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Wychwood #1
Wychwood
After losing her job and her partner in one fell swoop, journalist Elspeth Reeves is back in her mother’s house in the sleepy village of Wilsby-under-Wychwood, wondering where it all went wrong. Then a body is found in the neighbouring Wychwoods: a woman ritually slaughtered, with cryptic symbols scattered around her corpse. Elspeth recognizes these from a local myth of the Carrion King, a Saxon magician who once held a malevolent court deep in the forest. As more murders follow, Elspeth joins her childhood friend DS Peter Shaw to investigate, and the two discover sinister village secrets harking back decades.
327 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 12, 2017
27 people are currently reading
1463 people want to read
About the author
George Mann
360 books674 followersGeorge Mann is an author and editor, primarily in genre fiction. He was born in Darlington, County Durham in 1978.
A former editor of Outland, Mann is the author of The Human Abstract, and more recently The Affinity Bridge and The Osiris Ritual in his Newbury and Hobbes detective series, set in an alternate Britain, and Ghosts of Manhattan, set in the same universe some decades later.
He wrote the Time Hunter novella "The Severed Man", and co-wrote the series finale, Child of Time.
He has also written numerous short stories, plus Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes audiobooks for Big Finish Productions. He has edited a number of anthologies including The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, The Solaris Book of New Fantasy and a retrospective collection of Sexton Blake stories, Sexton Blake, Detective, with an introduction by Michael Moorcock.
A former editor of Outland, Mann is the author of The Human Abstract, and more recently The Affinity Bridge and The Osiris Ritual in his Newbury and Hobbes detective series, set in an alternate Britain, and Ghosts of Manhattan, set in the same universe some decades later.
He wrote the Time Hunter novella "The Severed Man", and co-wrote the series finale, Child of Time.
He has also written numerous short stories, plus Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes audiobooks for Big Finish Productions. He has edited a number of anthologies including The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, The Solaris Book of New Fantasy and a retrospective collection of Sexton Blake stories, Sexton Blake, Detective, with an introduction by Michael Moorcock.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
August 31, 2022
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The writing is good, the characters don’t suck, the setting is kind of spooky and the crimes were unique, not something I’d ever read about before But, if I think about it, it was super formulaic. There was nothing different about the plotting or the villain’s reveal, and although the crimes were in-depth and thought out with great detail, the ending was also predictable.
Nothing about this book was outside the box, which is disappointing because it had every opportunity to be considering it was working with a partially supernatural storyline.
The plotting is exactly what any other mid-range crime fiction novel would do. From the journalist, Elspeth, who has way too much access to a serial killer investigation because of a barely-there relationship with a childhood friend; to the local professor who just so happens to be a subject matter expert in some really obscure random thing that the police need to know about; to the way the victims are incredibly obvious and convenient for Elspeth to stumble upon.
But, this had a setting that really worked for me. It’s very “folk-horror” in its presentation. I’m a sucker for those creepy village settings, M. Night Shyamaloveit.
The murders of the plot were super thought out and well-detailed. The Carrion King who lives in the Wychwood and has powers of dark magic and must kill to gain his ultimate goals, felt like it was an actual folktale. But, the spooky magic that drew me in originally was actually underdeveloped. It exists, and the folklore is there to learn in detail, but actual magic being used and seen and explored was completely underwhelming and left me wanting.
There are very few emotions to be gleaned here - any “thrilling” moments fell flat and I never really picked up on a sense of suspense or urgency. The most this really got out of me were a few giggles at the number of times these people drink tea. I mean, this could not have been any more British unless the Queen had a parade during the middle of it.
At one point, a man who was cheating on his wife is questioned about his extracurricular sexual encounter:
“And what did you do after you had sex?”
“I made some tea.”
This story had the potential to be creepy and eerie, to blow the reader’s mind and create a badass female lead investigating magical things that the police don’t believe. I mean, really, it could have been a hell of a ride. But overall, it was so underplayed at every abandoned opportunity.
It's just whatever.
⭐⭐⭐ | 3 stars
The writing is good, the characters don’t suck, the setting is kind of spooky and the crimes were unique, not something I’d ever read about before But, if I think about it, it was super formulaic. There was nothing different about the plotting or the villain’s reveal, and although the crimes were in-depth and thought out with great detail, the ending was also predictable.
Nothing about this book was outside the box, which is disappointing because it had every opportunity to be considering it was working with a partially supernatural storyline.
The plotting is exactly what any other mid-range crime fiction novel would do. From the journalist, Elspeth, who has way too much access to a serial killer investigation because of a barely-there relationship with a childhood friend; to the local professor who just so happens to be a subject matter expert in some really obscure random thing that the police need to know about; to the way the victims are incredibly obvious and convenient for Elspeth to stumble upon.
But, this had a setting that really worked for me. It’s very “folk-horror” in its presentation. I’m a sucker for those creepy village settings, M. Night Shyamaloveit.
The murders of the plot were super thought out and well-detailed. The Carrion King who lives in the Wychwood and has powers of dark magic and must kill to gain his ultimate goals, felt like it was an actual folktale. But, the spooky magic that drew me in originally was actually underdeveloped. It exists, and the folklore is there to learn in detail, but actual magic being used and seen and explored was completely underwhelming and left me wanting.
There are very few emotions to be gleaned here - any “thrilling” moments fell flat and I never really picked up on a sense of suspense or urgency. The most this really got out of me were a few giggles at the number of times these people drink tea. I mean, this could not have been any more British unless the Queen had a parade during the middle of it.
