I’ve done my best to promote Phil Rickman’s Merrily books.
They are long and convoluted and revolve around a mother who is an Anglican Vicar and a daughter who is Pagan and their lives together in a village called Ledwardine.
Sounds boring? Nah. Rickman is one of the best “character” writers I’ve ever come across.
So many stand outs. Lucy Devenish dies very early in the series but she’s always there.
Gomer Parry – Plant Hire. Gomer is over 80 years old and will do all and anything to protect young Jane.
Lol )Laurence Robinson( one of Jane’s best friends, a shy and haunted folk singer/song writer who becomes Merrily’s lover and greatest love. And who now lives in the late Lucy Devenish’s cottage.
Barry – ex-SAS who is Landlord of the Swan pub and key player in this story about retired SAS soldiers.
And the wonderful DI Franny Bliss. Liverpudlian, lapsed Catholic incomer to the West Mercia Police Force.
I’m on my third go around with Secrets of Pain. Shit. How did I miss so much on the other two reads? ? ?
Merrily is having nightmares about Richard Dawkins. Even she thinks that she’s wasting her time propping up an archaic institution that is now more political than Christian.
BTW – Merrily is a Deliverance Minister aka Exorcist for the Diocese of Hereford. She KNOWS that there are more things in Heaven and on Earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy, Horatio.
I may not be a Churchian or a Bible-tarian. But I have a deep and unmoving faith in the knowledge that WE are not the be all and end all of everything.
I don’t do “science” either. As my exams results say :o)
P.S. The audiobook has music. Lol singing the songs he’s written………!