What do you think?
Rate this book
Tom Killgannon #1
The Old Religion
Sometimes helping a stranger is the last thing you should do . . .
The Cornish village of St Petroc is the sort of place where people come to hide. Tom Killgannon is one such person. An ex-undercover cop, Tom is in the Witness Protection Programme hiding from some very violent people and St Petroc's offers him a chance to live a safe and quiet life.
Until he meets Lila.
Lila is a seventeen-year-old runaway. When she breaks into Tom's house she takes more than just his money. His wallet holds everything about his new identity. He also knows that Lila is in danger from the travellers' commune she's been living at. Something sinister has been going on there and Lila knows more than she realises.
But to find her he risks not only giving away his location to the gangs he's in hiding from, but also becoming a target for whoever is hunting Lila.
The Cornish village of St Petroc is the sort of place where people come to hide. Tom Killgannon is one such person. An ex-undercover cop, Tom is in the Witness Protection Programme hiding from some very violent people and St Petroc's offers him a chance to live a safe and quiet life.
Until he meets Lila.
Lila is a seventeen-year-old runaway. When she breaks into Tom's house she takes more than just his money. His wallet holds everything about his new identity. He also knows that Lila is in danger from the travellers' commune she's been living at. Something sinister has been going on there and Lila knows more than she realises.
But to find her he risks not only giving away his location to the gangs he's in hiding from, but also becoming a target for whoever is hunting Lila.
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2018
59 people are currently reading
1736 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
May 6, 2018
I have definitely been introduced to a new author in Martyn Waites and this excellent book "The Old Religion" will certainly not be my last by him. Having discovered that he is also the writer Tania Carver (which I have read and loved) and hailing from my neighbouring city of Newcastle, I will without doubt be reading many more books penned by this very talented and creative author. I thoroughly enjoyed this captivating story, thought it atmospheric, tense and had such a depth of characterisation I really could not put it down.
'An ex-undercover cop, Tom Kilgannon is in the Witness Protection Programme hiding from some very violent people and St Petroc offers him a chance to live a safe and quiet life. Until he meets Lila. Lila is a seventeen-year-old runaway. When she breaks into Tom's house she takes more than just his money. His wallet holds everything about his new identity. He also knows that Lila is in danger from the travellers' commune she's been living at. Something sinister has been going on there and Lila knows more than she realises. But to find her he risks not only giving away his location to the gangs he's in hiding from, but also becoming a target for whoever is hunting Lila.'
I liked Tom Kilgannon, mysterious, strong, fearless and the fact that he had a secret background past which wasn't revealed to the reader until the end made him and the storyline all the more intriguing and alluring. Set in beautiful Cornwall, the essence of the sea and the rugged coastline was captured perfectly. "The Old Religion" is based on the sinister and secretive paganism rituals of the Cornish old days within the small community of St Petroc and its inhabitants and the conclusion to this dark and chilling story literally blew me away.
I'm looking forward to the next intriguing Kilgannon novel which I understand is currently being written and I'd happily recommend this book and author, I really enjoyed reading it and will be now looking to buy and read his previous novels.
5 stars
'An ex-undercover cop, Tom Kilgannon is in the Witness Protection Programme hiding from some very violent people and St Petroc offers him a chance to live a safe and quiet life. Until he meets Lila. Lila is a seventeen-year-old runaway. When she breaks into Tom's house she takes more than just his money. His wallet holds everything about his new identity. He also knows that Lila is in danger from the travellers' commune she's been living at. Something sinister has been going on there and Lila knows more than she realises. But to find her he risks not only giving away his location to the gangs he's in hiding from, but also becoming a target for whoever is hunting Lila.'
I liked Tom Kilgannon, mysterious, strong, fearless and the fact that he had a secret background past which wasn't revealed to the reader until the end made him and the storyline all the more intriguing and alluring. Set in beautiful Cornwall, the essence of the sea and the rugged coastline was captured perfectly. "The Old Religion" is based on the sinister and secretive paganism rituals of the Cornish old days within the small community of St Petroc and its inhabitants and the conclusion to this dark and chilling story literally blew me away.
I'm looking forward to the next intriguing Kilgannon novel which I understand is currently being written and I'd happily recommend this book and author, I really enjoyed reading it and will be now looking to buy and read his previous novels.
5 stars
May 19, 2018
Martyn Waites aka Tania Carver, writes a atmospherically dark tale of horror set in St Petroc, Cornwall. It's a place that is facing economic ruin, a victim of Brexit, with nothing to save it, but for the fact that the local community en masse is clutching at straws in their desperate desire to secure funding for a Marina, and willing to embrace anything and anyone promising to deliver this. Even if it means murder. Tom Killgannon, a recent arrival to the area, is the barman at the local inn and hotel. He chose St. Petroc precisely because it is off the beaten track, attracting no tourists or other outsiders, a man who keeps himself to himself for good reason. He has acquired a new identity and relocated under the witness protection programme, he keeps his new passport and other identity items on his person at all times, hidden in his coat. A student, Kyle, has gone missing, attracting considerable media attention with his distraught parents making televised appeals for his return.
One night Tom returns home, to find a young woman, Lila, in a terrible state, has broken in seeking refuge. He helps her, and she tells him she is responsible for what happened to the missing Kyle. Lila runs away, taking his coat with her. Tom needs his documents back before they fall into the wrong hands and put him in danger. He knows the local surfing traveller community, under the leadership of Noah, is hunting for her and goes to them seeking information. Tom is in an ill advised sexual relationship with married local police officer, Rachel, acting as his handler. He begins to cotton on to the resurrection of paganism, the old religion, under the auspices of the frightening Morrigan Crow, whose tentacles spread far and wide and whom no-one dares disobey or confront. Anyone who challenges him have a tendency to mysteriously die. Morrigan and his acolytes are determined to get their hands on a outsider, and they have their eyes on Lila for a nefarious stone circle ritual, will Tom be able to save Lila?
This is a creepy and menacing story of a community willing to do anything to secure the long term future of St Petroc. Tom has little idea of what a hotbed of horror the place he has chosen to live in is and the dangers facing outsiders and those who do not agree with the prevalent thinking of the majority. Tom's past has put him under a lot of stress, and his inner guilt lessens when he sets out to help save Lila, who has suffered from rape and abuse, and is traumatised by what she has undergone. I understand this is the first of a series, and Tom Killgannon will return. This is a compelling, tense and suspenseful read of how things can get out of hand in small communities living under extreme pressure. Many thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for an ARC.
One night Tom returns home, to find a young woman, Lila, in a terrible state, has broken in seeking refuge. He helps her, and she tells him she is responsible for what happened to the missing Kyle. Lila runs away, taking his coat with her. Tom needs his documents back before they fall into the wrong hands and put him in danger. He knows the local surfing traveller community, under the leadership of Noah, is hunting for her and goes to them seeking information. Tom is in an ill advised sexual relationship with married local police officer, Rachel, acting as his handler. He begins to cotton on to the resurrection of paganism, the old religion, under the auspices of the frightening Morrigan Crow, whose tentacles spread far and wide and whom no-one dares disobey or confront. Anyone who challenges him have a tendency to mysteriously die. Morrigan and his acolytes are determined to get their hands on a outsider, and they have their eyes on Lila for a nefarious stone circle ritual, will Tom be able to save Lila?
This is a creepy and menacing story of a community willing to do anything to secure the long term future of St Petroc. Tom has little idea of what a hotbed of horror the place he has chosen to live in is and the dangers facing outsiders and those who do not agree with the prevalent thinking of the majority. Tom's past has put him under a lot of stress, and his inner guilt lessens when he sets out to help save Lila, who has suffered from rape and abuse, and is traumatised by what she has undergone. I understand this is the first of a series, and Tom Killgannon will return. This is a compelling, tense and suspenseful read of how things can get out of hand in small communities living under extreme pressure. Many thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for an ARC.
October 28, 2018
”I've turned sceptics to believers. I've shown you that the old ways may have fallen out of fashion, but they retain their power. And you believe that. All of you. Or you wouldn't be here tonight, listening to me.”
