The position of exorcist needs to be kept a low-profile role, especially for a woman. But when the acting Bishop of Hereford insists on her appearing in a late-night TV debate with a group of militant pagans, the Rev. Merrily Watkins, 'diocesan deliverance consultant', is thrust brutally before the eyes of the nation.

Discretion is also crucial for Betty and Robin Thorogood when they buy a Welsh Border farmhouse with a partly-ruined church on its land. For their own unusual religious beliefs are bound to provoke reaction from the local minister, a hard-line fundamentalist who 'sees the devil behind every pillar in the cloister'.

The scene is all set for a modern witchunt, and Merrily Watkins - already involved in the delicate case of a man who cannot sever a possessive bond with his dead wife - must approach her duties with cautious diplomacy in order to keep the lid on the caldron.

But nearby Radnor Forest is a place of ancient mystery, with a history of ritual worship going back over four thousand years and an unusual number of churches dedicated to St Michael the fighter of dragons. What Merrily discovers will seriously test her loyalty to the Church. It will also bring her up against an unexpected psychotic killer...as spiritual and physical conflict threaten to explode at Candlemas, when the witch queen dons her crown of lights to celebrate the end of winter.

The third Merrily Watkins novel covers another eerily authentic episode in the life of a psychic-forensic priest who smokes too much, worries about her teenage daughter, and often stumbles on her way to enlightenment.

How did I miss a second Merrily Watkins novel! The Wine of Angels, the first book she appears in, was one of my favorite reads in a long time! So I just this moment, reading the cover, found out that she's back...and I missed a Phil Rickman book! So I'm going to have to get hold of the second one in the series before I tackle this, can't wait!

June 4th 2002
The End

Finally I get to read this book that I have been looking up at on my bookshelf for well over a year. Was it worth the wait? Oh hell yeah! I've been hugely slack writing up this book, so I won't even attempt to compress everything that happened in this review.

Phil Rickman is a genius, pure and simple, his style makes every sentence a joy to read. I don't generally like flowery descriptive passages, but Rickman manages to bring an air of menace into his background information, and rarely if ever clutters the narrative with unnecessary prose. I love the way his chapters flit between situations, making you eager to read on.

The book revolved around a literal witch-hunt created when evangelist priest Nick discovers that a pagan couple have bought the decommissioned church of St. Michaels. Merrily becomes worried (with good reason) about his methods, and does her best to walk a fine line between the warring factions.

I loved that despite being based around very real spiritual issues, and tapping into deep-rooted fears from both sides of the religious fence, the book never descended into a heavenly war. Only an Earthy one.

I am never disappointed by Phil Rickman's choices; he never takes the obvious route or an easy option. As a reader I respect that so much, and will continue to be surprised and intrigued by his books.