At one point, a man who was cheating on his wife is questioned about his extracurricular sexual encounter:
“And what did you do after you had sex?”
“I made some tea.”
This story had the potential to be creepy and eerie, to blow the reader’s mind and create a badass female lead investigating magical things that the police don’t believe. I mean, really, it could have been a hell of a ride. But overall, it was so underplayed at every abandoned opportunity.
It's just whatever.
⭐⭐⭐ | 3 stars
February 15, 2023
A cross between a detective/crime novel and a supernatural thriller which manages to miss significant parts of both genres. There does not seem to be any twists and the antagonist is fairly easy to spot. There is a significant folklore element (hence the attraction) which focuses on a Saxon myth, the Carrion King. It is set in rural Oxfordshire.
The plot is standard. Young female journalist gets fed up of life in the big city and following a relationship break up returns to rural Oxfordshire to her mum for a period of reflection. She lives very close to the Wychwood and as she arrives there is a murder in the wood. The victim is set out in a ritualised fashion and there follows a series of related murders. Add to the mix meeting a childhood friend who is now a policeman on the investigation. And yes, there is a will they, won’t they vibe going on. Inevitably she gets involved in the investigation. There are the usual tropes and it’s all pretty predictable. There is also plenty of tea drinking:
“And what did you do after you had sex?”
“I made some tea.”
Lots of tea drinking.
It’s pretty standard stuff and predictable, with some interesting folklore elements.
The plot is standard. Young female journalist gets fed up of life in the big city and following a relationship break up returns to rural Oxfordshire to her mum for a period of reflection. She lives very close to the Wychwood and as she arrives there is a murder in the wood. The victim is set out in a ritualised fashion and there follows a series of related murders. Add to the mix meeting a childhood friend who is now a policeman on the investigation. And yes, there is a will they, won’t they vibe going on. Inevitably she gets involved in the investigation. There are the usual tropes and it’s all pretty predictable. There is also plenty of tea drinking:
“And what did you do after you had sex?”
“I made some tea.”
Lots of tea drinking.
It’s pretty standard stuff and predictable, with some interesting folklore elements.
July 15, 2017
The description given on goodreads is not accurate. Elspeth Reeves is a reporter who goes back to her hometown after breaking up with her boyfriend and losing her job to find out someone has been murdered in the woods in her backyard. The body is laid out in a ritualistic way that reminds Elspeth of a book she had as a kid on the Carrion King, a Saxon magician. At the scene she runs into DS Peter Shaw, a childhood friend. Contrary to the summary above, they do not butt heads at all. The fact that he so easily allows her, a reporter, access to the case (pertinent details in case files and ride-alongs to interview suspects) gave me pause. Then even after hearing the full tale of the Carrion King, they are so slow to connect the dots. The summary also makes it seem like people doubt her story, but in my opinion people accept it/her way too easily. The local newspaper let her update her stories continually with no friction or questioning at all and Peter's superior never tried to block her from the investigation.
Overall, the story had potential. The myth of the Carrion King as the motive for the serial killings is intriguing. The things that went wrong were the unrealistic way of solving the case, the slowness of the protagonists for putting the pieces together, and the complete open-endedness to the presence of magic in the story. The character development was also weak, not to mention the barely-there relationship between her and Peter that only seemed to exist to allow her access to the case and to hint at a sequel.
Overall, the story had potential. The myth of the Carrion King as the motive for the serial killings is intriguing. The things that went wrong were the unrealistic way of solving the case, the slowness of the protagonists for putting the pieces together, and the complete open-endedness to the presence of magic in the story. The character development was also weak, not to mention the barely-there relationship between her and Peter that only seemed to exist to allow her access to the case and to hint at a sequel.
December 6, 2018
Elspeth Reeves is a journalist starting again after a failed relationship who returns to her childhood home, and, having given in to her to journalistic curiosity is privy to a remarkable crime scene in the Wychwood behind her home. She bumps into police officer Peter, her one-time childhood friend who is investigating the murder, and when more killings occur, they work together (I have no idea why the GR blurb describes them as 'battling') to unravel the mystery behind the deaths, all inspired by the Saxon myth of the Carrion King.
I really enjoyed Wychwood. This is a well-written mystery with supernatural undertones suffused with English folklore, a definite win for me. Character back stories were well-developed for the most part and the MC, Elspeth (great name) was likable and easy to warm to. I especially enjoyed the detail on the myth of the Carrion King and the setting of Wychwood itself. I always feel 'at home' when there's a mysterious forest in a story! I was hoping for more exploration into the magical/fantasy elements of the tale but in a way it's nice to be left to make up your own mind about the significance of this aspect. I liked the rekindling of the relationship between Elspeth and Peter and hope to see this develop in the next book, 'Hallowdene', which has to be my next read.
Recommended.
I really enjoyed Wychwood. This is a well-written mystery with supernatural undertones suffused with English folklore, a definite win for me. Character back stories were well-developed for the most part and the MC, Elspeth (great name) was likable and easy to warm to. I especially enjoyed the detail on the myth of the Carrion King and the setting of Wychwood itself. I always feel 'at home' when there's a mysterious forest in a story! I was hoping for more exploration into the magical/fantasy elements of the tale but in a way it's nice to be left to make up your own mind about the significance of this aspect. I liked the rekindling of the relationship between Elspeth and Peter and hope to see this develop in the next book, 'Hallowdene', which has to be my next read.