Tom Killgannon is a man with a past he'd rather forget. Ex-army and ex-police, he's had to change his identity**, and ends up in St.Petroc, Cornwall. Circumstances have led him here, after an undercover operation went belly up.
St.Petroc is steeped in history, a rural area that identifies strongly with the land. It's a close knit community which views outsiders with suspicion. The recent Brexit vote has had an impact on this small area of Britain both economically and socially. The area is dying, and the villagers are willing to turn to paganism ("the old ways"), to turn life back to their village. Enter the character Morrigan***, who for a blood sacrifice will guarantee that the villages' fortunes will change...
Tom finds himself mixed up with teenage runaway Lila, who has stolen his coat which contains all of his fake ID after she's breaks into his home. But what mess is Lila mixed up in? And what hold does Morrigan have over the people of St. Petroc?
This book is atmospheric, and I could feel the claustrophobia of people looking over their shoulder, not knowing who to trust. Who was in and who wasn't with Morrigan? And the rain that poured incessantly matched perfectly with the weather we were experiencing in Sydney. So I could easily imagine being in St.Petroc.
As Martyn Waites said in the Q&A section at the end of the book, paganism and superstition play a role in communities where they feel they have nothing left to lose. They turn to "the old ways", and it was very evident that Morrigan had people under a spell of sorts. It was interesting to me how deeply the power of suggestion made people act out of character, even if they knew what they were doing was wrong and illegal.
I certainly didn't see the twist coming where Morrigan's identity was revealed. Nice one.
Apparently we'll meet Tom Killgannon again, so I'm looking forward to that.
Buddy read with Jus (who still beat me with finishing this, even though I started reading it before her). Shout out to Jus!
**Changing identities seems to be a running theme in books I've been reading lately. What would Freud make of that?
*** Morrigan is a goddess, a shape shifter from Irish mythology, often taking on the appearance of a crow; she is sighted at wars & battles and signifies the circle of life.
April 3, 2018
This was sheer brilliance. Tense, atmospheric, beautifully drawn characters, showing the dark heart and the beauty of Cornwall, with an addictive, cleverly twisted story that is hugely engaging and often quite creepy.
Loved it.
Full review nearer publication.
Loved it.
Full review nearer publication.
June 12, 2018
A very decent read. Good characters and atmosphere even if I'm not totally convinced maybe.
In full
Tom Killgannon is something of a mystery at the start of this book. What we do know is that he is a barman in a small north coast Cornish town and it is out of season. It is clear that he is not just that from quite early on however what will that mean for some of the residents of St Petroc? A young student goes missing from a surfer community there and then Lila, also in that community, goes missing too. Are these events connected? And who or what is Morrigan?
It was a great start to this book for me. I found it so atmospheric, catching the out of season coastal town perfectly. I know places like that. While not overly descriptive I got a good feel of the place. For all the sometimes "normal" atmosphere there is always a darker undercurrent around. There may be those who won't like the "old religion" aspect of this book. I was perfectly happy with it. I guess I felt it was more ominous when it was not being talked about than when it came out into the open.
I found this a book that was far easier to keep reading than put down! There are good characters, the pace is good, it's dark and tense - what more can you want from a thriller type of story. There are twist and turns and things revealed and concealed. For me there is no doubt that Tom is the leading character here. As a foil Lila is good and brings extra to this story. Other characters also worked well and are more than up to the story. Very enjoyable read.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
http://viewson.org.uk/thriller/old-re...
In full
Tom Killgannon is something of a mystery at the start of this book. What we do know is that he is a barman in a small north coast Cornish town and it is out of season. It is clear that he is not just that from quite early on however what will that mean for some of the residents of St Petroc? A young student goes missing from a surfer community there and then Lila, also in that community, goes missing too. Are these events connected? And who or what is Morrigan?
It was a great start to this book for me. I found it so atmospheric, catching the out of season coastal town perfectly. I know places like that. While not overly descriptive I got a good feel of the place. For all the sometimes "normal" atmosphere there is always a darker undercurrent around. There may be those who won't like the "old religion" aspect of this book. I was perfectly happy with it. I guess I felt it was more ominous when it was not being talked about than when it came out into the open.
I found this a book that was far easier to keep reading than put down! There are good characters, the pace is good, it's dark and tense - what more can you want from a thriller type of story. There are twist and turns and things revealed and concealed. For me there is no doubt that Tom is the leading character here. As a foil Lila is good and brings extra to this story. Other characters also worked well and are more than up to the story. Very enjoyable read.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
http://viewson.org.uk/thriller/old-re...
June 13, 2018
Strange marketing...
Tom Kilgannon has come to the run-down Cornish town of St Petroc to hide. That’s not his real name – he has taken on a new identity and it’s quickly clear that he’s in some kind of witness protection scheme or similar. Lila is a young girl living in a surfer commune on the edge of town – a surfer commune that is run more like a cult, with the rather nasty Noah at its head. As the book begins, Lila has been instrumental in abducting a young man on Noah’s instructions, and now she’s afraid of the consequences. When Tom and Lila meet, their lives quickly become mixed up with each other, and each puts the other in even greater danger. In the meantime, the mysterious Morrigan seems to hold an almost occult power over the townspeople, all in the name of the Old Religion...
This book is billed as being for fans of Peter May. I wonder why? I don’t remember Peter May ever writing anything with an occult storyline, nor using so much foul language including repeated use of the “c”-word, nor being unable to determine when to use “who” and “whom” correctly, nor filling his books with repeated episodes of violence, including rape, every few pages. Odd! Had I been trying to attract people who might enjoy this, I’d have been more inclined to mention Mo Hayder, or one of the other authors who specialise in violence and nastiness. There’s a market out there for this kind of book undoubtedly, but I’m not sure Peter May fans would be a big part of that market. This one sure isn’t, anyway.
It’s well written, apart from the too frequent grammatical errors, but I was reading an advance copy so perhaps they were sorted before the final version was printed. The characterisation is very good, especially of Lila. She left home young, and has no-one to look out for her. Having drifted into a bad situation she’s now trying to find a way out, and Waites does a good job of portraying her as a mix of vulnerability and strength. Tom is also done reasonably well, though with more of the stereotypical elements of the routine thriller hero – a troubled past, in danger in the present, well able to handle himself physically, but with a complete inability to fend off the women who find him irresistible. Uh-huh, well, not all women, obviously.
But everyone is unlikeable, even Lila, whom (or perhaps in the spirit of the book, I should say who) I really wanted to like. She’s quite willing to be just as horrible to everyone around her as they are to her – credible, undoubtedly, given her background, but it meant my sympathy for her situation wore off after a bit. Apart from Tom, all the men are drug-pushers or losers, violent and cruel, or occasionally weak and pathetic, and potential or actual rapists. There are very few women in it, at least up to the point where I abandoned it – around the 60% mark, and other than Lila they don’t play a significant role. I flicked ahead to the end and got the impression that may change later in the book.
At that 60% mark the three stories were still trailing along without us being any closer to finding out how they were connected – Tom’s past, the young man’s abduction, the mysterious Morrigan – with Lila providing some kind of vague link. I admit I was bored waiting, but it was really the constant episodes of violence that annoyed me – not in a squeamish way, they’re not overly graphic, but just because it all became repetitive and made the tone unrelentingly miserable. I prefer even crime novels to have some light and shade in them.
Despite abandoning it, I’m giving the book three stars. It’s not to my taste but I think it’s pretty well done for all that, and I’m sure people who like this sort of thing will enjoy it. In fact, it’s considerably better than the one Mo Hayder book through which I had the misfortune to wade. But as for Peter May fans, well, I’d suggest we all sit back and wait for the next Peter May book instead. Why do publishers do that?
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Zaffre, via Amazon Vine UK.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Tom Kilgannon has come to the run-down Cornish town of St Petroc to hide. That’s not his real name – he has taken on a new identity and it’s quickly clear that he’s in some kind of witness protection scheme or similar. Lila is a young girl living in a surfer commune on the edge of town – a surfer commune that is run more like a cult, with the rather nasty Noah at its head. As the book begins, Lila has been instrumental in abducting a young man on Noah’s instructions, and now she’s afraid of the consequences. When Tom and Lila meet, their lives quickly become mixed up with each other, and each puts the other in even greater danger. In the meantime, the mysterious Morrigan seems to hold an almost occult power over the townspeople, all in the name of the Old Religion...
