Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
HMH Books
Description
The first entry in the acclaimed Ruth Galloway series follows the "captivating"* archaeologist as she investigates a child's bones found on a nearby beach, thought to be the remains of a little girl who went missing ten years before. Forensic archeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway is in her late thirties. She lives happily alone with her two cats in a bleak, remote area near Norfolk, land that was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants--not quite earth, not quite sea. But her routine days of digging up bones and other ancient objects are harshly upended when a child's bones are found on a desolate beach. Detective Chief Inspector Nelson calls Galloway for help, believing they are the remains of Lucy Downey, a little girl who went missing a decade ago and whose abductor continues to taunt him with bizarre letters containing references to ritual sacrifice, Shakespeare, and the Bible. Then a second girl goes missing and Nelson receives a new letter--exactly like the ones about Lucy. Is it the same killer? Or a copycat murderer, linked in some way to the site near Ruth's remote home? *Louise Penny… (more)
Media reviews
A highly atmospheric mystery set in the desolate salt marshes of England’s Norfolk coast.
User reviews
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
I was immediately drawn into The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths, making an instant connection with the main character. Ruth is portrayed as a mature woman, invested in her academic career, independent and capable, living in beautiful isolation with her two cats. She has her issues and problems,
Ruth, a forensic archaeologist, is approached by the police to assist in the case of a missing young girl. Bones have been found and they need an expert opinion to date them. Even though these turn out to be Iron Age bones, Ruth and DI Nelson have established a connection and he continues to rely on her expertise in this case. He is also haunted by another, older case involving a missing child. Connecting these two cases are anonymous letters that make archaeological, biblical and literary references which resonate with Ruth.
The author has written a absorbing story and her main characters are both interesting and well developed. I felt she didn’t do quite as good a job with her secondary characters, as they seemed a little stereotypic She has placed her story in a unique setting of barren salt marshes, and blended the ancient and modern worlds to make The Crossing Places a creative ands well-crafted mystery.
Show More
but she is far from a helpless heroine. With wry humor and intelligence, she faces her weight problem and loneliness in equal measures.Ruth, a forensic archaeologist, is approached by the police to assist in the case of a missing young girl. Bones have been found and they need an expert opinion to date them. Even though these turn out to be Iron Age bones, Ruth and DI Nelson have established a connection and he continues to rely on her expertise in this case. He is also haunted by another, older case involving a missing child. Connecting these two cases are anonymous letters that make archaeological, biblical and literary references which resonate with Ruth.
The author has written a absorbing story and her main characters are both interesting and well developed. I felt she didn’t do quite as good a job with her secondary characters, as they seemed a little stereotypic She has placed her story in a unique setting of barren salt marshes, and blended the ancient and modern worlds to make The Crossing Places a creative ands well-crafted mystery.
Show Less
LibraryThing member chinquapin
Dr. Ruth Galloway is a different kind of mystery detective... she is an overweight, underdressed, cat-harboring academic in the field of forensic archaeology who has amazing insight and wit along with that rare ability to laugh at herself. She is asked by Detective Harry Nelson to identify some
I was quickly drawn into this moody, atmospheric novel, mainly because I really liked the main character, Dr. Ruth Galloway. The other characters are also well drawn, and I was somewhat surprised by what seemed like an unlikely relationship between stoic, blunt Detective Harry Nelson and Ruth. I was quite attached to them by the end of the novel and look forward to reading on in the series to find out what happens next. Additionally, the author does an excellent job describing the saltmarsh, with its history, its terrors and its subtle beauty. The mystery was likewise excellent, well plotted and not at all obvious, and yet not too complicated either.
Show More
bones that have been found out at the saltmarsh. He is hoping that they are the remains of Lucy Downey, a young 5 year old girl who disappeared ten years earlier, but they turn out to be ancient remains from the Iron Age, some 2000 years ago. Then another young girl disappears and Ruth finds herself being drawn into the investigation because of some letters that have been sent to Detective Nelson that are filled with archaeological, literary and even biblical references. Ruth is truly challenged and shocked during the course of the investigation, and her world will never be the same.I was quickly drawn into this moody, atmospheric novel, mainly because I really liked the main character, Dr. Ruth Galloway. The other characters are also well drawn, and I was somewhat surprised by what seemed like an unlikely relationship between stoic, blunt Detective Harry Nelson and Ruth. I was quite attached to them by the end of the novel and look forward to reading on in the series to find out what happens next. Additionally, the author does an excellent job describing the saltmarsh, with its history, its terrors and its subtle beauty. The mystery was likewise excellent, well plotted and not at all obvious, and yet not too complicated either.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Romonko
I have wanted to read this first book in the Ruth Galloway series for awhile now as I've heard so much about it. It was ok I guess, but I don't think I'll read anymore in this series. I found Ruth very annoying. She is immature and can't seem to think for herself. I figured out who the killer was
Show More
early in the book, I did find the plot a bit disjointed as well. I realize that I'm going against what the majority of the reviewers have written about the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member nbmars
This is Book One of the Ruth Galloway Mystery Series, featuring Ruth Galloway, a forensic archeologist at the (fictional) University of North Norfolk, and Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson of the Norfolk Police. The two team up to solve a crime when old bones are found in the saltmarsh near
Archeologists are drawn to that marshland, because prehistoric man thought the border between land and sea was symbolic and often performed rituals and left sacrifices there. [Norfolk, in the East of England, is bordered by the North Sea.] In fact, Ruth first came to the area ten years earlier while on an archeological dig, and fell in love with the place.
