<p><b>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. - <i>Mail on Sunday</i></b><br><br><b>IN THE DARK HEART OF THE COUNTRYSIDE...</b><br><br>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.<br><br>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.</p>