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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
Sad to think this could be the last one--really love this series
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can't believe this series is over!! It's probably my favorite mystery series and I will miss the characters as if they were people I truly knew. That being said, I was very satisfied with the ending, and hope the author will change her mind and keep it going after all!
A fantastic ending to the wonderful Ruth Galloway series! Thank you, Elly Griffiths, for an amazing, intelligent, and always entertaining mystery series in such a beautifully described setting.
Part of me hopes to see another Ruth Galloway mystery, and part of me feels this could be a good break point for it. It wraps things up nicely. Though I do need to "see" more about the cottage, not going to spoil it by saying more. Ruth is facing a turning point in her life as UNN is considering the closing of the Archaelogy department. On top of this there is a skeleton from 20 years ago that is discovered and has links to Cathbad. The author has done a fine job with the story and landscape once again, and teasing out the clues makes for enjoyable reading.
May 2024. Just finished rereading the series and enjoyed it just as much as the first time through. I was surprised at how inaccurately I had remembered the timeline of various events in the early books. I hope it doesn't become a tv series as I am afraid it would fall short of matching how good the books are.
May 2024. Just finished rereading the series and enjoyed it just as much as the first time through. I was surprised at how inaccurately I had remembered the timeline of various events in the early books. I hope it doesn't become a tv series as I am afraid it would fall short of matching how good the books are.
The final book in the series.
First, the things I liked:
Spending time with such wonderful characters
Cathbad
Next, the things I didn’t:
The book was set during the Covid pandemic. By adding the details of the time to the book, even now, makes it feel very dated. It takes away from the story arc, and feels very superfluous. Taking it out, would have reduced the word count, but allowed more storyline in. While at the time it may have felt very important, now it felt like filler.
I don’t remember if the other books relied so much on previous storylines. This also felt like filler, and somewhat unnecessary.
The last couple of chapters seem to wrap up everything in the series so quickly.
I guess it was time for the series to end, I have so enjoyed spending time with Ruth and her family and friends. All of the characters were wonderful.
First, the things I liked:
Spending time with such wonderful characters
Cathbad
Next, the things I didn’t:
The book was set during the Covid pandemic. By adding the details of the time to the book, even now, makes it feel very dated. It takes away from the story arc, and feels very superfluous. Taking it out, would have reduced the word count, but allowed more storyline in. While at the time it may have felt very important, now it felt like filler.
I don’t remember if the other books relied so much on previous storylines. This also felt like filler, and somewhat unnecessary.
The last couple of chapters seem to wrap up everything in the series so quickly.
I guess it was time for the series to end, I have so enjoyed spending time with Ruth and her family and friends. All of the characters were wonderful.
Another corker!
I was so thrilled to read the next Ruth Galloway. Elly has an absolutely natural, untroubled skill as a writer which makes it look so easy to put together a brilliant book like this … this veneer of easy delight must conceal a huge amount of meticulous hard work. Such a great book, settings, plot, characters. The perfect Krimi.
I was so thrilled to read the next Ruth Galloway. Elly has an absolutely natural, untroubled skill as a writer which makes it look so easy to put together a brilliant book like this … this veneer of easy delight must conceal a huge amount of meticulous hard work. Such a great book, settings, plot, characters. The perfect Krimi.
This is the last book in the series. I’m going to miss you, Ruth.
It is Friday, June 11, 2021 as The Last Remains: A Mystery begins and Larry Bright is having fun. He likes wielding sledgehammers and knocking things down. Unfortunately, his fun is seconds away from being ruined as he will find a skeleton behind a wall.
He works for a construction outfit run by Edward Spens. This is not the first time one of his employees has found human remains so Spens knows to call Dr. Ruth Galloway and ask her to come look. He hopes she can easily resolve the situation. By now, he should know better.
She takes one look and knows this skeleton is not that old. This is now a police problem. That means DCI Harry Nelson and his team will have to determine how to proceed. Of course, she will do the paperwork to be involved as they will most likely want her expertise.
In the meantime, Dr. Galloway has a far more personally urgent situation. The semester is ending, papers are being graded, graduation is cancelled again due to Covid, and her entire department may be shut down permanently. A university committee is considering it as her department may be “unprofitable” due to the loss of students from abroad due to the ongoing Covid problem. The Head of Archaeology at the University of North Norfolk could very much be out of a job despite her fame and the fact her department is well known around the world.
Her personal life is a mess as well. Things are not that simple now, if they ever were. Her daughter is growing up, Nelson’s marriage status is still a mess, Cathbad is not right and has not been since the Covid almost killed him, and other things are also in chaos. Teaching has always been her refuge, that and her house on the marsh, and teaching might be ending, at least for now. She is going to need a new income and that could mean having to move to a new job elsewhere.
Much is going on in The Last Remains: A Mystery by Emily Griffiths and I am just skimming the surface here. The title is also fittingly appropriate as well because this is the last book in the series-- at least for now.
It ends well despite scaring this reader a couple of times. This last book touches all the bases, brings back several folks, and reminds readers of various important events earlier in this complicated series. It is also a mighty good read and well worth your time.
My reading copy came by way of the Libby/OverDrive app which is still functioning, at least for now and picking up previously placed holds in the Dallas Library System, despite the ongoing Dallas ransomware attack.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2023
He works for a construction outfit run by Edward Spens. This is not the first time one of his employees has found human remains so Spens knows to call Dr. Ruth Galloway and ask her to come look. He hopes she can easily resolve the situation. By now, he should know better.
She takes one look and knows this skeleton is not that old. This is now a police problem. That means DCI Harry Nelson and his team will have to determine how to proceed. Of course, she will do the paperwork to be involved as they will most likely want her expertise.
In the meantime, Dr. Galloway has a far more personally urgent situation. The semester is ending, papers are being graded, graduation is cancelled again due to Covid, and her entire department may be shut down permanently. A university committee is considering it as her department may be “unprofitable” due to the loss of students from abroad due to the ongoing Covid problem. The Head of Archaeology at the University of North Norfolk could very much be out of a job despite her fame and the fact her department is well known around the world.
Her personal life is a mess as well. Things are not that simple now, if they ever were. Her daughter is growing up, Nelson’s marriage status is still a mess, Cathbad is not right and has not been since the Covid almost killed him, and other things are also in chaos. Teaching has always been her refuge, that and her house on the marsh, and teaching might be ending, at least for now. She is going to need a new income and that could mean having to move to a new job elsewhere.
Much is going on in The Last Remains: A Mystery by Emily Griffiths and I am just skimming the surface here. The title is also fittingly appropriate as well because this is the last book in the series-- at least for now.
It ends well despite scaring this reader a couple of times. This last book touches all the bases, brings back several folks, and reminds readers of various important events earlier in this complicated series. It is also a mighty good read and well worth your time.
My reading copy came by way of the Libby/OverDrive app which is still functioning, at least for now and picking up previously placed holds in the Dallas Library System, despite the ongoing Dallas ransomware attack.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2023