Ruth is almost 40, and weighs 12 1/2 stone (175 pounds). What is very, very unique about this crime series is not only that Ruth is not a svelte and gorgeous (but usually, junk-eating) protagonist. It also is the case that Ruth, who approaches the issue of her weight with self-deprecating humor and acceptance albeit self-consciousness, is at no loss for suitors.
Harry Nelson is tall and dark with greying hair and a reputation of brusque impatience. He quickly comes to like Ruth; she knows her field; she does good, careful work; and neither seems to despise Harry or kowtow to him. Rather, she acts as if they are equals, and this elicits his respect for her. He muses:
“There’s something interesting, even refreshing, about a woman who doesn’t care whether or not she’s attractive.”
As Ruth uncovers more leads about the missing girls and gets closer to the truth of what happened to them, her own life is in danger. Harry responds immediately when she calls, but when she gets too close to the killer, she has no way to reach him.
Discussion: This quickly turned into a book I didn’t want to put down. The characters are very likable, you will learn a lot about prehistory, and there is thrilling suspense toward the end. Both Nelson and Ruth have wonderfully wry senses of humor. I can’t wait to read more books in the series.
Show More
Ruth’s cottage, with Harry hoping the bones will help clear up some cases of missing children.Archeologists are drawn to that marshland, because prehistoric man thought the border between land and sea was symbolic and often performed rituals and left sacrifices there. [Norfolk, in the East of England, is bordered by the North Sea.] In fact, Ruth first came to the area ten years earlier while on an archeological dig, and fell in love with the place.
Ruth is almost 40, and weighs 12 1/2 stone (175 pounds). What is very, very unique about this crime series is not only that Ruth is not a svelte and gorgeous (but usually, junk-eating) protagonist. It also is the case that Ruth, who approaches the issue of her weight with self-deprecating humor and acceptance albeit self-consciousness, is at no loss for suitors.
Harry Nelson is tall and dark with greying hair and a reputation of brusque impatience. He quickly comes to like Ruth; she knows her field; she does good, careful work; and neither seems to despise Harry or kowtow to him. Rather, she acts as if they are equals, and this elicits his respect for her. He muses:
“There’s something interesting, even refreshing, about a woman who doesn’t care whether or not she’s attractive.”
As Ruth uncovers more leads about the missing girls and gets closer to the truth of what happened to them, her own life is in danger. Harry responds immediately when she calls, but when she gets too close to the killer, she has no way to reach him.
Discussion: This quickly turned into a book I didn’t want to put down. The characters are very likable, you will learn a lot about prehistory, and there is thrilling suspense toward the end. Both Nelson and Ruth have wonderfully wry senses of humor. I can’t wait to read more books in the series.
Show Less
LibraryThing member cathyskye
First Line: They wait for the tide and set out at first light.
Archaeologist Ruth Galloway loves her life out on the Saltmarsh in England. It's land that was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants; a land that's not quite earth, not quite sea.
Blackpool native Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson has a
The facts are that the remains are two thousand years old, but Ruth finds herself drawn into the Downey case. She reads the letters and finds the archaeological knowledge of the writer intriguing. Then another child goes missing, and Ruth finds herself in very real danger.
The Norfolk landscape of The Crossing Places seemed like a character in this book, and it's a place of which I'd like to know more. It certainly lent atmosphere and a sense of stubbornness to the plot. The characters of Ruth Galloway and Harry Nelson were layered and interesting and a pleasure to read. Although I have to admit that the murderer in this case was as clear to me as the freckled stub nose on my face, the landscape and the characters are so interesting that I can forgive that one failing. I want to read more about Ruth as soon as I possibly can!
Archaeologist Ruth Galloway loves her life out on the Saltmarsh in England. It's land that was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants; a land that's not quite earth, not quite sea.
Blackpool native Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson has a
Show More
Northerner's eye for land and hasn't a clue what anyone would see in this desolate place. All he does know is that he's been getting bizarre letters referring to Lucy Downey, a young girl who's been missing for over ten years. When he finds remains out on the Saltmarsh, he calls in Ruth to tell him the facts.The facts are that the remains are two thousand years old, but Ruth finds herself drawn into the Downey case. She reads the letters and finds the archaeological knowledge of the writer intriguing. Then another child goes missing, and Ruth finds herself in very real danger.
The Norfolk landscape of The Crossing Places seemed like a character in this book, and it's a place of which I'd like to know more. It certainly lent atmosphere and a sense of stubbornness to the plot. The characters of Ruth Galloway and Harry Nelson were layered and interesting and a pleasure to read. Although I have to admit that the murderer in this case was as clear to me as the freckled stub nose on my face, the landscape and the characters are so interesting that I can forgive that one failing. I want to read more about Ruth as soon as I possibly can!
Show Less
LibraryThing member auntmarge64
A great beginning to a new mystery series starring Ruth Galloway, an almost-40 year old, somewhat overweight, professor of archaeology who lives by a salt marsh in rural northern England. Called in to identify and date bones found in the marsh (which turn out to be Iron Age), she becomes deeply
There is one major problem: the map provided is very out of scale, and it took me most of the book to get a sense of the distances. Because of this I had a hard time understanding why some of the important plot developments were so difficult for the characters to achieve. Still, I will be looking forward to more from this new crime novelist about Ruth and her friends (feline and otherwise). (Actually, I'd like to have her as a friend myself.)
