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Ruth Galloway #5
A Dying Fall
Forensic archeologist Ruth Galloway investigates a heart-stopping an old university friend and fellow archeologist murdered in an arson attack.
When Ruth Galloway learns that her old university friend Dan Golding has died in a house fire, she is shocked and saddened. But when she receives a letter that Dan had written just before he died, her sadness turns to suspicion.The letter tells of a great archaeological discovery, but Dan also says that he is scared for his life.
Was Dan’s death linked to his find? The only clue is his mention of the Raven King, an ancient name for King Arthur. When she arrives in Lancashire, Ruth discovers that the bones reveal a shocking fact about King Arthur—and that the bones have mysteriously vanished.
The case draws in DCI Nelson, determined to protect Ruth and their eighteen-month-old daughter, Kate. But someone is willing to kill to keep the bones a secret, and it is beginning to look as if no one is safe.
When Ruth Galloway learns that her old university friend Dan Golding has died in a house fire, she is shocked and saddened. But when she receives a letter that Dan had written just before he died, her sadness turns to suspicion.The letter tells of a great archaeological discovery, but Dan also says that he is scared for his life.
Was Dan’s death linked to his find? The only clue is his mention of the Raven King, an ancient name for King Arthur. When she arrives in Lancashire, Ruth discovers that the bones reveal a shocking fact about King Arthur—and that the bones have mysteriously vanished.
The case draws in DCI Nelson, determined to protect Ruth and their eighteen-month-old daughter, Kate. But someone is willing to kill to keep the bones a secret, and it is beginning to look as if no one is safe.
400 pages, Paperback
First published December 20, 2012
2,709 people are currently reading
5,448 people want to read
About the author
Elly Griffiths
101 books8,861 followersElly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway novels take for their inspiration Elly's husband, who gave up a city job to train as an archaeologist, and her aunt who lives on the Norfolk coast and who filled her niece's head with the myths and legends of that area. Elly has two children and lives near Brighton. Though not her first novel, The Crossing Places is her first crime novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,961 reviews
November 2, 2019
I have to hand it to Griffiths. She has created a cast of characters that feels so totally real I have no trouble picturing them and feeling connected to them. Even Cathbad, with his purple cloak.
And this time, we get to learn a little more of everyone’s family stories - Cathbad’s single mom, Nelson’s family back in Blackpool and their “pyrotechnic” fights.
These books are perfect for those with an interest in mythology and history along with a great mystery. In this case, the question is whether an old college friend of Ruth’s, who has been murdered in a house fire, discovered King Arthur’s bones before being killed. Ruth is asked by the university to come give her opinion on the bones in question. And before you know it, it seems, for various reasons, that everyone is heading north.
Griffiths has a unique, dry sense of humor. Who, but Nelson, would see plastic meats laid out in a kitchen display at a National Trust property and think of an autopsy? And as everyone meets up, it even evolves into an almost slapstick quality.
I’ve been binging on this series and am pleased that the quality is so far consistently good.
May 11, 2020
Another excellent book from Elly Griffiths. I do enjoy the way she writes. In this fifth book in the Ruth Galloway series she moves away from the usual setting in Norfolk to the seaside town of Blackpool. It is a welcome change and gives the author the opportunity to present the characters and their relationships in a different way.
Although each book in this series has a different crime to be solved, it is the characters who really make the books. Ruth, Nelson and Cathbad are the main interests but baby Kate is rapidly taking centre stage now. She also provides the humour in the book when she mispronounces words that Cathbad teaches her.
A really enjoyable read from an equally enjoyable series, and definitely a series to begin at the beginning with #1.
Although each book in this series has a different crime to be solved, it is the characters who really make the books. Ruth, Nelson and Cathbad are the main interests but baby Kate is rapidly taking centre stage now. She also provides the humour in the book when she mispronounces words that Cathbad teaches her.
A really enjoyable read from an equally enjoyable series, and definitely a series to begin at the beginning with #1.
February 24, 2021
This is the fifth book in a series about Dr. Ruth Galloway, a forensic archaeologist, who is a professor at the University of Norfolk, UK. Ruth lives in a saltmarsh cottage near there, with her 18 month old daughter Kate and her cat Flint.
Ruth has been called upon in the past to assist in police cases which need expertise in examining and dating bones. She met DCI Harry Nelson in the first case who is the father of Kate. DCI Nelson is married to someone other than Ruth and has to (2) daughters in college.
In this story Ruth gets a call from Caz letting her know about the death of Dan Golding, both Dan and Caz are friends from Ruth’s college days. Dan, also an archaeology professor, died a horrible death in a suspicious house fire. Ironically, Ruth receives a letter from Dan the next day. The letter was sent the day before the fire.
In the letter, Dan solicits Ruth advice with an archaeological find, near Pendle University where he teaches. He wants Ruth to provide a “second opinion” on bones that were found on the site. Dan says he wants Ruth to call him because things are sensitive and he is avoiding emails. In regards to the find, Dan says he thinks he has found the Raven King.
The story covers Ruth’s trip to the Blackpool - Lytham area around Pendle University. Ruth takes Kate and Kate’s Druid godfather Cathbad and heads off for an adventure. This is a sort of holiday with Cathbad babysitting when Ruth is working with the find. Oh, by coincidence, DCI Nelson is on holiday, nearby, with his wife Michelle.
The author pen name Elly Griffiths keeps you interested with arson, murder, suicide, kidnapping, etc. The cast of characters are mostly likeable. I like Ruth, but she puts herself down for being twelve stones. DCI Nelson is a likeable bloke. And, who could hate Cathbad.
Great series, and I am looking forward to reading the next book.
Ruth has been called upon in the past to assist in police cases which need expertise in examining and dating bones. She met DCI Harry Nelson in the first case who is the father of Kate. DCI Nelson is married to someone other than Ruth and has to (2) daughters in college.
In this story Ruth gets a call from Caz letting her know about the death of Dan Golding, both Dan and Caz are friends from Ruth’s college days. Dan, also an archaeology professor, died a horrible death in a suspicious house fire. Ironically, Ruth receives a letter from Dan the next day. The letter was sent the day before the fire.
In the letter, Dan solicits Ruth advice with an archaeological find, near Pendle University where he teaches. He wants Ruth to provide a “second opinion” on bones that were found on the site. Dan says he wants Ruth to call him because things are sensitive and he is avoiding emails. In regards to the find, Dan says he thinks he has found the Raven King.
The story covers Ruth’s trip to the Blackpool - Lytham area around Pendle University. Ruth takes Kate and Kate’s Druid godfather Cathbad and heads off for an adventure. This is a sort of holiday with Cathbad babysitting when Ruth is working with the find. Oh, by coincidence, DCI Nelson is on holiday, nearby, with his wife Michelle.
The author pen name Elly Griffiths keeps you interested with arson, murder, suicide, kidnapping, etc. The cast of characters are mostly likeable. I like Ruth, but she puts herself down for being twelve stones. DCI Nelson is a likeable bloke. And, who could hate Cathbad.
Great series, and I am looking forward to reading the next book.
April 10, 2023
EXCERPT: At first he isn't even scared. Even though his room is full of smoke, and when he reaches the top of the stairs the heat makes him stagger backwards, eyes stinging. It's only a fire and he knows what to do in a fire, he learned it at Cubs some thirty years ago. Besides, he's in a tiny two-storey house, not The Towering Inferno (a film that he must have watched about the same time, come to think of it). He knows the bedroom window doesn't open and the bathroom window's too small but the front door is only a few steps away, just down those stairs. How hard can it be? Still calm, he goes back into the bathroom and soaks a towel, just like Akela told him. He wraps the towel around his face and starts to descend the stairs. It is hard, far harder than he thought possible. In the past he has read about people in fires being 'beaten back by the heat' and deep down he has always thought, 'Wimps. It's just hot air. Push through it.' But this doesn't seem like air any more, it's solid, and he has to batter against it with his whole body. After three steps he is exhausted and the heat is just getting stronger. He can't see much because of the towel, but he can hear the fire - a sort of a dull rushing sound filling the whole of the downstairs. He can smell it too, it smells industrial and serious.
