“The Language of the Dead” is a mystery set in a small village in England during World War II. As German bombs are dropped on the area, the local police department must solve the deaths of three long-time residents of a rural Hampshire village. Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Lamb and his team are confronted by the deaths of two men and one woman who seemingly have no connection to one another.
The first murder is of a local farmer who is brutally murdered. The killing of this man, who villagers believe to be a witch, bears the marks of the occult–a rusty pitchfork was thrust through his heart and a cross was carved into his forehead. Within days of the first murder, two other bodies are found, but they do not bear any of the brutal signs of the first killing.
As Lamb investigates these crimes, he seeks the help of Lord Pembroke, a wealthy landowner who once used his farm as a training school for boys from the local orphanage. Peter, one of the boys that Pembroke has semi-adopted, still lives on the grounds of the estate. A very talented artist, he leaves drawings of butterflies and other insects as clues to help Lamb. Unfortunately, Peter becomes the prime suspect in the murders.
The setting–time and place–add to the suspense of the story. The cast of characters, all flawed in their own ways, are complex and believable. It isn’t until the last few chapters that the clues fall into place and reveal dark and sinister events that lead to the murders.