So, after recently romping through the folk-horror of Wychwood, (review here) I was very pleased to return to the fictional sleepy British village of Wilsby-under-Wychwood, where creepy things go on under the auspices of rural England. As a friend reading my last review said, “It’s like a cross between The Archers and Midsomer Murders, isn’t it?”
This time around, our heroine exiled from London, Elspeth Reeves has decided to stop in the village she grew up with, with her Mum. As a reporter she has taken on freelance work for the local newspaper and has been given the sort of cheerful reportage activity that makes up the culture of Rural England. Despite the unsettling events of the Carrion King in Wychwood, things over the last few months seem to be settling into a pleasant routine.
Her work takes on a more serious tone when she is asked to cover the excavation of an ancient grave in nearby Hallowdene, apparently that of Agnes Levett, a notorious witch. Three hundred years ago, Agnes was hanged and buried under an enormous stone, to prevent her spirit rising.
The excavation is noted by the press, and as readers of such stories might expect, in true M. R. James’ fashion, meddling with old graves leads to things unpleasant – murder, all of people connected to the dig and in a similar manner to what happened after Agnes’ execution. Ellie, with her childhood friend Detective Sergeant Peter Shaw, become involved in the case and try to discover the murderer/s and hopefully bring them to justice before further crimes are committed. It doesn’t help that the local Hallowdene Summer Fayre is only days away, which may be connected.
As is befitting a book in a series, things move on from the first book. Set a few months after Wychwood, we find that Ellie & Peter have started a relationship, which shouldn’t be a surprise to those who have read the first novel. There’s tension created as both are offered opportunities away from Wilsby-under-Wychwood, and they have to decide whether living in bucolic Wilsby is the right thing.
In addition to the lead characters we have the usual roll of odd subjects – there’s the old lord of Hallowdene Manor, forced to sell his property at a time of austerity (and, keeping up with the times, of course Brexit is mentioned), the new owner determined to make the most of the site’s potential – which is why Agnes is being exhumed. In addition, there’s the local teenagers – Daisy, who works in the Hallowdene teashop, her girlfriend and the taciturn son of the café owner, for example, who become involved in the goings-on.
Of such matters, there’s quite a sympathetic view given of ancient witches, which I thought was an interesting take. Rather than seen as a figure of fear, it appears that Agnes was a healer, who helped the locals with herbs and medicines, but who was (perhaps unfairly) accused of using witchcraft when people did not get better – a superstition based on fear and ignorance at the time. I am sure that she was not the only one. Whilst modern day society has turned this sad event into a commercial Halloween-like parody (and there’s some relevant thoughts on such matters here), my general impression is that Agnes was much maligned – and (of course) may have returned for revenge.
By the end, all is resolved and sorted out nicely, although not everyone makes it to the finish, of course. The good news is that the reader is left with a feeling that it has been worth a visit, until the next time. It’s not particularly complicated or clever, but it is a refreshingly engaging read, which I finished in a few hours.
I look forward to the next.
Hallowdene: Book 2 of the Wychwood series by George Mann
Published by Titan Books, September 2018
ISBN: 978 178 3294 114
336 pages
