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The Devil's Beat
An extraordinary novel -- Picnic at Hanging Rock meets Howard's End meet The Crucible .
It is surely a simple case of hysteria. Four young women allegedly witness a terrifying apparition while walking in the woods. Has the devil really revealed himself to them? Are they genuine victims of demonic possession? Or, as most suspect, is their purpose in claiming all of this considerably more prosaic? The eyes of the country turn to a small Nottinghamshire town, where an inquiry is to be held. Everyone there is living through hard, uncertain times. The king is recently dead. It is a new century -- a new world looking to the future. But here, in the ancient heart of England, an old beast stirs.
Four men must examine the substance of the girls' tales and decide their fate: a minister, a doctor, a magistrate, and Merritt, an investigator -- a seemingly perfect blend of the rational, the sacred and the judicial. And yet, as the feverish excitement all around them grows ever more widespread and infectious, there is both doubt and conflict among the members of this panel.
The Devil's Beat explores the unforeseeable and unstoppable outcome of this inquiry -- an alarming and unsettling time during which the whole of that small world seems in turmoil as one after another hitherto dependable natural checks and balances, beliefs and superstitions are challenged and then lost.
It is surely a simple case of hysteria. Four young women allegedly witness a terrifying apparition while walking in the woods. Has the devil really revealed himself to them? Are they genuine victims of demonic possession? Or, as most suspect, is their purpose in claiming all of this considerably more prosaic? The eyes of the country turn to a small Nottinghamshire town, where an inquiry is to be held. Everyone there is living through hard, uncertain times. The king is recently dead. It is a new century -- a new world looking to the future. But here, in the ancient heart of England, an old beast stirs.
Four men must examine the substance of the girls' tales and decide their fate: a minister, a doctor, a magistrate, and Merritt, an investigator -- a seemingly perfect blend of the rational, the sacred and the judicial. And yet, as the feverish excitement all around them grows ever more widespread and infectious, there is both doubt and conflict among the members of this panel.
The Devil's Beat explores the unforeseeable and unstoppable outcome of this inquiry -- an alarming and unsettling time during which the whole of that small world seems in turmoil as one after another hitherto dependable natural checks and balances, beliefs and superstitions are challenged and then lost.
368 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2012
3 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Robert Edric
36 books30 followersRobert Edric (b. 1956) is the pseudonym of Gary Edric Armitage, a British novelist born in Sheffield.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 15, 2012
Robert Edric's prose is eloquent. He creates fully formed characters and, often through the use of subtle subtext, gives us insights into their souls. Edric never spoon-feeds the reader; he adheres to the adage that good writing should start in the writer's imagination and finish in the reader's. His characters are archetypes, and beautifully constructed ones at that; he never falls into the lazy habit of using stereotypes. Each character is unique, possessing idiosyncrasies that make him/her all the more believable. Edric is so adept at setting scene and creating three-dimensional characters that his writing could easily be mistaken for non-fiction. The suspension of disbelief is a trick that he pulls off with apparent ease.
The story's premise is full of promise. 1910, rural England. Five young girls wander into the woods and come back claiming to have seen the Devil. One of the girls also tells that the Infernal One appeared in her bedroom and hiked up her nightdress, while another suffers mysterious wounds which only the most cynical townsfolk believe to be self-inflicted. Those were superstitious times and suggestions of devilish activity were taken seriously. If Satan was roaming the forests near their idyllic little town, shouldn't they know about it? Shouldn't they do something? Enter the main character, the ever-objective Merrit, a blend of Spock-like logic and Holmesesque deductive reasoning. He arrives in town to lead the investigation into the girls' allegations. Three locals are appointed to help him on his quest: a doctor; a minister; a judge. Like a turned-on-its-head variation of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Edric's archetypal characters – Reason, Medicine, Religion and Justice - seek to uncover the truth. Each of the four has his own agenda, making co-operation between them dysfunctional at best. The Man of God views the situation as an opportunity to inspire faith and boost dwindling attendance figures at his church. The Man of Justice (who has not so much a chip on his shoulder as a whole sack of potatoes) resents being second in command to anyone, least of all an outsider like Merrit; he repeatedly attempts to catapult himself into the position of authority, fearful that the townsfolk will lose respect for him if they observe Merrit as the alpha male. The Man of Medicine just wants to help his patients and have an easy, comfortable life; he has little time for the superstitions and gossip that are rife in the area. And the Man of Reason, our main man Merrit, doesn't want to be there at all; the mission makes him uncomfortable for myriad reasons, not least of which is his unwillingness to storm into a close-knit community and start dishing out orders. Edric's descriptions of the minister's wife are masterful. She wields complete power over her husband, a broken man who – away from his wife – puts on a façade of independence. He fools no one, though, and is often the brunt of jokes regarding his subservience. The behavioural nuances that illustrate her dominance are prime examples of Edric's awe-inspiring command of character. Lovely stuff.