This book is billed as being for fans of Peter May. I wonder why? I don’t remember Peter May ever writing anything with an occult storyline, nor using so much foul language including repeated use of the “c”-word, nor being unable to determine when to use “who” and “whom” correctly, nor filling his books with repeated episodes of violence, including rape, every few pages. Odd! Had I been trying to attract people who might enjoy this, I’d have been more inclined to mention Mo Hayder, or one of the other authors who specialise in violence and nastiness. There’s a market out there for this kind of book undoubtedly, but I’m not sure Peter May fans would be a big part of that market. This one sure isn’t, anyway.
It’s well written, apart from the too frequent grammatical errors, but I was reading an advance copy so perhaps they were sorted before the final version was printed. The characterisation is very good, especially of Lila. She left home young, and has no-one to look out for her. Having drifted into a bad situation she’s now trying to find a way out, and Waites does a good job of portraying her as a mix of vulnerability and strength. Tom is also done reasonably well, though with more of the stereotypical elements of the routine thriller hero – a troubled past, in danger in the present, well able to handle himself physically, but with a complete inability to fend off the women who find him irresistible. Uh-huh, well, not all women, obviously.
But everyone is unlikeable, even Lila, whom (or perhaps in the spirit of the book, I should say who) I really wanted to like. She’s quite willing to be just as horrible to everyone around her as they are to her – credible, undoubtedly, given her background, but it meant my sympathy for her situation wore off after a bit. Apart from Tom, all the men are drug-pushers or losers, violent and cruel, or occasionally weak and pathetic, and potential or actual rapists. There are very few women in it, at least up to the point where I abandoned it – around the 60% mark, and other than Lila they don’t play a significant role. I flicked ahead to the end and got the impression that may change later in the book.
At that 60% mark the three stories were still trailing along without us being any closer to finding out how they were connected – Tom’s past, the young man’s abduction, the mysterious Morrigan – with Lila providing some kind of vague link. I admit I was bored waiting, but it was really the constant episodes of violence that annoyed me – not in a squeamish way, they’re not overly graphic, but just because it all became repetitive and made the tone unrelentingly miserable. I prefer even crime novels to have some light and shade in them.
Despite abandoning it, I’m giving the book three stars. It’s not to my taste but I think it’s pretty well done for all that, and I’m sure people who like this sort of thing will enjoy it. In fact, it’s considerably better than the one Mo Hayder book through which I had the misfortune to wade. But as for Peter May fans, well, I’d suggest we all sit back and wait for the next Peter May book instead. Why do publishers do that?
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Zaffre, via Amazon Vine UK.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
April 28, 2019
For my complete review of this novel visit: https://fictionophile.wordpress.com/2...
I really enjoyed this novel. The Cornish landscape was vividly rendered. The "Old Religion" only too real as well.
The reader is not told whether the Morrigan character is a man or a woman. The author keeps you guessing - which adds to the mystery. I'll admit, I didn't guess Morrigan's identity before hand.
Tom was a likable character. Though he was emotional fragile, he was morally and physically strong. The peripheral characters were also well drawn and interesting.
The premise of how desperate people are easily led to do just about anything if it improves their condition, is an unwelcome truth.The writing kept me engrossed throughout and I eagerly turned the pages to find out how the author would tie up the plot. Make no mistake, this is a chilling, sometimes bizarre, tension-filled, dark thriller with a very satisfactory ending.
I've discovered that Tom Killgannon is to return in further books - which I look forward to reading.
Highly recommended!
4.5 stars rounded up
I really enjoyed this novel. The Cornish landscape was vividly rendered. The "Old Religion" only too real as well.
The reader is not told whether the Morrigan character is a man or a woman. The author keeps you guessing - which adds to the mystery. I'll admit, I didn't guess Morrigan's identity before hand.
Tom was a likable character. Though he was emotional fragile, he was morally and physically strong. The peripheral characters were also well drawn and interesting.
The premise of how desperate people are easily led to do just about anything if it improves their condition, is an unwelcome truth.The writing kept me engrossed throughout and I eagerly turned the pages to find out how the author would tie up the plot. Make no mistake, this is a chilling, sometimes bizarre, tension-filled, dark thriller with a very satisfactory ending.
I've discovered that Tom Killgannon is to return in further books - which I look forward to reading.
Highly recommended!
4.5 stars rounded up
November 14, 2019
Oh folks,. Aren’t they terrifying? So much so there’s literally a subgenre created for their very specific blend of terror. And so you know the premise. A city person moves to a small town. Small town turns out to be hosting some evil. The person battles the evil. Pretty straight forward scenario, success of which usually depends on the execution. In this case the execution held up. Martyn Waites is a seasoned (albeit it under a pseudonym) author and his writing reflects years of experience with plotting and characters, albeit thematically this is something of a departure for him…a fusion of mystery and supernatural. And a politically themed fusion, no less. A tale distinctly utilizing the singular sort of a terror in itself…Brexit. Specifically, this story is set is a small farming community, a sort of place that has predominantly voted for the very thing that ends up screwing them over. Now the disappearance of the EU agricultural subsidies is devastating their small town and the folk is turning to alternative solutions…the old ways. And since we’re already established that the folk in question isn’t all that bright about the choices they are making, this one is bound to be a doozy. And that’s the situation our protagonist, a man scarred by a violent past and trying to start over, finds himself in. Contending with locals that go from their usual (not overly welcoming to strangers) mode to the downright homicidal one. A good, if not especially original, story, well written, atmospheric. Waites did a good job of describing the darkness and desperation slowly descending on a small community, the sort of collective madness that overtakes it. And, more importantly, since Waites seems to be specializing in series, he created an interesting compelling likeable protagonist to carry this and future installments. To be fair, the supernatural element is pretty underutilized. The evil here is predominantly (wo)manmade. It’s funny, because just the other day I read Tudor’s Other People, a thriller that didn’t advertise a supernatural angle, but featured it pretty heavily. This was more of the opposite. The spooky frights in this book are primarily of the explicable dark psychological variety. All the same, though, it had that creepy Wicker Man thing going on, something somehow perfectly suited to the English countryside in a way that’s diametrically opposed to other English countryside things like, say, Downton Abbey. All in all an enjoyable entertaining read. One, as much as I love standalones, I can objectively agree can easily merit a continuation. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
Read
April 5, 2018Dear goodness Mr Martyn Waites I've a nervous wreck after reading this! Who's in that van? Did I just see a figure standing in a doorway? Is that a dead crow I see?
Thank goodness St Petroc in Cornwall where the book is set is fictional. I had to double check just incase. My nerves had calmed a little. Just a little mind.
Then I read the end. And my head exploded.
Thank goodness St Petroc in Cornwall where the book is set is fictional. I had to double check just incase. My nerves had calmed a little. Just a little mind.
Then I read the end. And my head exploded.
June 3, 2018
Martyn Waites new series, of which this is the first novel, is apparently “Brexit noir crossed with ‘The Wicker Man’ movie” and offers a glimpse into the landscape in the wake of the country’s decision to leave the European Union. The Old Religion explores some of ramifications in the fictional West Country village of St Petroc, formerly so reliant on the EU subsides to keep farming viable and enable their livelihoods and now resorting to more drastic measures to halt the decline of the village and restore prosperity. On the shortlist for the proposed development of a marina, a determined and malevolent presence looms in the village, intent on harnessing the uncertainty and frustrations of the locals and gaining leverage over each of them in order to make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the “old ways” restore St Petroc to its former glory...