Recommended.
March 7, 2019
This book was so intriguing. I think I am tempted to say that the premise was even better in this book than it was in the second book (which I read the wrong way round).
The characters were once again interesting and well developed and I liked the switch between the POVs. It was interesting to get a sense of what the murderer was feeling and why they were killing people. I also believe there were more murders in this book, than the second one, which kept everything ticking along quite nicely and at an even pace.
I thought when I read the second book first, it would have no impact if I eventually chose to read the first book, but it did. There were personal things happening with the characters which I just didn't feel all that engaged in because I already knew what happened, so if you're going to read these, I definitely recommend reading them in the correct order.
Another good book by George Mann, which I would be happy to read again.
The characters were once again interesting and well developed and I liked the switch between the POVs. It was interesting to get a sense of what the murderer was feeling and why they were killing people. I also believe there were more murders in this book, than the second one, which kept everything ticking along quite nicely and at an even pace.
I thought when I read the second book first, it would have no impact if I eventually chose to read the first book, but it did. There were personal things happening with the characters which I just didn't feel all that engaged in because I already knew what happened, so if you're going to read these, I definitely recommend reading them in the correct order.
Another good book by George Mann, which I would be happy to read again.
September 9, 2018
Sorry sorry 😐 I have been unwell and in hospital so it has taken me a while to get to the end of this book, but I am glad I finished it!
Overall it was a ⭐️⭐️💫 read but I greatly enjoyed the diversity of genre.
It transpired between crime and magic and it kept me guessing throughout this short novel. However I found it rather repetitive and that was the biggest downfall. The characterisation was also severely lacking. But the plot was stuck and not lifting, so that was good!
I don’t know if I would recommend it would have to be a personal recommendation.
Happy reading!!!
Hannah xoxo
Overall it was a ⭐️⭐️💫 read but I greatly enjoyed the diversity of genre.
It transpired between crime and magic and it kept me guessing throughout this short novel. However I found it rather repetitive and that was the biggest downfall. The characterisation was also severely lacking. But the plot was stuck and not lifting, so that was good!
I don’t know if I would recommend it would have to be a personal recommendation.
Happy reading!!!
Hannah xoxo
November 13, 2017
A good page-turning mystery with a spooky twist; it only loses a star because I guessed the killer... The journalist heroine Elspeth Reeves is engaging and relatable and I'm looking forward to seeing her and Peter in action again. If I could add half a star I would, for the inclusion of certain locations and names well known to Lincoln booksellers...
November 4, 2018
Wychwood by George Mann is a supernatural crime novel with a strong folk horror theme running through it. Elspeth, a journalist, has split from her partner Adam and has returned from London to the village of Wilsby-under-Wychwood, the Oxfordshire village where she grew up. The moment she arrives to stay with her mother Dorothy she stumbles upon a nearby murder scene - and discovers that the police officer investigating the case is her old childhood friend Peter. Realising that the murder appears to be mimicking a gruesome legend from local folklore, Elspeth teams up with Peter to find out who might be trying to emulate the mythical Carrion King, and why.
On paper, this is the sort of book I ought to enjoy, but Wychwood was lacking in so many areas that I'm not sure I'd have finished it had I not been reading it on a long car journey. In some ways, it feels like a first draft or a detailed synopsis rather than a finished novel.
Elspeth and Peter both seem pleasant enough, but that's all they are: I liked them both but the only real attempt at revealing any depth comes from a couple of clichéd speeches about their career motivations which sound as if they've been lifted from an ITV midweek drama series. Moreover, as an investigation team they are utterly implausible. Are we really supposed to believe that a detective sergeant would ask the journalist friend he hasn't seen in decades to come along with him to interview suspects and view crime scenes? And that his fellow police officers and the interviewees wouldn't ever question this?
I could have forgiven the lack of realism in the mystery plot if the folk horror elements had been more effective, but I found Wychwood frustratingly lacking in atmosphere or any sense of place. There's no slow-build eeriness, no sense of strangeness about the village itself, no real creepiness, no tension - just some fairly pedestrian gore. At no point is any character we really care about in any jeopardy, and every time Elspeth encounters something horrific or inexplicable, she's fine after a quick cup of tea: somehow, almost none of the outlandish events ever seem like a big deal. Next to Phil Rickman's Merrily Watkins series, which similarly combines crime plots and policing with supernatural influences in an ancient rural community, Wychwood seems like an episode of Midsomer Murders.
Despite my many misgivings about Wychwood, I still find myself tempted to read its sequel, Hallowdene, simply because I wanted to like Wychwood so much that I'm desperately willing the next book in the series to be better. I'll report back if I do.
On paper, this is the sort of book I ought to enjoy, but Wychwood was lacking in so many areas that I'm not sure I'd have finished it had I not been reading it on a long car journey. In some ways, it feels like a first draft or a detailed synopsis rather than a finished novel.
Elspeth and Peter both seem pleasant enough, but that's all they are: I liked them both but the only real attempt at revealing any depth comes from a couple of clichéd speeches about their career motivations which sound as if they've been lifted from an ITV midweek drama series. Moreover, as an investigation team they are utterly implausible. Are we really supposed to believe that a detective sergeant would ask the journalist friend he hasn't seen in decades to come along with him to interview suspects and view crime scenes? And that his fellow police officers and the interviewees wouldn't ever question this?
