Disappointing ( )

A return to this series for me having read volume 3 some years ago. This is book 1 in the series and Merrily Watkins, newly qualified vicar, is installed as Priest-in-Charge (not quite a full vicar) in a small Herefordshire village in an enormous old vicarage where she and her teenage daughter Jane are rattling around like the proverbial peas. There is an undercurrent of unease starting with the unscheduled event during an apple orchard Wassailing ritual, and building through the book as it becomes clear that there are a number of very unpleasant secrets among old families, stemming back to at least the seventeenth century.

I liked the characters of Jane and old Gomer Parish, a retired plant and machinery man (who was still working in 'Crybbe', a non-Merrily Watkins Rickman novel I read a while back). My favourite character was the eccentric elderly woman, Lucy. I wasn't so keen on Merrily: I'm afraid I find her irritating, too quick to constantly dismiss evidence of supernatural activity and rather ineffectual for her role. I also wasn't happy that, as in 'Crybbe', the author once more resorts to killing off one of the more interesting characters although this time it was at least quite late on.

The revelations of what is really going on in the village are chilling but took too long to come out for me, and were over too quickly and skimpily. It was also left a bit vague as to a key event at the end - was Jane transported away to safety in the orchard by the fay folk and if so, was Lol Robinson really "covered" legally regarding his justifiable (if she was in the clutches of a ruthless murderer) action otherwise?. So given the problems I found, I would rate this a 3-star quite enjoyable read, but no higher. ( )

While this book was a slower-paced book, I really enjoyed the world-building and character development.
It really was a true mystery and in a small English town so super creepy b/c it could actually happen. ( )

https://tamaranth.blogspot.com/2023/07/2023090-wine-of-angels-phil-rickman.html ( )

Took a bit of time to get going, but as it is the first of a series, this is perhaps to be expected. Really like the Merrily Watkins character, so look forward to reading the other books in the series ( )