For Northern city boy, Tom Killgannon, the Cornish village of St Petroc offers an escape from his dark past as an ex-undercover cop and the violent gangs on his trail. Now placed in the Witness Protection Programme and coming to terms with his situation he is carving out a mundane and anonymous existence as a barman in the local pub whilst he works through his issues with a therapist. The remote village out of season makes for a bleak and depressing backdrop but working in the Sail Makers pub, Tom is ideally placed to see what makes the community tick. Together with regulars in eccentric barroom philosopher, Pirate John, and simpering retired history teachers, Emlyn and Isobel, Tom slowly gauges the lie of the land. The hosting of the Round Table meetings are however the real draw for the pub, with the local businessmen and figureheads of the community plotting to halt the decline of the village and increasingly coming to view the potential development of a marina as critical in ensuring their futures and livelihoods. The days of organising summer fetes and pleasant village festivities are long over for this crowd!
What Tom doesn’t need to be faced with is a seventeen-year-old runaway scared out her wits and professing knowledge as to the disappearance of a missing university student who has disappeared nearby. That, however, is what he gets when he returns home from work one night to find Lila, previously one of the traveller commune, in his cottage. When she flees with his coat and wallet containing all of the elements necessary for maintaining his Tom Killgannon identity she singlehandedly jeopardises all his efforts at evading his ruthless pursuers. Focused on retrieving his identification, Tom’s initial inquiries at the commune are met with open hostility and suspicion and he finds himself becoming increasingly concerned for Lila’s safety, leading him to believe that there is something far more sinister in her brief and garbled mention of Noah, Kai, a missing student and “the Morrigan”.. Haunted by his sense of culpability in another’s young woman’s death together with the necessity to secure his identification, Tom ruffles more feathers with some choice remarks hinting that he knows what the commune have been up to regarding the missing student and doing the bidding off the malevolent and powerful Morrigan.
As the locals begin to give him a wide berth and Noah and Kai seem intent on putting a stop to his questions, even the normally garrulous Pirate John, the only near friendly local, clams up and becomes jittery. The narrative turns by stages through multiple glimpses into village life and reveals the fate of some of the locals and their decidedly sticky endings, supposedly evidence of Morrigan’s dark arts as opposed to very conveniently timed murder. With the marina decision due to be made in the forthcoming days, ensuring that St Petroc is the successful bidder takes on an added impetus with the final preparations due to take place as the St Petroc version of Stonehenge with its stone circle and dubious sacrificial altar ahead of an ultimate sacrifice.
Part of the narrative also focuses on missing student, Kyle Tanner, his captivity in a disused ex-tin mine and his dawning realisation that his life is doomed, together with his parents tearful press conferences that conveys their utter devastation. Alongside this is Lila’s risky journey as she tries to sell Tom’s identification and falls into the hands of a bunch of a callous drug dealers in Newquay. The character of Tom is well-realised and his unassuming nature and easy manner make for an engaging lead character. The specifics as to the actual events of Tom’s past are held back until the later stages of the novel to coincide with a full understanding of his tenacious hunt for Lila and concern for her safety. Lila too is also well-drawn, full of sharp edges and slow to trust, and Martyn Waites offers his readers a look into the horrific home life which drove her away and her own sense of guilt for unwittingly luring the student.
The timeframe is disappointingly vague however and aside from the Morrigan mass hysteria which had clearly been whipped up in the aftermath of Brexit I would have appreciated having an actual timeline of Tom and Lila’s exploits which might have added a sense of urgency to the novel together with an idea as to the size of the St Petroc population. A local police presence actively canvassing the Newquay surroundings for the missing university student would have added credibility too but as it is the only local police officer in evidence is Tom’s official liaison, PC Rachel Bellfair, who seems altogether busier with seduction. Numerous questions abound, not least why someone placed in the Witness Protection Programme and seeking anonymity would be relocated to a remote village where outsiders stick out like a sore thumb. I was also perturbed as to why the locals, so reluctant to welcome outsider, Tom, would want to be flooded with the new blood that the marina would obviously bring, the majority of whom would likely view the ‘old ways’ and the crow-warnings of Morrigan with sheer derision.
The Old Religion is entertaining enough with its punchy chapters alternating between characters keeping the action unfolding and whilst I felt that the premise had potential, the actual plot is all a tad flimsy. Atmospheric on outset this soon gives way to a more tongue in cheek feel as the idea of a menacing gangster running around a remote village with a population the size of a handful in a quest to instil a reverence and fear in the locals and inspire a return to the “old ways” is pretty deluded. Personally I find the likelihood of any adult with an iota of common sense being drawn into such a scheme difficult to envisage. I retain serious scepticism about to the likelihood of paganism and witchcraft actually managing to take a firm hold amongst the entire population of such a community in the twenty-first century especially. The very fact that the novel becomes increasingly far-fetched dispels any pretensions of being dark and menacing, however a laughably comical denouement is the ultimate reward for perseverance!
With thanks to Readers First who provided me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
For Northern city boy, Tom Killgannon, the Cornish village of St Petroc offers an escape from his dark past as an ex-undercover cop and the violent gangs on his trail. Now placed in the Witness Protection Programme and coming to terms with his situation he is carving out a mundane and anonymous existence as a barman in the local pub whilst he works through his issues with a therapist. The remote village out of season makes for a bleak and depressing backdrop but working in the Sail Makers pub, Tom is ideally placed to see what makes the community tick. Together with regulars in eccentric barroom philosopher, Pirate John, and simpering retired history teachers, Emlyn and Isobel, Tom slowly gauges the lie of the land. The hosting of the Round Table meetings are however the real draw for the pub, with the local businessmen and figureheads of the community plotting to halt the decline of the village and increasingly coming to view the potential development of a marina as critical in ensuring their futures and livelihoods. The days of organising summer fetes and pleasant village festivities are long over for this crowd!
What Tom doesn’t need to be faced with is a seventeen-year-old runaway scared out her wits and professing knowledge as to the disappearance of a missing university student who has disappeared nearby. That, however, is what he gets when he returns home from work one night to find Lila, previously one of the traveller commune, in his cottage. When she flees with his coat and wallet containing all of the elements necessary for maintaining his Tom Killgannon identity she singlehandedly jeopardises all his efforts at evading his ruthless pursuers. Focused on retrieving his identification, Tom’s initial inquiries at the commune are met with open hostility and suspicion and he finds himself becoming increasingly concerned for Lila’s safety, leading him to believe that there is something far more sinister in her brief and garbled mention of Noah, Kai, a missing student and “the Morrigan”.. Haunted by his sense of culpability in another’s young woman’s death together with the necessity to secure his identification, Tom ruffles more feathers with some choice remarks hinting that he knows what the commune have been up to regarding the missing student and doing the bidding off the malevolent and powerful Morrigan.
As the locals begin to give him a wide berth and Noah and Kai seem intent on putting a stop to his questions, even the normally garrulous Pirate John, the only near friendly local, clams up and becomes jittery. The narrative turns by stages through multiple glimpses into village life and reveals the fate of some of the locals and their decidedly sticky endings, supposedly evidence of Morrigan’s dark arts as opposed to very conveniently timed murder. With the marina decision due to be made in the forthcoming days, ensuring that St Petroc is the successful bidder takes on an added impetus with the final preparations due to take place as the St Petroc version of Stonehenge with its stone circle and dubious sacrificial altar ahead of an ultimate sacrifice.
Part of the narrative also focuses on missing student, Kyle Tanner, his captivity in a disused ex-tin mine and his dawning realisation that his life is doomed, together with his parents tearful press conferences that conveys their utter devastation. Alongside this is Lila’s risky journey as she tries to sell Tom’s identification and falls into the hands of a bunch of a callous drug dealers in Newquay. The character of Tom is well-realised and his unassuming nature and easy manner make for an engaging lead character. The specifics as to the actual events of Tom’s past are held back until the later stages of the novel to coincide with a full understanding of his tenacious hunt for Lila and concern for her safety. Lila too is also well-drawn, full of sharp edges and slow to trust, and Martyn Waites offers his readers a look into the horrific home life which drove her away and her own sense of guilt for unwittingly luring the student.