So why only 4 stars, you're wondering?
I'll tell you why.
Nothing happens.
There, I said it.
I was wildly excited about this book after reading its synopsis. Edric's not just a good writer; he's a great writer. It stood to reason that throwing into a blender a Booker-nominated author who writes characters ridiculously well, a premise that's bursting with infernal promise, and storyline possibilities that are legion would result in a tale of epic proportions. But I discovered, just as Merrit did in the story, that reason is not infallible. One vital ingredient was missing from the blender: a gripping plot. It's testament to Edric's ability as a writer that I enjoyed the book from start to finish, even though very little happens. For me, it was the literary equivalent of going on a date with a voluptuous, beautiful woman who'd made clear her carnal intentions (and her technical ability to deliver in that regard)...I'm excited in anticipation...then date night arrives and I become more excited...as the night goes on and on, she wows me with her effortless linguistics and flashy aesthetics...I think, 'Something special's bound to happen soon,' yet it doesn't...the date goes on and on and on and on until, right at the end of the night, the minx leans forward, gives me a ten-second kiss, then disappears, leaving me reeling in the scent and taste of her, and thinking, 'What? Is that it? But you were capable of so much more!'
Edric could write the ingredients of a box of muesli in a way that left the reader thinking, 'That was pretty impressive.' Regardless of how much his writing style impresses, however, and despite the greatness of the idea behind the book, the finished article doesn't live up to its potential. The Devil's Beat could have been an all-time classic. As is, it's a masterclass in character development and a flawlessly written story that could have gone much further.
The story's premise is full of promise. 1910, rural England. Five young girls wander into the woods and come back claiming to have seen the Devil. One of the girls also tells that the Infernal One appeared in her bedroom and hiked up her nightdress, while another suffers mysterious wounds which only the most cynical townsfolk believe to be self-inflicted. Those were superstitious times and suggestions of devilish activity were taken seriously. If Satan was roaming the forests near their idyllic little town, shouldn't they know about it? Shouldn't they do something? Enter the main character, the ever-objective Merrit, a blend of Spock-like logic and Holmesesque deductive reasoning. He arrives in town to lead the investigation into the girls' allegations. Three locals are appointed to help him on his quest: a doctor; a minister; a judge. Like a turned-on-its-head variation of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Edric's archetypal characters – Reason, Medicine, Religion and Justice - seek to uncover the truth. Each of the four has his own agenda, making co-operation between them dysfunctional at best. The Man of God views the situation as an opportunity to inspire faith and boost dwindling attendance figures at his church. The Man of Justice (who has not so much a chip on his shoulder as a whole sack of potatoes) resents being second in command to anyone, least of all an outsider like Merrit; he repeatedly attempts to catapult himself into the position of authority, fearful that the townsfolk will lose respect for him if they observe Merrit as the alpha male. The Man of Medicine just wants to help his patients and have an easy, comfortable life; he has little time for the superstitions and gossip that are rife in the area. And the Man of Reason, our main man Merrit, doesn't want to be there at all; the mission makes him uncomfortable for myriad reasons, not least of which is his unwillingness to storm into a close-knit community and start dishing out orders. Edric's descriptions of the minister's wife are masterful. She wields complete power over her husband, a broken man who – away from his wife – puts on a façade of independence. He fools no one, though, and is often the brunt of jokes regarding his subservience. The behavioural nuances that illustrate her dominance are prime examples of Edric's awe-inspiring command of character. Lovely stuff.
So why only 4 stars, you're wondering?
I'll tell you why.
Nothing happens.
There, I said it.