But he can hear something else. Sirens. Someone must have called the Fire Brigade. Hallelujah. He's saved. He falls the last few steps, right onto the front door. The handle is so hot that it sticks to his hand but he holds on and turns it with all his might, pushing against the door with his shoulders. The towel slips and suddenly he's choking. The hall is full of dense black smoke and he's gasping for breath. With his last atom of strength he hurls himself against the door. Only then does he realise that it's locked. From the outside.
Now he's scared.
ABOUT 'A Dying Fall': Ruth’s old friend Dan Golding dies in a house fire. But before he died Dan wrote to Ruth telling her that he had made a ground-breaking archaeological discovery. Could this find be linked to his death and who are the sinister neo-Nazi group who were threatening Dan? Ruth makes the trip to Blackpool to investigate, wary of encroaching on DCI Harry Nelson’s home ground. Soon Ruth is embroiled in a mystery that involves the Pendle Witches, King Arthur and – scariest of all – Nelson’s mother.
There are forces at work in the town that threaten all that Ruth holds dear. But, in the final showdown on Blackpool Pleasure Beach, it is Cathbad who faces the greatest danger of all.
MY THOUGHTS: I love Ruth Galloway. She's smart, successful, but still manages to be unsure of herself. She's socially awkward and feasts on Kate's leftovers. Now who amongst us mothers has never done that? We can all identify with her insecurities and that only makes me love her more.
Sometimes, no matter how hard she tries, Ruth just can't get things right - particularly with Nelson, Kate's father. She's constantly wrong-footing herself with him and, while she does it for all the right reasons, it inevitably backfires on her.
There are two threads to the mystery in A Dying Fall. The first is the disappearance of Dan's important archeological find; and the second the mystery of Dan's death. Who hated him enough to burn him to death? The way these plot strands are interwoven is masterful.
I found A Dying Fall to be immensely suspenseful. Ruth receives threats against her own and Kate's lives but, although she finds them unsettling, she writes them off as student pranks and pushes on with trying to locate Dan's discovery. It's definitely not the wisest thing she's ever done!
I listened to the audiobook of A Dying Fall written by Elly Griffiths and superbly narrated by Clare Corbett via Libby from the Upper North Island Library Service.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#ADyingFall #WaitomoDistrictLibrary
I: @ellygriffiths17 @quercusbooks
T: @ellygriffiths @QuercusBooks
THE AUTHOR: Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway novels take for their inspiration Elly's husband, who gave up a city job to train as an archaeologist, and her aunt who lives on the Norfolk coast and who filled her niece's head with the myths and legends of that area. Elly has two children and lives near Brighton.
But he can hear something else. Sirens. Someone must have called the Fire Brigade. Hallelujah. He's saved. He falls the last few steps, right onto the front door. The handle is so hot that it sticks to his hand but he holds on and turns it with all his might, pushing against the door with his shoulders. The towel slips and suddenly he's choking. The hall is full of dense black smoke and he's gasping for breath. With his last atom of strength he hurls himself against the door. Only then does he realise that it's locked. From the outside.
Now he's scared.
ABOUT 'A Dying Fall': Ruth’s old friend Dan Golding dies in a house fire. But before he died Dan wrote to Ruth telling her that he had made a ground-breaking archaeological discovery. Could this find be linked to his death and who are the sinister neo-Nazi group who were threatening Dan? Ruth makes the trip to Blackpool to investigate, wary of encroaching on DCI Harry Nelson’s home ground. Soon Ruth is embroiled in a mystery that involves the Pendle Witches, King Arthur and – scariest of all – Nelson’s mother.
There are forces at work in the town that threaten all that Ruth holds dear. But, in the final showdown on Blackpool Pleasure Beach, it is Cathbad who faces the greatest danger of all.
MY THOUGHTS: I love Ruth Galloway. She's smart, successful, but still manages to be unsure of herself. She's socially awkward and feasts on Kate's leftovers. Now who amongst us mothers has never done that? We can all identify with her insecurities and that only makes me love her more.
Sometimes, no matter how hard she tries, Ruth just can't get things right - particularly with Nelson, Kate's father. She's constantly wrong-footing herself with him and, while she does it for all the right reasons, it inevitably backfires on her.
There are two threads to the mystery in A Dying Fall. The first is the disappearance of Dan's important archeological find; and the second the mystery of Dan's death. Who hated him enough to burn him to death? The way these plot strands are interwoven is masterful.
I found A Dying Fall to be immensely suspenseful. Ruth receives threats against her own and Kate's lives but, although she finds them unsettling, she writes them off as student pranks and pushes on with trying to locate Dan's discovery. It's definitely not the wisest thing she's ever done!
I listened to the audiobook of A Dying Fall written by Elly Griffiths and superbly narrated by Clare Corbett via Libby from the Upper North Island Library Service.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#ADyingFall #WaitomoDistrictLibrary
I: @ellygriffiths17 @quercusbooks
T: @ellygriffiths @QuercusBooks
THE AUTHOR: Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway novels take for their inspiration Elly's husband, who gave up a city job to train as an archaeologist, and her aunt who lives on the Norfolk coast and who filled her niece's head with the myths and legends of that area. Elly has two children and lives near Brighton.
December 15, 2020
I’ve been dipping into this series on and off over a few years and it’s just dawned on me that the books would probably be categorised, partly at least, as cosy mysteries. I don’t read cosy mysteries! Except of course when I do. Actually, it doesn’t really matter what box you put these books in - they are simply wonderful. Our main character is a 42 year old forensic anthropologist who, lives with her almost 2 year old daughter and a cat out on the marshes in splendid isolation.
This story takes her to Blackpool. She hears of the death of one of her uni mates, he burnt to death in his home (shudder). But a letter arrives from him as if from the grave. In the letter Dan Golding tells her he has made a remarkable discovery and wants her to come and check it out, but it is also clear from the letter that Dan is scared - very scared, it seems with good reason as his death is considered suspicious. So our intrepid forensic archaeologist heads to Blackpool as does DCI Harry Nelson (her baby daddy) with his wife to visit family. Naturally they run into each other which makes for some awkward and amusing interactions. But Cathbad, everybody’s favourite Druid, charms everyone and all is well.
No so on the murder inquiry. Dan was certain he had found the actual remains of the legendary King Arthur, but it seems that he was not quite what everyone expected! There are some nervous people, and a nasty neo-Nazi group, around who don’t want this made public. There are more deaths and threats to Ruth and her loved ones. And that’s where I’ll leave it. It was a real pleasure to return to this series. These people are like family now and there are enough quirks to make things interesting and unpredictable. You wouldn’t think Ruth Galloway’s life would not be so interesting but then you would be wrong! Elly Griffiths has a real knack for creating interesting and believable situations from almost thin air.
This story takes her to Blackpool. She hears of the death of one of her uni mates, he burnt to death in his home (shudder). But a letter arrives from him as if from the grave. In the letter Dan Golding tells her he has made a remarkable discovery and wants her to come and check it out, but it is also clear from the letter that Dan is scared - very scared, it seems with good reason as his death is considered suspicious. So our intrepid forensic archaeologist heads to Blackpool as does DCI Harry Nelson (her baby daddy) with his wife to visit family. Naturally they run into each other which makes for some awkward and amusing interactions. But Cathbad, everybody’s favourite Druid, charms everyone and all is well.
No so on the murder inquiry. Dan was certain he had found the actual remains of the legendary King Arthur, but it seems that he was not quite what everyone expected! There are some nervous people, and a nasty neo-Nazi group, around who don’t want this made public. There are more deaths and threats to Ruth and her loved ones. And that’s where I’ll leave it. It was a real pleasure to return to this series. These people are like family now and there are enough quirks to make things interesting and unpredictable. You wouldn’t think Ruth Galloway’s life would not be so interesting but then you would be wrong! Elly Griffiths has a real knack for creating interesting and believable situations from almost thin air.
March 19, 2016
This is the fifth book in the Ruth Galloway series, and it was an enjoyable read. The usual characters make an appearance, although Clough and Judy had minor roles. With the setting changing to the north in Blackpool, where Nelson was raised, there are several new characters in this book. The storyline is based on the finding of King Arthur's skeleton, and Ruth's expertise is needed. Cathbad plays a major role, and I'm guessing there are some changes afoot for the next book.
