Crime Fiction Lover

First look: Phil Rickman’s new mini-novel

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It’s a rare occasion when the postman delivers a book that is as physically rewarding as you hope the contents will be. This little gem arrived today in a whopping great big padded envelope, courtesy of Corvus books. Social media is currently buzzing with the downright spooky TV adaptation of Phil Rickman’s The Midwinter of the Spirit and so, bang on cue, here’s this beautifully bound, pocket-sized, printed edition of a Merrily Watkins novella.

The House of Susan Lulham does not feature one of Herefordshire’s gloomy and atmospheric old farmhouses. Instead, a modernist home becomes the centre of a nightmare for Zoe and Jonathan Mahonie as the spirit of a previous owner proves anything but blithe. In addition to the novella itself, there is a delightful interview with none other than Hereford’s Diocesan Deliverance Consultant – The Reverend Merrily Watkins.

There is a new full length Merrily novel promised for later in the autumn, but in the meantime, if your appetite for eerie goings on out there in the Welsh Borders has been whetted, you can always check our interview with Phil Rickman, and our full review of his novel The Magus of Hay.

At £6.99 this hardback makes the perfect gift, and is also available as a Kindle Single for £1.99 from 22 October.

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