Show More
involved in the search for two missing little girls, one taken 10 years ago and the other recently. Ruth is a wonderful character (emotionally strong, honest about herself, smart, and interested in the world around her) and the marsh and sea are described vividly. Much of the text is pitch perfect. An example is Ruth's arrival home one day, meeting one of her cats as she goes to the front door: "Flint appears on her doorstep mewing piteously for admittance even though he has his own cat-flap and has, in fact, been snoozing inside all day". Yup, that's a cat. There is one major problem: the map provided is very out of scale, and it took me most of the book to get a sense of the distances. Because of this I had a hard time understanding why some of the important plot developments were so difficult for the characters to achieve. Still, I will be looking forward to more from this new crime novelist about Ruth and her friends (feline and otherwise). (Actually, I'd like to have her as a friend myself.)
Show Less
LibraryThing member mirrordrum
Well! I thoroughly enjoyed this auspicious start to Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway mystery series. Ruth, a forensic archeologist, co-stars with DCI Harry Nelson and the fictional Saltmarsh in Norfolk, England to deliver a neat little piece that goes down easily.
Ten years before the story begins, a
I like Ruth. She lives on the edge of the Saltmarsh, teaches archeology at the local university, is a zaftig size 16, and counts Iron Age burial sites to put herself to sleep. She has a weakness for bugle beads, sequins, and diamanté but wears only plain dark clothes because of her weight. Her specialty is forensics and she’s an expert in bone preservation and a mine of information on Iron Age archeological sites, especially those in the Saltmarsh.
The mystery itself is unremarkable. There is a cast of rather quirky secondary characters and some misdirection and a red-herring or two that are fairly standard fare. Someone is writing cryptic, taunting letters about the missing girls to DCI Nelson that generally confuse things. I actually enjoyed those as they had me searching the internet for things mentioned therein like "cursuses" and "causeways." I learned things from doing that, always a plus for me. There's a littlef romance thrown in largely, I suspect, as a sop to the romantically inclined. It didn't interest me but neither did it put me off. Galloway does have an enjoyable sense of humor and an ability to create tension without causing satiety.
The marsh, in league with the sea, provides some absolutely white-knuckle moments. The archeological material throughout is wonderful.There are also thought-provoking questions raised within the narrative flow about the comparative virtues, or vices, of leaving sacred sites in situ versus removing them to museums to preserve them artificially. The writing is good, sometimes very good, and the denouement satisfactory.
This is a book in which, for me at least, the setting trumps human characters as the most compelling force in the story. The Saltmarsh and the tides that maintain it are ruthless, unforgiving and beautiful to those who love them. We meet it in winter when it is a dark presence with secrets and mysteries far more fascinating than those contrived by mere humans. The marsh, it is said, does not easily give up what it has once claimed, but humans, scraping at the surface, do occasionally break its hold.
Author Ellie Griffiths, like Ruth Galloway, fell in love with the real salt marsh in Norfolk while on an archeological dig. Her love of the place and her knowledge of archeology shine through the book and that alone would make it well worth reading. The main character, too, is a draw for me. I look forward eagerly to her next one.
This is a review of the audible.com edition superbly narrated by Jane McDowell.
Ten years before the story begins, a
Show More
little girl named Lucy Downey disappeared near the Saltmarsh. When a child’s bones are discovered in the marsh, DCI Nelson asks Dr. Ruth Galloway to help the police determine the age of the bones on the chance that they may be Lucy’s remains. The body is indeed that of an Iron Age child, so Lucy is still lost and soon after Ruth becomes involved, another child disappears. Evil is afoot.I like Ruth. She lives on the edge of the Saltmarsh, teaches archeology at the local university, is a zaftig size 16, and counts Iron Age burial sites to put herself to sleep. She has a weakness for bugle beads, sequins, and diamanté but wears only plain dark clothes because of her weight. Her specialty is forensics and she’s an expert in bone preservation and a mine of information on Iron Age archeological sites, especially those in the Saltmarsh.
The mystery itself is unremarkable. There is a cast of rather quirky secondary characters and some misdirection and a red-herring or two that are fairly standard fare. Someone is writing cryptic, taunting letters about the missing girls to DCI Nelson that generally confuse things. I actually enjoyed those as they had me searching the internet for things mentioned therein like "cursuses" and "causeways." I learned things from doing that, always a plus for me. There's a littlef romance thrown in largely, I suspect, as a sop to the romantically inclined. It didn't interest me but neither did it put me off. Galloway does have an enjoyable sense of humor and an ability to create tension without causing satiety.
The marsh, in league with the sea, provides some absolutely white-knuckle moments. The archeological material throughout is wonderful.There are also thought-provoking questions raised within the narrative flow about the comparative virtues, or vices, of leaving sacred sites in situ versus removing them to museums to preserve them artificially. The writing is good, sometimes very good, and the denouement satisfactory.
This is a book in which, for me at least, the setting trumps human characters as the most compelling force in the story. The Saltmarsh and the tides that maintain it are ruthless, unforgiving and beautiful to those who love them. We meet it in winter when it is a dark presence with secrets and mysteries far more fascinating than those contrived by mere humans. The marsh, it is said, does not easily give up what it has once claimed, but humans, scraping at the surface, do occasionally break its hold.
Author Ellie Griffiths, like Ruth Galloway, fell in love with the real salt marsh in Norfolk while on an archeological dig. Her love of the place and her knowledge of archeology shine through the book and that alone would make it well worth reading. The main character, too, is a draw for me. I look forward eagerly to her next one.
