When a derelict country church is bought by a pagan couple, the local evangelical minister reacts with fury. A modern witch hunt begins, and Merrily Watkins is expected to keep a lid on the cauldron. Meanwhile, there is the problem of the man who won’t be parted from his dead wife, the ancient mystery of the five local churches dedicated to St. Michael, and a killer with an old tradition to guard.
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
Review
'The paranormal investigator with a down-to-earth attitude. This is no rural paradise' Sunday Telegraph 'A haunting quality unique in crime fiction... rich in atmosphere and practically unique' Great British Fictional Detectives, Russell James
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From the Publisher
Over the years, Phil Rickman has won high acclaim for his chilling supernatural tales, including Celtic thrillers as well as the Reverend Merrily Watkins Mysteries, featuring Britain’s first female exorcist. Meticulously researched, rich in historic detail, these atmospheric procedurals are all cracking–good reads.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Thus We Banish Winter",
By Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: A Crown of Lights (Merrily Watkins Mysteries) (Paperback)
I believe that it was Lord Peter Wimsey who once made a habit of collecting vicars, one of the more idiosyncratic of British countryside characters. Be that as it may, I'm sure the venerable master detective never anticipated a vicar quite like Merrily Watkins, determined minister, caring mother, and deliverance consultant (exorcist) in the service of the Anglican Church on the Welsh border. Spiritual and personal crises have lead Merrily to this point in her life, and her investigations of not-so-normal events and challenges have made her the principal focus of Phil Rickman's mystery stories.When events give a pair of Pagan witches control of the site of a ruined church, Merrily senses trouble. Not from the pagans, but from Nick Ellis, a priest from the more evangelical side of the Anglican Church. Lately come from America, Ellis has set himself up in Radnor valley, where his style seems to suit the natives. He is outraged by the presence of the couple and sets about declaiming and defaming in an effort to oust something he considers a tool of the devil. Called in to mediate what appears to be a dangerous situation, Merrily discovers that the danger lies in more directions than expected. A death, a mysterious disappearance, and a host of dark rituals in unexpected places lead Merrily to realize that something wicked does indeed haunt the valley and that the pagans, Robin and Betty, are only come lately to a dark tale of greed and superstition. Rickman, who started writing horror stories, has really found his métier writing what are really detective stories with a supernatural bent. He has created a set of likable characters - Merrily herself, 16-year-old daughter Jane, Jane's boyfriend Eirion, and the omnipresent Gomer, his wife lately passed away, happy to be helping Merrily in a tangled web of intrigue and murder. Other volumes introduce even more characters, and the village of Ledwardine and its surrounding parishes spring alive with both charm and tension. One of Rickman's talents is his ability to build a long and detailed story arc from several angles. This keeps the action fresh. Be warned though that Rickman starts the windup to his endings early and can build the denouement steadily for over 100 pages of the book. He never loses that action though, and these long books are usually quick entertaining reads. While this isn't the first in the series, it plays well on its own, so by all means consider it a possible starting point.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rickman never fails to deliver,
By "itzyu2" (Virginia USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Crown of Lights (Merrily Watkins Mysteries) (Paperback)
Phil Rickman is known for writing intelligent, literate stories of horror and the supernatural. This book is no exception.In this Reverend Merrily Watkins mystery, elements of the supernatural combine with plain old human wickedness. Rickman's books are long, but for the reader who appreciates an intelligent and well-written novel, they are worth the effort. I ordered my copy from Amazon.com.uk -- US readers are lucky to now have _A Crown of Lights_ available stateside. Recommended. Also, treat yourself to his back list - Rickman writes some of the finest and most original work in this genre. In addition to the Merrily Watkins mysteries, Curfew, December, and Man in the Moss are highly recommended.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fitting crown,
By ilmk "ilmk" (UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Crown of Lights (Merrily Watkins Mysteries) (Paperback)
Merrily Watkins is fast becoming the unassuming thinking person's sleuth. By her own admission, imperfect yet all the more realistic for it, she slides around the inevitable fanaticism that permeates A Crown of Lights and with almost Poirot-esque subtlet teases out the facts and nudges the forces of good and evil back into balance.The latest Rickman offering doesn't disappoint. He serves up a tingling read of an abandoned church that is portrayed as a vital reclaim to pagan religions. Robin and Betty Thorogood are the unsuspecting new owners of the abandoned church in Old Hindwell that holds its own dark history. Coupled with the sinister interweavings of the Local People and a bitter blood feud between two brothers, Merrily clashes with the fanatical Father Ellis and the antagonistic Ned Bain as each struggle to assert their religious dominance over the sleeping dragon that is warded by five churches. Excellent supporting roles from Merrily's daughter Jane, 'Irene' and Gomer Parry lend to a tale of immensely thrilling supernatural forces and the author has produced another stunning story. A must-read
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