The Merrily Watkins series definitely features an eerie atmosphere. And yet the author’s fans would defend him by arguing that the books do not fit the horror genre. I do think this novel did have some interesting and sound content, and enough to hold my interest to find out more (even if not about the murderer 😆). The whole book seems to have been written around the coincidence of a line of Wordsworth's being able to be used for a title for a book set in covid times. and the (disproven) links people stated several times between badgers and TB weren't at all well challenged 😕 The Wine of Angels is the series opener featuring Merrily Watkins, who has just received her first real assignment as a newly-ordained Anglican vicar. While visiting the village of Ledwardine, Herefordshire, deciding whether or not to "go for it" (take the job), she arrives just in time to witness a strange ritual under an old apple tree known as "The Apple Tree Man." It is supposed to be a traditional "wassailing," but one of the villagers (an "incomer," there only about a year and a half) takes it upon herself to add rifles to the mix, citing a reference in a book about collected folk customs. One of the long-time villagers, Lucy Devenish, contests that decision, saying that since it's not a local tradition, what they're doing may end up causing "offence" to the orchard itself, but rifles are fired anyway and Merrily stands by as one of the men blows off his own head. If that's not an attention-worthy opening to a novel, I don't know what is. That event will return to the story later, but in the meantime, the struggle between modern and traditional takes center stage in this mystery, and perhaps the villagers would have done well to heed Lucy's advice, especially after a local girl goes missing, last seen heading to the Orchard.

The “Cold Calling” Series by Will Kingdom is another good series. These books follow various men and women whose previous encounters with the supernatural have placed them on a collision course with a nefarious enemy of unnatural origins. I quite liked the first movement, actually. It's in no hurry, and the satisfactions are the satisfactions of a skilled author handling a formula. I knew what to expect, and I was also surprised. People who think the books start slowly perhaps are not fully appreciating all the elements of the formula. The art of the novel is the question of relationships. Not so much marriage, though that is touched on as well, but romantic relationships and family relationships. There is Jane who not only faces a crisis of faith but also suffers through romantic problems with Irene as she worries about whether or not her mother is throwing away a relationship with Lol. Lol, Jane thinks, is spending too much time with a singer who really resembles Kate Bush. The series focuses primarily on Merilly, she focuses on actual demons and her own personal demons. Trying to bring up her 16 year old daughter single handedly after the death of her husband who'd been having an affair. The Police call in Merilly to help with a Satantic killing and a world of nasties is opened up.There are twelve other Merrily novels after this one. By the conclusion of this one, I can see her being one of the fixtures here, whilst I sit with a warming drink (perhaps mulled cider!) near to the fire, but also glancing into those shadows in the corner – just in case...

Jane, Watkins’ daughter, has an obsession with spiritualism. And it doesn’t take her long to find like-minded people at her school, kids that find the idea of spirits, and exorcists, and Satanism alluring. The paranormal aspects are weaker here than in the last book. There is little more than a sense of the lingering evil spirit of West possibly infecting/possessing people and places.

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

in some ways, it's abit like the author kinda sneaks alot of things in 'under the radar'/through comments characters make... or maybe he's not aware of his own biases?!? 🙃 Phil lives near Hay-on-Wye with his wife and editor, Carol – they met as journalists on the same paper – and a bunch of animals. He writes and presents the book programme PHIL THE SHELF on BBC Radio Wales. Note that this was written in the 90s and there are a few small politically incorrect moments, but nothing to flip out about.

there is some pretty consistent and strong humour in this novel I think 🙂 especially in a way that acts to critique the class system, gentrification, and more. tho the humour, feels abit snarky/sarcastic... some more Thomas Traherne... (I liked how his writings were used to structure and focus the parts and path of the novel)...You can also tell that the author has done extensive research on the procedure of Deliverance (exorcism), as we see that every single possibility, including psychiatric, is eliminated, before exorcism is pursued as an option to solve the problem. He states that most of the elements in his book are based on facts and studies rather than fiction.

Unlike you,’ he [Bliss] said. ‘I’m norra doctor.’ His voice intensified. ‘And don’t you ever friggin’ dare repeat this to anybody. But I’d say she was also killed by Mrs Watkins.’ Only Bliss, the lapsed Catholic, sees that it may not have been the virus, alone, that killed Diana Portis. Perhaps it is Merrily and the powers behind her. God or Lucy’s paganism, which is truer, and therefore more powerful, than Diana’s?Other characters in this book include Gomer Parry, who is in his late seventies and does not take any lip from anyone. At his age he has earned and maintained respect from those around him. He is a friend to Merrily who helps her in multiple ways through every book. In the second book of the Merrily Mystery series – Midwinter of the Spirit, Exorcism is no longer favoured by the Church of England and the post of Diocesan Exorcist has been changed to Delivery Ministry. This sounds less sinister and more caring, so the job is given to a woman. Merrily, who is a parish priest and a single mother, gets the job. She also has problems at home, where her teenage daughter is fond of experimenting with pagan rituals and does everything she can to undermine her mother’s authority and religion. Merrily is also addicted to smoking cigarettes, a bad habit that Jane doesn’t fail to call her out on whenever she gets the chance.