Candlenight

In Candlenight, a schoolteacher confronts the dark superstitions of her Welsh village as newcomers unknowingly awaken ancient fears and secrets.

In Candlenight, a standalone supernatural thriller by Phil Rickman, the story unfolds in a remote Welsh mountain village, where the shadows of ancient fears and primal longings linger. The protagonist, Bethan, a schoolteacher, finds herself grappling with the old superstitions that permeate her community. To her, these beliefs seem primitive and unappealing, making her optimistic about the arrival of the sophisticated Freemans from London. She hopes their presence will bring a breath of fresh air to the village's outdated customs.

However, the Freemans, eager to immerse themselves in the local culture, ignore the warnings of an old colleague. They are drawn into the village’s deep-rooted traditions, unaware of the dark secrets that lie beneath the surface. As they navigate their new environment, they begin to uncover the community's ancient, bloody past, which is steeped in pagan rituals and haunting folklore. The allure of the village quickly turns sinister as they realize that the old ways are not just relics of the past but living, breathing forces that can have devastating consequences.

Candlenight invites readers to explore the tension between modernity and tradition, revealing how the past can shape the present in unexpected and terrifying ways. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that some secrets are better left buried, and the consequences of unearthing them can be dire.