Phil Rickman isn’t unusual among crime writers for mingling supernatural elements with earthly crimes. What makes him different is his way of grounding his novels in the real world, and of bringing a wry sense of humour to his other-worldly themes. His latest novel, Night After Night (Atlanti, £18.99, Spectator Bookshop, £16.99) is a wonderful example of his ability to pull off this fiendishly difficult combination.
A TV production company hires a journalist, Grayle Underhill, to research Knap Hall, a reputedly haunted country house with a chequered history. Its most recent owner, the world-famous model and film star Trinity Ansell, died in tragic circumstances. Trinity was obsessed with the house and its rumoured connection with Catherine Parr, Henry VIII’s last wife, who died at nearby Sudeley Castle.
The production company plans to use the house to film a reality TV series named Big Other, a version of Celebrity Big Brother, in which seven needy B-list celebrities — a volatile mix of sceptics and believers — explore the ghostly presences of Knap Hall.
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