August 18, 2018
I'm becoming very fond of Ruth Galloway. In book 5 of the series she has to go to the Blackpool area to have a look at some bones. The tension builds up slowly but keeps you interested.
November 19, 2019
I really enjoyed book 5 of this Ruth Galloway series, parts of it even more than the previous books. As this series continues you get to know more about these characters who are all wonderful and interesting to read about. This book is mostly set in Blackpool, Ruth is investigating the mysterious death of an old friend and fellow archaeologist and Nelson is visiting family.
Despite really enjoying the mystery, the historical events the mystery involved and thoroughly enjoying the characters a couple of things were slight minuses for me. There is too much repetition of Ruth willingly going into a dangerous situation. If you had been warned not to do something especially given past scenarios nobody would put themselves and their child at risk. So many times Ruth gets Also Cathbad was described early on as being a vegetarian, he has done some dubious things for a vegetarian such as wear fur but in this book he is eating sweet and sour pork, it's quite obvious the author has forgotten a big thing about this character. Lastly it wasn't clear to me in the end who the killer was, I reread the last part and had to resort to asking a goodreads friend to find out who had done it . Having said that I really did enjoy the relationship between the characters and the humour, I really like the character of Ruth and Kate and all of them really. The mysteries are secondary for me, I'm really looking forward to hearing more about these characters lives.
Despite really enjoying the mystery, the historical events the mystery involved and thoroughly enjoying the characters a couple of things were slight minuses for me. There is too much repetition of Ruth willingly going into a dangerous situation. If you had been warned not to do something especially given past scenarios nobody would put themselves and their child at risk. So many times Ruth gets Also Cathbad was described early on as being a vegetarian, he has done some dubious things for a vegetarian such as wear fur but in this book he is eating sweet and sour pork, it's quite obvious the author has forgotten a big thing about this character. Lastly it wasn't clear to me in the end who the killer was, I reread the last part and had to resort to asking a goodreads friend to find out who had done it . Having said that I really did enjoy the relationship between the characters and the humour, I really like the character of Ruth and Kate and all of them really. The mysteries are secondary for me, I'm really looking forward to hearing more about these characters lives.
February 23, 2013
This may be the last of Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series I read. It has nothing to do with Griffiths' writing skills--she's wonderful. Her dialogue is crisp, her settings vibrant and enticing, her plot engaging. I even love most of the characters--who couldn't be enchanted by the Druid Cathbad with a heart of gold and the easy-going attitude toward life we would all love to emulate. I can easily understand why it's a Mary Higgins Clark award-winner.
The problem is Ruth Galloway--the main character. I don't like her.
But I'm ahead of myself. This latest book penned by Elly Griffiths, "A Dying Fall" (Houghton Mifflin 2013) dwells on that rich content we armchair anthropologists love--ancient bones with stories to tell. In this case, a colleague of Galloway's (Dan Golding) discovers them, contacts Ruth, but dies in a mysterious house fire before he can discuss his find. As luck would have it, the friend's employer (a struggling college) invites Galloway (a well-known expert in this field) to evaluate what should be a 1500-year old skeleton. She quickly realizes the bones that likely caused her friend's death have been replaced by worthless substitutes. It doesn't take long for Golding's killer to set his/her sights on Ruth and worse, her toddler daughter, Ruth uses her considerable intellect, her enigmatic friend Cathbad, and the father of her daughter DCI Nelson to unravel the mystery even as other lives are claimed in the murderer's effort to stop Ruth from uncovering the truth.
Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? And it is, despite being one of those present tense books that always take me a few chapters to get used to. Griffiths, like Elizabeth George, puts you smack amidst the English landscape in her scenes, characterizations, language, customs. Here are two examples:
"They eat takeaways in front of 'Doctor Who'"
"Beyond Ruth's fence, the long grass is tawny and gold with the occasional flash of dark blue water as the marsh leads out to the sea. In the distance, the sand glimmers like a mirage, and further still, the sea comes whispering in to shore, heralded by the seagulls flying high above the waves."
Griffiths seamlessly weaves Ruth's personal life into the plot--a daunting task that many author's cannot do--without being distracting. And archeology is a thread always present:
"She loves the mixture of painstaking order and backbreaking work, hauling earth about like a navvy one minute and dusting the sand away from a shard of bone the next. She loves the sight of a neat trench, its sides perfectly straight, the soil below exposed in clear layers."
"You can't go backwards, only forwards. Every archaeologist knows that. Time is a matter of layers, of strata, each firmly fixed in its own context."
But quickly, I tired of Ruth Galloway's short-tempered, curmudgeonly approach to life. Where she started out smart and clever, quickly she became whiny and opinionated, escalating to close-minded. Is that the English stoicism gone amuck? Or is she so full of herself, so wrapped up in the World of Ruth, she can't find room to be understanding, patient, or even consider that others might have a thought worth listening to? When I asked my PLN whether they considered it a mistake to craft an unlikable main character, many thought it was OK if that character was interesting enough.
So is Ruth? You decide. If you don't mind difficult main characters, there is an awful lot to recommend this book.
The problem is Ruth Galloway--the main character. I don't like her.
But I'm ahead of myself. This latest book penned by Elly Griffiths, "A Dying Fall" (Houghton Mifflin 2013) dwells on that rich content we armchair anthropologists love--ancient bones with stories to tell. In this case, a colleague of Galloway's (Dan Golding) discovers them, contacts Ruth, but dies in a mysterious house fire before he can discuss his find. As luck would have it, the friend's employer (a struggling college) invites Galloway (a well-known expert in this field) to evaluate what should be a 1500-year old skeleton. She quickly realizes the bones that likely caused her friend's death have been replaced by worthless substitutes. It doesn't take long for Golding's killer to set his/her sights on Ruth and worse, her toddler daughter, Ruth uses her considerable intellect, her enigmatic friend Cathbad, and the father of her daughter DCI Nelson to unravel the mystery even as other lives are claimed in the murderer's effort to stop Ruth from uncovering the truth.
Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? And it is, despite being one of those present tense books that always take me a few chapters to get used to. Griffiths, like Elizabeth George, puts you smack amidst the English landscape in her scenes, characterizations, language, customs. Here are two examples:
"They eat takeaways in front of 'Doctor Who'"
"Beyond Ruth's fence, the long grass is tawny and gold with the occasional flash of dark blue water as the marsh leads out to the sea. In the distance, the sand glimmers like a mirage, and further still, the sea comes whispering in to shore, heralded by the seagulls flying high above the waves."
Griffiths seamlessly weaves Ruth's personal life into the plot--a daunting task that many author's cannot do--without being distracting. And archeology is a thread always present:
"She loves the mixture of painstaking order and backbreaking work, hauling earth about like a navvy one minute and dusting the sand away from a shard of bone the next. She loves the sight of a neat trench, its sides perfectly straight, the soil below exposed in clear layers."
"You can't go backwards, only forwards. Every archaeologist knows that. Time is a matter of layers, of strata, each firmly fixed in its own context."
But quickly, I tired of Ruth Galloway's short-tempered, curmudgeonly approach to life. Where she started out smart and clever, quickly she became whiny and opinionated, escalating to close-minded. Is that the English stoicism gone amuck? Or is she so full of herself, so wrapped up in the World of Ruth, she can't find room to be understanding, patient, or even consider that others might have a thought worth listening to? When I asked my PLN whether they considered it a mistake to craft an unlikable main character, many thought it was OK if that character was interesting enough.
So is Ruth? You decide. If you don't mind difficult main characters, there is an awful lot to recommend this book.
April 12, 2013
This is a series that for me just keeps getting better and better. Love the character of Ruth, her insecurity and all her flaws and absolutely adore little Kate and her "Piss". Not what you are thinking but you need to read the book to find out exactly what "piss" means. Adore her friends, they are all so quirky and entertaining. This book is a mystery that pertains to the legend of King Arthur, or the Raven King and his supposed bones. A major archaeological find, a murder and a major twist at the end. Excellent.
