▁originally ▁inspired ▁by ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁B irmingham ▁Corporation ' s ▁El an ▁Valley ▁Res er voir s ▁from ▁ 1 8 9 3 – 1 9 0 4 , ▁and ▁the ▁country ▁travers ed ▁by ▁their ▁associated ▁aqu ed uct . ▁The ▁Black ▁Diam ond ▁( 1 9 2 1 ) ▁tells ▁the ▁story ▁of ▁a ▁labour er ▁working ▁on ▁the ▁aqu ed uct ▁in ▁the ▁region ▁around ▁Knight on , ▁while ▁The ▁House ▁Under ▁the ▁Water ▁( 1 9 3 2 ) ▁de als ▁at ▁length ▁with ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁res er voir s ▁themselves . ▁ ▁The ▁series ▁expanded ▁into ▁a ▁wide - r anging ▁study ▁of ▁Mid lands ▁society ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0 s ▁through ▁to ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁ ▁Although ▁linked ▁by ▁rec urr ing ▁characters , ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁Mer cian ▁nov els ▁can ▁be ▁read ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁work . ▁ ▁They ▁range ▁in ▁style ▁from ▁the ▁atmos pher ic ▁psych ological ▁horror ▁of ▁Cold ▁Har bour ▁( 1 9 2 4 ; ▁pra ised ▁by ▁H . ▁P . ▁Love craft ) ▁to ▁the ▁rom antic ▁family ▁s aga ▁of ▁Port rait ▁of ▁Cla re ▁( 1 9 2 7 ), ▁which ▁won ▁that ▁year ' s ▁James ▁T ait ▁Black ▁Memorial ▁Prize . ▁ ▁Like ▁Thomas ▁Hard y ' s ▁W esse x ▁nov els , ▁the ▁Mer cian ▁nov els ▁are ▁un ified ▁by ▁their ▁setting — a ▁semi - f ict ional