This is a review of the audible.com edition superbly narrated by Jane McDowell.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Bookmarque
Like many others, I pegged the killer early on and even if Erik wasn't guilty of that crime, it was easy to assign him villain status because he was just such a jerk. Seriously, why did Ruth put up with his crap? Other than her having low self esteem for form's sake, that is. Can't we just once
Show More
have a professional, successful woman who isn't chewed up with insecurity? I mean a little, sure, but this woman was forever second-guessing herself and running herself down. It must be like the rule that if a cat appears in the first act it must die by the third. Between that and the info-dumps delivered as mini-lectures to a conveniently ignorant cop, I just couldn't warm to Ruth despite having a lot in common with her. This series has caught my attention now and again over the years (mostly because some editions have great covers) and now I've tried one, I won't be tempted again. Show Less
LibraryThing member Zumbanista
I enjoyed Elly Griffiths', The Crossing Places, first of a series featuring forensic archeologist, Dr. Ruth Galloway. I'd say the novel was more than a cozy mystery, but not intolerably graphic. It's easy to read and I went full steam ahead. I felt the pacing was just right for me
There's some very
The author writes in the present tense which was initially jarring but I got used to it.
There is good information on the Bronze and Iron Age, Norse mythology and archeology, which I enjoyed learning about.
There is reasonably good character development for a first book of a series. I felt our protagonist, Ruth, was quite realistically written and forgave her few uncharacteristic actions and behaviours.
The plot was slightly predictable and I did pick out the killer before the actual reveal.
The Crossing Places shows a lot of promise and I will be searching out the next book in the series.
There's some very
Show More
descriptive writing regarding the landscape of the Saltmarsh setting and its isolation. The author writes in the present tense which was initially jarring but I got used to it.
There is good information on the Bronze and Iron Age, Norse mythology and archeology, which I enjoyed learning about.
There is reasonably good character development for a first book of a series. I felt our protagonist, Ruth, was quite realistically written and forgave her few uncharacteristic actions and behaviours.
The plot was slightly predictable and I did pick out the killer before the actual reveal.
The Crossing Places shows a lot of promise and I will be searching out the next book in the series.
Show Less
LibraryThing member laytonwoman3rd
Ruth Galloway is a forensic archeologist who enjoys her solitude. She lives alone (OK...with cats) on the edge of the Saltmarsh in Norfolk, a place most people find desolate and uninviting, if not downright terrifying. In this first of a long-running series of her adventures, she is drawn into the
Show More
police investigation of a missing child when some bones are found in the marsh. Naturally, it isn't a straightforward case of "Yup, these are the bones of the child that's lost", as older mysteries are pulled from the muck to complicate the lives of Ruth and her new acquaintance, D. I. Nelson...a man with his own set of complications. Good stuff. Show Less
LibraryThing member AnnieMod
The "detective with a sidekick" trope had been with us since the beginning of the genre - just think of Sherlock Holmes. The role of the sidekick had changed through the years with some authors getting almost partnership level of relationship into their characters. In the last years, this had
This series follows that pattern almost exactly - when the police find some bones in the saltmarshes of Norfolk, they ask the forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway to assist with their dating. She is happy to assist even if they are not the bones the police hoped to have found. The fact that she reads the latest Rebus novel while dealing with a real life possible murder made me smile.
10 years earlier, a young girl disappeared. Lucy was never heard of since then and Harry Nelson, the DCI who investigated her disappearance had hoped that the bones will solve this mystery and provide closure for the poor girl parents. It was not to be - the bones ended up being tied to an archeological dig in the same vicinity but it introduced him to Ruth. So when another girl go missing, Nelson decides to use her knowledge - he had been getting some weird letters, seemingly connected to the missing girls, full of terms which fall into Ruth's domain.
A body and a dead cat later, it seems like the improvised partnership is working and Ruth's insight are useful. And the chase is on. Add some love and sex, a few additional archeologists, a somewhat weird local man who thinks he is a magician (or something), a bird watcher and the marshes themselves and the story starts taking shape. Setting the bulk of it in the early days of the year was probably intentional - the marshes and the rain become characters in the novel as much as the human (and feline) ones do.
Neither the final resolution, nor the killer came as much of a surprise. Griffiths does a marvelous job of throwing red herrings all over the place and making you wonder "what if" but if you had read enough books in the genre, you will probably figure out who the killer is as soon as he is introduced. Which does not make the book a bad one - it is just one of those cases where originality in who is to blame is hard to achieve and where anything else would simply not work at all. As for the final resolution - we start getting clues about it early on and it falls almost logically there - other options may have worked but that ending ties Nelson and Ruth in a way that allows for future installments easily (while keeping the book a standalone if needed).
It is a good start of a series - both the location and the main characters are interesting enough to make me want to read more and the premise of the partnership is different enough to allow for some exploration. I am not that enamored with the end of the personal story in this novel but we will see where that goes.
Show More
evolved into "policeman and an expert become partners" - usually the expert works in one of the forensic specialties (Iris Johansen's Eve Duncan is a forensic sculptor, Kathy Reichs's Temperance Brennan is a forensic anthropologist) or something adjacent to them (Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware is a psychologist) (to name a few) and are called for their specific expertise initially (and then again in subsequent novels). This series follows that pattern almost exactly - when the police find some bones in the saltmarshes of Norfolk, they ask the forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway to assist with their dating. She is happy to assist even if they are not the bones the police hoped to have found. The fact that she reads the latest Rebus novel while dealing with a real life possible murder made me smile.