October 9, 2016
Dying Fall is the fifth fantastic novel in the much loved Dr Ruth Galloway series and sees Ruth and the gang on tour, straying into the birthplace of DCI Harry Nelson and the delights of Blackpool Pleasure Beach! Once again Elly Griffiths has managed to combine a dose of the continuing soap opera on the Saltmarsh with a stimulating mystery, finding new areas for Ruth to explore which prove both fascinating and eye-opening. Dying Fall sees Kate now eighteen-months-old and Ruth combining motherhood with her working life as a specialist in forensic archaeology, resident at the University of North Norfolk. At forty-two, Ruth is casually involved with Dr Max Grey who she met in the course of a previous case, although swiftly fleeing from any mention of commitment and still drawn to the strong masculinity of the blunt DCI Harry Nelson. Disconcerted by the strange pull of the sexist, abrupt Nelson, Ruth, Nelson and his wife, Michelle are still getting to grips with the delicacy of Kate being his biological child, and the two night affair that took place.
Dying Fall swiftly introduces the mystery element with Ruth getting a call from her ex-flat mate from her student days at UCL and the news that fellow student, Dan Golding, has become the victim of a house fire. Interestingly, Dan is the only other member of their archaeology course to still be involved in the unglamorous work of an academic, surprisingly occupying a role at the lowly Pendle University. Having stirred the memories and commiserated, Ruth is somewhat surprised to get a handwritten letter from Dan the very next day. Twenty years since their student heydays, Dan is seeking Ruth's expertise in identifying what he believes to have been a 'significant discovery', and the note of fear she reads between the lines is all too clear. Nelson's contact in his old stomping ground confirms suspicious circumstances surrounding Dan's death, eventually launching a murder enquiry. Hot on the heels, Dan's boss invites Ruth to inspect his findings and Cathbad and Kate accompany her as she ventures into territory she staunchly associates with Nelson. It is with a sense of relief that Ruth discovers Nelson and Michelle are using up Nelson's annual holiday allowance visiting his family when she realises what Dan seems to have stumbled across. Dan mentioned the Raven King is his letter, but could it seriously relate to the tomb of the legendary King Arthur and why are Pendle University attracting the attention of white supremacists? Someone clearly wants Ruth to stay well away as she receives a series of menacing text messages putting Kate in danger and the furtive behaviour of the odd assortment of characters who populate Dan's academic life do nothing to quell Ruth's apprehension at just what Dan has uncovered.
This fifth novel has all the components which have made this series a firm favourite amongst crime fiction fans; namely excellent characterisation, old fashioned good honest humour and a unique mystery element. For a series uncovering old bones, Griffiths laces each with a genuine tension. In contrast to the fourth novel, Ruth is pleasantly back centre stage and at the coalface of the revelations. The novels in the series are undoubtedly best enjoyed in the correct order, as the continuing relationships of those in Ruth's life are an essential feature of each. Despite Elly Griffiths knowing how many fans admire the overweight, insecure and wonderfully ordinary modern woman, and the goings on outside of her work, she never neglects the mystery element managing to furnish her readers with a satisfying level of archaeological knowledge along the way. Dying Fall is once again a rousing success and Elly Griffiths wit is the icing on the cake, serving up the repartee between Ruth and the various men in her life. From references to the druid grapevine to Nelson's mother confusing Cathbad's name and calling him Cuthbert, Elly Griffiths never neglects Ruth's passion for archaeology and her focus is always on the bones... The humour and feel good factor are the added extras!
The Dr Ruth Galloway series is without a doubt the standout continuing series in current crime fiction and Elly Griffiths heartily deserves the success her characters have brought her.
Dying Fall swiftly introduces the mystery element with Ruth getting a call from her ex-flat mate from her student days at UCL and the news that fellow student, Dan Golding, has become the victim of a house fire. Interestingly, Dan is the only other member of their archaeology course to still be involved in the unglamorous work of an academic, surprisingly occupying a role at the lowly Pendle University. Having stirred the memories and commiserated, Ruth is somewhat surprised to get a handwritten letter from Dan the very next day. Twenty years since their student heydays, Dan is seeking Ruth's expertise in identifying what he believes to have been a 'significant discovery', and the note of fear she reads between the lines is all too clear. Nelson's contact in his old stomping ground confirms suspicious circumstances surrounding Dan's death, eventually launching a murder enquiry. Hot on the heels, Dan's boss invites Ruth to inspect his findings and Cathbad and Kate accompany her as she ventures into territory she staunchly associates with Nelson. It is with a sense of relief that Ruth discovers Nelson and Michelle are using up Nelson's annual holiday allowance visiting his family when she realises what Dan seems to have stumbled across. Dan mentioned the Raven King is his letter, but could it seriously relate to the tomb of the legendary King Arthur and why are Pendle University attracting the attention of white supremacists? Someone clearly wants Ruth to stay well away as she receives a series of menacing text messages putting Kate in danger and the furtive behaviour of the odd assortment of characters who populate Dan's academic life do nothing to quell Ruth's apprehension at just what Dan has uncovered.
This fifth novel has all the components which have made this series a firm favourite amongst crime fiction fans; namely excellent characterisation, old fashioned good honest humour and a unique mystery element. For a series uncovering old bones, Griffiths laces each with a genuine tension. In contrast to the fourth novel, Ruth is pleasantly back centre stage and at the coalface of the revelations. The novels in the series are undoubtedly best enjoyed in the correct order, as the continuing relationships of those in Ruth's life are an essential feature of each. Despite Elly Griffiths knowing how many fans admire the overweight, insecure and wonderfully ordinary modern woman, and the goings on outside of her work, she never neglects the mystery element managing to furnish her readers with a satisfying level of archaeological knowledge along the way. Dying Fall is once again a rousing success and Elly Griffiths wit is the icing on the cake, serving up the repartee between Ruth and the various men in her life. From references to the druid grapevine to Nelson's mother confusing Cathbad's name and calling him Cuthbert, Elly Griffiths never neglects Ruth's passion for archaeology and her focus is always on the bones... The humour and feel good factor are the added extras!
The Dr Ruth Galloway series is without a doubt the standout continuing series in current crime fiction and Elly Griffiths heartily deserves the success her characters have brought her.
October 4, 2022
#5 of the Ruth Galloway novels – a series of crime novels featuring a Norfolk based forensic archaeologist and of particular interest to me given my interests in both Norfolk and archaeology (see my review of “The Janus Stone”).
This novel compared to the others is set in Blackpool and the surrounding area – which immediately means that one of the two main attractions of the series for me is rather missing.
And even the part set in Norfolk is rather ridiculous. It returns to the Roman site near Swaffham from “The Janus Stone” which so reminded me of my own past – but whereas I remarked in this book that the site was “rather incongruously on a hill” the site now has a distant view of the sea which moves a little too close to geographically ignorant.
There are some other anomalies in the plot – at one stage Ruth reflects on how an old friend of hers had forgotten Ruth had a child (and what this says about Ruth) – which would be interesting if we had not just been told that the two had been out of contact for three years (Ruth’s child is two).
As a result therefore some of the aspects that I least like about the series were rather grating for me this time – in particular (from an earlier review): the way in which the books rely far too heavily for plots on intimidation and then actual physical threats to Ruth; her involvement in cases that she is investigating is not just repetitive but ridiculously coincidental (in both books too many of the story lines overlap in an insular fashion) and implausible (how often are forensic investigators really dragged into cases); having the main tension in the book around threats to someone who is the protagonist of a known series removes the concept of jeopardy almost entirely (even if it is I think more of a crime/procedural genre than a series flaw).
And this aspect is perhaps sillier than ever in this novel in that Ruth knowingly places herself in danger, despite the book opening with a University archaeologist friend being killed in suspicious circumstances as she “can’t imagine Dan was murdered because of his discovery [of the possible bones of King Arthur]” as ”Things like that just don’t happen to archaeologists” – which is almost a direct contradiction of her experience in the first four books (other than that she and some other key characters don’t die due to the need to appear in subsequent books).
And the end to the book is weak – a rather contrived and rather over-blown closing confrontation followed by an anti-climatic ending, then a series of exposition of what the different character’s motivations were which could be taken straight from Scooby Doo and even involves ghost and a dog and a (not entirely pesky) kid, and a rather ridiculous druidic funeral.
