Mary, the second book is called The Pure in Heart, which I have just finished. It was a year since I read the first one but I think I enjoyed that slightly more. The Simon Seraillier character is less sympathetically portrayed than the female policewoman (can't remember her name) of the first book.
Hill is certainly clever in leaving the 'open ending'; wanting you to read more.

The Pure in Heart is followed by The Risk of Darkness. The latest one is The Going Down of the Sun, not yet published.

I wish she would just once give us a happy ending.

I read The Various Haunts of Men and I found it very dissatisfying.

MAJOR SPOILER FOLLOWS:-

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The book was mainly about the policewoman (whose name escapes me); Simon Serralier was really a fairly peripheral character with whom she falls in love. We don't find out much about him; most of what we find out is what she finds out about him. We find out more about her and her relationship with Serralier, and also the other policeman she works with. The main voice throughout the book is really that policewoman - she is the central character.

And then, right at the end of the book, she is killed. Totally unsatisfactory. I got the impression it was done this way just to cause an impact. Well, it did that, all right - it made me completely unwilling to read the next book in the series.

I'd have been fascinated to find out how the relationship between Serrallier and the policewoman had progressed - but she was the one I was most interested in.

Very annoying.

The Woman in Black is still brilliant, though.

WARNING -- Spoilers for The Various Haunts of Men

I understand and agree with many of Martin's complaints, but I did still enjoy the writing and the story for what it was. Although I wasn't happy with the ending, I could overlook that in future books if the focus switched to Simon Seraillier. Like Martin said, not only was he a peripheral character in this one, you didn't find out enough about him to pull you into the rest of the series.

Can anyone share a bit more about how subsequent books are written? Does Simon become the main character, or is he always shown through another character's eyes?

I can't answer your question about Simon, but I had to post that I went to a library book sale over the weekend and found a hardcover volume of The Woman in Black. Glancing through it, I got chills all over again. Definitely not a book to read at night, and alone!

Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed the writing and, up to the end, I enjoyed the story. I was just so upset by the ending - and it didn't feel like good writing either. It was as if a wonderful piece of classical music suddenly had a discordant modern ending just tacked onto it for no good reason.

Thanks for all your input. I've finished this one now and really liked it a lot, although I admit being a bit shocked by the death of the heroine, Freya. I want to read more of Hill's work.

Yes, the subsequent books do feature Simon. They also end unsatisfactorily. I'm telling you--she is a wonderful writer who just doesn't do happy endings; e.g., The Woman in Black, The Second Mrs. deWinter. I'm afraid to read any of her other books (but I will be getting the Serrailler ones. I'm hooked).

But then, do Ruth Rendall and P.D. James always have "happy endings"???