The timeframe is disappointingly vague however and aside from the Morrigan mass hysteria which had clearly been whipped up in the aftermath of Brexit I would have appreciated having an actual timeline of Tom and Lila’s exploits which might have added a sense of urgency to the novel together with an idea as to the size of the St Petroc population. A local police presence actively canvassing the Newquay surroundings for the missing university student would have added credibility too but as it is the only local police officer in evidence is Tom’s official liaison, PC Rachel Bellfair, who seems altogether busier with seduction. Numerous questions abound, not least why someone placed in the Witness Protection Programme and seeking anonymity would be relocated to a remote village where outsiders stick out like a sore thumb. I was also perturbed as to why the locals, so reluctant to welcome outsider, Tom, would want to be flooded with the new blood that the marina would obviously bring, the majority of whom would likely view the ‘old ways’ and the crow-warnings of Morrigan with sheer derision.
The Old Religion is entertaining enough with its punchy chapters alternating between characters keeping the action unfolding and whilst I felt that the premise had potential, the actual plot is all a tad flimsy. Atmospheric on outset this soon gives way to a more tongue in cheek feel as the idea of a menacing gangster running around a remote village with a population the size of a handful in a quest to instil a reverence and fear in the locals and inspire a return to the “old ways” is pretty deluded. Personally I find the likelihood of any adult with an iota of common sense being drawn into such a scheme difficult to envisage. I retain serious scepticism about to the likelihood of paganism and witchcraft actually managing to take a firm hold amongst the entire population of such a community in the twenty-first century especially. The very fact that the novel becomes increasingly far-fetched dispels any pretensions of being dark and menacing, however a laughably comical denouement is the ultimate reward for perseverance!
With thanks to Readers First who provided me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
June 8, 2019
Reasonable story, but far too much clunky exposition of the characters’ backstories. I didn’t believe in the characters at all and the dialogue was occasionally trite. So, I read it all but won’t be hunting out the author’s other works. Shame, as this one was full of possibilities left drowning in derivative soup. I know this is not what many others on here thought, but my two stars were almost one, and the opinion is all mine. Two stars for Lila, the fact I finished it and the doom of Brexit...
June 9, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for an advance copy of The Old Religion, a thriller set in the fictional Cornish village of St Petroc.
Tom Kilgannon, not his real name, is hiding out in the Cornish village of St Petroc, whiling away his time as a barman. Lila is a teenage runaway, living in a surfing commune on the outskirts of the village but when she falls foul of the commune leader she runs again, breaking into Tom's house. When things get awkward at Tom's she runs but this time she is wearing his jacket, the jacket where he hides his identity.
I enjoyed The Old Religion which is an exciting thriller with some good twists, a hint of the occult and some seriously warped thinking and actions. It is told mostly from Tom and Lila's points of view with others added as and when required. Mostly it is well paced and intriguing, urging the reader to keep turning the pages but there were times when it didn't fully engage my attention. I find the constant switching of perspective distracting, just as it gets juicy the reader's attention is moved elsewhere. In some novels this approach whets the appetite, in this one it seems like an ideal time to take a break.
As the strange events of St Petroc slowly (to maintain the air of mystery) unfold it becomes apparent that plausibility is not high on the agenda, but it doesn't really matter as the novel is a thriller and has enough tension and action to overcome this. Mr Waites does a good job of building the atmosphere, culminating in a high octane showdown.
The characterisation is stronger than usual in a thriller but not all of it is convincing. Lila, in particular, seems overly mature and smart for a teenage runaway. Tom Kilgannon is an enigma. His background is explained at the end of the novel with tantalising hints dangled throughout the novel. I assume it is meant to be intriguing but I found it frustrating as some of his actions only become explicable in light of the explanation. My favourite character is the dying village of St Petroc, which has no tourist industry and is slowly fading, and it's solution to this situation.
The Old Religion is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
Tom Kilgannon, not his real name, is hiding out in the Cornish village of St Petroc, whiling away his time as a barman. Lila is a teenage runaway, living in a surfing commune on the outskirts of the village but when she falls foul of the commune leader she runs again, breaking into Tom's house. When things get awkward at Tom's she runs but this time she is wearing his jacket, the jacket where he hides his identity.
I enjoyed The Old Religion which is an exciting thriller with some good twists, a hint of the occult and some seriously warped thinking and actions. It is told mostly from Tom and Lila's points of view with others added as and when required. Mostly it is well paced and intriguing, urging the reader to keep turning the pages but there were times when it didn't fully engage my attention. I find the constant switching of perspective distracting, just as it gets juicy the reader's attention is moved elsewhere. In some novels this approach whets the appetite, in this one it seems like an ideal time to take a break.
As the strange events of St Petroc slowly (to maintain the air of mystery) unfold it becomes apparent that plausibility is not high on the agenda, but it doesn't really matter as the novel is a thriller and has enough tension and action to overcome this. Mr Waites does a good job of building the atmosphere, culminating in a high octane showdown.
The characterisation is stronger than usual in a thriller but not all of it is convincing. Lila, in particular, seems overly mature and smart for a teenage runaway. Tom Kilgannon is an enigma. His background is explained at the end of the novel with tantalising hints dangled throughout the novel. I assume it is meant to be intriguing but I found it frustrating as some of his actions only become explicable in light of the explanation. My favourite character is the dying village of St Petroc, which has no tourist industry and is slowly fading, and it's solution to this situation.
The Old Religion is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
March 4, 2023
Setting: 'St Petroc', Cornwall. UK; post-Brexit.
Former police officer Tom Killgannon is an outsider in the tiny coastal village of St Petroc on the North Cornish coast - a village whose economy and livelihood has been devastated by the repercussions of the Brexit vote. Tom himself is trying to keep a low profile as barman at the local pub as he is under Witness Protection. But the local villagers are getting desperate - and a sinister figure by the name of Morrigan is willing to use their desperation to pursue his own ends by invoking the ways of the 'old religion', ultimately involving human sacrifice. A local commune's involvement in Morrigan's plans is brought to the fore when a young girl, Lila, flees the group and ends up breaking into Tom's house and stealing all the proof of his new identity, potentially exposing him to repercussions, forcing Tom to adopt a far higher profile than he would wish to in searching for the girl...
This was a fast-paced and exciting read from the author of The Angel in Black sequel and who also wrote a series of books under the pen-name Tania Carver, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed. Loved the dark, rural setting of the book and its demonstration of the lengths rural communities will go to when in desperation. With vibes of The Wicker Man, Tom must face down a whole village of people committed to do whatever it takes to ensure the community's survival, even if it involves human sacrifice - 9/10.
Former police officer Tom Killgannon is an outsider in the tiny coastal village of St Petroc on the North Cornish coast - a village whose economy and livelihood has been devastated by the repercussions of the Brexit vote. Tom himself is trying to keep a low profile as barman at the local pub as he is under Witness Protection. But the local villagers are getting desperate - and a sinister figure by the name of Morrigan is willing to use their desperation to pursue his own ends by invoking the ways of the 'old religion', ultimately involving human sacrifice. A local commune's involvement in Morrigan's plans is brought to the fore when a young girl, Lila, flees the group and ends up breaking into Tom's house and stealing all the proof of his new identity, potentially exposing him to repercussions, forcing Tom to adopt a far higher profile than he would wish to in searching for the girl...
This was a fast-paced and exciting read from the author of The Angel in Black sequel and who also wrote a series of books under the pen-name Tania Carver, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed. Loved the dark, rural setting of the book and its demonstration of the lengths rural communities will go to when in desperation. With vibes of The Wicker Man, Tom must face down a whole village of people committed to do whatever it takes to ensure the community's survival, even if it involves human sacrifice - 9/10.
April 25, 2019
This is an author who is new to me despite his string of books under alter ego Tania Carver and it was a very enjoyable page turner which kept me gripped from beginning to end.
The plot is set around a fictional village in Cornwall where mysterious goings on start to threaten the lead characters safety as a former undercover cop hiding from bad guys. The title hints at the villages secrets which are around pagan beliefs and the tension racks up as Tom becomes a threat to the baddies plans.
I'm sure references such as The Wicker Man have been made and it also put me in mind of Hot Fuzz and the pub scene in American werewolf and at time I worried as I neared the end whether the scenes would stray over from tension to farce but in the end I felt the author navigated that tricky balancing act with skill and I look forward to reading what I hope will be a series.
The plot is set around a fictional village in Cornwall where mysterious goings on start to threaten the lead characters safety as a former undercover cop hiding from bad guys. The title hints at the villages secrets which are around pagan beliefs and the tension racks up as Tom becomes a threat to the baddies plans.