I could have forgiven the lack of realism in the mystery plot if the folk horror elements had been more effective, but I found Wychwood frustratingly lacking in atmosphere or any sense of place. There's no slow-build eeriness, no sense of strangeness about the village itself, no real creepiness, no tension - just some fairly pedestrian gore. At no point is any character we really care about in any jeopardy, and every time Elspeth encounters something horrific or inexplicable, she's fine after a quick cup of tea: somehow, almost none of the outlandish events ever seem like a big deal. Next to Phil Rickman's Merrily Watkins series, which similarly combines crime plots and policing with supernatural influences in an ancient rural community, Wychwood seems like an episode of Midsomer Murders.
Despite my many misgivings about Wychwood, I still find myself tempted to read its sequel, Hallowdene, simply because I wanted to like Wychwood so much that I'm desperately willing the next book in the series to be better. I'll report back if I do.
October 11, 2017
Myths become reality.
Elspeth Reeves returns to her childhood home in Wilsby-Under-Wychwood after two earth-shattering events; she’s made redundant and splits with her boyfriend. She’d had an idyllic childhood, especially in the Wychwood Forest that formed the boundary of their property. However, on the day she chooses to return home, a mutilated body of a woman is discovered in the forest and Elspeth’s journalist curiosity kicks in and within minutes of greeting her mother, she’s jumped over the wall to find out what and more importantly, who has been murdered. It’s not long before she is noticed by one of the plainclothes police, DS Peter Shaw, a friend of hers since childhood.
Elspeth notices that the victim has been laid out in exactly the same way as those in a book she’d had since childhood on The Carrion King and his bid for immortality. She feels sure that more murders will take place and, reluctantly, Peter Shaw must agree with her after seeing the book showing how the Carrion King wreaked havoc in the depths of Wychwood Forest. Elspeth inveigles her way into being with Peter at every moment she can so that she can follow the case and hopefully, by reporting on each step in the enquiry, get back to being a journalist.
This was a good book filled with interesting characters and I’m sure it won’t be long before we’ll see Elspeth once again pushing herself into another police investigation. I particularly liked the myth that is the reason for all the murders and am sure that Wychwood, known for its ghosts, most probably had some pretty nasty characters involved in black magic in times gone by.
Treebeard
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Elspeth Reeves returns to her childhood home in Wilsby-Under-Wychwood after two earth-shattering events; she’s made redundant and splits with her boyfriend. She’d had an idyllic childhood, especially in the Wychwood Forest that formed the boundary of their property. However, on the day she chooses to return home, a mutilated body of a woman is discovered in the forest and Elspeth’s journalist curiosity kicks in and within minutes of greeting her mother, she’s jumped over the wall to find out what and more importantly, who has been murdered. It’s not long before she is noticed by one of the plainclothes police, DS Peter Shaw, a friend of hers since childhood.
Elspeth notices that the victim has been laid out in exactly the same way as those in a book she’d had since childhood on The Carrion King and his bid for immortality. She feels sure that more murders will take place and, reluctantly, Peter Shaw must agree with her after seeing the book showing how the Carrion King wreaked havoc in the depths of Wychwood Forest. Elspeth inveigles her way into being with Peter at every moment she can so that she can follow the case and hopefully, by reporting on each step in the enquiry, get back to being a journalist.
This was a good book filled with interesting characters and I’m sure it won’t be long before we’ll see Elspeth once again pushing herself into another police investigation. I particularly liked the myth that is the reason for all the murders and am sure that Wychwood, known for its ghosts, most probably had some pretty nasty characters involved in black magic in times gone by.
Treebeard
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
October 5, 2018
Midforest Ritual Murders?
A supernatural thriller with a bland but pleasant pair of leads and a good deal of thought into its gory, nasty mythological context.
A fast, entertaining read.
3.5 stars
Full review to follow
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
A supernatural thriller with a bland but pleasant pair of leads and a good deal of thought into its gory, nasty mythological context.
A fast, entertaining read.
3.5 stars
Full review to follow
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2020
I absolutely loved this book, i couldn't put it down. Ellie and Peter made a fascinating team, i just had to give it five stars the story was so well written.
January 21, 2023
Another reviewer called this “folk horror lite,” and I think that pretty much sums it up.
October 9, 2017
It was a very different kind of crime/mystery book. It made me want to keep reading and it was very interesting. I did like it a lot.
July 14, 2020
Real page Turner
Read this in 2 days
Could not put it down.
Brilliant characters and plot
Would recommend to anyone who likes heart pounding and imaginative crime and historical books .
Ordered the second book already.
Read this in 2 days
Could not put it down.
Brilliant characters and plot
Would recommend to anyone who likes heart pounding and imaginative crime and historical books .
Ordered the second book already.
March 8, 2022
Folk Horror Lite that wouldn't look out of place as an episode of Midsomer Murders complete with a cast of suspects who are thoroughly unpleasant bar a rather sweet-natured agony aunt of the local rag. Thankfully the two main characters Elspeth Reeves and Detective Sergeant Peter Shaw are fairly likeable. Both have a history being friends at school and are reacquainted fairly quickly over these murders. Elspeth has returned to the village where she grew up after the messy break-up from a toxic relationship. Oh, and she's a journalist.
