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The Merrily Watkins books

(39 Posts)
petallus Sat 03-Jan-15 12:46:20

A month ago someone mentioned these books in passing. I thought I'd give one of them a try and now I'm hooked. I'm going back to Book1 and reading through the whole lot in sequence.

It was perfect reading to see me through my recent stay in hospital and forced immobility whilst recovering (which will go on for a few weeks yet). Entertaining, easy to read but well written.

annodomini Thu 29-Jan-15 21:22:33

Yes, roses, that's the one. I haven't finished it yet. It requires a lot of concentration to work out who's who. The annoying thing about reading on a Kindle is that it's difficult to go back and check on the various identities.

rosesarered Thu 29-Jan-15 20:54:54

anno 'The prayer of the night shepherd' is the last one I read, and actually I thought it was the best one.However, I often get the titles mixed up, so it was the one where Jane is working at a hotel with the haunted room and all the links to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?
I actually think that the best book by Phil Rickman is The Man In The Moss and the next best Candlenight.I would love to see them all televised or made into films.

Retiredguy Thu 29-Jan-15 11:50:52

Link to Phil's interesting and informative website here...
www.philrickman.co.uk

There's a new Merrily 'novella' out.

petallus Thu 29-Jan-15 10:08:26

I shouldn't have said that. Ignore it.

petallus Thu 29-Jan-15 10:07:40

Jane is great. Nothing to worry about there!

annodomini Thu 29-Jan-15 09:54:18

I'm in the middle of 'The Prayer of the Night Shepherd' which is far from being a 'light' read! It's highly involved, and my concentration wanes when I read in bed! I have to recap the next morning. I'm a bit worried about the way Jane is developing!

Gracesgran Thu 29-Jan-15 09:11:16

I agree mollie65, that the first book really just sets the scene and the characters develop from there. I do think Anthea (or should I say Athena) White was right that the relationship between Merrily and Lol has reached a do or die point. In the last couple of books it just seems to be petering out; as does Merrily's belief in what she is doing to some extent but it only leaves me wanting to know what happens next.

mollie65 Thu 29-Jan-15 08:08:13

am awaiting the arrival of 'the merrily watkins trail' wending its way around the mentioned places and locations in the Marches - shudder grin
did not enjoy the 1st book too much but went back to read it after I had read the others and found the characters were better defined.

Gracesgran Wed 28-Jan-15 22:09:00

The Wine of Angels by the sound of it and that is the first one. There are quite a few orchards in the books rosesarered as they move around the boarder towns so are often in Cider country smile. There is a book called "Merrily's Border: The Places in Herefordshire & the Marches Behind the Merrily Watkins Novels" also by Phil Rickman which I keep meaning to get - it's on my wish list.

rosesarered Wed 28-Jan-15 21:21:53

I always forget the titles RoseQ, the orchard one I read a while ago and thought it was quite good.I have read most of them but not in sequence.

rosequartz Wed 28-Jan-15 20:26:37

um, the first one I think. Merrily hasn't got the job yet. They are all in an orchard.

(I must note the title of the book I am currently reading blush)

Gracesgran Wed 28-Jan-15 17:25:49

Which one are you reading Rosequartz?

rosesarered Wed 28-Jan-15 14:17:02

Yes Soutra it was me who told you about the books last year. I have always been a Phil Rickman fan, but have to 'buck the trend' and say that I have enjoyed the non Merrily books he writes much better , although of course, I still enjoy the Merrily ones as well.As time went on though , I wanted to say to Phil Rickman, please have Merrily enjoying herself now and then and also allow her to EAT as tea and toast seem to be the only things she consumes.Also buy her a few clothes so that she doesn't have to live in her daughter's old duffel coat [ a bit Jonathan Creek.]
I would like to see the series televised, I have Sky tv [did someone say it was on Sky?]

rosequartz Wed 28-Jan-15 13:19:24

or it could have been GX3 grandfather!

rosequartz Wed 28-Jan-15 13:18:35

I have just found one I downloaded on to my kindle a while ago and forgot about. I started it last night; so far we are still in the orchard ...

I have never been to Leintwardine, my Gx2 grandfather moved away from there in the 1850s!

mollie65 Wed 28-Jan-15 07:11:46

rosequartz - do try them - suggest you borrow one from the library and see whether you like it - I have read them all (sometimes more than once) - know Leintwardine very well as it is on my 'patch' and the countryside around the borders is lovely smile

rosequartz Mon 26-Jan-15 15:22:22

My ancestors are from Leintwardine - perhaps I should give the books a try.
The trouble is I always read the 1* reviews and get put off. Now, if it was a free download I would have no hesitation!

Retiredguy Mon 26-Jan-15 15:01:07

Absolutely.
Whoever gets to play Merrily will in no wise look like my image of her.
Can't remember which of the books is being filmed but the news is on Phil's excellent website.

annodomini Mon 26-Jan-15 14:20:03

Didn't like to point that out, Retired! I'm in two minds about TV adaptations. How can Merrily conform to the image I have of her?

Retiredguy Mon 26-Jan-15 13:41:49

Edited due to typo...
I've read all Phil Rickman books and really enjoyed them especially the Merrily Watkins series.
This latest one Night after Night was good.
According to his website there is to be a TV version of one of the Merrily books.

annodomini Sun 25-Jan-15 20:22:47

I've read five Merrily books now and like the way the characters develop.

petallus Sun 25-Jan-15 19:46:17

I'm on book 7!

Soutra Sun 25-Jan-15 18:26:57

Somebody on GN got me going on these last year(wasn't 't it you rosesarered?) and I devoured them! I found the level of "weird" grew as the books progressed and actually preferred the early books, but I was hooked too!

Retiredguy Sun 25-Jan-15 15:37:15

I've read all Phil Watkins books and really enjoyed them especially the Merrily Watkins series.
This latest one Night after Night was good.
According to his website there is to be a TV version of one of the Merrily books.

TheVioletHour Fri 09-Jan-15 17:35:46

Phil Rickman's latest (non-Merrily book), Night after Night is on offer today on Kindle and Nook, £2.09