Synopses & Reviews
A spooky supernatural thriller by the author of the Merrily Watkins series
Liam Defford doesn't believe in ghosts. As the head of a production company, however, he does believe in high-impact TV. On the lookout for his next idea, he hires journalist Grayle Underhill to research the history of Knap Hall—a Tudor farmhouse turned luxury hotel, abandoned by its owners at the height of its success. The staff has been paid to keep quiet about what happened there, but the stories seep through. They're not conducive to a quick sale, but Defford isn't interested in keeping Knap Hall for more than a few months. Just long enough to make a reality TV show that will run nightly. A house isolated by its rural situation and its dark reputation; six people—known to the nation but strangers to one another—locked inside; but this time Big Brother is not in control.
Review
"Compassionate, original and sharply contemporary, Rickman's crime series is one of the best around." —Spectator
Review
"Few writers blend the ancient and supernatural with the modern and criminal better than Rickman. Merrily Watkins is both strikingly original and consistently intriguing... A fascinating portrayal of ancient grudges and shifting allegiances make this an absorbing and thought-provoking thriller." —Guardian
Review
"First rate crime with demons that go bump in the night." —Daily Mail
Synopsis
An unnatural body, a town steeped in black magic, and maddening isolation—has paranormal advisor Merrily Watkins finally met her match?A man's body is found below a waterfall. It looks like suicide or an accidental drowning—until DI Frannie Bliss enters the dead man's home. What he finds there sends him to Merrily Watkins, the Diocese of Hereford's official advisor on the paranormal. It's been nearly 40 years since Hay was declared an independent state by its self-styled king—a development seen at the time as a joke, a publicity scam. But behind this pastiche a dark design was taking shape, creating a hidden history of murder and ritual-magic, the relics of which are only now becoming horribly visible. It's a situation that will take Merrily Watkins—alone for the first time in years—to the edge of madness.
About the Author
Phil Rickman is the author of the John Dee series and the Merrily Watkins series.