Being a Folk Horror enthusiast, I enjoyed the whole legend of the Carrion King, a hybrid of The Green Man, Herne the Hunter and Cernunnos. Mann creates a very convincing piece of folklore.
Suspend your disbelief when Elspeth trails along with the police to the crime scenes or suspect interviews without anyone questioning it. She even puts herself in danger. Still artistic licence and all that. All in all, an undemanding enjoyable read.
I've since started on the next book in the series Hallowdene. So far so good.
Being a Folk Horror enthusiast, I enjoyed the whole legend of the Carrion King, a hybrid of The Green Man, Herne the Hunter and Cernunnos. Mann creates a very convincing piece of folklore.
Suspend your disbelief when Elspeth trails along with the police to the crime scenes or suspect interviews without anyone questioning it. She even puts herself in danger. Still artistic licence and all that. All in all, an undemanding enjoyable read.
I've since started on the next book in the series Hallowdene. So far so good.
March 16, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. For a start, it was refreshing to have as the main characters a couple without a romantic entanglement with each other, and the concentration being more focussed on their long friendship. Elspeth, a journalist who's returned home after bruising events in London, and Paul, a Detective Sergeant with the police, are both very likeable, which is more than can be said of some of the characters, and I'm looking forward to reading more about them.
The background of the novel was interesting, and I really loved the whole concept of the Carrion King mythology, which felt very plausible and genuinely eerie: if something like it *doesn't* exist, then it *ought* to! What *doesn't* feel plausible, however, is that Paul's boss seems perfectly at ease with him dragging Elspeth along to crime scenes and interviews with suspects! But all in all, a nice world to visit.
The background of the novel was interesting, and I really loved the whole concept of the Carrion King mythology, which felt very plausible and genuinely eerie: if something like it *doesn't* exist, then it *ought* to! What *doesn't* feel plausible, however, is that Paul's boss seems perfectly at ease with him dragging Elspeth along to crime scenes and interviews with suspects! But all in all, a nice world to visit.
September 29, 2018
As I type this, it has just turned to September. The bright, warm and sunny days of August are slowly changing to the darker, cooler and mellower days of Autumn. I believe I’ve said it before, but Autumn is perhaps my favourite season of the year, being cooler (but not too cool!) and with longer nights of darkness, and clear skies or mists, culminating in Hallowe’en in October.
My point for saying this is that I tend to find that my reading material changes too. Autumn and Winter are generally the time of year when I tend to read darker, messier, nastier stuff. Out come the Horror books or just good old Ghost Stories. There’s nothing quite like reading a chiller whilst you’re in the warm, away from the nasty ol’ weather outside.
Which brings me to Wychwood, one of this year’s batch of books new to me. It came out last year, but I missed it. However, with a second book due almost any day now, and that change in the weather, I thought it would be a good time to read the first.
Wychwood is one of those cross-genre books. It could very easily be a detective / crime novel, up there with the Ian Rankins or Val McDermids of the crime genre. However, if we’re trying to pigeonhole books (and yes, I know we really shouldn’t), it also fits into that subgenre I recognise as ‘folk-horror’.
Think The Wicker Man (book and film), or, in literary terms, Robert Holdstock’s Mythago Wood. More recently, I can think of Paul Cornell’s Lychford series of novellas, or Phil Rickman’s Merrily Watkins series. Notionally crime stories, with rather grisly goings on, but with the added dimension of something supernatural at work. They also usually have some sort of connection to Ancient History, and often British myths and folklore. For that treason, I must admit that I tend to think of these things as rural-based, although urban equivalents are possible – see (yes, him again!) Paul Cornell’s Shadow Police series or Ben Aaronovitch’s very successful Peter Grant series, both set in the city of London.
So: fitting the folk-horror archetype, Wychwood is one of those books set in a rural setting – bucolic Oxfordshire, in the made-up village of Wilsby-under-Wychwood. The book begins with journalist Elspeth (Ellie) Reeves returning back to the village after living in London. Redundancy and a messy relationship breakup has led her to go stay in the cottage with her Mum, where she grew up, on the edge of the neighbouring Wychwood where she used to play as a child. She returns to find the back of the house a murder scene, as a body has been ritually laid out in the forest. We discover that it is one of a series of killings in this normally quiet rural area, and Ellie’s reporting instincts make her an increasingly valuable asset to her childhood friend Detective-Sergeant Peter Shaw in the investigations.
As the deaths increase, Ellie recognises a pattern – that the bodies are being made to replicate the local Saxon myth of the Carrion King, who supposedly held court in the Wychwood. The tension is created by the realisation that the Carrion King had other members of his court - The Confessor, The Master of the Hunt, The Master of the Pentacle, The Fool and The King’s Consort – and that more murders will be necessary to make up the group.
But who is The Carrion King really? And who is next?
This one reads very smoothly, aided by short chapters that keep things moving along smartly. The characters are identifiable and easily understood. The village of Wilsby-under-Wychwood, Winthorpe Manor and the surrounding towns of Heighton and Chipping Norton (yes, there is a real place named that!) are iconically ‘chocolate-box’ British, with their small independent shops and pubs. Whilst there are signs of chain-stores (especially coffee shops) there is an emphasis on local entrepreneurship – for example, an old-fashioned pub called The Fletcher’s Arms, a local coffee & bookshop called The Reading Stop, with no signs of the global brands such as Waterstones, for example. (This does not stop the odd Americanism to slip-in, though – when did the British term ‘take-away’ become the American ‘take-out’, for example?)
