Elly Griffiths books (I'll be taking a break from Ruth and Nelson)

 

The next two books in the Dr Ruth Galloway series may wrap it up for me.  I was very enthusiastic about a series with so many books and the first book grabbed me immediately.  This one was....meh.

Ruth is having a hard time with balancing motherhood and an active career.  She feels relief when someone takes Kate so she could get in the trenches and dig, fully immersing herself in her job. The author writes about Ruth's love of her work, mentioning the constant calling in of a child minder to babysit a few hours longer so she can work, making her feel alive and fulfilled.  Yet, she won't allow Kate's father to take a hand in her upbringing.

This is not a crack at single mothers and the balancing act, it's just that it's mentioned so many times in the books.  

Here is a loose breakdown of the plot separating the police investigation and the personal side stories.  

Investigative storyline: There is a house situated near the sea which is in danger of being overtaken by the rising waters.  Every year more beach is shaved off so it's inevitable the house will tumble in the future. The house is owned by a rich family with deep roots in the community.

A group of archaelogists are roaming the coastline near this house as they research coastal erosion.  They discover six bodies a crevice of a cliff.  The bodies are actually skeletal at this point, hands tied behind their backs and evidence of an execution style death. Ruth is called in as the senior archaeologist and bone expert.

DI Harry Nelson arrives to handle the situation in case as it's clear the remains are not from Roman times.  Lots of suspects and secrets.

Personal side stories:

Detective Sergeant Judy Johnson is about to be married to Darren, a man she's known since childhood.  But then she is attracted to Cathbad (for whatever reason) and goes to bed with him.

DI Harry Nelson is attracted to Ruth and concerned for their baby.  He continues to lie to his wife and wants to take a part in Kate's upbringing. Ruth always refuses, yet she seems to yearn for his attention whilst simultaneously pushing him away. 

Ruth's good friend Shona is seeing another married man and this time, Shona gets him to leave his wife. 

My thoughts on continuing:  The first book grabbed me with the excavations, Roman history and the vividly depicted Saltmarsh in Norfolk. As I mentioned in my review of The Janus Stone, the romantic and personal stories as a subplot was fine but I didn't want it to dominate the series.  I want mystery and police investigations.  Alas,  the relationships are getting an equal share of page time and I think I will take a break from the series.

So many books here at the house as well as on my Kindle so if I get back to this series it might be a while.  It had promise.

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.

The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

 

I like the archaeology topics which  are an important part of the plot but I am wondering how many old bones can be discovered in this part of the world.  The series has 14 books so I am looking forward to reading more.

I learned about radiocarbon dating while reading.

“It tests the amount of carbon in the bones. When we’re alive, we take in carbon fourteen. When we die, we stop. By estimating when these bones stopped taking in carbon fourteen we’ll be able to estimate the age of the skeleton.”

Colleagues from the Archaeolgy department at Norfolk  University have been digging on a hill for days.  They have uncovered not only evidence of a Roman villa but also earlier Bronze Age and Iron Age settlements. 

The other side story is about a wealthy family with plans to demolish an old children’s home to build luxury apartments. A child’s skeleton is found beneath a doorway which halts all work. An excavation team is brought in to remove the skeletal remains. It’s discovered the head is missing so this is looking more like a scarification from an early age. Or is it?!

The romantic subplot is fine so far, in my opinion, but I am hoping it won't eventually dominate the mystery and investigative side of the stories. I liked the first book more than this one but will read the next in the series so I can see where our characters are developing.

I am a series addict and love getting to know characters and seeing how they grow personally  and professionally. 

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.

The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

 

I wish I could remember who blogged about the Elly Griffiths' books because I'd like to thank you.  Please leave me a comment if you've recently reviewed the Dr Ruth Galloway series!

British author Elly Griffiths has moved to the top of my list of books I'll be reading in June and July. Love the style, the plot, character development and the Norfolk England coastal setting.

Bones are found near an ancient henge off Norfolk's coastline.  The saltmarshes can be dangerous to negotiate as the sands will swallow you up if you take a wrong turn.  When bones are discovered DI Harry Nelson contacts Dr Ruth Galloway to ascertain if the bones are ancient or the remains of missing child from ten years prior. Dr Ruth Galloway is a forensic archaeologist, university professor and lecturer.

One of Ruth's discoveries is from the Iron Age but a cold case quickly becomes a murder investigation as more information surfaces. I enjoyed reading about Ruth and the growing friendship with DI Nelson. Planning on reading the next in the series titled The Janus Stone. I'm just hoping the Galloway/Nelson relationship doesn't turn romantic as I love the detective work and mystery parts best.

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.