BBC Radio 4 Limelight strand, November 12, 2021 and on BBC Sounds

DI Ward is helped and hindered as she investigates a disappearance and reappearance…

The middle episode of this series of Harland continues to throw a lot more into the mix. Who or what are the Four? What do Celtic myths about hares have to do with the mid-21st century? And what exactly did happen to Sarah prior to the series that has made so many people concerned about her?

The supernatural side to the series is gradually ramping up, reminding me of John Connolly’s Charlie Parker novels – we’re inveigled into the investigation, and the otherworldly causes make themselves apparent once we’re engrossed. For SFB readers, who have come to this for the genre elements, that’s not an issue, but Lucy Catherine carefully doles out these strands for those who are expecting more of a standard police drama – what did happen in the church, and what is the vicar scared of revealing?

The introduction of a love interest for Sarah comes slightly out of left field and I am wondering if his arrival is orchestrated by the (so far pretty much) unseen forces…

Verdict: The addition of new elements keep the tension up. 7/10

Paul Simpson