In a chilling entry to the award-winning Ruth Galloway series, she and DCI Nelson are haunted by a ghost from their past, just as their future lands on shaky ground. DCI Nelson has been receiving threatening letters. They are anonymous, yet reminiscent of ones he has received in the past, from the person who drew him into a case that’s haunted him for years. At the same time, Ruth receives a … time, Ruth receives a letter purporting to be from that very same person–her former mentor, and the reason she first started working with Nelson. But the author of those letters is dead. Or is he?
The past is reaching out for Ruth and Nelson, and its grip is deadly.
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Book #11 of the Dr. Ruth Galloway and DCI Nelson murder mystery series by Elly Griffiths is a winner. Entertaining, fun, a little romance and of course dead bodies. I highly recommend any of the books in this series. They are the perfect antidote for the coronavirus pandemic self-isolation blues. Cheers Lynda L. Lock (Isla Mujeres Mystery series).
Ellie Griffith is one of both my sisters and my favorite authors..
Her Doctor Ruth Galloway series are not to be missed..
Start at book 1.
The Stone Circle, #11 in the Ruth Galloway series.
I have enjoyed this series, though I have issues with the love triangle. Eric’s son is in town, another stone circle is found, a case of a past missing/presumed dead child comes back to the for front, and Shona has to face an uncomfortable truth.
373 pages
5 stars
DCI Nelson is getting worrying letters again. They are very like the ones he received years ago on a very similar case.
When Erik Erickssen’s son Leif discovers a new henge on the beach near Ruth’s home, there is a stone age little girl found in it. But Ruth finds a more modern skeleton. A twelve-year old girl has been found. Could it be the body of a young girl who went missing some thirty-five years earlier?
It could indeed. And her body has been moved recently.
While Ruth ferrets out the forensics on the skeleton, Nelson and his team of Judy, Cloughie, Tanya and the others investigate the murder – for the little girl was murdered. They re-interview everyone involved in the original investigation of her disappearance. When the prime suspect in the original case is murdered, the tension in the story ratchets up. And always in the wings are ever loyal Cathbad and Flint.
Judy and Ruth get into trouble.
There are a couple of subplots. In one Kate meets her sisters and in another does Ruth find a new love interest?
This book has action, tension, friendship, a little romance – something for everyone. I love this series. I really like Ruth and Cathbad. They are two people who remain true to themselves. They seem to know well what they want out of life and who they are.
Awaiting the next in the series, “The Lantern Men.”
I love this series.
I’m a great fan of this series but I have to admit, it took me a little while to get into this one. Once the pace picked up, it was a compelling read but there was a lot of filling in of backstory from the first in the series, The Crossing Places, at the beginning. Necessary for the plot, but it did slow things down, so if want to try this series for the first time, I’d suggest you start elsewhere.
In this instalment, Ruth’s relationship with DCI Nelson is still in the balance, despite the fact he and his wife have a new baby. I admire the author for keeping the romantic suspense going, but perhaps it’s time now to call it a day! The marvellously loopy Cathbad is still around and there’s an echo of the past with a new character, Leif Andersen. Judy also features prominently, getting almost more pages devoted to her than Ruth.
At times, I thought the writing a little flat and I would have liked more of the descriptive passages that the author does so well, but all in all, a good read.
Elly Griffiths has scored another winner. Her characters are compelling and the mystery and archeology details are really interesting.
I love all the Ruth Galloway. What’s going to happen next with Ruth and Nelson?
When DCI Nelson receives the letter, he’s immediately transported back to twenty years ago, when young Lucy Downey went missing and the first letters began. Then, to ten years later, when they found the bones in the Saltmarsh. It was then that Ruth first came in to Nelson’s life, when she was called to examine the bones. While the bones weren’t related to Lucy, she also took a look at the letters. And, of course, became entwined in Nelson’s life. During that time, another child died, and the killer drowned on the marshes. The letter writer, Erik Anderssen, Ruth’s mentor, also died that night too. Now, Ruth is assisting with a new dig in the Saltmarsh in a stone circle–one with ties to Erik. While digging, they find recent bones believed to belong to Margaret Lacey, who went missing in 1981 at the age of twelve. As the the investigation into Margaret’s case begins, it looks like it has ties to Nelson’s earlier cases–the letters, the bones, the missing kids, and more. But that killer is dead–right?
“‘He’s back,’ says Clough. ‘Bollocks,’ says Nelson. ‘He’s dead.'”
The wonderful Elly Griffiths brings us back to her first Ruth Galloway book, The Crossing Places in this, her eleventh Ruth story. Yet, the tale feels as fresh and intriguing as ever. I just love the Ruth Galloway series–the tone of these books is unlike almost any other. Ruth seems real to me by now, like an old friend, and don’t even get me started on Nelson, our beloved, sarcastic, DCI. Griffiths has an amazing ability to characterize Ruth and Nelson (and the whole crew) and capture their own distinct voices. Her books are at turns funny, familiar, and sometimes heartbreaking as Ruth and Nelson try to navigate their own relationship–and the other relationships that may or may not keep them apart. Michelle, Nelson’s wife, has her baby in this one (cliffhanger resolved), and there is progress made on other personal fronts as well.
It almost seems like icing on the cake that we are treated to an enjoyable mystery along with our lovely characters and just overall familiarity. I found the case in this one to be engrossing, especially with the ties back to the earlier book. (I highly recommend reading this series from the beginning–it’s the best way to catch all the little nuances and bits of humor, but the book will stand alone.) Margaret’s disappearance is interesting–and her story brings a whole new cast of characters, several of whom entwine with our usual suspects.
All in all, as always, another winner from Griffiths. I could read her books constantly, and I love Ruth and Nelson (and Kate, Ruth’s seven-year-old) so dearly! They truly seem real to me. If you’ve been reading this series from book #1, you’ll enjoy the usual humor (oh Nelson) and returning to our cast of characters. If you like a good mystery (with some archaeological flavor sprinkled in), you won’t be disappointed either. 4.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review.
DCI Nelson receives anonymous letters letting him know that he has to look for a stone circle and all will be revealed. Those letters remind him of a previous dramatic case which ended with the death of a young child and two men (one of them a murderer). Meanwhile next to an archaeological dig on a beach in Norfolk a new site is started. The bones of a young girl (Bronze Age) is discovered but after futher excavation another,more recent skeleton is found. It is quickly identified as the remains of Margaret Lacey,a 12 year old girl gone missing some 20 years ago. Ruth Galloway is asked to give some forensic backup and is so one more time involved in a crime investigation run by Harry Nelson,lover,not lover,maybe lover… In the meantime, one of the original suspects is found dead,shot through the head in a more modern variation of a stone circle. There are of course many meandering storylines,a missing baby,a new baby for Nelson,druids and their outlook on life and a blast from the past ….
To be fair,after the 10th instalment in this series, I was a bit fed up with this Nelson and Galloway thing,it basically took up most of the story!
It is still a big deal and frankly I wish they just made up their minds,personally I think it doesn’t add anything of major interest …but the storyline is good,the tension is absolutely there ,the outcome suprising and it really was a very decent mystery story!
I love the main characters, her cat, everyone. Great great series, there aren’t enough adjectives!