Merrily Watkins is the most singular of crime fiction protagonists... As ever [Rickman]'s supremely skillful at teasing out the menace that lies behind English folk customs and legends and weaving them into a compelling contemporary narrative. - Mail on Sunday

IN THE DARK HEART OF THE COUNTRYSIDE...

Aidan Lloyd's cold and sombre funeral suggests he won't be resting in peace. But not even diocesan exorcist Merrily Watkins foresees its unearthly aftermath.

As a string of killings shakes the wintry Welsh border and a farming feud intensifies, Merrily - personally threatened by an enemy within - confronts secrets hidden in ancient dances and the walls of an enigmatic medieval church.