In the opening pages of John Blackburn’s
Bury Him Darkly,
we are introduced to the legend of Sir Martin Railstone. He lived most of his
life in relative obscurity in the 18
th century. However, late in his
life, he entered an unexpected period of genius, both artistic and scientific.
Rumours swirled that this was due to demonic possession, and many dark stories
have circulated about him ever since. Sir Martin spent the last several years
of his life furiously at work in almost total isolation. Upon his death, he
decreed that all his work from this period be buried with him until the day
that a (very specifically described) ancestor could lay claim to the
inheritance.
Until then, the Church of England has been entrusted with
the tomb and its contents. Yet due to the scandalous rumours about Sir Martin,
the Church has refused to open the tomb. And now, time is running out. A new
dam will leave Sir Martin’s tomb under hundreds of feet of water. Thus, a group
of his devotees – including a historian, a former Nazi scientist, and a wealthy
industrialist – take it upon themselves to open up the tomb before it is too
late.
