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Had it not been for the Revd Merrily Watkins, Deliverance Consultant to the Diocese of Hereford, and her gravedigger, Gomer Parry, the truth might never have emerged. But is it the whole truth? As the police search for more bodies, Merrily worries that the detective in charge might have become blinkered by personal ambition. And when, after the horrific climax to a very public confession, she is asked to conduct a controversial funeral, she becomes exposed to hidden tensions in Underhowle, as volatile as the 400,00 volts passing overhead. For is there really a connection with the most sickening series of murders recorded in Britain in the past century? Meanwhile, in her home parish of Ledwardine, Merrily has more intimate problems: the need for discretion over her new relationship with the musician Lol Robinson; and the alleged angelic visitations on which even her usually impressionable daughter heaps scorn. Battling his own demons to face an audience for the
first time in nearly twenty years, Lol follows an unexpected path into
the mind of the confessed murderer - while Merrily tries to quell her
own revulsion in an effort to scrub away the psychic stain left by a
dead monster. |
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So I'm still reading Lord of the Rings, but I couldn't help starting this book as it was glaring at me from my bookshelf. Yeah, I'm enjoying it so far, are you shocked? It began with a suicide, by person or persons unknown and an enigmatic reference to other dead people. So far I'm not sure how that fits into the story, but events surrounding Ledwardine are less than tranquil. There's trouble 't mill. Ok, not the mill exactly...Gomer Parry's got a spot of trouble with a rival Plant Hire company, and when his business burns to the ground he suspects foul play. Jane
and Eirion (AKA Irene) are still together, as are Merrily and Lol,
though the later hasn't made an appearance just yet. Both of these
things bode well for the story. I'm loving reading another Merrily book,
and wanted to write before I picked it up and didn't put it down after a
marathon session, which is what normally happens with Phil Rickman. |
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I finished reading this yesterday, and wow. Like all Phil Rickman's books it was an excellently executed piece of storytelling but Lamp of the Wicked managed to go a step further. I really don't want to give away too much of the plot, but it's difficult to talk about this book without at least making reference to the primary themes. As mentioned, Gomer Parry's plant hire business burns down, with his nephew Nev on the premises. Grief stricken at the loss of his family and his livelihood Gomer lays the blame at his rival's feet. In an attempt to prove him guilty of arson he enlists Merrily's help to drive him to the site of one of his contracts, where he thinks Roddy Lodge will have removed his Efflapure (sanitation tank system that started their rivalry). Gomer is half right. Instead of a hole where the Efflapure should have been they find Roddy Lodge, hard at work at the site. Instead of mud his digger holds a grim surprise for Merrily. Damn it's hard to talk about without giving stuff away! The book is full of more twists than a pot noodle! It seems to Frannie Bliss that Roddy isn't just the upwardly mobile entrepreneur he appears to be, and may instead have killed and buried women under more than just one Efflapure. On further investigation it becomes apparent there's more to his story than that of a simple serial killer...he may be emulating his hero; Fred West. I'm not going to go too much deeper into the story than that, as the shock value of everything in this book is well worth savoring. Initially when West's name was mentioned, and it became clear his crimes were going to figure heavily I was concerned. Some of the most despicable crimes this century didn't quite seem the territory of fiction, and it at first appeared a cynical hook with with to catch the reader on. I should have given the author more credit, after all I've been reading him for some years and know that isn't his style. Writing this book was a really brave move. This book was really ballsy and addressed subject matter that perhaps should be thought about more often. We all know the names of Fred and Rosemary West, but their countless victims names probably wouldn't mean anything to us but the women who died aren't nearly the only victims, and that is where this book attempts to go. It talks about the families of victims, and the families of girls and women that went missing in the area. The not knowing; whether their people met the builder, and if so what he and his wife might have done to them. It's ballsy, but it's not preachy. The book also explores the concept of evil on a new level; does that energy, having nowhere to go, seek a new host or does it disperse? Rickman also explores in more detail questions surrounding the case which were not satisfactorily answered, namely Fred West's implication of other members of a sex and murder club. Unless Rose West talks it's unlikely anyone will know for sure whether this book has a basis in reality, or if they were a crazy, but anomalous pair of murderers. Either way the book weaved a terrific tale amid a backdrop of absolute evil and horror. Phil Rickman has developed such a strong cast of characters than these days I can almost hear them speak his words. There are very few writers who can create such rich three dimensional people, who change and grow with their experiences. Sometimes I think writers get too attached to the idea of their characters and don't let them build, even when they've faced who knows what horrors. Both Jane and Merrily have developed considerably since The Wine of Angels, and I'm really enjoying that. Jane annoyed the hell out of me initially; a typical teenaged brat, but now I've really warmed to her. She's so protective of her mother, to the point that she sometimes seems like the adult, and in recent books she's become the catalyst for many of the events in the stories. Jane continues to question her own spirituality, and strive to find a place in her mothers world. It's interesting seeing someone who, like me, believes in something but isn't entirely sure what. Her question is interesting, as was the cynicism she displayed in The Lamp of the Wicked. Merrily seems much more secure in herself and her job this time around, and spent less time doubting her abilities which was nice. I do wish everyone wasn't so quick to project badness onto Lol though! Cheating seems the last thing he'd do, and yet both Jane and Merrily seem to believe him capable...I wonder if their doubting will have consequences in later books. It would be ironic if their own insecurities pushed him to do things he wouldn't normally do. I hope not. Overall this was a very satisfying read. An excellent story that mixed crime and spirituality the way only Phil Rickman can. Nothing is predictable with him, and when given options he never takes the easy route. I love that about him. I really hope he continues to write this series of books as the characters have begun to feel like good friends and I want more of their adventures. Until then I think I may be ready for a reread.
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