The Fever of the World - (Merrily Watkins Mysteries) by Phil Rickman (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

THE SIXTEENTH INSTALLMENT IN THE MERRILY WATKINS SERIES

'Merrily Watkins is the most singular of crime fiction protagonists... As ever [Rickman]'s supremely skillful at teasing out the menace that lies behind English folk customs and legends and weaving them into a compelling contemporary narrative.' Mail on Sunday

''I called on Darkness-but before the word Was uttered, midnight darkness seemed to take All objects from my sight...' William Wordsworth

England's most famous poet once thought of himself as a modern druid and found his deepest inspiration on the banks of the River Wye, where Celtic magic can still be found and an old darkness lingers.

Now, as the world is at the mercy of the coronavirus pandemic, diocesan exorcist Merrily Watkins learns that the ghosts of the lower Wye Valley still need some attention...

Review Quotes

"As usual, Rickman makes suspension of disbelief easy in his combining of natural and supernatural phenomena." --Publishers Weekly on All of a Winter's Night

"Rickman skillfully weaves together the assorted subplots. Credible characters--some down-to-earth, others lunatic--and absorbing archeological lore are a plus." --Publishers Weekly on To Dream of the Dead

"Readers who take the plunge will enjoy the excellent company of Merrily, Jane, their beaux and DI Bliss." --Kirkus Reviews on To Dream of the Dead

"Eocative phrasing helps create an atmosphere of dark menace, even without stock horror elements like vampires or werewolves. . . . Rickman employs details about an ancient religion to good effect in developing the sophisticated plot." --Publishers Weekly on The Secrets of Pain

"Rickman, a historian of the first order, neatly segues between church policies of today and seven centuries ago. Be prepared to read slowly, maybe even take notes." --Kirkus Reviews on The Fabric of Sin

"Readers will be left with an urge to wander the English countryside while whistling Elgar's tunes." --Kirkus Reviews on The Remains of an Altar

"Rickman, a thinking reader's Elizabeth George, continues his traversal of Welsh superstitions, Church of England conundrums, and true-crime touchstones with an added bonus for Sherlockians: an explanation of that Hound's genesis." --Kirkus Reviews starred review, The Prayer of the Night Shepherd

"Chilling." --Publishers Weekly on The Prayer of the Night Shepherd

"Merrily links criminal, psychological, moral, sociological, spiritual, and supernatural realms to dig deeper into evildoing just when most fictional sleuths would be calling it quits." --Kirkus Reviews on The Lamp of the Wicked

"A first-rate thriller with supernatural overtones." --Publishers Weekly on Wine of Angels

"No one writes better of the shadow-frontier between the supernatural and the real world." --Bernard Cornwell, praise for Merrily Watkins

"Ancient history, violent deaths, feuds, intrigues and murder. A most original sleuth." --Times, praise for Merrily Watkins

"Classic mysteries... [which] cleverly illuminate the darkest corners of our imaginations." --John Connolly, praise for Merrily Watkins

"Compassionate, original and sharply contemporary, Rickman's crime series is one of the best around." --Spectator, praise for Merrily Watkins

"Complex, absorbing, fascinating." --Andrew Taylor, praise for Merrily Watkins

"Few writers blend the ancient and supernatural with the modern and criminal better than Rickman." --Guardian, praise for Merrily Watkins

"First rate crime with demons that go bump in the night." --Daily Mail, praise for Merrily Watkins

"Phil Rickman is one of my all-time favourites. I love everything he's done." --Diana Gabaldon, praise for Merrily Watkins

"The layers, the characters, the humour, the spookiness - perfect." --Elly Griffiths, praise for Merrily Watkins

"Tight with atmosphere, thick with latent violence... Brilliantly eerie." --Peter James, praise for Merrily Watkins

About the Author

Phil Rickman is the author of the Merrily Watkins Mystery series, which includes The Remains of an Altar, The Fabric of Sin, and To Dream of the Dead.