Tenille, 13, who has never left the council area of London where she grew up, makes her way surreptitiously from London to the Lake District in search of safety and the one adult she believes she can trust–Jane Gresham. Jane, a Wordsworth scholar, is at home at the family farm in Fellhead where the family for generations has farmed the hardy local Herdwick sheep. Jane is in Fellhead assembling evidence that Fletcher Christian returned from Pitcairn Island to tell his story to his old school-buddy, William Wordsworth. Val McDermid spins a compelling literary/history mystery in The Grave Tattoo.
Peter Rabbit, Mrs. Tiggywinkle, Jeremy Fisher, and friends occupy the same landscape–England’s Lake District. Beatrix Potter, author of these animal tales, found her inspiration in the natural world of the Lake District, which even in the early 20th century was succumbing to development. She brought the native Herdwick sheep back from near extinction, purchased seven farms and deeded 4000 acres and flocks of sheep to the National Trust with stipulation the farms remain farms producing Herdwick sheep, which continues–the sheep flocks belong to the farms and to the National Trust.
Herdwick sheep produce both meat and fleece (some sheep are bred specifically for the quality of their wool–like Merino; some are bred specifically for the quality of their meat). The outer layers of the wool shed water and the inner fibers–those closer the sheep’s skin insulate. The wool from Herdy is a bit coarse for fine work or next-to-skin use, but it is perfect for outerwear, carpeting, bags–anything requiring durability. Herdwick sheep have the most adorable faces, and by all accounts are affectionate. Something like 90% of Herdwick sheep are found around Coniston in the Lake District. A couple of strains of Herdwick are now being introduced to the US as well. The cute, affectionate beasts know their own and know their home. They possess an innate mechanism that allows them to home in on the fell (mountain) where they were born.
Back to Jane and Tenille: In The Grave Tattoo, the landscape is a vital character. McDermid creates a strong sense of place, allowing the reader to experience the wilds of the Lake District. I’ve read and/or listened to The Grave Tattoo at least 4 times (but it might have been more). The novel takes me to places I’ve visited, places that are quite literally breath-taking in their elemental beauty.
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