I'm sure references such as The Wicker Man have been made and it also put me in mind of Hot Fuzz and the pub scene in American werewolf and at time I worried as I neared the end whether the scenes would stray over from tension to farce but in the end I felt the author navigated that tricky balancing act with skill and I look forward to reading what I hope will be a series.
June 5, 2018
I was really looking forward to reading this as it has had some good reviews. I've also read Martyn Waites before the Joe Donovan novels which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately The Old Religion didn't work as well for me. Tom Kilgallon is a loner working as a barman in the small Cornish village of St. Petroc, he is running from his past. A young woman on the run appears in his cottage and Tom finds himself dragged into the dark side of the village.
June 10, 2018
Tom Killigan is an ex-undercover policeman who is now living in a small fishing village in Cornwall; he is in the Witness Protection Scheme, in hiding from violent people who are intent on revenge. He wants only to keep his head down and to live a quiet life. However, when he returns to his house one evening, after his shift as a barman at the local pub, he discovers Lila, a seventeen-year-old runaway; she has broken into his house and is clearly very scared. He manages to calm her down and discovers that she knows something about the recent disappearance of a young student, on holiday in the area with a group of friends. When Lila saw an appeal from his parents on the television, she realises that Kai, her boyfriend, and Noah, the leader of the commune where she has been staying, are involved. When they discover that she wants to help the parents by telling the police what she knows, she is imprisoned at the commune but manages to escape and breaks into Tom’s cottage to escape from a storm. However, just as she is beginning to tell him what happened, there is a knock on the door and the unexpected caller is Rachel, his liaison officer from the local police, with whom he is having an affair. By the time he manages to persuade her that it isn’t a good time for her to come in, he discovers that Lila has disappeared, taking with her his coat. He doesn’t begrudge her that as it is a cold night and will keep her warm however, as it contains his wallet, which holds everything about his new identity, he has no option but to find her as soon as possible. His search exposes him not only to a much darker side to the community in which he is living, but also to considerable
danger when his determined investigations are perceived as a threat to what is going on.
This story is set against a background of a relatively isolated village community which is struggling to survive in a post-Brexit Britain; residents have turned to some desperate measures to try to ensure a more prosperous future for the village, aiming to win a bidding-war for funds to build a new marina. The village is on the short-list for the award but certain members of the community are not prepared to leave anything to chance, even if this means resorting to a bit of magic by restoring ancient Pagan rituals, old superstitions, witchcraft and sacrifice to increase their chance of success!
Although there were moments in the story when I felt I had to suspend my disbelief that any community would react so wholeheartedly to such desperate measures, I do think there is some truth in the premise that susceptibility to a belief in the efficacy of rituals can be very powerful, especially in those who feel they have been marginalised. I also know, from now living in such a community, that the “old ways” of isolated rural communities often lie not very far below the surface! I think that the author was skilful in his evocation of such a community and I enjoyed his gradual exposure of the influences which were being brought to bear at a time of crisis. He certainly captured the way in which, as history shows us, charismatic figures can abuse their power when people are feeling vulnerable, and can focus it in such a way as to override rational thinking and instil fear. He convincingly showed the process by which this intimidation gradually and insidiously took hold, as well as how effective the threat was to anyone who tried to sound a note of caution.
In making one of the “baddies” the victim of severe childhood abuse Martyn Waites captured, in a psychologically convincing way, the recurring cycle of abuse which so often follows such experiences. The abused child becomes the abuser, gaining the power he didn’t have as a child and using it in the only way he knows how, by inflicting pain and then gaining pleasure and a sense of control from that. I thought that this theory was demonstrated very effectively as the character’s background was gradually revealed.
The author’s decision to locate this story in Cornwall was influenced by the fact that this region voted overwhelmingly to leave the EU, despite being a major recipient of EU subsidies and support. Part of his motivation was to explore what happens when people start to recognise the full implications of how their livelihoods will be affected by the withdrawal of such support.
I thought that the characters of Tom and Lila were well-drawn and I really enjoyed their developing relationship which was based, in part, on the fact that each harboured secrets from their troubled pasts and was struggling to find a reliable haven. Lila’s childhood was characterised by abuse so she found it difficult to trust anyone and was also struggling to rid herself of the guilt she felt in her complicity in the kidnapping of the student by her boyfriend. Tom’s need to keep his background hidden meant that he couldn’t be completely open with Lila as he attempted to gain her trust but his need to make reparation for what he feels was his part in the death of another young woman makes him determined, whatever the cost to himself, to protect Lila.
I found this a highly entertaining and engaging thriller and particularly enjoyed the evocatively atmospheric descriptions of a Cornwall which was so far removed from the usual picture-postcard descriptions of a county which is one of the poorest areas in the UK. Any slight niggles I had about the plot (one being why would someone who wanted to remain anonymous choose to relocate to a small, insular village in Cornwall where, as in any established community, everyone would want to know everything about him!) didn’t take away from the fact that this story held my attention from start to finish and left me feeling delighted that there will be further stories featuring Tom Killigan!
The wide-ranging themes in the story would make this a good choice for reading groups.
My thanks to Readers First who provided me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
danger when his determined investigations are perceived as a threat to what is going on.
This story is set against a background of a relatively isolated village community which is struggling to survive in a post-Brexit Britain; residents have turned to some desperate measures to try to ensure a more prosperous future for the village, aiming to win a bidding-war for funds to build a new marina. The village is on the short-list for the award but certain members of the community are not prepared to leave anything to chance, even if this means resorting to a bit of magic by restoring ancient Pagan rituals, old superstitions, witchcraft and sacrifice to increase their chance of success!
Although there were moments in the story when I felt I had to suspend my disbelief that any community would react so wholeheartedly to such desperate measures, I do think there is some truth in the premise that susceptibility to a belief in the efficacy of rituals can be very powerful, especially in those who feel they have been marginalised. I also know, from now living in such a community, that the “old ways” of isolated rural communities often lie not very far below the surface! I think that the author was skilful in his evocation of such a community and I enjoyed his gradual exposure of the influences which were being brought to bear at a time of crisis. He certainly captured the way in which, as history shows us, charismatic figures can abuse their power when people are feeling vulnerable, and can focus it in such a way as to override rational thinking and instil fear. He convincingly showed the process by which this intimidation gradually and insidiously took hold, as well as how effective the threat was to anyone who tried to sound a note of caution.
In making one of the “baddies” the victim of severe childhood abuse Martyn Waites captured, in a psychologically convincing way, the recurring cycle of abuse which so often follows such experiences. The abused child becomes the abuser, gaining the power he didn’t have as a child and using it in the only way he knows how, by inflicting pain and then gaining pleasure and a sense of control from that. I thought that this theory was demonstrated very effectively as the character’s background was gradually revealed.
The author’s decision to locate this story in Cornwall was influenced by the fact that this region voted overwhelmingly to leave the EU, despite being a major recipient of EU subsidies and support. Part of his motivation was to explore what happens when people start to recognise the full implications of how their livelihoods will be affected by the withdrawal of such support.
I thought that the characters of Tom and Lila were well-drawn and I really enjoyed their developing relationship which was based, in part, on the fact that each harboured secrets from their troubled pasts and was struggling to find a reliable haven. Lila’s childhood was characterised by abuse so she found it difficult to trust anyone and was also struggling to rid herself of the guilt she felt in her complicity in the kidnapping of the student by her boyfriend. Tom’s need to keep his background hidden meant that he couldn’t be completely open with Lila as he attempted to gain her trust but his need to make reparation for what he feels was his part in the death of another young woman makes him determined, whatever the cost to himself, to protect Lila.
I found this a highly entertaining and engaging thriller and particularly enjoyed the evocatively atmospheric descriptions of a Cornwall which was so far removed from the usual picture-postcard descriptions of a county which is one of the poorest areas in the UK. Any slight niggles I had about the plot (one being why would someone who wanted to remain anonymous choose to relocate to a small, insular village in Cornwall where, as in any established community, everyone would want to know everything about him!) didn’t take away from the fact that this story held my attention from start to finish and left me feeling delighted that there will be further stories featuring Tom Killigan!
