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As the shadow of World War II descends over Europe, Detective Inspector Thomas Lamb hunts for an elusive killer behind the veil of a seemingly charming English village. German bombers are arriving daily, seeking to decimate England. But in a rural Hampshire village, things have remained fairly quiet—until an elderly loner, Will Blackwell, is brutally murdered. The method of his killing bears the hallmarks of the traditional vanquishing of a witch, and indeed, local legend claims that as a boy, Blackwell encountered a ghostly black dog sent from the devil, who struck a bargain for Blackwell’s soul. Not long after the murder, a young woman who is carrying the illegitimate child of a fighter pilot also is violently killed; then a local drunkard ends up in an abandoned mill with the back of his head bashed in. As the Germans continue their relentless attack, Detective Inspector Thomas Lamb rushes to solve the crimes. Do the killer’s motivations lie in the murky regions of the occult?

The history of Adams County is rich, beginning with its establishment in 1797 as Ohio's third-oldest county. Key features include the Ohio River's role in commerce and the preservation of prehistoric earthworks like the Great Serpent Mound. The area was significant in the abolitionist movement, serving as a critical point on the Underground Railroad. During the Civil War, it was impacted by Confederate raids. Vintage views in this book, sourced from local historical societies and private collections, illustrate the county's storied past.