The Echo of Crows
The epic final novel in the bestselling Merrily Watkins series
Published on 6. November 2025
320 pages
978-1-78649-463-4 (ISBN)
Description
THE FINAL NOVEL IN THE MERRILY WATKINS SERIES
_____________________
'Brilliantly eerie' PETER JAMES
'A most original sleuth' THE TIMES
_____________________
Welcome to the Wye Valley, exactly on the border of England and Wales, home to a dark legacy of murder...
Nestled deep in the Black Mountains, the village of Longtown is haunted by killings both ancient and modern.
When young farmer and lottery winner Eddy Davies is found dead in suspicious circumstances, Herefordshire Police find themselves handling a complicated investigation.
Things aren't looking good for Davies's friend, the mysterious Autumn Wise, who is found nearby holding a shotgun.
When Merrily Watkins - parish priest, single mum and renowned demon exorcist - comes to Autumn's aid, she soon discovers that Eddy's death is only the latest in a long string of tragedies to blight Longtown and the surrounding area.
But help is at hand from Merrily's spiritual advisor, the Rev. Huw Owen, who has an unorthodox solution in mind to end the area's centuries-long trail of misfortune...
____________________________
More praise for Phil Rickman
'Cleverly illuminates the darkest corners of our imagination' John Connolly
'The layers, the characters, the humour, the spookiness - perfect' Elly Griffiths
'First rate crime with demons that go bump in the night' Daily Mail
'No one writes better of the shadow-frontier between the supernatural and the real world' Bernard Cornwell
'Engrossing and beautifully dark . . . a cracking good read' JO BRAND
_____________________
'Brilliantly eerie' PETER JAMES
'A most original sleuth' THE TIMES
_____________________
Welcome to the Wye Valley, exactly on the border of England and Wales, home to a dark legacy of murder...
Nestled deep in the Black Mountains, the village of Longtown is haunted by killings both ancient and modern.
When young farmer and lottery winner Eddy Davies is found dead in suspicious circumstances, Herefordshire Police find themselves handling a complicated investigation.
Things aren't looking good for Davies's friend, the mysterious Autumn Wise, who is found nearby holding a shotgun.
When Merrily Watkins - parish priest, single mum and renowned demon exorcist - comes to Autumn's aid, she soon discovers that Eddy's death is only the latest in a long string of tragedies to blight Longtown and the surrounding area.
But help is at hand from Merrily's spiritual advisor, the Rev. Huw Owen, who has an unorthodox solution in mind to end the area's centuries-long trail of misfortune...
____________________________
More praise for Phil Rickman
'Cleverly illuminates the darkest corners of our imagination' John Connolly
'The layers, the characters, the humour, the spookiness - perfect' Elly Griffiths
'First rate crime with demons that go bump in the night' Daily Mail
'No one writes better of the shadow-frontier between the supernatural and the real world' Bernard Cornwell
'Engrossing and beautifully dark . . . a cracking good read' JO BRAND
Reviews / Votes
No one writes better of the shadow-frontier between the supernatural and the real world. -- Bernard Cornwell * praise for Merrily Watkins * Ancient history, violent deaths, feuds, intrigues and murder. A most original sleuth. * The Times, praise for Merrily Watkins * Compassionate, original and sharply contemporary, Rickman's crime series is one of the best around. * Spectator, praise for Merrily Watkins * Complex, absorbing, fascinating... -- Andrew Taylor * praise for Merrily Watkins * Few writers blend the ancient and supernatural with the modern and criminal better than Rickman. * Guardian, praise for Merrily Watkins * 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, praise for The Fever of the World * The layers, the characters, the humour, the spookiness - perfect. -- Ely Griffiths * praise for Merrily Watkins * First rate crime with demons that go bump in the night. * Daily Mail, praise for Merrily Watkins * Classic mysteries... [which] cleverly illuminates the darkest corners of our imaginations. -- John Connolly * praise for Merrily Watkins * Engrossing and beautifully dark... a cracking good read ensues. -- Jo Brand * praise for Merrily Watkins *More details
Series
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Atlantic Books
File size
2,34 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-78649-463-4 (9781786494634)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
11/2025
Corvus
€25.50
Shipment within 3-4 weeks
Person
Phil Rickman was born in Lancashire and lived most of his life on the Welsh border where he wrote and presented the book programme Phil the Shelf on BBC Radio Wales. He is the acclaimed author of the Merrily Watkins series and the John Dee papers.