10 years earlier, a young girl disappeared. Lucy was never heard of since then and Harry Nelson, the DCI who investigated her disappearance had hoped that the bones will solve this mystery and provide closure for the poor girl parents. It was not to be - the bones ended up being tied to an archeological dig in the same vicinity but it introduced him to Ruth. So when another girl go missing, Nelson decides to use her knowledge - he had been getting some weird letters, seemingly connected to the missing girls, full of terms which fall into Ruth's domain.
A body and a dead cat later, it seems like the improvised partnership is working and Ruth's insight are useful. And the chase is on. Add some love and sex, a few additional archeologists, a somewhat weird local man who thinks he is a magician (or something), a bird watcher and the marshes themselves and the story starts taking shape. Setting the bulk of it in the early days of the year was probably intentional - the marshes and the rain become characters in the novel as much as the human (and feline) ones do.
Neither the final resolution, nor the killer came as much of a surprise. Griffiths does a marvelous job of throwing red herrings all over the place and making you wonder "what if" but if you had read enough books in the genre, you will probably figure out who the killer is as soon as he is introduced. Which does not make the book a bad one - it is just one of those cases where originality in who is to blame is hard to achieve and where anything else would simply not work at all. As for the final resolution - we start getting clues about it early on and it falls almost logically there - other options may have worked but that ending ties Nelson and Ruth in a way that allows for future installments easily (while keeping the book a standalone if needed).
It is a good start of a series - both the location and the main characters are interesting enough to make me want to read more and the premise of the partnership is different enough to allow for some exploration. I am not that enamored with the end of the personal story in this novel but we will see where that goes.
Show Less
LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
A friend sent me 4 books from this series. This is the second book I've read recently that mentioned bog bodies (though I can't tell you what the other one was without searching through my reading list). Thankfully with this book, you didn't have to know many particulars about bog bodies.
There seem
*Ruth prefers her lonely life on the saltmarsh
*Peter seems to think the grass is greener on the side of what he doesn't have--either that or he's yearning to relive the past.
*Erik and Magda seem to love each other in some way but that doesn't seem to keep them faithful to each other.
I did figure out who the culprit was but only slightly before the author revealed it.
I would have had a hard time staying friends with Shonda, I think, after she revealed her part in misdirecting the attention of the detective who was assigned to find the missing girls. But then again, I've done some uncharacteristic things at times I thought I was in love, so maybe I shouldn't judge her too harshly.
There seem
Show More
to be a lot of lonely characters or characters dissatisfied with their lives.*Ruth prefers her lonely life on the saltmarsh
*Peter seems to think the grass is greener on the side of what he doesn't have--either that or he's yearning to relive the past.
*Erik and Magda seem to love each other in some way but that doesn't seem to keep them faithful to each other.
I did figure out who the culprit was but only slightly before the author revealed it.
I would have had a hard time staying friends with Shonda, I think, after she revealed her part in misdirecting the attention of the detective who was assigned to find the missing girls. But then again, I've done some uncharacteristic things at times I thought I was in love, so maybe I shouldn't judge her too harshly.
Show Less
LibraryThing member SquirrelHead
I wish I could remember who blogged about the Elly Griffiths' books because I'd like to thank you. Please leave me a comment if you've recently reviewed the Dr Ruth Galloway series!
British author Elly Griffiths has moved to the top of my list of books I'll be reading in June and July. Love the
Bones are found near an ancient henge off Norfolk's coastline. The saltmarshes can be dangerous to negotiate as the sands will swallow you up if you take a wrong turn. When bones are discovered DI Harry Nelson contacts Dr Ruth Galloway to ascertain if the bones are ancient or the remains of missing child from ten years prior. Dr Ruth Galloway is a forensic archaeologist, university professor and lecturer.
One of Ruth's discoveries is from the Iron Age but a cold case quickly becomes a murder investigation as more information surfaces. I enjoyed reading about Ruth and the growing friendship with DI Nelson. Planning on reading the next in the series titled The Janus Stone. I'm just hoping the Galloway/Nelson relationship doesn't turn romantic as I love the detective work and mystery parts best.
British author Elly Griffiths has moved to the top of my list of books I'll be reading in June and July. Love the
Show More
style, the plot, character development and the Norfolk England coastal setting.Bones are found near an ancient henge off Norfolk's coastline. The saltmarshes can be dangerous to negotiate as the sands will swallow you up if you take a wrong turn. When bones are discovered DI Harry Nelson contacts Dr Ruth Galloway to ascertain if the bones are ancient or the remains of missing child from ten years prior. Dr Ruth Galloway is a forensic archaeologist, university professor and lecturer.
One of Ruth's discoveries is from the Iron Age but a cold case quickly becomes a murder investigation as more information surfaces. I enjoyed reading about Ruth and the growing friendship with DI Nelson. Planning on reading the next in the series titled The Janus Stone. I'm just hoping the Galloway/Nelson relationship doesn't turn romantic as I love the detective work and mystery parts best.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Twink
The Crossing Places is set on the Norfolk Coast in England, near a salt marsh - a marshy area between solid land and the ocean. This particular salt marsh has many secrets.
Forensic Archaeology Professor Ruth Galloway loves the marsh and it's isolation. She participated in a dig on the marsh ten
When DCI Harry Nelson is called in to investigate what looks to be child's bones discovered in the marsh, he asks Ruth for help, given her expertise. When the bones are proven to be over 200o years old, Harry is disappointed. He was hoping they were the remains of a child named Lucy, who disappeared over ten years ago. No trace of her was ever found and the case has haunted Harry ever since. But when another child is taken, it seem the marsh may hold even more secrets.
