{{Short description|British author (1950–2024)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}} {{Use British English|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox writer | name = Phil Rickman | birth_date = {{Birth date|1950|3|6|df=y}} | birth_place = Lancashire, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|10|29|1950|3|6|df=y}} | death_place = | occupation = {{Cslist| Journalist | novelist}} | period = 1991–2024 | language = English | genre = {{Cslist| Supernatural | mystery novels}} | pseudonym = Thom Madley, Will Kingdom | notable_works = The Bones of Avalon | website = {{URL|philrickman.co.uk}} }}
'''Phil Rickman''' (6 March 1950 – 29 October 2024), also known under the pen names '''Thom Madley''' and '''Will Kingdom''', was a British author of supernatural and mystery novels.<ref>{{cite web|title=Veterans of genre thrill and chill|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/books/41648-veterans-genre-thrill-and-chill|publisher=Chronicle Herald|access-date=9 August 2013}}</ref>
==Biography== Rickman was born on 6 March 1950<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chattopadhyay |first=Subhasis |date=June 2020 |title=Reading Slant During COVID-19: A Contrarian List |url=https://philarchive.org/archive/CHARSD |access-date=1 November 2024 |website=PhilPapers |page=3 |format=PDF}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Phil Rickman, author of the hit Merrily Watkins detective novels about an exorcist vicar |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2024/11/08/phil-rickman-author-merrily-watkins-exorcist-vicar-itv/ |access-date=8 November 2024 |publisher=The Telegraph |date=8 November 2024}}</ref> in Lancashire 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.<ref name="CC">{{cite web|title=Exorcising crime with Merrily Watkins|url=http://www.counterculture.co.uk/interview/phil-rickman.html|publisher=CounterCulture|access-date=9 August 2013}}</ref> In 2010, he began the ''John Dee Papers'' series, which focused on the English mathematician and astrologer, John Dee.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kerridge|first=Jake|title=A page in the life: Phil Rickman|date=18 December 2012 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/9742681/A-page-in-the-life-Phil-Rickman.html|publisher=Telegraph|access-date=9 August 2013}}</ref>
Rickman also worked on several music albums based upon his books and helped write many of the albums' songs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rickman creation comes to life on CD|date=25 June 2009 |url=http://www.herefordtimes.com/leisure/music/4459470.Lol_lives_/|publisher=Hereford Times|access-date=9 August 2013}}</ref> He lived in Wales for most of his life and resided in Hay-on-Wye with his wife as of 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.philrickman.co.uk/personal/|title=personal|access-date=24 November 2020}}</ref> He presented the BBC Radio Wales book programme ''Phil the Shelf''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/obituaries/merrily-watkins-author-and-broadcaster-phil-rickman-dies-aged-74|title=Merrily Watkins author and broadcaster Phil Rickman dies aged 74|date=1 November 2024|website=The Bookseller|author=Melina Spanoudi|access-date=4 December 2025}}</ref>
Rickman researched the folklore, religion, and supernatural themes of his books, saying "If I can't believe it, it doesn't go in".<ref name="CC" /> He also voiced his unhappiness over his earlier critics which labeled him a horror writer. He said that he felt that the books did not fit neatly within that genre.<ref name="CC" />
Rickman died on 29 October 2024, aged 74.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mohammed |first=Lena-Zaharah |date=1 November 2024 |title=Merrily Watkins author and broadcaster Phil Rickman dies aged 74 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ced9lxp0gqno |access-date=1 November 2024 |website=BBC}}</ref>
==Bibliography== ===Standalone novels=== *''Candlenight'' (1991) *''Crybbe'' (''Curfew'' in the United States) (1993)<ref>{{cite web|title=Review: Curfew| date=July 1993 |url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-399-13861-4|publisher=Publishers Weekly|access-date=9 August 2013}}</ref> *''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)
===''John Dee Papers''=== #''The Bones of Avalon'' (2010)<ref>{{cite web|last=Lytle|first=Betty|title=Book review: Phil Rickman's "The Bones of Avalon"|url=http://newsok.com/book-review-phil-rickmans-the-bones-of-avalon/article/3587963?custom_click=headlines_widget|publisher=News OK|access-date=9 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=May|first=Philippa|title=Philippa May reviews 'The Bones of Avalon' by Phil Rickman|date=5 April 2010 |url=http://www.herefordtimes.com/leisure/books/6148484.Philippa_May_reviews__The_Bones_of_Avalon__by_Phil_Rickman/|publisher=Hereford Times|access-date=9 August 2013}}</ref> #''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)<ref>{{cite web|last=Yager|first=Susanna|title=Firmly grounded in reality|date=5 November 2006 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/3656364/Firmly-grounded-in-reality.html|publisher=Telegraph|access-date=9 August 2013}}</ref> #''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)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.philrickman.co.uk/home1-3/|title = Home1 | PHIL RICKMAN}}</ref> #''The Fever of the World'' (2022)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rickman |first=Phil |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZtVgDwAAQBAJ |title=The Fever of the World: Merrily Watkins is back, in this chilling and transfixing mystery |date=2 June 2022 |publisher=Atlantic Books |isbn=978-1-78649-460-3 |language=}}</ref> #''The Echo of Crows'' (2025)
====Short stories==== #''The House of Susan Lulham'' - was first published in the Oxfam "Oxcrimes" anthology (May 2014).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.philrickman.co.uk/other-stuff/|title = Other stuff | PHIL RICKMAN}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/features/oxcrimes |title=OxCrimes {{!}} Oxfam GB {{!}} Shop |website=www.oxfam.org.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216032912/http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/features/oxcrimes |archive-date=2015-02-16}}</ref> In December 2014, an extended version which is "five times as long" was published for Kindle.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The House of Susan Lulham (Merrily Watkins, #12.5) |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23929532-the-house-of-susan-lulham |access-date=2 November 2024 |website=Goodreads}}</ref>
====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)<ref>{{cite web|title=Crime novels inspire album|url=http://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/news/local-headlines/crime-novels-inspire-album-1-361556|publisher=Kirkintilloch Herald|access-date=9 August 2013}}</ref> *''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== {{main|Midwinter of the Spirit}}
The second ''Merrily Watkins'' book ''Midwinter of the Spirit''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.philrickman.co.uk/a-letter-from-ledwardine-2/|title = A letter from Ledwardine | PHIL RICKMAN}}</ref> was made into a three-part TV drama by ITV. The Cast included Anna Maxwell-Martin as Merrily, Sally Messham as Jane, and David Threlfall as Huw Owen.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/itv-announces-superb-lead-cast-midwinter-spirit|title=Press Releases}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4853930/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast|title = Midwinter of the Spirit (TV Mini Series 2015) - IMDb|website = IMDb}}</ref> It was released in late 2015.
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
== External links == * {{official website|https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007rn8j|Phil the Shelf official website}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rickman, Phil}} Category:1950 births Category:2024 deaths Category:Anglo-Welsh novelists Category:British fantasy writers Category:British horror writers Category:British mystery writers Category:Writers from Lancashire