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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
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!
#1 The Crossing Places, Ruth Galloway series, by Elly Griffiths.
So many friends have recommended this author to me, I listened to #9 and decided to start from the beginning. There are issues that I do not like--cheating on one's spouse & course language--but the plot is swift and extremely interesting to me. Archeologist Ruth is a somewhat solitary person, living alone on the saltmarshes with her two cats; she is content with her own company. I enjoyed learning about the traditions, history, and present day life in another country, right along with trying to solve the mystery. I am on to the next one in this series.
The narrator, Jane McDowell, makes the characters come alive with her emotion and inflection.
So many friends have recommended this author to me, I listened to #9 and decided to start from the beginning. There are issues that I do not like--cheating on one's spouse & course language--but the plot is swift and extremely interesting to me. Archeologist Ruth is a somewhat solitary person, living alone on the saltmarshes with her two cats; she is content with her own company. I enjoyed learning about the traditions, history, and present day life in another country, right along with trying to solve the mystery. I am on to the next one in this series.
The narrator, Jane McDowell, makes the characters come alive with her emotion and inflection.
Already hooked! Love the characters and a nice cliffhanger at the end makes me glad I've already got #2 and #3 in my reading pile.
"When she’s not digging up bones or other ancient objects, quirky, tart-tongued archaeologist Ruth Galloway lives happily alone in a remote area called Saltmarsh near Norfolk, land that was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants - not quite earth, not quite sea. When a child’s bones are found on a desolate beach nearby, Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson calls Galloway for help. Nelson thinks he has found the remains of Lucy Downey, a little girl who went missing ten years ago. Since her disappearance he has been receiving bizarre letters about her, letters with references to ritual and sacrifice. The bones actually turn out to be two thousand years old, but Ruth is soon drawn into the Lucy Downey case and into the mind of the letter writer, who seems to have both archaeological knowledge and eerie psychic powers. Then another child goes missing and the hunt is on to find her. As the letter writer moves closer and the windswept Norfolk landscape exerts its power, Ruth finds herself in completely new territory – and in serious danger"
"When she’s not digging up bones or other ancient objects, quirky, tart-tongued archaeologist Ruth Galloway lives happily alone in a remote area called Saltmarsh near Norfolk, land that was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants - not quite earth, not quite sea. When a child’s bones are found on a desolate beach nearby, Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson calls Galloway for help. Nelson thinks he has found the remains of Lucy Downey, a little girl who went missing ten years ago. Since her disappearance he has been receiving bizarre letters about her, letters with references to ritual and sacrifice. The bones actually turn out to be two thousand years old, but Ruth is soon drawn into the Lucy Downey case and into the mind of the letter writer, who seems to have both archaeological knowledge and eerie psychic powers. Then another child goes missing and the hunt is on to find her. As the letter writer moves closer and the windswept Norfolk landscape exerts its power, Ruth finds herself in completely new territory – and in serious danger"
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No