Griffith's language and descriptions capture perfectly the barren beauty of the marsh. (It made me want to visit this area) Ruth herself is an wonderful character. She isn't a cookie cutter mystery heroine. She is highly intelligent, but unsure of herself in social situations. She worries about her weight, but at the same time doesn't give a damn. She lives by herself with her cats. Ruth interests Harry -
"Like all forceful people (he calls it forceful rather than bullying), he prefers people who stand up to him, but in his job that doesn't happen ofter. People either despise him or kowtow to him. Ruth had done neither. She had looked him in the face, coolly, as an equal. He thinks he's never met anyone, any woman quite as sure of themselves as Ruth Galloway. "
The interpersonal relationship between Ruth and Harry provides an intriguing subplot. Populated by curious and enigmatic supporting characters, this is a mystery that is character driven. The plot is excellent as well and involved enough red herrings to keep me guessing until almost the end. But it is Ruth and Harry that intrigued me. The ending has been left open for further books featuring these two and I, for one, will be looking forward to it. I'm thrilled to discover a mystery author with a different take on the genre.
Elly Griffiths is a nom de plume for Domenica de Rosa. This is her first crime novel.
Forensic Archaeology Professor Ruth Galloway loves the marsh and it's isolation. She participated in a dig on the marsh ten
Show More
years ago that uncovered an ancient henge. She has chosen to make her home on the lonesome wetland.When DCI Harry Nelson is called in to investigate what looks to be child's bones discovered in the marsh, he asks Ruth for help, given her expertise. When the bones are proven to be over 200o years old, Harry is disappointed. He was hoping they were the remains of a child named Lucy, who disappeared over ten years ago. No trace of her was ever found and the case has haunted Harry ever since. But when another child is taken, it seem the marsh may hold even more secrets.
Griffith's language and descriptions capture perfectly the barren beauty of the marsh. (It made me want to visit this area) Ruth herself is an wonderful character. She isn't a cookie cutter mystery heroine. She is highly intelligent, but unsure of herself in social situations. She worries about her weight, but at the same time doesn't give a damn. She lives by herself with her cats. Ruth interests Harry -
"Like all forceful people (he calls it forceful rather than bullying), he prefers people who stand up to him, but in his job that doesn't happen ofter. People either despise him or kowtow to him. Ruth had done neither. She had looked him in the face, coolly, as an equal. He thinks he's never met anyone, any woman quite as sure of themselves as Ruth Galloway. "
The interpersonal relationship between Ruth and Harry provides an intriguing subplot. Populated by curious and enigmatic supporting characters, this is a mystery that is character driven. The plot is excellent as well and involved enough red herrings to keep me guessing until almost the end. But it is Ruth and Harry that intrigued me. The ending has been left open for further books featuring these two and I, for one, will be looking forward to it. I'm thrilled to discover a mystery author with a different take on the genre.
Elly Griffiths is a nom de plume for Domenica de Rosa. This is her first crime novel.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bfister
A girl disappears, bringing to mind a similar case that had the police stumped. Archaeologist Ruth Galloway becomes a police consultant when bones are found, since she is able to tell whether they are neolithic remains or recent ones. She lives within view of the saltmarsh, a "crossing place"
Show More
between sky and sea, between the past and the present, where she discovers the body of girl who was sacrificed in the distant past and sees patterns that the police cannot. Written in the present tense, which is something that almost always takes getting used to for me, the story has some rich characters, a lovely setting, a touch of new agey mysticism, and a fairly obvious solution to the mystery (along with an ending that was, to my mind, a bit over dramatic given the more subtle stuff that went before. Having just read Michael Robotham's Say You're Sorry, I have really had my fill of narratives written by girls held in captivity by nutcases. Show Less
LibraryThing member amanderson
This debut mystery features a very appealing, tart-tongued, plus-sized forensic archaeologist and an atmospheric setting in the salt marshes of England.
LibraryThing member EBT1002
Started a little slow, but ended up being very exciting and I stayed up late in my tent at Mt. Rainier to finish it. I was pretty sure I knew who the bad guy was, but I also fell into a couple of the author's traps. I like that the heroine is both confident and self-conscious, independent and
Show More
honestly interested in companionship. And she likes cats. :-) All in all, a worthwhile mystery read. Show Less
LibraryThing member thornton37814
Ten years ago a young girl was reported missing in Norfolk. Some bones have been discovered near a henge, and Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson calls upon Ruth Galloway, an archaeologist from the nearby university, to help date the bones. He's disappointed that they are from the Iron Age.
Show More
Ruth, of course, becomes involved in the investigation. The setting for this one reminded me of the setting in Erin Hart's Haunted Ground which dealt with bog bodies. It's the same type of soil in this area of England that was in that area of Ireland. The novel itself has a lot to offer with the setting and with archaeology, folklore, and ancient ritual all figuring in the plot. There were three viable suspects, and I really wasn't 100% sure until the revelation which of the three had committed the crimes. The writer sometimes goes a little over the top with her descriptions when something a little more subtle would have been just as effective or more so. The one example that continues to bother me is the fact that it was pounded into our heads over and over in the opening chapters that Ruth's parents were Evangelical Christians, but Ruth was not. One time would have been sufficient to convey that thought but I'm not even sure that it was introduced at an appropriate time. It seemed unnatural and disrupted the flow of the narrative in the early chapters. I think the appropriate time was a later time when it was brought up as she was discussing religion with another character. However, by that time, we were well aware of Ruth's beliefs as it had been pounded into our heads at least a half dozen times by that point. If this had been an important theme in the book, it might have been different, but it really only served the purpose of Ruth's being able to identify Biblical references because of her parents' influence. It really seemed more that the author was injecting her own agenda into the novel in a place where it didn't completely fit. Still it was a very interesting mystery, and I am looking forward to reading The Janus Stone. Show Less
LibraryThing member DowntownLibrarian
Definitely recommended - literate, atmospheric, great sense of place and unique characters.
