After the first band (The Wine of Angels) makes the interested reader with Merrily known who has just moved into a new diocese, then in the second part of the novel series Merrily a member of the "Soul Police" - they will exorcist, but called this Job now "Deliverance Consultant". After Merrily has attended some courses, she gets into Herefordshire promptly to strange happenings, (to seek an old cliche) the freeze in her veins as it were the blood. Evil is on the loose in the small, sleepy village ... or not?
I love the characters - Merrily Watkins reminds me with her humor and earthiness always a little of the great protagonist of "Vicar of Dibley", and it has a totally cool, grand daughter, the pubescent Jane, with their "pagan" views the plans of the Church often calls into question, often rightly, and which is a nice counterpoint to the deep, albeit critical, believing her mother. The other figures are depicted very lively, some are very oblique, and unmistakably British.
Phil Rickman uses a rich, multi-layered language with wonderful wit, which you only find in the UK. I'm looking forward to the other volumes.
