The Crossing Places: Summary and book reviews of The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths, plus links to an excerpt from The Crossing Places and a biography of Elly Griffiths.
The Crossing Places A Ruth Galloway Mystery
by Elly Griffiths
Hardcover: Jan 2010,
320 pages.
Paperback: Sep 2010,
288 pages.
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.
BOOK REVIEWS
BookBrowse This first book in a new British mystery series already has lots of fans among our readers. All 17 of our First Impressions reviewers liked the book, and are looking forward to the next installment.
What's not to love? Archeology, history, mysticism, mystery, suspense, a likable female lead character, the promise of a series, and a pleasing, low-key humor. An easy read, but with enough meat to be interesting (Juliet F)...Beneath the mystery plot, the book, as suggested by the title, delves into boundaries: emotional, professional, personal, ethical and, of course, physical. A final plot twist at the end hints at even more upheaval in books to come. I look forward to Ms. Griffiths's next book in the series (Carol C.) (Reviewed by BookBrowse First Impression Reviewers). Full Review (592 words).
Media Reviews
Publishers Weekly
With her brittle exterior and general distaste for human companionship, Ruth is a difficult heroine with whom to empathize, but the novel's archeological details and the unsettling denouement go far in making up for her prickly character.
Library Journal
Starred Review. Griffiths's story is strong, well plotted, and suspenseful, leaving the reader eager for more adventures on the windswept Norfolk coast. Highly recommended.
Kirkus Reviews
Starred Review. A winning debut. Aficionados may guess the killer early on, but the first-rate characters and chilling story are entrancing from start to finish.
Booklist
Starred Review. A knockout start for a series that should have broad appeal across the crime genre, from thriller fans to lovers of slightly edgy cozies.
The London Times
Griffiths' publishers clearly believe that they are on to a winner, already advertising this as the first in a series of Ruth Galloway novels. They might be right; her lead character is engagingly awkward enough to be perversely appealing, as several of the males around her seem unexpectedly to agree. She has also left Ruth in an interestingly inconvenient position for the follow-up.
Recent Reader Reviews
Rated of 5
by Alan K. (Westport, MA) The Crossing Places I agree with Betty B. although a 5, in my mind reserved for the best of the best, seems too high a rating. The plot is enjoyable, the setting great but it is the character of Ruth Galloway that captures my primary interest. I would definitely be... Read More
Rated of 5
by Janalee G. (West Palm Beach, FL) The Crossing Places Strangely enough, I had ordered this book from the UK before it came up on the review list--a very good read! The mystery itself isn't difficult to sort out--there are a limited number of possible suspects. The beauty of the book comes from the... Read More
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(592 words).
Publishers Weekly
of 5
by Alan K. (Westport, MA)
of 5
by Janalee G. (West Palm Beach, FL)
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