LibraryThing member majkia
Atmospheric and intelligent, The Crossing Places is about character and setting, The mystery is tied up with the setting deftly and altho I figured out most of the mystery fairly early on, I was unsure about much of it, enough to want to hurry through the book to find out how it all fit
Will definitely continue the series!
Show More
together.Will definitely continue the series!
Show Less
LibraryThing member ForSix
At the rate that I had been reading lately, I think it is safe to say it has been a while since I finished a book in 2 days. Yet here I was, wrapped up in Ruth’s world, wondering who was murdered these young girls, developing a mild interest in archeology, and yes, I have added North Norfolk
One of the reasons I really enjoyed Ruth’s company is I can relate to her. I know nothing of archeology, but I know what it is like to push 40 as a childless woman. I know the feeling of being left out of the mother’s club, of being told I will never appreciate my mother because I don’t have children of my own. Like Ruth, I had a life changing moment that made me realize that last criticism is a bunch of malarkey. I can’t write enough about how much I liked Ruth. Through all that happened to her, she never played the victim. She was smart, fearless, quick-witted and sincere. She was passionate about her work and not afraid of the choices she made and the woman she is. To Ms. Griffiths’ credit, she created a woman whom I will continue to follow. I want to know what happens to her next.
Ruth Galloway isn’t the only enjoyable character in The Crossing Places. I quite enjoyed Harry Nelson. Okay, fine, I have a mad literary crush on him. And thanks to his wife, I can only picture him being played by George Clooney. He is rough around the edges, but he’s resilient and he doesn’t give up. My other favorite character in this novel is Cathbad. Oh, man, he made me laugh. I can only hope that he comes back in future books. Is he a geek? Oh yes. Is he intelligent? Yes again. Is he the comic relief in this novel? Absolutely. He brought a touch of humor when one was needed.
The story moves quickly. There were a couple of plot twists and turns I did not expect. In the same token, there were a couple I guessed in advance. Even so, this didn’t deter me from absolutely loving this the novel. I must commend Ms. Griffiths’ for the way she handled the story of child abduction and murder. She wrote the perspectives of the girls’ parents, Ruth and Nelson with compassion, caring, and understanding. I felt it was earnest and touching.
Thanks to Jenn and Elly Griffiths, I am now a Ruth Galloway fan and look forward to reading more.
Show More
England to my bucket list of places to visit. I was as enamored with the Saltmarsh as the woman who lived there. One of the reasons I really enjoyed Ruth’s company is I can relate to her. I know nothing of archeology, but I know what it is like to push 40 as a childless woman. I know the feeling of being left out of the mother’s club, of being told I will never appreciate my mother because I don’t have children of my own. Like Ruth, I had a life changing moment that made me realize that last criticism is a bunch of malarkey. I can’t write enough about how much I liked Ruth. Through all that happened to her, she never played the victim. She was smart, fearless, quick-witted and sincere. She was passionate about her work and not afraid of the choices she made and the woman she is. To Ms. Griffiths’ credit, she created a woman whom I will continue to follow. I want to know what happens to her next.
Ruth Galloway isn’t the only enjoyable character in The Crossing Places. I quite enjoyed Harry Nelson. Okay, fine, I have a mad literary crush on him. And thanks to his wife, I can only picture him being played by George Clooney. He is rough around the edges, but he’s resilient and he doesn’t give up. My other favorite character in this novel is Cathbad. Oh, man, he made me laugh. I can only hope that he comes back in future books. Is he a geek? Oh yes. Is he intelligent? Yes again. Is he the comic relief in this novel? Absolutely. He brought a touch of humor when one was needed.
The story moves quickly. There were a couple of plot twists and turns I did not expect. In the same token, there were a couple I guessed in advance. Even so, this didn’t deter me from absolutely loving this the novel. I must commend Ms. Griffiths’ for the way she handled the story of child abduction and murder. She wrote the perspectives of the girls’ parents, Ruth and Nelson with compassion, caring, and understanding. I felt it was earnest and touching.
Thanks to Jenn and Elly Griffiths, I am now a Ruth Galloway fan and look forward to reading more.
Show Less
LibraryThing member alyson
Loved the setting, Ruth and the archaelogy tidbits. The mystery itself was not too engaging, but I will continue with the series.
LibraryThing member tututhefirst
Archaeologist Ruth Galloway's smart-aleck attitude is the perfect foil for curmudgeonly detective Harry Nelson. Ruth has been asked to help identify bones Harry is hoping will be those of a missing young girl. The wide and rich span of attitudes, life experiences and motives of all the players in
Show More
this mystery. along with well-sketched descriptions of the Saltmarshes where Ruth lives, give the reader a host of suspects and allows for some spectacular plot twists. There's something for everyone in this story, and I'm ready for the next one in the series. Ruth and Harry both have lots of room to grow and Griffiths appears to have the skills to take these stories forward to the next adventure. Show Less
LibraryThing member auntieknickers
Normally I prefer to read series in order, but Elly Griffiths' bookThe House at Sea's End caught my eye on the New Books shelf a while ago. After reading it, I went back to find the first in the series, The Crossing Places. The series deals with the life and detections of Ruth Galloway, a
The setting is Norfolk, on England's East Coast: flat, rather treeless, and, where Ruth lives, marshy -- her cottage is one of three at the edge of a saltmarsh. Because of her profession, Ruth is called in to help date a child's skeleton found in the saltmarsh. DCI Nelson of the local police fears the skeleton may be connected to the disappearances, several years apart, of two local children. When the bones prove to be Iron Age, one would think Ruth's involvement would be at an end, but she becomes interested in the cases and is also drawn to Nelson. Meanwhile, two men from her past show up -- Erik, her mentor in archaeology, and Peter, her former live-in lover, now separated from his wife. The three had all been together at a dig on the saltmarsh at about the time of the first disappearance.
