Midwinter of the Spirit | 
#LittensDressedInBlood #Day13 #Superstition All of Phil Rickmans books are built on superstition, he writes the best classic British ghost stories of the modern era. His books are full of not just English fables & hauntings, he also ventures into Wales(which is chronically neglected IMO)& Scotland. This one is actually the 2nd in his Rev. Merrily Watkins series(I couldn‘t find Wine Of Angels)about a female Rev who‘s the diocese exorcist.
pickI'm a huge fan of Phil Rickman and I enjoyed this book. He creates such atmosphere and a sense of history. He has interesting, complex plots and vibrant characters. However, I prefer it when he focuses on the supernatural and the ancient. I'm just not that into Satanists. They bore me! Unfortunately, they play a significant role in this book. That feels very 90s to me. I hope they are not a recurring presence in the rest of the series.
picki rd bk1 some time ago when merrily watkins becomes vicar of a herford parish church + with dtr jane fights some spooky villains, in this 2nd bk she becomes diocesan excorcist under a Blairlike bishop. Merrily is thrown in at the deep end balancing being a single mother of a sparky teenager with a spate of spooky goings on, creepy residents, a haunted cathedral + her own self doubts. I'd say a gentle read but in parts unsettling, very enjoyable.
#MusicalNewYear #day7 #ALittlePriest I‘ve loved Phil Rickman since reading The Man In The Moss in the early 90s. He writes what I consider to be perfect English ghost stories, including this series that features Merrily Watkins, an Anglican priest & single mum whose given the church in Ledwardine, a small village in Herefordshire near the Welsh border. Full of folklore, magic & hauntings, Merrily becomes the diocese Exorcist. Highly recommended.
pickI‘m so late to the Merrily Watkins series - when the first book came out I was closer to Jane‘s age than Merrily‘s - but I enjoy them so much I‘m trying not to burn through it too fast. They‘re just scary enough for a weed like me, great mysteries, and pose thoughtful questions about faith without demonising (I had to) any particular position
pickSecond in his series starring lady vicar Merrily Watkins and though at first glance these might seem a bit twee and cosy the underlying themes of Satanism and the occult add a delightful frisson of creepiness and we always have Merrily's bolshie teenage daughter to liven things up when it risks getting a bit Midsomer Murderish. This one also has a trendy Bishop ("call me Mick") who has designs on Merrily's virtue in more ways than one.
#March spelled in book titles. #magicalmarch @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @vkois88
Will put the books I used in the comments.
#EmojiNov #day14 #🇬🇧 #GreatBritain Quite a few of my favourite mystery series are set in Great Britain. Dame Agatha is an old friend,Peter Robinson‘s Inspector Banks series I‘ve been reading for 20yrs,Phil Rickman‘s paranormal mysteries are just classic ghost stories,set in both England & Wales they‘re incredibly spooky & the Daisy Dalrymple books are a very new addition,since @LeeRHarry gifted me the first book for the #SecretValentine swap.
#MayBookFlowers #day6 #SupernaturalMysteries I've been a big fan of the Merrily Watkins series by Phil Rickman for years.Actually,all of his books are fabulous,and most can be classed as Supernatural Mysteries.The first of his books I read was The Man In The Moss when I was still at school.He writes classic British hauntings & ghost stories perfectly. From small Welsh towns (Candlenight)to a parish in Herefordshire (The wine Of Angels) all spooky!
#LyricalApril #day16 #TakeMeToChurch Yesterday was a really bad day for me,I think a hospital visit is in my near future,so I'm playing catchup.This is the 2nd book in a series about Merrily Watkins, a female priest & "Deliverance" minister (exorcist) in the Anglican Church. A widow with a teenage daughter, she battles with sexism, prejudice & the paranormal whilst trying to be a good mum & keep her faith. I'm not religious but I love this series.
#FunFridayPhoto I love scary books!Ghosts & vampires,witches & monsters,the scarier the better. Authors I recommend are Phil Rickman for English ghost stories,Joe Hill, Dean Koontz & the master Stephen King. Japanese horror is also terrifying plus the new Scandinavian horror coming out is also really good. And then you have the gothic horror like Frankenstein, Dracula, The Woman In Black & The Turn Of The Screw. It's all fantastic! #giveascarybook
"Closing Credits: It's always difficult setting a novel in real locations without appearing to implicate real people...which is why I've always avoided meeting the Bishop of Hereford."
