Maureen Jennings’ mystery, Let Darkness Bury the Dead, (2017) is a Murdock Mystery. I did not choose this novel because of the story, but rather because I like Maureen Jennings’ writing and the Murdock character she has created. It turned out that the novel is a story of the First World War, 100 years ago. I finished reading the novel just before Remembrance Day.
This story presents a very good description of the hardships and horrors of the Great War as well as a vivid portrayal of Victorian life in Toronto Ontario.
Murdock’s young son, 21 years old, has returned from France having personally experienced the scars of battle along with his friend who also is suffering from the horror of war. Meanwhile, Murdock, a senior detective, is called upon to solve a series of murders of men who were exempted from conscription. The author has woven the details of the events of the war into the story in a way that captivates the reader.
Poetry and historical excerpts also play an important part in the telling of this story. It is a very interesting read.
- Sr. Valerie Van Cauwenberghe, csj