The tale grows more complicated as Ruth learns that Nelson has been receiving taunting letters, apparently from the perpetrator, writing about the disappearances in language that shows a familiarity with archaeology and ancient ritual. Could the criminal be someone Ruth knows?
This is a fine story of an amateur sleuth, a professional in her own field, working with a policeman; it also has some thriller elements. The characters are believable in their flawed humanity, the description of the setting makes you see the marsh grasses waving and hear the wind, and the plot comes to a satisfying conclusion. Recommended.
Show More
university professor and forensic archaelogist. Forensic archaelogy, the study of bones, is familiar to many readers from the work of Aaron Elkins and Kathy Reichs. Griffiths' work is a worthy addition to the group. Note: several plot points in the first book are resolved later in the series, particularly those dealing with Ruth's personal life. If this bothers you, definitely start with The Crossing Places. The setting is Norfolk, on England's East Coast: flat, rather treeless, and, where Ruth lives, marshy -- her cottage is one of three at the edge of a saltmarsh. Because of her profession, Ruth is called in to help date a child's skeleton found in the saltmarsh. DCI Nelson of the local police fears the skeleton may be connected to the disappearances, several years apart, of two local children. When the bones prove to be Iron Age, one would think Ruth's involvement would be at an end, but she becomes interested in the cases and is also drawn to Nelson. Meanwhile, two men from her past show up -- Erik, her mentor in archaeology, and Peter, her former live-in lover, now separated from his wife. The three had all been together at a dig on the saltmarsh at about the time of the first disappearance.
The tale grows more complicated as Ruth learns that Nelson has been receiving taunting letters, apparently from the perpetrator, writing about the disappearances in language that shows a familiarity with archaeology and ancient ritual. Could the criminal be someone Ruth knows?
This is a fine story of an amateur sleuth, a professional in her own field, working with a policeman; it also has some thriller elements. The characters are believable in their flawed humanity, the description of the setting makes you see the marsh grasses waving and hear the wind, and the plot comes to a satisfying conclusion. Recommended.
Show Less
LibraryThing member David-Z
rating 4 of 5 stars
adult-mystery, humor, read, series
The Crossing Places (Ruth Galloway #1) by Elly Griffiths is the first in a series featuring forensic archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson involving the kidnapping of children in the Norfolk saltmarsh area.
Main character Ruth is
I was quickly pulled into this fast paced mystery with quirky, mostly well-developed characters, and the atmospheric, dangerous setting of the saltmarsh. The humanity and wry humor of Ruth are very appealing, as is the gruff but duty-bound Nelson. Among the various characters, all believable, Michael Malone, better known as the Druid Cathbad, is a standout who will be important in future mysteries in this series.
Some will not like the third person, present tense writing, but it didn't distract me from the story. Others may guess the villain early in the book, but there were enough red herrings and possible suspects to make it interesting for me. The mix of police procedural, Iron Age hsitory, archeaology, forensics, mythology, religion, and mystery make for an interesting, entertaining read. I look foward to reading others in this series, and have recommended it to mystery loving friends.
For mystery lovers, English, archaeology, forensic archaeologist, crime, Norfolk setting, humor, Detective Inspectors, and fans of Elly Griffiths.
adult-mystery, humor, read, series
The Crossing Places (Ruth Galloway #1) by Elly Griffiths is the first in a series featuring forensic archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson involving the kidnapping of children in the Norfolk saltmarsh area.
Main character Ruth is
Show More
a slightly overweight, cat-owning academic archeaologist who is a bone expert. She is drawn into a police investigation of bones by no-nonsense, gruff policeman CDI Nelson. She is consulting on letters involving a ten year old kidnapping case when another child is kidnapped. Ruth begins to feel threatened and starts to suspect that friends involved in a dig ten years before may be involved in the kidnappings.I was quickly pulled into this fast paced mystery with quirky, mostly well-developed characters, and the atmospheric, dangerous setting of the saltmarsh. The humanity and wry humor of Ruth are very appealing, as is the gruff but duty-bound Nelson. Among the various characters, all believable, Michael Malone, better known as the Druid Cathbad, is a standout who will be important in future mysteries in this series.
Some will not like the third person, present tense writing, but it didn't distract me from the story. Others may guess the villain early in the book, but there were enough red herrings and possible suspects to make it interesting for me. The mix of police procedural, Iron Age hsitory, archeaology, forensics, mythology, religion, and mystery make for an interesting, entertaining read. I look foward to reading others in this series, and have recommended it to mystery loving friends.
For mystery lovers, English, archaeology, forensic archaeologist, crime, Norfolk setting, humor, Detective Inspectors, and fans of Elly Griffiths.
Show Less
Awards
Edgar Award (Winner — Simon & Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award — 2011)
Theakstons Old Peculier Prize (Longlist — 2010)
Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year (Mystery — 2010)
Original publication date
2009-08-06
Local notes
Ruth Galloway, 1
DDC/MDS
| Fic Mystery Griffiths |