But the Ruth/Nelson and Judy/Cathabad (and for that matter Ruth/Cathbad) dynamics still work, the next in the series is set in Norwich Castle (the favourite museum of my childhood) and anyway I already bought the first 10 books – so onwards and (hopefully) upwards.
This novel compared to the others is set in Blackpool and the surrounding area – which immediately means that one of the two main attractions of the series for me is rather missing.
And even the part set in Norfolk is rather ridiculous. It returns to the Roman site near Swaffham from “The Janus Stone” which so reminded me of my own past – but whereas I remarked in this book that the site was “rather incongruously on a hill” the site now has a distant view of the sea which moves a little too close to geographically ignorant.
There are some other anomalies in the plot – at one stage Ruth reflects on how an old friend of hers had forgotten Ruth had a child (and what this says about Ruth) – which would be interesting if we had not just been told that the two had been out of contact for three years (Ruth’s child is two).
As a result therefore some of the aspects that I least like about the series were rather grating for me this time – in particular (from an earlier review): the way in which the books rely far too heavily for plots on intimidation and then actual physical threats to Ruth; her involvement in cases that she is investigating is not just repetitive but ridiculously coincidental (in both books too many of the story lines overlap in an insular fashion) and implausible (how often are forensic investigators really dragged into cases); having the main tension in the book around threats to someone who is the protagonist of a known series removes the concept of jeopardy almost entirely (even if it is I think more of a crime/procedural genre than a series flaw).
And this aspect is perhaps sillier than ever in this novel in that Ruth knowingly places herself in danger, despite the book opening with a University archaeologist friend being killed in suspicious circumstances as she “can’t imagine Dan was murdered because of his discovery [of the possible bones of King Arthur]” as ”Things like that just don’t happen to archaeologists” – which is almost a direct contradiction of her experience in the first four books (other than that she and some other key characters don’t die due to the need to appear in subsequent books).
And the end to the book is weak – a rather contrived and rather over-blown closing confrontation followed by an anti-climatic ending, then a series of exposition of what the different character’s motivations were which could be taken straight from Scooby Doo and even involves ghost and a dog and a (not entirely pesky) kid, and a rather ridiculous druidic funeral.
But the Ruth/Nelson and Judy/Cathabad (and for that matter Ruth/Cathbad) dynamics still work, the next in the series is set in Norwich Castle (the favourite museum of my childhood) and anyway I already bought the first 10 books – so onwards and (hopefully) upwards.
February 17, 2021
To be honest this one was more bearable than the two previous ones but still not the kind of crime mystery I enjoy reading!
Apart from Kate who's a baby, Thing who's a dog and Catchbad I can't stand the other characters! Not even the new additions that are involved in this story that seemed to me without depth and uninteresting.
Ruth that is mooning over Nelson and not trying to be happy, Nelson that is complaining constantly about Ruth's personal life despite the fact that he has no right to do so since he has a settled life and a companion to go back to.
Michelle on the other hand I can't stand with no apparent reason but maybe she strucks out as a bit pretentious for my taste or because Nelson mostly mentions that she is good looking but says not much good about her personality!
The mystery part is almost non existent for more than half of the book. The forensic part that Ruth must perform isn't longer than 5-6 pages and the story goes on and on and on about the personal drama of all of the characters!
The scenery was nice and the mystery around King Arthur and the twist about his origins a quiet enjoyed reading about.
All around this story is 70% personal thoughts and drama and 30% mystery which is not at all satisfying and I would have abandoned it long ago haven't had purchased a box set but glad to have only one more to go.
2.5/5 *
Apart from Kate who's a baby, Thing who's a dog and Catchbad I can't stand the other characters! Not even the new additions that are involved in this story that seemed to me without depth and uninteresting.
Ruth that is mooning over Nelson and not trying to be happy, Nelson that is complaining constantly about Ruth's personal life despite the fact that he has no right to do so since he has a settled life and a companion to go back to.
Michelle on the other hand I can't stand with no apparent reason but maybe she strucks out as a bit pretentious for my taste or because Nelson mostly mentions that she is good looking but says not much good about her personality!
The mystery part is almost non existent for more than half of the book. The forensic part that Ruth must perform isn't longer than 5-6 pages and the story goes on and on and on about the personal drama of all of the characters!
The scenery was nice and the mystery around King Arthur and the twist about his origins a quiet enjoyed reading about.
All around this story is 70% personal thoughts and drama and 30% mystery which is not at all satisfying and I would have abandoned it long ago haven't had purchased a box set but glad to have only one more to go.
2.5/5 *
November 7, 2019
I really love Kate. I’m eager to get to know her as she grows and matures and becomes even more verbal and able to express herself.
I love Cathbad too.
I still really enjoy and love Ruth but I’m getting incredibly tired of main characters in mysteries that over & over & over again stupidly unnecessarily put themselves in danger. I’m really, really not okay when/if Kate is put in danger or even a chance that she’s in danger. Nope, I don’t like it.
I do not appreciate how my emotions were played with at the end. If not for my Goodreads friend (artist) Laura telling me something that included future books, I might have thought something had happened that did not, though another true possibility would have also been in my mind. I am so glad my worst fears did not come to pass, but I hate being emotionally manipulated, even though I know it’s a mystery series and I know that’s often par for the course.
I hope the Disneyland mentioned is the one in Paris because I don’t think that the original Disneyland in California has/had a ride like the one described.
One thing about this series is it’s best to guess the culprit is someone about who the reader might least suspect, but I know that now.
I can’t give this book or any of the books in the series so far less than 4 stars. Most are 4-1/2 for me. The characters are some of the best I’ve gotten to know in any book I’ve ever read. I guess it’s sort of like a soap opera at times but it has depth and it works for me. I am happy that it looks as though Tim will be in future books. I like that new characters are introduced and we see new layers in all the characters as the books go on. Also, the humor is great. There isn’t a huge amount of it but what there is sometimes makes me laugh out loud and I enjoy all of it. Also, I care too deeply about too almost all of the characters. They definitely seem like real people and I’m invested in them.
This one takes place mostly in the Blackpool area so that was new and not quite as interesting as remote Norfolk, but still engrossing ( do love roller coasters and learning about different places in the U.K.) and there were actually a few settings and all had my interest, and maybe it was nice to have a complete change of scenery in book 5.
I love Cathbad too.
I still really enjoy and love Ruth but I’m getting incredibly tired of main characters in mysteries that over & over & over again stupidly unnecessarily put themselves in danger. I’m really, really not okay when/if Kate is put in danger or even a chance that she’s in danger. Nope, I don’t like it.
I do not appreciate how my emotions were played with at the end. If not for my Goodreads friend (artist) Laura telling me something that included future books, I might have thought something had happened that did not, though another true possibility would have also been in my mind. I am so glad my worst fears did not come to pass, but I hate being emotionally manipulated, even though I know it’s a mystery series and I know that’s often par for the course.
I hope the Disneyland mentioned is the one in Paris because I don’t think that the original Disneyland in California has/had a ride like the one described.
One thing about this series is it’s best to guess the culprit is someone about who the reader might least suspect, but I know that now.
I can’t give this book or any of the books in the series so far less than 4 stars. Most are 4-1/2 for me. The characters are some of the best I’ve gotten to know in any book I’ve ever read. I guess it’s sort of like a soap opera at times but it has depth and it works for me. I am happy that it looks as though Tim will be in future books. I like that new characters are introduced and we see new layers in all the characters as the books go on. Also, the humor is great. There isn’t a huge amount of it but what there is sometimes makes me laugh out loud and I enjoy all of it. Also, I care too deeply about too almost all of the characters. They definitely seem like real people and I’m invested in them.
This one takes place mostly in the Blackpool area so that was new and not quite as interesting as remote Norfolk, but still engrossing ( do love roller coasters and learning about different places in the U.K.) and there were actually a few settings and all had my interest, and maybe it was nice to have a complete change of scenery in book 5.
May 16, 2024
I think book 4 and 5 are my favorites in this series so far.
I like the sudden suspenseful moments in these books. I’m enjoying getting yo know Ruth Galloway and all her friends.
My mom recommended these to me and I’m glad I decided to give them a try. A quick, fun read.
I like the sudden suspenseful moments in these books. I’m enjoying getting yo know Ruth Galloway and all her friends.