I was wildly excited about this book after reading its synopsis. Edric's not just a good writer; he's a great writer. It stood to reason that throwing into a blender a Booker-nominated author who writes characters ridiculously well, a premise that's bursting with infernal promise, and storyline possibilities that are legion would result in a tale of epic proportions. But I discovered, just as Merrit did in the story, that reason is not infallible. One vital ingredient was missing from the blender: a gripping plot. It's testament to Edric's ability as a writer that I enjoyed the book from start to finish, even though very little happens. For me, it was the literary equivalent of going on a date with a voluptuous, beautiful woman who'd made clear her carnal intentions (and her technical ability to deliver in that regard)...I'm excited in anticipation...then date night arrives and I become more excited...as the night goes on and on, she wows me with her effortless linguistics and flashy aesthetics...I think, 'Something special's bound to happen soon,' yet it doesn't...the date goes on and on and on and on until, right at the end of the night, the minx leans forward, gives me a ten-second kiss, then disappears, leaving me reeling in the scent and taste of her, and thinking, 'What? Is that it? But you were capable of so much more!'
Edric could write the ingredients of a box of muesli in a way that left the reader thinking, 'That was pretty impressive.' Regardless of how much his writing style impresses, however, and despite the greatness of the idea behind the book, the finished article doesn't live up to its potential. The Devil's Beat could have been an all-time classic. As is, it's a masterclass in character development and a flawlessly written story that could have gone much further.
February 23, 2012
In a small Nottinghamshire town early in the 20th century five girls claim to have encountered a terrifying apparition while walking in the woods. According to the girls the creature they encountered was neither man nor beast and appeared demonic.
While a lot of people are more than happy to brush these statements aside as mischievous attention seeking by the girls, they cause enough upheaval for an official inquiry to be called.
Three local men, a minister, a doctor and a magistrate are joined by Merritt, an official investigator appointed from outside the town. Together these men will interview the girls, witnesses and other interested parties in order to decide what lies at the root of the girl’s statements. They will have to determine if this is a case of group hysteria, demonic possession or, as most are inclined to think, bold lies.
Merritt has been part of similar investigations all over the country and knows that by their nature they are difficult and that he as the outsider will get the blame for anything going wrong.
From the very start though, this investigation is more difficult than any he has undertaken before. With the girls he interviews sticking to their story and the national press taking an active interest in the case Merritt finds himself becoming more frustrated and cornered with every passing day. And while it is unlikely that he is actually dealing with the Devil, Merritt does find himself up against a level of evil that he’s not quite equipped to recognise early enough or adequately deal with.
This was a fascinating book and not quite what I was expecting based on the blurb that accompanied it. While I was ready for a story full of supernatural manifestations I found myself mostly reading about people and their all too human shortcomings; pride, greed, vanity, petty resentments and plain old meanness take pride of place in most of the characters in this book, which creates a not very nice but utterly realistic picture. None of the characters in this book are faultless and some are downright despicable, but all are true to life and recognisable. And it is because of the all too easy to believe portrayal of humans in all their selfishness and disregard for others, that this story is more tension-filled than any amount of demons could ever make it.
My one reservation regarding this book has to do with the ending. It seems to me that the discovery on the final pages was conclusive enough to take matters further, which the author, unfortunately, doesn’t do.
The writing in this book is very good. Although this is not an action packed, thrill a minute sort of story the quality of the writing and the underlying tension sweep the story along and the reader with it.
This was my first book by Edric but I know I will be looking for his earlier works in the future. An author who can take what appears to be a straightforward and not very exciting situation and turn it into a fascinating and almost impossible to put down intrigue deserves further investigation.
While a lot of people are more than happy to brush these statements aside as mischievous attention seeking by the girls, they cause enough upheaval for an official inquiry to be called.
Three local men, a minister, a doctor and a magistrate are joined by Merritt, an official investigator appointed from outside the town. Together these men will interview the girls, witnesses and other interested parties in order to decide what lies at the root of the girl’s statements. They will have to determine if this is a case of group hysteria, demonic possession or, as most are inclined to think, bold lies.
Merritt has been part of similar investigations all over the country and knows that by their nature they are difficult and that he as the outsider will get the blame for anything going wrong.
From the very start though, this investigation is more difficult than any he has undertaken before. With the girls he interviews sticking to their story and the national press taking an active interest in the case Merritt finds himself becoming more frustrated and cornered with every passing day. And while it is unlikely that he is actually dealing with the Devil, Merritt does find himself up against a level of evil that he’s not quite equipped to recognise early enough or adequately deal with.
