the series, and this is particularly pleasing in this instalment, with far more trust between them and Jane acting as Merrily's unpaid researcher. I was also pleased to see Lol Robinson back from his tour and a stint in the recording studio and playing an active role in the mystery plot as well as in Merrily's personal life.

Phil Rickman is particularly good at building characters from bit-parters into main players, of whom there is now a large and varied cast. In Friends of the Dusk, Merrily's mentor Huw Owen and the Bishop of Hereford's secretary Sophie Hill are on truly excellent form - in fact, this may well be Sophie's finest hour yet, and she's always been one of my favourite characters - and the mysterious Anthea/Athena White makes a fascinating return.

Like all the novels in the series, this is an atmospheric and gripping read full of Rickman's trademark cliffhanger chapter endings and local folklore references. The supernatural elements are well-executed as always and hang together well with the police-procedural crime plot led by Bliss. There's nothing particularly new here that you won't already recognise from previous books in the series, but frankly, if you were looking for a change you'd have moved on to a different series by now, as the pleasure of the Merrily Watkins comes from the familiarity of the general set-up and the ongoing development of the recurring characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book on holiday and look forward to book 14.

[Madhurabharatula Pranav Rohit Kasinath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Phil Rickman is truly the master of psychological horror. The supernatural elements in his books seem mere signposts to deeper human issues – the fear of mortality, the dark sides of memory and nostalgia and the horror that can lie underneath the most unassuming human lives. Not many read his books in India or the USA – they should. This is how supernatural thrillers are written. There are no jump scares, gore or secret midnight rites – the horror is all too real and possible – and you are left wondering if there is any supernatural element at all. In fact, humans seem capable of the worst acts of aggression sans the supernatural to goad them on.

The series focuses on Merrily Watkins, a pretty, middle aged deliverance minister for the diocese of Hereford-shire and the Church of England. Deliverance is merely a diplomatic term that hides her true vocation – she is the church sponsored exorcist, the only female one in a long time. A single mother, she spends most of her time engaged in verbal jousts with her daughter Jane and brooding over her love affair with an ageing musician with severe agoraphobia – Lol Robinson – while juggling her night job – offering spiritual succor to the residents of a countryside that hides several legends (some not so pleasant) under its innocent green facade.

A skull stolen from an accidentally unearthed body sets the tone for this particular adventure. Frannie Bliss, the local detective is still figuring out his life – when he is sucked into a murder which seems obliquely related to the theft. Merrily, meanwhile is called in to a Muslim household and asked to help with a presence lurking in their manor – complicating a vocation already threatened by the new Bishop of Herefordshire – a practical man who feels it is time to move away from the deliverance ministry and towards a modern church. Add Jane and her existential angst and Lol Robinson, agoraphobia in full blast to the mix and you have a powder-keg of the stuff that makes up the best of Phil Rickman.

Except that this offering kind of fizzles out towards the end. The supernatural is resolved with a solution that seems too pat and easy and stops on the cusp of wish fulfillment. The more quotidian worries of the characters are also resolved more to their satisfaction than ours and seem mere distractions from the larger plot.

This has happened before as Rickman tries to balance the emotional drama between the characters with the mystery unfolding in the book.This works sometimes and fails miserably at others but it always leaves me wanting more – some of the individual books may be far from perfect but the series as a whole is excellent.

Give it a try

[Bronwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merrily's back in Ledwardine!

Loved this book! Jane and Lol are back - I missed them in Magus of Hay - along with Annie and Frannie, Anthea/Athena, Huw and Sophie, and other familiars. Jane's angsty but calmer, Lol's in Lucy's cottage, Ethel snoozes by the Aga in the vicarage kitchen...

It's also a very clever book, given that people who enjoyed "Midwinter if the Spirit" on TV are likely to read this before going back to the earlier books; there's enough of the backstory to make sense to new readers, and an enjoyable reminder of Merrily's early days for longtime readers. Plus, Phil Rickman ventures into places he said he'd never go: vampires in Herefordshire?

Can't wait to re-read it, slowly this time. Then I'll begin at the start of the series, and re-read from "Wine of Angels" and "Midwinter", until I've caught up with the FOTD and the friends in the village in the orchard.

Phil Rickman gives us another great read, strands of stories entwining, spiritual and moral and theological issues explored sensitively, and always, always the tension of life on the borders... Buy it now!

[Jill Mccaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Closer to real life than I imagined.

I have now met a real woman vicar who actually does what Merrily does (without the gruesome deaths). That has given these books a whole different level of interest.

I loved seeing a more grown up version of Jane in this book and the ongoing relationship between Merrily and Lol and Bliss and Annie are nice. I must admit, the plot lines are starting to blur, how many whacky supernatural events are there in one small patch of countryside? And just for once, it would be nice if Merrily had to deal with a pleasant haunting.
With what she's been through in the last few years, I'm surprised she thinks the job is worth fighting for.

[Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I keep reading Phil Rickman's novels and I like the atmosphere and mystery that Rickman develops around the earth-deep landscape of his setting. However, this is book 13 and I feel the characters have been in stasis for 8 or so books now and I am getting more than a little bored by the repetition. Rickman loves circling the same ideas over and over again, and his politics have become more and more suspect with age (and they never felt great to begin with), but I expect I will keep reading and hoping for something to move the characters along. I won't get it, but I will keep hoping.

[Nick Schieben · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read each and every book by Mr. Rickman and I always end up taking time that I didn't think I had from "real life", just to add to my allotted reading time. These stories are really something special for me. There is nothing formulaic about these books. Each book draws me in and takes me much further beyond the act of merely reading, and each book completely stands out on its own.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

When autumn storms blast Hereford, centuries-old human bones are found among the roots of a tree blown down on the city's Castle Green. But why have they been stolen? At the nearby Cathedral, another storm is building around a new, modernizing bishop who believes that if the Church is to survive it must phase out irrelevant archaic practices. Not good news for Merrily Watkins, consultant on the paranormal or, as it used to be known, diocesan exorcist. Especially as she's now presented with the job at its most medieval. In the moody countryside on the edge of Wales, a rambling 12th-century house is thought to be haunted. Although its new owners don't believe in ghosts, they do believe in spiritual darkness and the need for exorcism. But their approach to Merrily is oblique and guarded. No-one can be told—least of all, the new bishop. Merrily's discovery of the house's links with the medieval legend of a man who resisted mortality threatens to expose the hidden history of a more modern cult and its trail of insidious abuse—a trail that may not be closed.

More gloom and doom, more shadows, more noises in the dark, more depression but less story.
What more can I say?

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite series, and this book is right up there with the others. Merrily is put in a position where she must decide who she really is, and how much she's willing to fight for what she believes. A new bishop is in charge, and has made it clear he intends to all but eliminate the Office of Deliverance. Lol has returned from his tour, and is wanting to discuss their future together. Jane has returned from an small archeological dig, but something is obviously troubling her and she's not ready to share with her mum. With all this going on, she's been asked to help with a situation involving a family, half of whom are Muslim. Merrily asks why they haven't enlisted their Imam, only to be told they tried, and he referred them back to her. And they want it all done quietly, so Merrily must decide whether to tell the new bishop or not. As she progresses trying to get as much information as possible, she realizes this may actually require a full Exorcism. And a tree has toppled over in a storm next to the Cathedral at Hereford...bones were revealed, but the burial is not quite normal. Good read!