Phil Rickman Explained
Phil Rickman (also known under the pen names of Thom Madley and Will Kingdom) is a British author of supernatural and mystery novels.[1]
Biography
Rickman was born in Lancashire in the north of England and worked as a journalist for BBC World Service TV and BBC Radio 4. He published his first book, Candlenight, in 1991, and began his Merrily Watkins series in 1998.[2] In 2010, he began the John Dee Papers series, which focuses on the Welsh mathematician and astrologer, John Dee.[3]
Rickman has also worked on several music albums based upon his books and has helped write many of the albums' songs.[4] He has lived in Wales most of his life and now resides (as of 2020) with his wife in Hay-on-Wye.[5]
Rickman researches the folklore, religion, and supernatural themes of his books, saying "If I can't believe it, it doesn't go in". He has also voiced his unhappiness over his earlier critics which labeled him a horror writer. He says that he felt that the books did not fit neatly within that genre.
Bibliography
Standalone novels
- Candlenight (1991)
- Crybbe (Curfew in the United States) (1993)[6]
- The Man in the Moss (1994)
- December (1994)
- The Chalice (1997)
- The Cold Calling (1998, as Will Kingdom)
- Mean Spirit (2001, as Will Kingdom)
- Night After Night (2014)
- The Bones of Avalon (2010)[7] [8]
- The Heresy of Dr Dee (2012)
Marco series
- Marco's Pendulum (2006, as Thom Madley)
- Marco and the Blade of Night (2007, as Thom Madley)
Merrily Watkins series
- The Wine of Angels (1998)
- Midwinter of the Spirit (1999)
- A Crown of Lights (2001)
- The Cure of Souls (2001)
- The Lamp of the Wicked (2002)
- The Prayer of the Night Shepherd (2004)
- The Smile of a Ghost (2005)
- The Remains of an Altar (2006)[9]
- The Fabric of Sin (2007)
- To Dream of the Dead (2008)
- The Secrets of Pain (2011)
- The Magus of Hay (2013)
- Friends of the Dusk (2015)
- All of a Winter's Night (2017)[10]
- The Fever of the World (2022)[11]
Short stories
- The House of Susan Lulham - was first published in the Oxfam "Oxcrimes" anthology (May 2014).[12] [13] In December 2014, an extended version which is "five times as long" was published for Kindle.[14]
Non-fiction
- Merrily's Border: The Places in Herefordshire & the Marches Behind the Merrily Watkins Novels (with photographer John Mason) (2009)
Discography
- Songs from Lucy's Cottage (2009, by Lol Robinson and Hazey Jane II)[15]
- A Message from the Morning (2010, by Lol Robinson and Hazey Jane II)
- Abbey Tapes: the Exorcism (2011, by Philosopher's Stone, based upon the novel December)
Television
See main article: Midwinter of the Spirit.
The second Merrily book Midwinter of the Spirit (which is the first "Exorcism" story)[16] has been made into a three-part TV drama by ITV. The Cast includes Anna Maxwell-Martin as Merrily, Sally Messham as Jane, and David Threlfall as Huw Owen.[17] [18] It was released in late 2015.
Notes and References
- Web site: Veterans of genre thrill and chill. Chronicle Herald. 9 August 2013.
- Web site: Exorcising crime with Merrily Watkins. CounterCulture. 9 August 2013.
- Web site: Kerridge. Jake. A page in the life: Phil Rickman. 18 December 2012 . Telegraph. 9 August 2013.
- Web site: Rickman creation comes to life on CD. 25 June 2009 . Hereford Times. 9 August 2013.
- Web site: personal. 24 November 2020.
- Web site: Review: Curfew. July 1993 . Publishers Weekly. 9 August 2013.
- Web site: Lytle. Betty. Book review: Phil Rickman's "The Bones of Avalon". News OK. 9 August 2013.
- Web site: May. Philippa. Philippa May reviews 'The Bones of Avalon' by Phil Rickman. 5 April 2010 . Hereford Times. 9 August 2013.
- Web site: Yager. Susanna. Firmly grounded in reality. 5 November 2006 . Telegraph. 9 August 2013.
- Web site: Home1 | PHIL RICKMAN.
- Web site: Phil Rickman .
- Web site: Other stuff | PHIL RICKMAN.
- Web site: OxCrimes Oxfam GB Shop . www.oxfam.org.uk . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150216032912/http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/features/oxcrimes . 2015-02-16.
- https://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Susan-Lulham-Kindle-Single-ebook/dp/B00R34ZFAG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418848546&sr=1-1&keywords=The+House+of+Susan+Lulham
- Web site: Crime novels inspire album. Kirkintilloch Herald. 9 August 2013.
- Web site: A letter from Ledwardine | PHIL RICKMAN.
- Web site: Press Releases.
- Web site: Midwinter of the Spirit (TV Mini Series 2015) - IMDb. IMDb.