My mom recommended these to me and I’m glad I decided to give them a try. A quick, fun read.
March 8, 2021
I can resist everything but temptation! (Thank you, Oscar Wilde.) There are other books due at the library or partially read, asking to be finished, but I couldn't resist the lure of another Ruth Galloway mystery. I was somewhat worried because I'd read the previous book in the series just last month that this volume would feel less enchanting as a result. I needn't have been concerned.
Griffiths manages to transport us almost a year from A Room Full of Bones. Kate is nearing her second birthday and has become a talkative, enthusiastic child. She and Ruth have settled into a comfortable routine and her godfather Cathbad has bonded with this little dyad. Harry Nelson is still struggling with his marriage, his desire to be Kate's daddy, and the incompatibility of these two things.
The author also reminds us of Ruth's past, so prominent in the first book of the series, when she hears of the death of a popular member of her university friendship circle. He has posted her a letter, which arrives the day after Ruth hears the bad news, giving her an uneasy premonition. Of course, she is promptly contacted by his faculty with a request to evaluate a recent archaeological find and wouldn't you know that it's in Nelson's home stomping grounds.
Because Ruth has asked Harry to find out some details for her, they both end up travelling to Blackpool, without informing each other. This serendipity does not impress Harry's wife and I wonder if Griffiths is setting up a permanent rift between them. As usual, there is a high stakes situation before the dust settles and Griffiths trifles mercilessly with the reader's assumptions and emotions. She also uses the King Arthur story to provide a focus for the mystery portion of the story. I am always a sucker for the High King and I love the spin that the author gives to the old story.
The temptation to binge these books is strong, but I must control this urge! I am caught up to date on too many of my favourite series and I don't want to lose the sweet tang of anticipation.
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
Griffiths manages to transport us almost a year from A Room Full of Bones. Kate is nearing her second birthday and has become a talkative, enthusiastic child. She and Ruth have settled into a comfortable routine and her godfather Cathbad has bonded with this little dyad. Harry Nelson is still struggling with his marriage, his desire to be Kate's daddy, and the incompatibility of these two things.
The author also reminds us of Ruth's past, so prominent in the first book of the series, when she hears of the death of a popular member of her university friendship circle. He has posted her a letter, which arrives the day after Ruth hears the bad news, giving her an uneasy premonition. Of course, she is promptly contacted by his faculty with a request to evaluate a recent archaeological find and wouldn't you know that it's in Nelson's home stomping grounds.
Because Ruth has asked Harry to find out some details for her, they both end up travelling to Blackpool, without informing each other. This serendipity does not impress Harry's wife and I wonder if Griffiths is setting up a permanent rift between them. As usual, there is a high stakes situation before the dust settles and Griffiths trifles mercilessly with the reader's assumptions and emotions. She also uses the King Arthur story to provide a focus for the mystery portion of the story. I am always a sucker for the High King and I love the spin that the author gives to the old story.
The temptation to binge these books is strong, but I must control this urge! I am caught up to date on too many of my favourite series and I don't want to lose the sweet tang of anticipation.
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
July 19, 2019
4.25 stars. This series consistently delivers the following:
*Atmosphere galore with bonus: the creepy British countryside by the sea
*Dynamite recurring characters I've come to know and love. And a new one introduced this volume whom I'm sure we'll see again (Tim) and looking forward to it.
*The kind of wry humor I really appreciate, so, lots of smiles
*Cathbad. Need I say more?! Nope.
*A heroine I'm really growing attached to. She's smart, she loves her child but she's not a "pearls and heels" type of mom. She knows her mind and keeps the men on her toes. Go, Ruth!
*I've listened to every one of these on audio so far (I switch back and forth between paper book and audio) and they've all made the book even better. Even tho with this one, the narrator changed (and for the next one too). The two narrators deliver very similar intonations and accents for all of the characters, not to mention upping the creepy factor, which I love.
*Her writing is easy to fall into and be swept away by. A nice distraction from news headlines, which are brutal in America, and have been for several years. This series (so far) has kept me from reading the entire No. 1 Ladies Detective series for a *fourth* time, hopefully it holds as there are several volumes left - and she's still writing them. :))))
*They're not too violent or explicit in language, sex, etc. Just the right balance in this series imo.
Honestly I could go on and on but I have more reading to do today ha!
If you're looking for a fun to read mystery series that has great characters and writing in a beautiful setting, with archaeology as a bonus, this is a great one. Audiobooks are also great. Win win !
*Atmosphere galore with bonus: the creepy British countryside by the sea
*Dynamite recurring characters I've come to know and love. And a new one introduced this volume whom I'm sure we'll see again (Tim) and looking forward to it.
*The kind of wry humor I really appreciate, so, lots of smiles
*Cathbad. Need I say more?! Nope.
*A heroine I'm really growing attached to. She's smart, she loves her child but she's not a "pearls and heels" type of mom. She knows her mind and keeps the men on her toes. Go, Ruth!
*I've listened to every one of these on audio so far (I switch back and forth between paper book and audio) and they've all made the book even better. Even tho with this one, the narrator changed (and for the next one too). The two narrators deliver very similar intonations and accents for all of the characters, not to mention upping the creepy factor, which I love.
*Her writing is easy to fall into and be swept away by. A nice distraction from news headlines, which are brutal in America, and have been for several years. This series (so far) has kept me from reading the entire No. 1 Ladies Detective series for a *fourth* time, hopefully it holds as there are several volumes left - and she's still writing them. :))))
*They're not too violent or explicit in language, sex, etc. Just the right balance in this series imo.
Honestly I could go on and on but I have more reading to do today ha!
If you're looking for a fun to read mystery series that has great characters and writing in a beautiful setting, with archaeology as a bonus, this is a great one. Audiobooks are also great. Win win !
August 25, 2013
I just finished this fifth book in the Ruth Galloway series, and I find myself in that place of grief for readers who have read all there is published so far in a favorite series. It has, however, been a glorious week of reading, as I have devoured this series from its beginning. I read one a day, and I am not normally a fast reader. I simply couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. It is the stuff of which readers dream and the well-deserved winner of the Mary Higgins Clark Award.
The school term at North Norwich University if ending for Ruth Galloway, who teaches archaeology, when she receives news of an old university school chum's death in a tragic house fire in Lancashire. The following day she receives a letter from this same schoolmate, Dan Golding, asking for her help concerning a skeleton he has recently uncovered, a find that he states could be a major archaeological event. Golding also mentions that he is afraid, but he doesn't say of what. Within a few days, Ruth has a call from the head of Dan's department at Pendle University, a call requesting her to lend expertise in identifying the bones from Dan's excavation. She decides to take her summer holiday in Lancashire so that she can examine the bones. Accompanying Ruth are her toddler daughter Kate and her Druid friend Cathbad. As is often the case, Ruth's former married lover and Kate's father, DCI Harry Nelson, also ends up in the same local as Ruth. He is vacationing with his wife in his hometown and visiting family. Ruth has ignored several phone texts advising her not to come to Lancashire, and she is soon confronted with a shadowy hate organization that views murder as an acceptable means to prevent the bones discovered by her dead friend from being examined or publicized. With Ruth's and Kate's lives increasingly in danger, Nelson becomes involved in a police investigation into Dan Golding's death conducted by his hometown police friend. The twists and turns that I've come to love in this series prove a challenge for all who are trying to follow a trail of bones and history to solve a mystery. In the process, Ruth identifies some truths for her personal life, too.
My thanks to Elly Griffiths for creating the wonderful world of Ruth Galloway, Harry Nelson, Cathbad, Kate, and all the rest of the amazing characters in this series. Your storylines keep me spellbound, and the settings entrance me. I can hardly wait until I can sit down with these fictional friends once again.