The wide-ranging themes in the story would make this a good choice for reading groups.
My thanks to Readers First who provided me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
November 2, 2018
What a setting! As someone who lives in a dry, often drought stricken country I loved reading about a cold, seaside setting. Lot's of rain and misery really makes me happy.
I really enjoyed the book. Unlikable characters? Check. Small town mystery? Check. Is this a Stephen King? No? Ok.
It was a subtle mystery too, no ridiculous exploits by everyday citizens and it wrapped up neatly.
High five Mr Waites!
I really enjoyed the book. Unlikable characters? Check. Small town mystery? Check. Is this a Stephen King? No? Ok.
It was a subtle mystery too, no ridiculous exploits by everyday citizens and it wrapped up neatly.
High five Mr Waites!
February 10, 2021
Tom Killgannon is in witness protection and keeping his head down in a small Cornish village. When one of the local travellers breaks into his house and steals his identity papers, he finds himself getting more involved in village affairs than he'd like to. This was a cracking read, a brilliant thriller tied up with some folk horror. I couldn't put the book down so ended up reading the thing in one sitting - oops.
June 10, 2018
An atmospheric book set in a backwater Cornish village where there seems to be an over-enthusiastic belief in Paganism. Sounds good doesn't it? Somehow though this never quite took off for me.
As I was reading it I kept thinking of cheesy Hammer horror films from the 1970's (and having read the Author Q & A at the back it's not surprising!). It was all a bit clunky and cliched somehow. The story certainly wasn't bad but it did all feel a bit dated somehow.
The village is in thrall to Morrigan who has brain-washed them into believing the village's future can be guaranteed by the sacrifice of an "outsider".
Cue some inept "traveller/surfer" youths, various farmers, Pirate John etc etc and it had the feel of a quirky sketch in Little Britain. In short, not a bad book by any means but I was probably expecting a more gripping psychological thriller. I got a hybrid between a thriller and a horror novel and whilst it wasn't a hardship to read it until the end it didn't have me frantically turning the pages either.
I probably enjoyed the Q & A section at the back as much as the book itself - the author was definitely speaking my language there
As I was reading it I kept thinking of cheesy Hammer horror films from the 1970's (and having read the Author Q & A at the back it's not surprising!). It was all a bit clunky and cliched somehow. The story certainly wasn't bad but it did all feel a bit dated somehow.
The village is in thrall to Morrigan who has brain-washed them into believing the village's future can be guaranteed by the sacrifice of an "outsider".
Cue some inept "traveller/surfer" youths, various farmers, Pirate John etc etc and it had the feel of a quirky sketch in Little Britain. In short, not a bad book by any means but I was probably expecting a more gripping psychological thriller. I got a hybrid between a thriller and a horror novel and whilst it wasn't a hardship to read it until the end it didn't have me frantically turning the pages either.
I probably enjoyed the Q & A section at the back as much as the book itself - the author was definitely speaking my language there
June 26, 2018
This story is delivered well, with believable people saying believable dialogue in increasingly uncomfortable and bizarre situations. I really warmed to Tom, Lila and Pirate John and felt like booing the nasty baddies. I was gripped by the plot and made some correct predictions but other parts I was completely blind-sided by. Which is exactly what you want from a thriller delivering action, mystery and danger.
Once I'd started I found this book difficult to set down. Now I've finished I'd like to see Tom and Lila continue with further adventures. Martyn Waites has developed ingenious back stories and intricate psychology for both characters, which I hope provides just the start of my enjoyment of them.
Once I'd started I found this book difficult to set down. Now I've finished I'd like to see Tom and Lila continue with further adventures. Martyn Waites has developed ingenious back stories and intricate psychology for both characters, which I hope provides just the start of my enjoyment of them.
June 1, 2018
More of a dark thriller than a crime novel. I really struggled with the plot and some of the characters. It is very cleverly written and well researched. Tom has a past which he is trying to hide, I can't say more for fear of spoiler. He meets Lila, a girl running away from a strange commune. There is plenty of intrigue in the story and tales of occult and religion but it just did not please me. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy.
June 23, 2018
A really enjoyable and different read, I hope to read more in this new series and look forward to the next. A solid 4 stars and well recommended
February 7, 2020
I loved this book, it’s the first book I have read in a long time (since Shutter Island) that I have HAD to read at every opportunity, before work, after work, on the toilet, in bed, on days off. I even downloaded it on Kindle so I could read it on my phone whilst I waited in a queue or had a minute when I was out. It really got me.
I read initial reviews of the book before I started it and they were mixed, and every book lands differently with different people which is the beauty of books. The front cover drew me in, and I’m glad it did.
Different aspects of the main character Tom’s personality were drip fed throughout the book leading well into what I am sure will be a series about him.
The different stories that ran alongside each other were not confusing or difficult to follow which is sometimes the case with complex thrillers.
I found book intriguing throughout and wanted to know more about everyone and their back stories and although I could guess where the story may eventually end up, I was wrong about how the character roles would play out.
It has a great mix of humour, thrills, kills and suspense.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from @martynwaites4847 about where Tom and Lila go next.
I read initial reviews of the book before I started it and they were mixed, and every book lands differently with different people which is the beauty of books. The front cover drew me in, and I’m glad it did.
Different aspects of the main character Tom’s personality were drip fed throughout the book leading well into what I am sure will be a series about him.
The different stories that ran alongside each other were not confusing or difficult to follow which is sometimes the case with complex thrillers.
I found book intriguing throughout and wanted to know more about everyone and their back stories and although I could guess where the story may eventually end up, I was wrong about how the character roles would play out.
It has a great mix of humour, thrills, kills and suspense.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from @martynwaites4847 about where Tom and Lila go next.
March 13, 2019
An ex undercover cop hiding from his past in rural Cornwall, has his cover compromised when a teenage runaway breaks into his house and steals his wallet and new identity.
What starts as a routine crime thriller, which sees Martyn Waites hero try to track down the girl who has stolen the key to his past, is turned on its head in more ways than one. Lila, the girl he is seeking, is involved with some shady new age types who are involved in a sinister Pagan cult aswell as local crininals. It is this element which lends the novel its unique selling point, the Cornish setting in Brexit Britain, the locals desperately clinging on to the old despite the potential consequences. Waites informs his fast moving crime caper with the current folk horror revival, and it is a pleasing blend which just about works, even if the ending falls a little flat for my liking. Good characters though, so it is encouraging going forward as a series, Tom Killgannon is a great lead.
What starts as a routine crime thriller, which sees Martyn Waites hero try to track down the girl who has stolen the key to his past, is turned on its head in more ways than one. Lila, the girl he is seeking, is involved with some shady new age types who are involved in a sinister Pagan cult aswell as local crininals. It is this element which lends the novel its unique selling point, the Cornish setting in Brexit Britain, the locals desperately clinging on to the old despite the potential consequences. Waites informs his fast moving crime caper with the current folk horror revival, and it is a pleasing blend which just about works, even if the ending falls a little flat for my liking. Good characters though, so it is encouraging going forward as a series, Tom Killgannon is a great lead.
October 16, 2020
Really enjoyed this one, and who knew Martyn Waites wrote under the name Tania Carver?! Read a lot of those in my time!
Love a good cult story, just wished it had focused on that aspect a little more. Good storylines though and likeable characters.
Love a good cult story, just wished it had focused on that aspect a little more. Good storylines though and likeable characters.
November 29, 2024
Was ok. Characters solid though... might try one more
November 7, 2022
This atmospheric story, set in St. Petroc, Cornwall is captured perfectly with its crashing waves, rugged cliffs and coveted surfer coastline. This small community is facing economic ruin leaving the inhabitants in fear and desperation. Hoping to secure funding for a marina they are willing to follow anyone with a promise to secure their future.
Tom Kilgannon, the barman at the local inn, has recently relocated to St. Petroc under the Witness Protection Program. Tom’s past causes him a lot of stress and this secluded location offers him a chance to live a safe and quiet life. Tom has hidden his new passport and other identity items in his coat which he keeps with him at all times.
