by Joy Wilkinson

Target/BBC Books, out now

 

When the TARDIS lands in the Lancashire village of Bilehurst Cragg in the 17th century, the Doctor and her ‘fam’ become embroiled in a witch hunt.

Joy Wilkinson’s 2018 Series 11 episode of Doctor Who was one of my favourite of the Thirteenth Doctor’s first season – I even made a pilgrimage to visit Savage Manor (aka Llancaiach Fawr Manor) on a trip to South Wales – so I was delighted to find out that the author was writing a Target novelisation of her folk horror tale of paranoia and mud-witches.

Think you know how this story ends? You really don’t. The televised episode concluded with the TARDIS dematerialising in front of Willa and King James, but our young heroine has a longer tale to tell. Yet again in this latest batch of Targets, the author has taken their own core story and added to it in such a way that a TV episode couldn’t manage.

Willa Twiston is our anchor in this story, with Wilkinson feeding us greater detail about her bloodline and village life before the witch hunts. Indeed, we’re treated to an entire opening chapter which contextualises the evil deeds of the Morax and what war crime atrocities they committed to deserve eternal incarceration. And threaded across the entire novel is an ongoing strand following Willa as she writes to the Doctor, pleading for help before the hangman arrives at dawn.

Wilkinson allows herself a scene on the TARDIS before the crew reach the village – in the show they’re first seen outside the blue box – and adds further detail, gags and exposition where appropriate. But none of this feels like filler, rather content that was excised for length rather than relevance. If anything, King James comes across better on paper – he doesn’t have the fruity performance by Alan Cummins that at times suggested he’d just wandered in off the set of a Carry On film.

Verdict: Another winning Target novelisation, and I can think of no better way to immortalise Jodie’s tenure in this series than Joy Wilkinson’s witchy brew. From one Joy to another, I thank you for this… joy! 9/10

Nick Joy

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