The school term at North Norwich University if ending for Ruth Galloway, who teaches archaeology, when she receives news of an old university school chum's death in a tragic house fire in Lancashire. The following day she receives a letter from this same schoolmate, Dan Golding, asking for her help concerning a skeleton he has recently uncovered, a find that he states could be a major archaeological event. Golding also mentions that he is afraid, but he doesn't say of what. Within a few days, Ruth has a call from the head of Dan's department at Pendle University, a call requesting her to lend expertise in identifying the bones from Dan's excavation. She decides to take her summer holiday in Lancashire so that she can examine the bones. Accompanying Ruth are her toddler daughter Kate and her Druid friend Cathbad. As is often the case, Ruth's former married lover and Kate's father, DCI Harry Nelson, also ends up in the same local as Ruth. He is vacationing with his wife in his hometown and visiting family. Ruth has ignored several phone texts advising her not to come to Lancashire, and she is soon confronted with a shadowy hate organization that views murder as an acceptable means to prevent the bones discovered by her dead friend from being examined or publicized. With Ruth's and Kate's lives increasingly in danger, Nelson becomes involved in a police investigation into Dan Golding's death conducted by his hometown police friend. The twists and turns that I've come to love in this series prove a challenge for all who are trying to follow a trail of bones and history to solve a mystery. In the process, Ruth identifies some truths for her personal life, too.
My thanks to Elly Griffiths for creating the wonderful world of Ruth Galloway, Harry Nelson, Cathbad, Kate, and all the rest of the amazing characters in this series. Your storylines keep me spellbound, and the settings entrance me. I can hardly wait until I can sit down with these fictional friends once again.
February 22, 2025
This is the 5th book in the Dr Ruth Galloway series and probably my favourite so far. Yes, there is still fatism that, for me, distracts from the book, and she really isn't that fat. But Ruth Kate and Cathbad leave Norfolk and head to Blackpool, where one of her uni friends has died in suspicious circumstances in a house fire. Dan, her friend, wrote to her before he died asking for a second opinion on some bones that he'd found. He said he was scared. Nelson and Michelle are also in Blackpool visiting family. Nelsons friend Sandy heads up the investigation. White supremacy, King Arthur, and the mysterious white hand are at the heart of the story. It's a well paced, fast-moving plot, wonderful, surprising, and full of character driven scenes. I really like the normality of single motherhood, and my favourite character is still Cathbad. An excellent read
March 26, 2015
As always, I love the writing of Elly Griffiths and impatiently wait for the next book every time. She grabs from the first sentence with this one and doesn't let go! The story was really good but I wasn't as taken with the actual "mystery." It's really not that difficult to figure it out even though it's supposed to be a real surprise, I think. What I love the most are the characters and she gave me a real scare toward the end of the book. Naughty, naughty! (I'm shaking my finger at her.) If you haven't tried this series, it's well worth starting now!
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July 14, 2015
A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths
Published 2013, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Stars: ★★★★☆
Review also posted at: Slapdash & Sundry
This was probably my favorite one since the first one. Plenty of suspects, a different locale that set our team on edge, actual danger for some of the characters, and...
I thought I had the killer(s?) figured out, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was wrong.
Highly entertaining one, this. :)
Published 2013, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Stars: ★★★★☆
Review also posted at: Slapdash & Sundry
This was probably my favorite one since the first one. Plenty of suspects, a different locale that set our team on edge, actual danger for some of the characters, and...
I thought I had the killer(s?) figured out, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was wrong.
Highly entertaining one, this. :)
March 12, 2017
It's always a pleasure to read the next installment of the Ruth Galloway crime series. Ruth and Co. are like old friends now! In this fifth book, Ruth travels up to Blackpool to investigate the death of an old college friend, Dan, who has died in a house fire. It soon becomes apparent that the fire was no accident and seems to be linked with Dan's recent discovery of the possible bones of the legendary King Arthur. Add some shady Neo Nazis into the mix and our friends are soon in a spot of bother! A great climax to the book too - I was on the edge of my seat! Highly recommended to all crime fans.
December 7, 2014
This is my least favorite of the series so far. I found the plot to be pretty thin with too many characters and very little depth. I also find that I like Ruth less and less with each book. Her lack of self-esteem and feelings of inferiority are becoming annoying; she doesn't even correct Nelson when he calls their daughter Katie instead of Kate. She needs to return to her role as Nelson's crime solving partner and drop the pathetic mother role.
February 3, 2022
This series just gets better and better, in my humble opinion. We are, by now, invested in these wonderful characters, and getting to know them well. This author brings them all to life, and I laugh out loud at times-sometimes because of the humor, but often just with joy at this little cast of characters. I am looking forward to the next book!
February 9, 2019
I loved this book, the fifth in the Ruth Galloway series and, in my opinion, the best yet. I'm eagerly looking forward to reading more about these delightful characters. This one goes on my favorites shelf.
August 3, 2023
[IN PROGRESS]
4.5*
Dying Fall, the fifth in Elly Griffiths' superlative series featuring forensic archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway, takes the series main characters away from their homes in Norfolk to Lancashire, in particular the area surrounding the slightly faded seaside resort town of Blackpool.
more to come...
4.5*
Dying Fall, the fifth in Elly Griffiths' superlative series featuring forensic archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway, takes the series main characters away from their homes in Norfolk to Lancashire, in particular the area surrounding the slightly faded seaside resort town of Blackpool.
"As they turn onto the motorway, a huge sign above them points the way unambiguously to The North. ...Blackpool is D.I. Harry Nelson's heartland - where he grew up and began his career in law enforcement, but an unfamiliar environment for archaeologist Ruth, her toddler daughter Kate and druid friend Cathbad.
She remembers Dan's letter with its reference to the 'frozen and inhospitable north'. She is going into alien territory, and for a moment she thinks she understands how the Roman legions must have felt, leaving the sunny comfort of Italy and travelling northwards to the barbarous lands of the Anglo-Saxons." (p.64)
more to come...
May 6, 2016
A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths.
This author clearly does not run out of original ideas or the creativity in expressing them. My thanks to Elly Griffiths for choosing to become an author and most importantly for creating The very realistic character of Ruth Galloway.
Ruth learns of the tragic death of her old university chum Dan Golding. apparently Dan was killed while trying to escape from a house fire. Neighbors just arriving home immediately called the fire brigade but it was too late. Dan could not be revived.
Then Ruth receives a letter from Dan dated just prior to his death asking for her expertise in his archaeological find. He may have uncovered the remains of King Arthur.
This is without a doubt one of my favorite books in the Ruth Galloway series and one of the most intense and involved stories to date. Highly recommended.
This author clearly does not run out of original ideas or the creativity in expressing them. My thanks to Elly Griffiths for choosing to become an author and most importantly for creating The very realistic character of Ruth Galloway.
Ruth learns of the tragic death of her old university chum Dan Golding. apparently Dan was killed while trying to escape from a house fire. Neighbors just arriving home immediately called the fire brigade but it was too late. Dan could not be revived.
Then Ruth receives a letter from Dan dated just prior to his death asking for her expertise in his archaeological find. He may have uncovered the remains of King Arthur.
This is without a doubt one of my favorite books in the Ruth Galloway series and one of the most intense and involved stories to date. Highly recommended.
October 12, 2020
Elly Griffiths has not yet disappointed with her books in the Ruth Galloway series. I've read them from the beginning and find her plotting, story-telling ability, and characters to be excellent and consistent from title to title,. which is not to say that the recurring characters haven't experienced growth as the series moves forward.
These books could be read as standalones, but I think the best reading experience is to start from the beginning and move forward.
These books could be read as standalones, but I think the best reading experience is to start from the beginning and move forward.
June 3, 2013
This series continues to hold my attention and interest. The plots are varied; the characters develop and grow. In this episode, Ruth is called away from her home in Norfolk further north to the Blackpool area to study bones that may date to the time of King Arthur. There is mystery, murder,and all the regular characters are back, though their roles are slightly changed. Daughter Kate is now a toddler and Cathbad is acting as a Druid babysitter...a wonderful image.
There are so many things to like in this edition and one of my favorites is the maturing of all the characters. Life is changing for all of them and they must adapt. The archaeology, mystery and police details allow us to watch all of this. I'm very much looking forward to the next book.
Highly recommended.
There are so many things to like in this edition and one of my favorites is the maturing of all the characters. Life is changing for all of them and they must adapt. The archaeology, mystery and police details allow us to watch all of this. I'm very much looking forward to the next book.
Highly recommended.