This was a fascinating book and not quite what I was expecting based on the blurb that accompanied it. While I was ready for a story full of supernatural manifestations I found myself mostly reading about people and their all too human shortcomings; pride, greed, vanity, petty resentments and plain old meanness take pride of place in most of the characters in this book, which creates a not very nice but utterly realistic picture. None of the characters in this book are faultless and some are downright despicable, but all are true to life and recognisable. And it is because of the all too easy to believe portrayal of humans in all their selfishness and disregard for others, that this story is more tension-filled than any amount of demons could ever make it.
My one reservation regarding this book has to do with the ending. It seems to me that the discovery on the final pages was conclusive enough to take matters further, which the author, unfortunately, doesn’t do.
The writing in this book is very good. Although this is not an action packed, thrill a minute sort of story the quality of the writing and the underlying tension sweep the story along and the reader with it.
This was my first book by Edric but I know I will be looking for his earlier works in the future. An author who can take what appears to be a straightforward and not very exciting situation and turn it into a fascinating and almost impossible to put down intrigue deserves further investigation.
June 7, 2012
This was an ultimately disappointing read, starting off with mystery and diabolic intrigue but the narrative began to lose its way and it seemed to me that the author was undecided on where to place the emphasis of his judgement. At various stages of the book the spotlight was on Merrit and his struggle to bring some order to an insular and hostile townsfolk but the reader is tantalised by the ferral and cunning group of young girls and the power politics of Webb and Firth whilst Dr. Nash gradually becomes the strong character within the narrative.
The ending is extremely disappointing because without any twist the outcome was obvious several chapters earlier. I doubt that I will be reading any other Edric books.
The ending is extremely disappointing because without any twist the outcome was obvious several chapters earlier. I doubt that I will be reading any other Edric books.
December 16, 2014
In a word: dull. The Times lauds this book's 'genuine sense of menace', but I'm sorry I just can't see it.
I picked this up hoping either that there would be some supernatural excitement, or if not something all-human but sinister and twisted. Neither occurred. First off, I have a problem with how little actually caused the inquest to happen. Some young girls saying they'd seen the Devil, one having supposed poltergeist activity once, and one supposed aborted assault in the night just doesn't seem like enough to warrant it (and it's not enough to hang a plot from to be honest). I know it was the 30s, but still. Also, we get told next to nothing about what went on unless it's through the inquest - which was initially why I kept reading it, thinking that surely there must be more that we weren't told. Then I stuck with it to see the resolution the inquest would bring - which we also don't get to see as the book ends abruptly. The meat of the inquest and events surrounding it might've been enough if the characters had been interesting and engaging, but instead they're a bunch of irritating clichés.
I picked this up hoping either that there would be some supernatural excitement, or if not something all-human but sinister and twisted. Neither occurred. First off, I have a problem with how little actually caused the inquest to happen. Some young girls saying they'd seen the Devil, one having supposed poltergeist activity once, and one supposed aborted assault in the night just doesn't seem like enough to warrant it (and it's not enough to hang a plot from to be honest). I know it was the 30s, but still. Also, we get told next to nothing about what went on unless it's through the inquest - which was initially why I kept reading it, thinking that surely there must be more that we weren't told. Then I stuck with it to see the resolution the inquest would bring - which we also don't get to see as the book ends abruptly. The meat of the inquest and events surrounding it might've been enough if the characters had been interesting and engaging, but instead they're a bunch of irritating clichés.
April 28, 2012
The blurb invited me in with the promise of a paranormal tale about a group of schoolgirls who claim to have encountered the Devil in the forest in rural Nottingamshire – but there’s nothing supernatural about this story. It’s basically a courtroom drama, and not even a very involving, exciting or eventful one.
Dreadfully slow for the first two thirds, it does speed up in the final chapters, then suddenly stops, just as the plot was getting tense and interesting, which was incredibly frustrating!
The characters are not strong and somewhat interchangeable; their stories seem to end just as they’re beginning. All in all, a pedantic, slow, unsatisfying read. Sadly, not a novel I feel I can recommend.
Dreadfully slow for the first two thirds, it does speed up in the final chapters, then suddenly stops, just as the plot was getting tense and interesting, which was incredibly frustrating!
The characters are not strong and somewhat interchangeable; their stories seem to end just as they’re beginning. All in all, a pedantic, slow, unsatisfying read. Sadly, not a novel I feel I can recommend.
May 1, 2013
Interesting book set I believe in the early 1900's, where five girls claim to have seen the devil in the woods.
Based largely on the inquiry to find out if they are telling the truth or not, it throws in some interesting characters, and how they fit into the workings of a small village.
As the story unfolds, things come to light, making the ring leader seem not just more suspicious but more sinister...until the ending that reveals what really happened was never quite what you thought.
Well written, nicely paced and enjoyable.
Based largely on the inquiry to find out if they are telling the truth or not, it throws in some interesting characters, and how they fit into the workings of a small village.
As the story unfolds, things come to light, making the ring leader seem not just more suspicious but more sinister...until the ending that reveals what really happened was never quite what you thought.
Well written, nicely paced and enjoyable.
April 16, 2022
Another wonderful piece of prose from Robert Edric. We have the familiar themes of an outsider in a closed environment and an ordinary man doing a specific job in extraordinary circumstances. As ever, the characters are fully rounded and utterly believable and the dialogue is both credible and keeps building the characters both through what is said, and what is not, but is understood.
The story concerns the enquiry into the supposed sightings of the devil in some woodland by five girls. The panel running the enquiry is made up of a local magistrate, a local doctor, a local priest and an investigator, Merrit, brought in from the outside. Conflict abounds, mainly at a verbal level within and outside the panel with Merrit conscious of both his position as head of the enquiry but his authority constantly undermined by the fact he has been brought in from outside.
Elegantly written with trademark deliberate stilted dialogue in places, this is not an easy or light read, but it is a very satisfying one.
The story concerns the enquiry into the supposed sightings of the devil in some woodland by five girls. The panel running the enquiry is made up of a local magistrate, a local doctor, a local priest and an investigator, Merrit, brought in from the outside. Conflict abounds, mainly at a verbal level within and outside the panel with Merrit conscious of both his position as head of the enquiry but his authority constantly undermined by the fact he has been brought in from outside.
Elegantly written with trademark deliberate stilted dialogue in places, this is not an easy or light read, but it is a very satisfying one.
March 3, 2018
If you've never read a book by Robert Edric, I suggest you give him a try. The Guardian said of him, "Much contemporary fiction seems inconsequential and fleeting by comparison. ". This novel is set in England in 1910 and is about an investigation into a group of hysterical girls who claim to have seen the devil. If you've seen or read Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible' you'll have some idea of its theme. It's gripping and totally credible. Great stuff.
February 13, 2021
loved how it was written, i found it interesting. the cliche aspect of the 'man in charge of the town' always trying to big himself up and be centre of attention is annoying. the story overall seemed to be getting somewhere really good but the end seems rushed and a bit unfinished? overall the story didnt really make much sense, seemed like it needed a few extra chapters just to explain the loose ends it left.
May 29, 2017
Not the story I was expecting to read from the title. (Never judge a book by its cover!) It took me at least 10 chapters to get into it and I found it a struggle to pick it up and keep reading. The last few chapters were much quicker and made me want to finish the book. I would recommend to anyone who likes a courtroom drama.
October 30, 2018
Well, 2 and a half. Hmmmm!
November 18, 2018
DNF. It felt like a report rather than a novel. There was nothing drawing me in so I had to stop
January 10, 2020
Kept reading in the hopes there would be some big dramatic ending to save it, but no.
May 8, 2021
Honestly, disappointing... 😔
December 26, 2024
Hard to follow at times book. Really strange. I found the beginning hard to understand what was happening. It was thought the book was written in in another language with poor translation.
March 30, 2015
This review contains spoilers and is really only for people who've read the book as I can't be naffed explaining it.
This book starts and ends very strongly, but in between is mushy, confusing and indecisive. Merrit turns out to be a deeply disappointing and occasionally cowardly creature; in the beginning I liked his refusal to be baited or bow to local hostility and took it as strength, but it soon segues into a sort of weary, weak resignation.
He won't even take on the utterly odious Magistrate Webb as he thinks it would only inflame him further; this is a total cop-out - actually the man needs thoroughly and firmly putting in his place. Loudly, in fact. Why on earth doesn't Merrit tell him once and for all to back off and let him do his job, neutrally and authoritatively as he has been sent by his masters to do? In fact he lets the weedy Minister's vile wife browbeat and berate him. Because it's easier and quieter than taking her on. This drove me nuts. Even the seemingly friendly Nash squirms and twists and hides behind bonhomie and ineffectual bon mots. The few snatches of questioning performed at the inquiry were inconclusive showpieces and I had the constant, irritating suspicion - nay certainty - that the really interesting stuff was happening elsewhere and we simply weren't privy to it, in the mistaken belief that Merrit's hand-wringing was more fascinating. Wrong - and this was eminently clear when the real succubus - Mary Cowan - appears in the empty inquiry room whilst Meritt is glumly and rather pathetically going through his papers at the very end of the case. She sits, evading his questions with a glint of evil triumph, enjoying being shockingly sexually provocative and betraying gleeful flashes of evil. This young lady I would like to have met much more often, and not just her rather monotonously (and emptily) threatening father. This is a fascinating scene and it is blatantly obvious that the whereabouts of Agnes Foley's pitiful, dangling body are well known to Mary. Oh, there's something about Mary. You get the tantalising idea that the Pan-like being in the clearing is a metaphor for Mary's burgeoning sexuality. But the author has told us precious little about her, save that she's got previous with grubby mysteries. Seaton and her presumably butchered foetus are (literarily) disposed of in a couple of lazy sentences. What??? Here were the real "blood and guts" of the novel, these disturbed, adolescent girls and their dark fetid world, the poltergeists, self-harm and things that go crash-bang-wallop in the night! And we barely glimpse them! All we hear are other people pontificating about what liars they are! Why do they lie so? What are the woodland games they play that have them all paralysed and struck dumb? For Edric, this is not the point of the book! Why not???
Nevertheless, the final image of Nash gently and sadly cradling the thin, sodden body of the "imbecile", her neck callously broken, her wet hair streaming over her face, emerging from the darkness of the train tunnel, with Merrit ineffectually arranging her lifeless arms, is a powerful, visceral and beautifully drawn image. But why? Why did she become the ultimate victim, she who could barely speak except to repeat what was said to her, and was taken seriously by absolutely nobody - not even her own father? Who was the father of Margaret Seaton's baby? Why did not Merrit even attempt to get some sort of version of events from little Maud Venn? If only, as the legal folks say, for the sake of completeness? Merrit complains of "powerlessness" but it seems to me that he repeatedly and stubbornly chooses a sort of weary impotence rather than exert any kind of authority - an authority he could clearly wield if he chose to. Undeniably well written though it is, with clever psychology in spades, I think this is why the book lacks power and authority of its own and why the whole frustrating thing is more of a whimper than a bang.
This book starts and ends very strongly, but in between is mushy, confusing and indecisive. Merrit turns out to be a deeply disappointing and occasionally cowardly creature; in the beginning I liked his refusal to be baited or bow to local hostility and took it as strength, but it soon segues into a sort of weary, weak resignation.
He won't even take on the utterly odious Magistrate Webb as he thinks it would only inflame him further; this is a total cop-out - actually the man needs thoroughly and firmly putting in his place. Loudly, in fact. Why on earth doesn't Merrit tell him once and for all to back off and let him do his job, neutrally and authoritatively as he has been sent by his masters to do? In fact he lets the weedy Minister's vile wife browbeat and berate him. Because it's easier and quieter than taking her on. This drove me nuts. Even the seemingly friendly Nash squirms and twists and hides behind bonhomie and ineffectual bon mots. The few snatches of questioning performed at the inquiry were inconclusive showpieces and I had the constant, irritating suspicion - nay certainty - that the really interesting stuff was happening elsewhere and we simply weren't privy to it, in the mistaken belief that Merrit's hand-wringing was more fascinating. Wrong - and this was eminently clear when the real succubus - Mary Cowan - appears in the empty inquiry room whilst Meritt is glumly and rather pathetically going through his papers at the very end of the case. She sits, evading his questions with a glint of evil triumph, enjoying being shockingly sexually provocative and betraying gleeful flashes of evil. This young lady I would like to have met much more often, and not just her rather monotonously (and emptily) threatening father. This is a fascinating scene and it is blatantly obvious that the whereabouts of Agnes Foley's pitiful, dangling body are well known to Mary. Oh, there's something about Mary. You get the tantalising idea that the Pan-like being in the clearing is a metaphor for Mary's burgeoning sexuality. But the author has told us precious little about her, save that she's got previous with grubby mysteries. Seaton and her presumably butchered foetus are (literarily) disposed of in a couple of lazy sentences. What??? Here were the real "blood and guts" of the novel, these disturbed, adolescent girls and their dark fetid world, the poltergeists, self-harm and things that go crash-bang-wallop in the night! And we barely glimpse them! All we hear are other people pontificating about what liars they are! Why do they lie so? What are the woodland games they play that have them all paralysed and struck dumb? For Edric, this is not the point of the book! Why not???
