Notes on the Settings and Characters of “Possession” by L. P. Davies (1976)

Time Setting:
'Possession' opens in early May 1975.

Place Setting:
Wiltshire setting, but with what seems to be a mixture of real and imaginary places. As is usual with Mr. Davies' novels, it would be a challenge to identify all the places he mentions. The university town of 'Greysham' may well be Swindon renamed, but some at least of the places named here will either be the author's inventions, or will have been transposed in from outside the area.
The market town of ‘St. Martin’ → 'Belhampton’ → Pewsey → left turn to Marlborough. ‘Belhampton’, with its upmarket houses, was on the Pewsey road, about 2 miles from ‘St. Martin’.

Characters:
Before his death, Eddie Astey had worked for Ash Metals, which was run by David Carter, with Eileen Fox working in the office. Eddie had boarded with Mrs. Emily Roughsedge, who was in her late 60s. - p 101

Morgan Astey, 28 years, his older half-brother, investigates Eddie's death, helped 1) by local reporter, Pat Lister, from the St. Martin & Belhampton Advertiser, and 2) by the 'St. Martin' CID Detective-Sergeant, Jimmy Wright. Morgan, a site surveyor working for the energy Commission, is staying in the old Spinner’s Arms in the market square of ‘St. Martin’.

Albert Crashaw, about 25 years, was a window-cleaner and odd-job man, etc..

Sid Green, proprietor of a small garage on the 'Shotley' road, was looking after Eddie’s Japanese motorbike.

The Police at ‘Shotley’ and ‘St. Martin’, the latter reporting to a superior based at the Devizes police station.

Living at ‘The Firs’, 'Belhampton' was Dr. Murton Boyle, D.Sc., in his mid-50’s, a physiology lecturer from ‘Greysham University’, Wiltshire G4 7YP. - p 121 He was ostensibly doing some research for elderly multi-millionaire property developer, Karl Raygelde, who ran Manifold. Ambitious Manifold directors, H_ _ _ _ _ and Josef Van Woors, were somehow involved in the background.
George Spennet was Dr. Boyle’s helper (factotum).

Plot Teasers:
Who was Eddie’s mysterious friend, ‘Ronald Garvey’, who had claimed to be a travelling salesman for a Devizes firm?
Who is using the Brazilian Macumba [black magic?] rituals, and why?
Had Eddie Astey’s personality really taken over Albert Crashaw’s body?

(Page references are to the Crime Club edition published by Doubleday in 1976.) ( )