October 24, 2024
3,5 ⭐️
Leer acerca de exploraciones arqueológicas y las leyendas asociadas con algunas de ellas me ha fascinado desde que era pequeño. Ese viaje al pasado que permite descubrir misterios que han permanecido enterrados durante siglos, escondidos en ruinas, huesos o pequeños objetos, es el vehículo perfecto del que se sirve Elly Griffiths para ofrecer un atractivo misterio que combina historia, arqueología y suspense. En ‘El secreto del rey cuervo’, quinta entrega de la serie protagonizada por la arqueóloga forense Ruth Galloway, esta se enfrentará a un nuevo misterio en el que las leyendas sobre el rey Arturo y las brujas de Pendle resurgen en el contexto de un descubrimiento arqueológico en el que se entrelazarán pasado y presente.
Dan Golding, un antiguo compañero de estudios de Ruth, muere en un incendio en su casa y todo parece indicar que ha sido provocado. Solo dos días después de su fallecimiento, Ruth recibe una carta de Dan en la que explicaba que hizo un asombroso descubrimiento arqueológico, pero también expresaba su miedo. Poco después el decano de la Universidad donde Dan daba clases, pide la colaboración de Ruth. Esta viajará junto a su hija Kate y Cathbad a la zona de Blackpool, tierra natal del inspector Harry Nelson, donde este se encuentra pasando las vacaciones junto a su mujer. Pronto, Ruth se verá envuelta en un misterio que amenaza todo lo que más aprecia.
Mientras que en la anterior entrega de la serie el misterio arqueológico quedó un poco en segundo plano, aquí vuelve a tomar mayor protagonismo, generando un halo de misticismo e intriga. Aunque las vidas personales de los personajes continúan teniendo mucho peso dentro de la historia, la combinación de estas dentro del contexto de misterio no se siente forzada.
Los personajes siguen evolucionando, aunque de manera desigual. Ruth es un personaje complejo, pero no estoy seguro si me gusta hacia donde está avanzando. Mientras que cuando la conocimos era una mujer fuerte, independiente y con opiniones marcadas, en las últimas entregas su personaje está marcado por una profunda inseguridad en lo que a su imagen se refiere, con continuas referencias a su sentimiento de inferioridad y falta de autoestima que pueden tornarse un poco repetitivas. Su tendencia a involucrarse en situaciones peligrosas puede llegar a resultar un poco frustrante, especialmente cuando también está poniendo en peligro a su hija.
Mi relación con el Inspector Nelson sigue siendo complicada. No empezamos con buen pie y cada vez va a peor. Sus comentarios, comportamientos y actitudes, muchas veces referidos a la vida personal de Ruth (sobre la que parece creer que tiene derecho a opinar) me sacan de mis casillas. Además, su relación con Ruth está estancada, y no terminar de avanzar en ninguna dirección clara.
Si mi relación con Nelson no remonta, con Cathbad me pasa todo lo contrario. Es un personaje que cada vez me resulta más entrañable, gracias a su peculiar manera de afrontar la vida y los problemas, y es refrescante ver cómo va ganando más protagonismo a medida que avanza la serie.
El cambio de escenario a Blackpool permite la introducción de nuevos personajes, como la familia de Nelson, y hace que otros como Judy tengan un papel muy secundario (aunque su reciente maternidad promete momentos interesantes en futuras entregas).
El desenlace ofrece una mayor dosis de acción y presenta un cliffhanger que, pudiendo haber quedado en el aire, se resuelve de manera demasiado rápida, no generando la tensión que merecía ese momento.
Una de los puntos fuertes de la trama es cómo Griffiths entrelaza el misterio histórico con problemas actuales, como la manipulación de los mitos para justificar ideologías extremistas. Esta crítica a la apropiación de símbolos históricos con fines ideológicos aporta una capa de profundidad que enriquece la historia, mostrando cómo los hallazgos arqueológicos pueden ser utilizados para fines peligrosos si caen en manos equivocadas.
‘El secreto del rey cuervo’ es una interesante mezcla de historia y ficción gracias a la crítica que hace a la manipulación del pasado para justificar intereses actuales. A pesar de algunos altibajos en el desarrollo de personajes, la intriga arqueológica tiene el interés suficiente como para atraer a los fans de la serie.
Leer acerca de exploraciones arqueológicas y las leyendas asociadas con algunas de ellas me ha fascinado desde que era pequeño. Ese viaje al pasado que permite descubrir misterios que han permanecido enterrados durante siglos, escondidos en ruinas, huesos o pequeños objetos, es el vehículo perfecto del que se sirve Elly Griffiths para ofrecer un atractivo misterio que combina historia, arqueología y suspense. En ‘El secreto del rey cuervo’, quinta entrega de la serie protagonizada por la arqueóloga forense Ruth Galloway, esta se enfrentará a un nuevo misterio en el que las leyendas sobre el rey Arturo y las brujas de Pendle resurgen en el contexto de un descubrimiento arqueológico en el que se entrelazarán pasado y presente.
Dan Golding, un antiguo compañero de estudios de Ruth, muere en un incendio en su casa y todo parece indicar que ha sido provocado. Solo dos días después de su fallecimiento, Ruth recibe una carta de Dan en la que explicaba que hizo un asombroso descubrimiento arqueológico, pero también expresaba su miedo. Poco después el decano de la Universidad donde Dan daba clases, pide la colaboración de Ruth. Esta viajará junto a su hija Kate y Cathbad a la zona de Blackpool, tierra natal del inspector Harry Nelson, donde este se encuentra pasando las vacaciones junto a su mujer. Pronto, Ruth se verá envuelta en un misterio que amenaza todo lo que más aprecia.
Mientras que en la anterior entrega de la serie el misterio arqueológico quedó un poco en segundo plano, aquí vuelve a tomar mayor protagonismo, generando un halo de misticismo e intriga. Aunque las vidas personales de los personajes continúan teniendo mucho peso dentro de la historia, la combinación de estas dentro del contexto de misterio no se siente forzada.
Los personajes siguen evolucionando, aunque de manera desigual. Ruth es un personaje complejo, pero no estoy seguro si me gusta hacia donde está avanzando. Mientras que cuando la conocimos era una mujer fuerte, independiente y con opiniones marcadas, en las últimas entregas su personaje está marcado por una profunda inseguridad en lo que a su imagen se refiere, con continuas referencias a su sentimiento de inferioridad y falta de autoestima que pueden tornarse un poco repetitivas. Su tendencia a involucrarse en situaciones peligrosas puede llegar a resultar un poco frustrante, especialmente cuando también está poniendo en peligro a su hija.
Mi relación con el Inspector Nelson sigue siendo complicada. No empezamos con buen pie y cada vez va a peor. Sus comentarios, comportamientos y actitudes, muchas veces referidos a la vida personal de Ruth (sobre la que parece creer que tiene derecho a opinar) me sacan de mis casillas. Además, su relación con Ruth está estancada, y no terminar de avanzar en ninguna dirección clara.
Si mi relación con Nelson no remonta, con Cathbad me pasa todo lo contrario. Es un personaje que cada vez me resulta más entrañable, gracias a su peculiar manera de afrontar la vida y los problemas, y es refrescante ver cómo va ganando más protagonismo a medida que avanza la serie.
El cambio de escenario a Blackpool permite la introducción de nuevos personajes, como la familia de Nelson, y hace que otros como Judy tengan un papel muy secundario (aunque su reciente maternidad promete momentos interesantes en futuras entregas).
El desenlace ofrece una mayor dosis de acción y presenta un cliffhanger que, pudiendo haber quedado en el aire, se resuelve de manera demasiado rápida, no generando la tensión que merecía ese momento.
Una de los puntos fuertes de la trama es cómo Griffiths entrelaza el misterio histórico con problemas actuales, como la manipulación de los mitos para justificar ideologías extremistas. Esta crítica a la apropiación de símbolos históricos con fines ideológicos aporta una capa de profundidad que enriquece la historia, mostrando cómo los hallazgos arqueológicos pueden ser utilizados para fines peligrosos si caen en manos equivocadas.
‘El secreto del rey cuervo’ es una interesante mezcla de historia y ficción gracias a la crítica que hace a la manipulación del pasado para justificar intereses actuales. A pesar de algunos altibajos en el desarrollo de personajes, la intriga arqueológica tiene el interés suficiente como para atraer a los fans de la serie.
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