Nevertheless, the final image of Nash gently and sadly cradling the thin, sodden body of the "imbecile", her neck callously broken, her wet hair streaming over her face, emerging from the darkness of the train tunnel, with Merrit ineffectually arranging her lifeless arms, is a powerful, visceral and beautifully drawn image. But why? Why did she become the ultimate victim, she who could barely speak except to repeat what was said to her, and was taken seriously by absolutely nobody - not even her own father? Who was the father of Margaret Seaton's baby? Why did not Merrit even attempt to get some sort of version of events from little Maud Venn? If only, as the legal folks say, for the sake of completeness? Merrit complains of "powerlessness" but it seems to me that he repeatedly and stubbornly chooses a sort of weary impotence rather than exert any kind of authority - an authority he could clearly wield if he chose to. Undeniably well written though it is, with clever psychology in spades, I think this is why the book lacks power and authority of its own and why the whole frustrating thing is more of a whimper than a bang.
February 10, 2018
This book kind of haunts me :/ a more realistic look at the realities of justice and it’s restrictions, the corruption within tight knit communities and seemingly ‘good’ people. Its also unnerving as anything.
June 8, 2012
Synopsis
It is surely a simple case of hysteria. Four young women allegedly witness a terrifying apparition while walking in the woods. Has the devil really revealed himself to them? Are they genuine victims of demonic possession? Or, as most suspect, is their purpose in claiming all of this considerably more prosaic? The eyes of the country turn to a small Nottinghamshire town, where an inquiry is to be held. Everyone there is living through hard, uncertain times. The king is recently dead. It is a new century -- a new world looking to the future. But here, in the ancient heart of England, an old beast stirs.
Going by the blurb you think you are going to get a nasty, shivery little tale about pastoral superstition - however all is not as it seems and that is not all together a bad thing.
You expect a read full of supernatural shenanigans when what you get is people being devilishly mean to each other and not much else. But the quality of the writing, the frighteningly good characterisation and the underlying tension of this sad story more than make up for any lost expectations of a satanic romp. It is quite extraordinary that a story about a non story where not much happens can be quiet so compelling.
Edric is an author who makes his reader work hard and you have to really think what is going on beneath the surface in this dreamlike, claustrophobic village and of course there is no nice, easy ending. As someone said on Amazon it is like watching episode 1 of a series...and then it is cancelled.
An extraordinary novel -- Picnic at Hanging Rock meets Howard's End meet The Crucible.
It is surely a simple case of hysteria. Four young women allegedly witness a terrifying apparition while walking in the woods. Has the devil really revealed himself to them? Are they genuine victims of demonic possession? Or, as most suspect, is their purpose in claiming all of this considerably more prosaic? The eyes of the country turn to a small Nottinghamshire town, where an inquiry is to be held. Everyone there is living through hard, uncertain times. The king is recently dead. It is a new century -- a new world looking to the future. But here, in the ancient heart of England, an old beast stirs.
Going by the blurb you think you are going to get a nasty, shivery little tale about pastoral superstition - however all is not as it seems and that is not all together a bad thing.
You expect a read full of supernatural shenanigans when what you get is people being devilishly mean to each other and not much else. But the quality of the writing, the frighteningly good characterisation and the underlying tension of this sad story more than make up for any lost expectations of a satanic romp. It is quite extraordinary that a story about a non story where not much happens can be quiet so compelling.
Edric is an author who makes his reader work hard and you have to really think what is going on beneath the surface in this dreamlike, claustrophobic village and of course there is no nice, easy ending. As someone said on Amazon it is like watching episode 1 of a series...and then it is cancelled.
An extraordinary novel -- Picnic at Hanging Rock meets Howard's End meet The Crucible.
November 16, 2013
Uncertainties pervade this intriguing story. Four girls have met the devil in the woods - or so they say. The official enquiry isn't a trial in law, and it's certainly not a witch trial - the setting is rural Nottinghamshire in 1910. Authority falters in the face of public disappointment with the process, and the excited speculation of those who seek to capitalize and mislead. The men who lead the enquiry are divided by their own agendas. Gradually dark suspicions take form. The descriptions of time, place and character are very convincing, and even though it seems that little is actually happening, the narrative maintains a pace as more and more detail is provided. Without spoiling, I'd say that the culmination is abrupt - yet it is a very suitable conclusion to the tale. A singular book to me, but I've not read Robert Edric before. Now I'll read another.