Lila, a seventeen-year old runaway, blames herself when Kyle, a college student, goes missing. Seeking refuge, she breaks into Tom’s house and later takes off with his coat and everything about his new identity. He suspects that something sinister is going on at the travelers’ commune and he fears Lila is in danger but he needs his documents back before they fall into the wrong hands and put him in danger.
"The Old Religion" is based on the sinister and secretive paganism rituals of the Cornish old days among its inhabitants within the small community of St Petroc.
This resurrection of paganism is under the power of a nefarious force that spreads fear among all knowing no one would dare confront or challenge the majority.
This dark and suspenseful story with intense characters is a captivating read. The plot revolves around the chilling mystery of how things can get so out of control in a small community especially when lives are under extreme pressure.
Tom Kilgannon’s secret background isn’t revealed until the end which makes him and the storyline even more intriguing and mysterious.
Tom Kilgannon, the barman at the local inn, has recently relocated to St. Petroc under the Witness Protection Program. Tom’s past causes him a lot of stress and this secluded location offers him a chance to live a safe and quiet life. Tom has hidden his new passport and other identity items in his coat which he keeps with him at all times.
Lila, a seventeen-year old runaway, blames herself when Kyle, a college student, goes missing. Seeking refuge, she breaks into Tom’s house and later takes off with his coat and everything about his new identity. He suspects that something sinister is going on at the travelers’ commune and he fears Lila is in danger but he needs his documents back before they fall into the wrong hands and put him in danger.
"The Old Religion" is based on the sinister and secretive paganism rituals of the Cornish old days among its inhabitants within the small community of St Petroc.
This resurrection of paganism is under the power of a nefarious force that spreads fear among all knowing no one would dare confront or challenge the majority.
This dark and suspenseful story with intense characters is a captivating read. The plot revolves around the chilling mystery of how things can get so out of control in a small community especially when lives are under extreme pressure.
Tom Kilgannon’s secret background isn’t revealed until the end which makes him and the storyline even more intriguing and mysterious.
April 1, 2022
Well I was quite chuffed to come across this book as from the reviews & blurb it seemed to tick a lot of boxes for me. The basis of this book was, I felt, a very promising one & the prospect of it involving superstition & folklore was an appealing one to me. Combining this with crime/thriller action & I'd've thought it would be a sure fire winner. Sadly for me it failed to meet expectations.
Firstly, I was niggled about something in the story very early on. It seemed ridiculous to me that an ex- undercover cop enrolled in the witness protection programme would keep ALL his id - & that's his WHOLE Tom Killgannon identity - in his coat pocket!! All it did was to serve as a way to engineer a connection between Tom & Lila - surely it could have been done in a more plausible way? Rightly or wrongly, this annoyance festered at me throughout the book & which maybe affected its credibility in my eyes.
Secondly, I didn't like the characters. Now I don't find liking the characters to be essential to enjoying a book but I do have to believe in them while I'm reading it at least & I found this bunch hackneyed. Tom had potential but came over rather non-descript. Lila, Noah & co however, reminded me of thugs in a Martina Cole novel & from me that isn't a compliment, unlikeable characters that even their mothers would struggle to care about - frankly, I just didn't enjoy reading about them.
As to "the Old Religion" & the mysterious Morrigan (the revealing of whom was the only surprise in the book but by that point I was past caring), well things merely scratched the surface. I wanted more than the odd crow warning & a predictable sacrifice, too trite when it should've/could've been sinister.
By the time I had about 100 pages to go I just wanted to get it finished & the final chapters, including the little we learn of Morrigan, could have been out of any schlock horror novel. So overall I wasn't impressed - though you might have gathered that! ;o)
Firstly, I was niggled about something in the story very early on. It seemed ridiculous to me that an ex- undercover cop enrolled in the witness protection programme would keep ALL his id - & that's his WHOLE Tom Killgannon identity - in his coat pocket!! All it did was to serve as a way to engineer a connection between Tom & Lila - surely it could have been done in a more plausible way? Rightly or wrongly, this annoyance festered at me throughout the book & which maybe affected its credibility in my eyes.
Secondly, I didn't like the characters. Now I don't find liking the characters to be essential to enjoying a book but I do have to believe in them while I'm reading it at least & I found this bunch hackneyed. Tom had potential but came over rather non-descript. Lila, Noah & co however, reminded me of thugs in a Martina Cole novel & from me that isn't a compliment, unlikeable characters that even their mothers would struggle to care about - frankly, I just didn't enjoy reading about them.
As to "the Old Religion" & the mysterious Morrigan (the revealing of whom was the only surprise in the book but by that point I was past caring), well things merely scratched the surface. I wanted more than the odd crow warning & a predictable sacrifice, too trite when it should've/could've been sinister.
By the time I had about 100 pages to go I just wanted to get it finished & the final chapters, including the little we learn of Morrigan, could have been out of any schlock horror novel. So overall I wasn't impressed - though you might have gathered that! ;o)
January 13, 2020
Whatever promise this book may have had was lost in its determinedly competent, grimly mechanical assemblage of subplots. You could almost see the technical thought processes at work, because every backstory, every description, every incident and wrinkle, even most of the dialogue, read not as narrative but like pages from the author's character development notebooks. After 250 pages we find out a small trait of the lead character that turns out never to surface again, nor to have any impact on him as a character.
It's just bad writing.
Given his 'by numbers' technical approach, it's all the less forgivable that the author is utterly unable to build tension in the narrative or manage a reveal.
It was a text entirely without life.
I came here because of the author's claimed interest in Folk Horror. Unfortunately this just turned out to be the most perfunctory and pointless of his subplots. He was trying to dress it up as The Real Point, but couldn't because he's only interested in it as affect, just a peg to hang his dull and formulaic would-be thriller on: he can't even unfold the occult underbelly story well, which means it can't ever work.
On the back jacket Mark Billingham proclaims Waites 'one of the very best crime writers we have'. If that's the case get the humane killers, because crime writing's clearly beyond any hope.
It's just bad writing.
Given his 'by numbers' technical approach, it's all the less forgivable that the author is utterly unable to build tension in the narrative or manage a reveal.
It was a text entirely without life.
I came here because of the author's claimed interest in Folk Horror. Unfortunately this just turned out to be the most perfunctory and pointless of his subplots. He was trying to dress it up as The Real Point, but couldn't because he's only interested in it as affect, just a peg to hang his dull and formulaic would-be thriller on: he can't even unfold the occult underbelly story well, which means it can't ever work.
On the back jacket Mark Billingham proclaims Waites 'one of the very best crime writers we have'. If that's the case get the humane killers, because crime writing's clearly beyond any hope.
November 8, 2019
This book was painfully slow. The character development was painfully slow. The story wasn't a build up...it was PAINFULLY slow. I wanted to like this book so much. There was potential with the characters and the cross overs but it just fell so short for me. I ended up skimming quite a bit towards the end because I just couldn't take reading all this completely non important run on story about each character. I really really don't like leaving harsh or negative reviews but unfortunately this book was just not for me.
You have ex undercover cop Tom who loses his jacket that has all of his personal items to Lila who is running from a community of bad people in a crazy ass village that is united because of this one person who believes in 'the old religion' and wants to save it. It was just far-fetched and yessss this is a book and that is the whole point of escaping into a read. I can appreciate the different beliefs aspect in the book but the mystery and thriller theme of it all was nonexistent to me. This was just a little too perplexing in the SERIOUSLY? and OH COME ON! kind of way. Like I said, not a read for me unfortunately. :(
Thank you Netgalley, publisher and Martyn Waites for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
You have ex undercover cop Tom who loses his jacket that has all of his personal items to Lila who is running from a community of bad people in a crazy ass village that is united because of this one person who believes in 'the old religion' and wants to save it. It was just far-fetched and yessss this is a book and that is the whole point of escaping into a read. I can appreciate the different beliefs aspect in the book but the mystery and thriller theme of it all was nonexistent to me. This was just a little too perplexing in the SERIOUSLY? and OH COME ON! kind of way. Like I said, not a read for me unfortunately. :(
Thank you Netgalley, publisher and Martyn Waites for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews