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| Quercus July 2017 |
Blurb...
Boiled human bones have been found in Norwich's web of underground tunnels. When Dr Ruth Galloway discovers they are recent - the boiling not the medieval curiosity she thought - DCI Nelson has a murder enquiry on his hands.
Meanwhile, DS Judy Johnson is investigating the disappearance of a local rough sleeper. The only trace of her is the rumour that she's gone 'underground'. This might be a figure of speech, but with the discovery of the bones and the rumours both Ruth and the police have heard of a vast network of old chalk-mining tunnels under King's Lynn, home to a vast community of rough sleepers, the clues point in only one direction. Local academic Martin Kellerman knows all about the tunnels and their history - but can his assertions of cannibalism and ritual killing possibly be true?
As the weather gets hotter, tensions rise. A local woman goes missing and the police are under attack. Ruth and Nelson must unravel the dark secrets of The Underground and discover just what gruesome secrets lurk at its heart - before it claims another victim.
My thoughts...
There is always a sense of real excitement when I open a new Ruth Galloway book and having followed the series from the very beginning , I have never been disappointed by the way each new mystery unfolds.
In The Chalk Pit, Ruth is confronted by another dark and perplexing mystery which involves the discovery of a set of human bones which have been found in one of Norwich's underground tunnels. When homeless people start to be targeted by a ruthless killer both the police investigation and Ruth's interest in the underground tunnels start to coalesce.
As always the plot is controlled meticulously by an author who really brings her characters to life. Those readers who have followed the series from the start will be aware of the subtle nuance of the relationship between Ruth and DCI Nelson and I am pleased to say that this continues to develop, lending more of a 'will they', won't they' element back into their complicated relationship. I enjoy seeing the other detectives get a chance to shine and am always pleased when DS Johnson makes an appearance, she lends a different sort of dynamic to the detective grouping which is always very welcome. The mystery at the heart of the novel is dark and complicated and the many twists and turns in the plot kept me guessing right to the end.
As one book finishes I immediately look forward to the next one and hope that it won't be too long in coming. As always, I would recommend that new readers start at the beginning of this excellent series, that way the faults and foibles of the characters who make up the major players can be fully appreciated.
More about the author can be found on her website by clicking here
Follow on Twitter @ellygriffiths
My thoughts...
There is always a sense of real excitement when I open a new Ruth Galloway book and having followed the series from the very beginning , I have never been disappointed by the way each new mystery unfolds.
In The Chalk Pit, Ruth is confronted by another dark and perplexing mystery which involves the discovery of a set of human bones which have been found in one of Norwich's underground tunnels. When homeless people start to be targeted by a ruthless killer both the police investigation and Ruth's interest in the underground tunnels start to coalesce.
As always the plot is controlled meticulously by an author who really brings her characters to life. Those readers who have followed the series from the start will be aware of the subtle nuance of the relationship between Ruth and DCI Nelson and I am pleased to say that this continues to develop, lending more of a 'will they', won't they' element back into their complicated relationship. I enjoy seeing the other detectives get a chance to shine and am always pleased when DS Johnson makes an appearance, she lends a different sort of dynamic to the detective grouping which is always very welcome. The mystery at the heart of the novel is dark and complicated and the many twists and turns in the plot kept me guessing right to the end.
As one book finishes I immediately look forward to the next one and hope that it won't be too long in coming. As always, I would recommend that new readers start at the beginning of this excellent series, that way the faults and foibles of the characters who make up the major players can be fully appreciated.
More about the author can be found on her website by clicking here
Follow on Twitter @ellygriffiths
Elly Griffiths was born in London. She worked in publishing for many years. Her bestselling series of Dr Ruth Galloway novels, featuring a forensic archaeologist are set in Norfolk.The series has won the CWA Dagger in the library, and has been shortlisted three times for the Theakston's Old Peculiar Crime Novel of theYear. Her Stephens and Mephisto series is based in 1950s Brighton. She lives near Brighton with her husband and their two children.
My thanks to the publishers and Bookbridgr for my review copy of The Chalk Pit
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Sounds interesting, Jo, quite creepy and I love that cover!
ReplyDeleteThe cover is fabulous, isn't it ? This is one of my favourite series ever :)
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