The Crossing Places (A Ruth Galloway Mystery) - Hardcover

Griffiths, Elly

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0547229895 ISBN 13: 9780547229898

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010

Synopsis

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.  THE CROSSING PLACES marks the beginning of a captivating new crime series featuring an irresistible heroine. 

About this title

Review:

'A great series' Guardian. (Guardian)

'Griffiths' excellent series is well informed and original' Literary Review. (Literary Review)

'Griffiths weaves superstition and myth into her crime novels, skilfully treading a line between credulity and modern methods of detection' Sunday Times. (Sunday Times)

'Archaeology and crime often walk hand in hand in crime fiction, and seem a natural fit as they have in common both bones and quests for the truth. I've never before, however, read a crime novel in which the two blend as successfully as in The Crossing Places ... Elly Griffiths' characterization is as good as her writing, and I can't wait for the next in the series' Shotsmag.co.uk. (Shotsmag)

Book Description:

WINNER OF THE 2016 CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY. A child's bones are discovered on the windswept Norfolk marshes. Believing them to be ancient, the police call in Dr Ruth Galloway, forensic archaeologist. But this is no prehistoric grave. It seems a cold missing person case has now become a murder investigation. A must-read for all crime fiction fans, particularly readers of Val McDermid and Ann Cleeves.

About this edition

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0547229895
• ISBN 13: 9780547229898
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 303