February 21, 2012
Investigator Francis Merrit is sent to a small Nottinghamshire town in 1910 to lead an inquiry into claims made by five young girls. Along with the blustering Oliver Webb, magistrate, Aubrey Edward Firth, a minister with an overbearing wife and Dr Simeon Nash he leads the inquiry panel. However, it soon becomes clear that his presence is resented, both by Webb and Firth, who have their own personal agenda and by the girls families. The girls claim to have seen the devil in a local wood. Led by Mary Cowan, a girl linked to a crime some years before, their stories are rejected as overactive imaginations or hysteria by the local people. Merrit struggles to retain control over the situation. Good novel, but overall a frustrating and inconclusive read.
June 23, 2016
I read this book in a remarkably short amount of time, Edric's writing is engrossing and fascinating, the characters and places are described beautifully, and I enjoyed reading it from the first page to the last.
However, I found the ending abrupt and rather disappointing given the slow build up through the rest of the novel. In some ways it felt to me like only half a book - all build up, no actual climax.
That is not to say it is a wasted read, I stress that I did thoroughly enjoy it as I read it, but it's ending left me wanting.
I apologise if this review seems a little contradictory or conflicted, but really, that's the way the book had me feeling in the end!
However, I found the ending abrupt and rather disappointing given the slow build up through the rest of the novel. In some ways it felt to me like only half a book - all build up, no actual climax.
That is not to say it is a wasted read, I stress that I did thoroughly enjoy it as I read it, but it's ending left me wanting.
I apologise if this review seems a little contradictory or conflicted, but really, that's the way the book had me feeling in the end!
May 24, 2017
The premise of an investigation into an apparent case of demonic visitation in a small Nottinghamshire village in the early 20th century seemed a promising one, with echoes of Salem witch trials and Huxley's the Devils of Loudun. However, the story never really ignited, since most people never believed the troubled girls who came up with the claim in the first place and of the Devil himself there was never a whisper. There was a twist at the end, and a nasty one, but set firmly in grim reality. Perhaps it needs a modern day Ken Russell to bring it to life!
August 25, 2013
It's 1910 and Merrit is sent to a small town to head up an inquiry into the supposed appearance of a demonic force to a group of young girls. Riddles and conjecture, lies and blame are all he can find. There isn't a definite conclusion but hints and suggestions for the reader to deduce what they will. This was a mighty fine novel to read, I was sucked in and absorbed into the pages until I felt I was witnessing the events unfolding. Definitely an author I want to read more of.
August 21, 2015
Considered two stars because I did, after all, finish it. But no, it was dull as hell so it gets one. Next to no plot, with a hint at the end of what could have been a lurid but honest potboiler. Characters either uninteresting or irritating. No sense of place or time (if it weren't for the blurb I'd have no idea it was set in 1910; another reviewer thinks it's set in the 30s). One of those books that when you read the reviews, you can't quite believe some people read the same book as you.
July 11, 2012
Genre'd in my library as a 'Horror' which is not at all..more an exercise in village dynamics..Reminded me in essence of 'The Crucible', so much so, initially that I kept reading it in 'American'. Of course, there are parallels, this book being very much about the power of lies and the ridicule of authority. A splendid and erudite drama.
August 1, 2013
Some children report seeing a “demon” and an enquiry is set-up to investigate their claims.
The basic idea for this book was interesting, but the slow pace and odd plot points (such as the incompetent panel) meant I couldn’t really engage with this book.
I gave this book a 3 rating but it is really a 2.5.
The basic idea for this book was interesting, but the slow pace and odd plot points (such as the incompetent panel) meant I couldn’t really engage with this book.
I gave this book a 3 rating but it is really a 2.5.
February 16, 2016
This book could have made so much more of the subject; a witch hunt in a small rural town, being investigated amongst others by an outsider coming into the town. At the end, the feeling prevails that the investigator got entangled in minor aspects and both he and the author missed the point completely. Acceptable as a holiday read, but nothing more.
October 10, 2016
Set in Edwardian England, this mystery begins with several young girls in a rural town claiming to have seen the devil in the woods. A judge, a doctor, and a minister go to investigate. I found the book disappointing because it didn't develop the right atmosphere for a possibly supernatural story, and because the author did not develop the girls' characters very well.
October 16, 2012
More court room drama than liked and I felt that the story wasn't very original - too much like The Salem Witch Trials.
March 6, 2013
Not sure what the point of this book was. Lacked structure.
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