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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
What a very silly story. Totally predictable and terrible prose. I won't be bothering with the rest of this series.
I agree with many other reviewers that this was just a bit clunky in style and would have been much more readable if it hadn't been written in the present tense. It's a shame because there was much to enjoy; I like the main characters Ruth and Nelson, and the setting was brilliantly evoked. The author had clearly done her research and the story was interesting. I might even try the next one in the series to see if they improve? Maybe.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Archaeologist Ruth Galloway lives a quiet, somewhat isolated life in Saltmarsh near Norfolk. She fell in love with Saltmarsh a decade ago when a dig brought her there to uncover Iron Age relics and other important information about that time. She never left, going so far as to purchase a house and obtain a job at the uni in Norfolk. Her quiet life is upended when DCI Harry Nelson arrives in her office asking for help on some bones discovered in the Saltmarsh. He thinks they might be those of an abduction case that's never been solved. The bones aren't who Nelson hopes they will be if only to bring some closure to the girl's parents, but Ruth proves valuable to Nelson's renewed vigor in trying to find the girl who was abducted just about 10 years ago. At the same time Ruth was involved in the dig and introduced to the Saltmarsh. Not only is DCI Nelson looking for a girl missing for a decade, but a new girl has been reported missing, and he's feeling the pressure to find her before she, too, becomes a cold case. Are the two missing girls connected, or is it just a coincidence? And how can Ruth, a purveyor of the past, help in the present? What is it about Ruth that DCI Nelson is so drawn to and vice versa? Is this the beginning of a beautiful, new partnership? Perhaps. If the danger Ruth is exposed to doesn't end her life.
This is another series that has been sitting on my TBR for a very long time. I'll bet good money that whenever I first heard of it and read this first title's summary, part of what captured my interest was that Ruth Galloway was like the British version of Temperance Brennan. But, after reading this first title, Ruth and Temperance are not alike at all, except for their chosen profession. And that's good! It would be boring and annoying to be reading a British knock-off of "Bones." After reading this book, I like Griffiths Galloway, and I'm super intrigued by the salt marshes - although they sound too remote for me. I also would need some trees. A super flat landscape doesn't woo me like it seems to for others. DCI Nelson is an interesting character, and I didn't get a great read on him and how he conducts himself either personally or professionally after this first book, so I'm looking forward to getting to know him better in book 2 and beyond. To be fair, Ruth Galloway is the main character, so getting to know her was a top priority for this title. Griffiths did a comprehensive job of introducing us to Galloway and giving us a backstory that caught us up to her present and put to rest some things that she was still wrestling with from her past. I also liked how Griffiths took the event that brought Ruth to the saltmarsh and wrapped up some of its loose ends, even if Ruth didn't realize there were loose ends. I'm ready for book 2!
This is another series that has been sitting on my TBR for a very long time. I'll bet good money that whenever I first heard of it and read this first title's summary, part of what captured my interest was that Ruth Galloway was like the British version of Temperance Brennan. But, after reading this first title, Ruth and Temperance are not alike at all, except for their chosen profession. And that's good! It would be boring and annoying to be reading a British knock-off of "Bones." After reading this book, I like Griffiths Galloway, and I'm super intrigued by the salt marshes - although they sound too remote for me. I also would need some trees. A super flat landscape doesn't woo me like it seems to for others. DCI Nelson is an interesting character, and I didn't get a great read on him and how he conducts himself either personally or professionally after this first book, so I'm looking forward to getting to know him better in book 2 and beyond. To be fair, Ruth Galloway is the main character, so getting to know her was a top priority for this title. Griffiths did a comprehensive job of introducing us to Galloway and giving us a backstory that caught us up to her present and put to rest some things that she was still wrestling with from her past. I also liked how Griffiths took the event that brought Ruth to the saltmarsh and wrapped up some of its loose ends, even if Ruth didn't realize there were loose ends. I'm ready for book 2!
Love the characters but figured out the culprit early on.
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
This is a new series to me and one that I'm excited to continue with since it reminds me a little of the [a:Ann Cleeves|56067|Ann Cleeves|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1262915904p2/56067.jpg] series that I love so much. It takes place in Norfolk, a moody and eerie place that is a bit of a character itself, especially in this first book. The perspective of a forensic archaeologist is a refreshing change from a traditional detective novel and Dr. Ruth Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson make for an intriguing pair.
I didn't enjoy the fat shaming aspects of the book, and I hope that that disappears later in the series. Just because a woman is "overweight" doesn't mean she has to hate herself for it - especially if it's a fictional creation - let's be a bit more aspirational here, authors!
I didn't enjoy the fat shaming aspects of the book, and I hope that that disappears later in the series. Just because a woman is "overweight" doesn't mean she has to hate herself for it - especially if it's a fictional creation - let's be a bit more aspirational here, authors!