MANY book lovers in the Marches will be familiar with the cases of the Rev Merrily Watkins, the heavy-smoking woman exorcist from Hereford.

In Phil Rickman's latest novel, The Smile of a Ghost, she ventures into the northern end of the diocese and on to the streets of Ludlow. A young boy falls to his death from the tower of the ruined castle. Merrily is called in after the dead boy is seen walking around town.

According to many guide books Ludlow can field enough ghosts for a rugby XV. However, Rickman claims: "Apart from the parts of the castle, I don't find it spooky at all. It actually has a very friendly feel about it, which was what I was looking for. I needed the Ludlow in the novel to have a rather seductive atmosphere."

He has fitted in one of the town's best known ghosts, Marion de la Bruyere, who has been flinging herself off the castle tower since the 13th century. "I did a lot of research," he says, "but in the end Marion was the one who fitted. The story involves the contemporary problem of teenage suicide and finds modern parallels with her story."

Rickman also consulted Leon Bracelin, whose regular Ghost Walks feature in the book. He found Leon "very helpful" but "he bears no resemblance to the man I have doing his job".

The Smile of a Ghost is out in time for Christmas and Rickman is preparing for a series of signings that will take him across the Marches. You can catch him at Hay Library on November 14 and at Foxwoods Bookshop in Leominster and The Castle Bookshop in Ludlow on the 18th. He is at Waterstones in Hereford on the 19th, Burway Books in Church Stretton on the 22nd, Ludlow Library on the 26th and back at The Castle Bookshop on December 17.

He is also appearing at the Hay Winter Festival on December 2. Click on to www.philrickman.co.uk for full details.