Being set in a small but localised rural area means that there is an emphasis here on community and thus the chaos presented by multiple murders are felt more keenly. This is not without its difficulties in terms of plotting – the small local police force are clearly overwhelmed by suddenly finding a number of murders within a matter of days, no doubt something not really usual. In fact, such activities raises the murder rate to something akin to London! (In that respect, it reminded me a little of the television series Midsomer Murders.)
More troublingly, plot-wise, is how quickly Ellie finds herself assisting the police investigation. As a friend of Peter Shaw, her presence is acceptable, but her ability to be present at events and even find murder victims borders on the supernatural, and surely would either lead to compromised investigations or her being considered as a suspect herself. This is a sacrifice made to allow the plot to move along, but I can see it being an issue for some readers.
Nevertheless, if you can continue to suspend disbelief, there’s a lot to like about Wychwood. There’s a budding romance, which is gentle and not too cloying, and also suspects to examine, some of whom are nice and others are ones we’d love to see the back of. It’s all enjoyably escapist, as long as you don’t think about it too deeply. Suggest that readers of Harry Dresden or Merrily Watkins may like this one.
My point for saying this is that I tend to find that my reading material changes too. Autumn and Winter are generally the time of year when I tend to read darker, messier, nastier stuff. Out come the Horror books or just good old Ghost Stories. There’s nothing quite like reading a chiller whilst you’re in the warm, away from the nasty ol’ weather outside.
Which brings me to Wychwood, one of this year’s batch of books new to me. It came out last year, but I missed it. However, with a second book due almost any day now, and that change in the weather, I thought it would be a good time to read the first.
Wychwood is one of those cross-genre books. It could very easily be a detective / crime novel, up there with the Ian Rankins or Val McDermids of the crime genre. However, if we’re trying to pigeonhole books (and yes, I know we really shouldn’t), it also fits into that subgenre I recognise as ‘folk-horror’.
Think The Wicker Man (book and film), or, in literary terms, Robert Holdstock’s Mythago Wood. More recently, I can think of Paul Cornell’s Lychford series of novellas, or Phil Rickman’s Merrily Watkins series. Notionally crime stories, with rather grisly goings on, but with the added dimension of something supernatural at work. They also usually have some sort of connection to Ancient History, and often British myths and folklore. For that treason, I must admit that I tend to think of these things as rural-based, although urban equivalents are possible – see (yes, him again!) Paul Cornell’s Shadow Police series or Ben Aaronovitch’s very successful Peter Grant series, both set in the city of London.
So: fitting the folk-horror archetype, Wychwood is one of those books set in a rural setting – bucolic Oxfordshire, in the made-up village of Wilsby-under-Wychwood. The book begins with journalist Elspeth (Ellie) Reeves returning back to the village after living in London. Redundancy and a messy relationship breakup has led her to go stay in the cottage with her Mum, where she grew up, on the edge of the neighbouring Wychwood where she used to play as a child. She returns to find the back of the house a murder scene, as a body has been ritually laid out in the forest. We discover that it is one of a series of killings in this normally quiet rural area, and Ellie’s reporting instincts make her an increasingly valuable asset to her childhood friend Detective-Sergeant Peter Shaw in the investigations.
As the deaths increase, Ellie recognises a pattern – that the bodies are being made to replicate the local Saxon myth of the Carrion King, who supposedly held court in the Wychwood. The tension is created by the realisation that the Carrion King had other members of his court - The Confessor, The Master of the Hunt, The Master of the Pentacle, The Fool and The King’s Consort – and that more murders will be necessary to make up the group.
But who is The Carrion King really? And who is next?
This one reads very smoothly, aided by short chapters that keep things moving along smartly. The characters are identifiable and easily understood. The village of Wilsby-under-Wychwood, Winthorpe Manor and the surrounding towns of Heighton and Chipping Norton (yes, there is a real place named that!) are iconically ‘chocolate-box’ British, with their small independent shops and pubs. Whilst there are signs of chain-stores (especially coffee shops) there is an emphasis on local entrepreneurship – for example, an old-fashioned pub called The Fletcher’s Arms, a local coffee & bookshop called The Reading Stop, with no signs of the global brands such as Waterstones, for example. (This does not stop the odd Americanism to slip-in, though – when did the British term ‘take-away’ become the American ‘take-out’, for example?)
Being set in a small but localised rural area means that there is an emphasis here on community and thus the chaos presented by multiple murders are felt more keenly. This is not without its difficulties in terms of plotting – the small local police force are clearly overwhelmed by suddenly finding a number of murders within a matter of days, no doubt something not really usual. In fact, such activities raises the murder rate to something akin to London! (In that respect, it reminded me a little of the television series Midsomer Murders.)
More troublingly, plot-wise, is how quickly Ellie finds herself assisting the police investigation. As a friend of Peter Shaw, her presence is acceptable, but her ability to be present at events and even find murder victims borders on the supernatural, and surely would either lead to compromised investigations or her being considered as a suspect herself. This is a sacrifice made to allow the plot to move along, but I can see it being an issue for some readers.
Nevertheless, if you can continue to suspend disbelief, there’s a lot to like about Wychwood. There’s a budding romance, which is gentle and not too cloying, and also suspects to examine, some of whom are nice and others are ones we’d love to see the back of. It’s all enjoyably escapist, as long as you don’t think about it too deeply. Suggest that readers of Harry Dresden or Merrily Watkins may like this one.
May 31, 2019
Fun, fast-paced and hard to put down. I rattled through this in a couple of evenings. It reminded me of a Sunday evening crime drama, but with a genuinely sinister undercurrent of occult goings-on and dark, English folklore.
September 29, 2018
Fast-paced, enjoyable characters and an interesting blend of folklore and crime. Can't wait to read the next book.
July 5, 2019
This is what you get if you put Mythago Wood & Midsomer Murders into a blender. Pacy, fun, and occult murders. Very much my cup of tea!
October 4, 2017
The story begins with Elspeth pulling up to her mum's house, come to stay for a while, only to find that police have blocked off the road. No one is allowed into the crime scene area, but Elspeth pops through her house and hops over the wall at the bottom of their garden. While sneaking around, she not only sees the body, but also bumps into her childhood friend Peter, now a police officer.
I really liked Elspeth as a character. She's warm and relatable, and determined to get back on her feet after the blow that sent her back to her mum's. She works hard, and her curiosity almost always gets the better of her. Wychwood is a fairly standard police investigation into a string of murders, with Elspeth accompanying Peter as he interviews several people who might be able to shed light on things.
It's a really good book, I was hooked early on, but I was disappointed by the lack of magic or fantasy elements in the book. I guess I went into it expecting something more like Ben Aaronovitch or Paul Cornell's books, where police discover that there's magic in the world, and the magical becomes a big part of the story. In Wychwood, the only reason the reader knows that magic is definitely involved is because of occasional short interludes from the killer's point of view. I'd also hoped that it might be the start of a series, but while there can easily be more cases for Elspeth and Peter, I'm not sure how believably anything magical could be tied to the town again, after the events of Wychwood.
All in all, I did enjoy Wychwood a lot, and have been recommending it to people, but it wasn't quite the book I was expecting when I started reading. A page-turning crime thriller set in a cosy English town, this book is a perfect autumn read, particularly with Halloween coming up. I'm giving it 7/10, but I'll be more cautious going into future books by George Mann.
[Review first posted on my book blog.]
I really liked Elspeth as a character. She's warm and relatable, and determined to get back on her feet after the blow that sent her back to her mum's. She works hard, and her curiosity almost always gets the better of her. Wychwood is a fairly standard police investigation into a string of murders, with Elspeth accompanying Peter as he interviews several people who might be able to shed light on things.
It's a really good book, I was hooked early on, but I was disappointed by the lack of magic or fantasy elements in the book. I guess I went into it expecting something more like Ben Aaronovitch or Paul Cornell's books, where police discover that there's magic in the world, and the magical becomes a big part of the story. In Wychwood, the only reason the reader knows that magic is definitely involved is because of occasional short interludes from the killer's point of view. I'd also hoped that it might be the start of a series, but while there can easily be more cases for Elspeth and Peter, I'm not sure how believably anything magical could be tied to the town again, after the events of Wychwood.
All in all, I did enjoy Wychwood a lot, and have been recommending it to people, but it wasn't quite the book I was expecting when I started reading. A page-turning crime thriller set in a cosy English town, this book is a perfect autumn read, particularly with Halloween coming up. I'm giving it 7/10, but I'll be more cautious going into future books by George Mann.
[Review first posted on my book blog.]
September 13, 2017
Wychwood has a great opening, a chase is on, a murder ensues – you have my full attention from the get go. What follows is a great murder mystery, with very likeable characters. I really enjoy mysteries surrounding ritual murders because you just know it’s going to be sinister. When bodies start surfacing in a similar manner to the Wychwood myth of old, things start getting really creepy. The murders are chilling, the woods make an eerie setting, a mystery I could not solve.
And did I mention, it’s set in a small town! Lately, small-town mysteries are books I’m actively seeking out because I love the intimate feel they have – you really get close to the characters and develop the ability to visualise the town they live in and this is a major factor in bringing the story to life.
As sinister as the murders were, the rest of the story was very pleasant; the interactions between Elspeth and her mother were a joy to read. Her relationship with her childhood friend, Peter, made equally pleasant reading. In contrast, this made the descriptions of the murders all the more chilling. Elspeth and Peter were such likable characters. The fact that Elspeth was a journalist, rather than a detective, gave this novel a different atmosphere compared to two detectives working the case – it gave it that police procedural feel whilst still being a murder mystery with elements of the supernatural. But it was also a story of Elspeth “finding herself”, not in a deep, profound way, but after moving back in with her mum, she has to find her feet all over again, look for work, decide if she wants to stay in Wychwood or move back to London etc, etc. These additional elements really make you warm to Elspeth and hope that she chooses to stay, so we can have a second novel.
Don’t be put off if you don’t read books with supernatural elements because in this novel, they are minimal, but they ensure you stay thinking about the events that have occurred long after the novel has finished. Mann has a fluid writing style that allows you to really immerse yourself in this novel, I really liked that he detailed the myth of the Carrion King, it was such an interesting myth.
Wychwood is a wonderful read, it’s chilling at the right times, great characters; I highly recommend it.
*My thanks to Titan Books for providing me with a copy of this book*
And did I mention, it’s set in a small town! Lately, small-town mysteries are books I’m actively seeking out because I love the intimate feel they have – you really get close to the characters and develop the ability to visualise the town they live in and this is a major factor in bringing the story to life.
As sinister as the murders were, the rest of the story was very pleasant; the interactions between Elspeth and her mother were a joy to read. Her relationship with her childhood friend, Peter, made equally pleasant reading. In contrast, this made the descriptions of the murders all the more chilling. Elspeth and Peter were such likable characters. The fact that Elspeth was a journalist, rather than a detective, gave this novel a different atmosphere compared to two detectives working the case – it gave it that police procedural feel whilst still being a murder mystery with elements of the supernatural. But it was also a story of Elspeth “finding herself”, not in a deep, profound way, but after moving back in with her mum, she has to find her feet all over again, look for work, decide if she wants to stay in Wychwood or move back to London etc, etc. These additional elements really make you warm to Elspeth and hope that she chooses to stay, so we can have a second novel.
Don’t be put off if you don’t read books with supernatural elements because in this novel, they are minimal, but they ensure you stay thinking about the events that have occurred long after the novel has finished. Mann has a fluid writing style that allows you to really immerse yourself in this novel, I really liked that he detailed the myth of the Carrion King, it was such an interesting myth.
Wychwood is a wonderful read, it’s chilling at the right times, great characters; I highly recommend it.
*My thanks to Titan Books for providing me with a copy of this book*
September 10, 2019
The original cover of this book caught my eye, and the synopsis intrigued me, so I took a chance and bought Wychwood. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the book I received, but I was still interested in the story so it went on my tbr pile.
Fast forward a couple of weeks, and with the wind howling and winter giving us a final chill, I thouht it was just the time to read Wychwood. Now, I will say that I was expecting a creepier, more horror driven story, but to my surprise, this read more like an episode of Midsomer Murders - and I was completely fine with that.
Elspeth is a great character to follow, and her close relationship with a local policeman, Peter, put her in a position to get all the details straight from the horses mouth, so to speak, and cut out a lot of useless exposition that often slows down a story as the author tries to impart information. The legend of the Carrion King was woven into the motives of the antagonist so well, and the steady pace and dual POVs made this a pleasure to read. Could definitely picture his as a TV movie 😉
Great introduction to George Mann’s work, and I will be diving into Hallowdene tonight.
3.5 stars ⭐️
Fast forward a couple of weeks, and with the wind howling and winter giving us a final chill, I thouht it was just the time to read Wychwood. Now, I will say that I was expecting a creepier, more horror driven story, but to my surprise, this read more like an episode of Midsomer Murders - and I was completely fine with that.
Elspeth is a great character to follow, and her close relationship with a local policeman, Peter, put her in a position to get all the details straight from the horses mouth, so to speak, and cut out a lot of useless exposition that often slows down a story as the author tries to impart information. The legend of the Carrion King was woven into the motives of the antagonist so well, and the steady pace and dual POVs made this a pleasure to read. Could definitely picture his as a TV movie 😉
Great introduction to George Mann’s work, and I will be diving into Hallowdene tonight.
3.5 stars ⭐️
May 2, 2021
This is the first book in a series that centers around Elspeth, a female journalist who came back to her childhood home from London after losing her boyfriend and job during the same week. On her way to her mom's, she stuck in traffic, only to find out it's because of a body found in the woods behind her mom's house. Being a reporter, Elspbeth hops the fence to see what there was to see and because she recognized the murder scene from a book, she starts to help Peter Shaw, childhood friend and now cop, on the murder, and those that follow.
The book description made it look as if it was a supernatural event, which got my attention, and thus disappointment when I found out the story was not supernatural in content, but instead a murder investigation with a supernatural understory.
No twists in the story, the descriptions were good, not too gory, and for those over 16 years who enjoy murder mysteries, it would make for a steady read.
Because it was a steady read, with no quickening action, and the plot pretty cut and dry, I can only give this book 2 stars.
It was an OK of a read, but wouldn't actively recommend it.
The book description made it look as if it was a supernatural event, which got my attention, and thus disappointment when I found out the story was not supernatural in content, but instead a murder investigation with a supernatural understory.
No twists in the story, the descriptions were good, not too gory, and for those over 16 years who enjoy murder mysteries, it would make for a steady read.
Because it was a steady read, with no quickening action, and the plot pretty cut and dry, I can only give this book 2 stars.
It was an OK of a read, but wouldn't actively recommend it.
January 22, 2018
Elspeth returns to her childhood home straight into a murder scene. Cue the friendly copper who turns out to be her childhood friend. It's not bad but it's all very convenient. The woodland folklore and mythology element is the best bit but it shows the predictability of the rest of the book.
February 28, 2018
I stayed up ALL NIGHT to finish this gem! I really loved the way the characters were written, and I might look for more by this author. I hope this is a book which will continue and become a series. WOW!
March 26, 2019
I enjoyed the characterisation and thrilling twists and turns and was actually surprised by the direction this story went in. Quite dark and disturbing, but well handled. A satisfying read.
July 17, 2019
That was fun!!
I borrowed it as a supernatural thriller, but for the sheer amount of murder in it, it was still adorable. What is it about the UK that makes things sweet?
I borrowed it as a supernatural thriller, but for the sheer amount of murder in it, it was still adorable. What is it about the UK that makes things sweet?
March 29, 2023
Solid enough start to a series, but failed to live up to its premise. Maybe book two will show more promise.
January 8, 2018
Good story, although the idea that Elspeth would participate in the investigation is not realistic. Also, I was disappointed that the writing style seemed 'dumbed down.'
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