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Ruth Galloway #3
The House at Sea's End
There is already a neat trench in the narrow gap between the tall cliffs. Nelson looks at it with pleasure . . . Then he looks closer. The trench appears to be full of bones.
Elly Griffiths’s Ruth Galloway novels have been praised as “highly atmospheric” ( New York Times Book Review ) and “remarkable” ( Richmond Times-Dispatch ). Now the beloved forensic archeologist returns, called in to investigate when human bones surface on a remote Norfolk beach.
Just back from maternity leave, Ruth is finding it difficult to juggle motherhood and work. The presence of DCI Harry Nelson—the married father of her daughter, Kate—does not help. The bones, skeletons of six men with their arms bound, turn out to be about seventy years old, which leads Nelson and Ruth to the war years, a desperate time on this stretch of coastland. Home Guard veteran Archie Whitcliffe reveals the existence of a secret the old soldiers have vowed to protect with their lives. But then Archie is killed and a German journalist arrives, asking questions about Operation Lucifer, a plan to stop a German invasion, and a possible British war crime. What was Operation Lucifer? And who is prepared to kill to keep its secret?
Elly Griffiths’s Ruth Galloway novels have been praised as “highly atmospheric” ( New York Times Book Review ) and “remarkable” ( Richmond Times-Dispatch ). Now the beloved forensic archeologist returns, called in to investigate when human bones surface on a remote Norfolk beach.
Just back from maternity leave, Ruth is finding it difficult to juggle motherhood and work. The presence of DCI Harry Nelson—the married father of her daughter, Kate—does not help. The bones, skeletons of six men with their arms bound, turn out to be about seventy years old, which leads Nelson and Ruth to the war years, a desperate time on this stretch of coastland. Home Guard veteran Archie Whitcliffe reveals the existence of a secret the old soldiers have vowed to protect with their lives. But then Archie is killed and a German journalist arrives, asking questions about Operation Lucifer, a plan to stop a German invasion, and a possible British war crime. What was Operation Lucifer? And who is prepared to kill to keep its secret?
355 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2011
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7215 people want to read
About the author
Elly Griffiths
75 books9,485 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 2,571 reviews
February 22, 2024
Another good entry in Ruth Galloway series. I like how the author blends the investigation with the messy personal lives of the main characters. Ruth just gave birth to her baby and struggles to get used to being a new single mum. Bored out of her mind, she jumps at opportunity when she is called in to investigate human bones that have surfaced on a remote Norfolk beach. The bones, six men with their arms bound, turn out to date back to World War II. Some well hidden secrets of that place come to the surface, just as the bodies did.
I liked that the author addressed the sensible theme of a mother's guilt for leaving their child with other people in order to do something for themselves (work, relax or whatever). I believe it is a feeling most mothers encountered and it was well written here.
I also want to mention how much I like the narrator of the audiobook, Jane McDowell. She also narrates Peter Wimsey series and it was pleasant to discover her voice here as well.
I liked that the author addressed the sensible theme of a mother's guilt for leaving their child with other people in order to do something for themselves (work, relax or whatever). I believe it is a feeling most mothers encountered and it was well written here.
I also want to mention how much I like the narrator of the audiobook, Jane McDowell. She also narrates Peter Wimsey series and it was pleasant to discover her voice here as well.
February 21, 2023
EXCERPT: 'Erosion's bad here,' says Ted. 'I've been reading about it. Sea's End House has been declared unsafe. Jack Hastings is in a right old two and eight. Keeps ranting on about an Englishman's house being his castle.'
They all look up at the grey house on the cliff. The curved wall of the tower is only two or three feet from the precipice. The remains of a fence hang crazily in midair.
There was a whole garden at the back of the house once. Summer house, the lot,' says Craig, one of the men. 'My granddad used to do the gardening.'
Beach has silted up too,' says Trace. 'That big storm in February has shifted a lot of stone.'
They all look towards the narrow beach. Below the cliffs, banks of pebbles form a shelf which then falls steeply into the sea. It's an inhospitable place, hard to imagine families picnicking here, children with buckets and spades, sunbathing adults.
ABOUT 'THE HOUSE AT SEA'S END': When bones are unearthed at the foot of a north Norfolk cliff, forensics expert Ruth Galloway and DCI Nelson are put on the case. The skeletons have lain there for decades, possibly since the war, and for all that time a hideous crime has been concealed.
When a body washes up on the beach, it becomes clear that someone wants the truth of the past to stay buried, and will go to any lengths to keep it that way. Can Ruth and Nelson uncover the truth in time to stop another murder?
MY THOUGHTS: I first read this in 2015,but reread it over the past few days as I am now reading the whole series, from the beginning, in order.
This was actually my first ever Elly Griffith read. I had seen good reviews of the series, but was avoiding them because they sounded little "dry" to me. Believe me, this book was anything but.
In addition to the unearthed crime dating back to WWII, we learn a lot more about Ruth's time in Bosnia when an old friend from that time makes a reappearance in her life.
Kate, Ruth's baby daughter undergoes both a naming ceremony - courtesy of Cathbad - and a Catholic christening to appease Nelson. Neither ceremony pleases her 'born again Christian' parents who don't attend either. And Ruth has an unsettling encounter with Judy at Judy and Darren's wedding.
Nelson learns something about his boss, Whitcliffe, that subtly changes his opinion of the man, and he finds he is no longer able to summon up his old hatred and contempt for him. A pity, as he misses it.
I love the little snippets of information we learn about the characters in each book. Clough eats almost constantly: McDonald's, Mars Bars, pot noodles, sandwiches, cakes . . .
Although this is easily read as stand a alone book - each book is a completely self-contained mystery, although there are references to occurrences in previous books - you would miss out on all the character development and the building of relationships. This was my second read. I loved it first time round, and loved it even more this time.
There were a couple of quotes from the book that I really enjoyed: "She has got her figure back after having the baby, which is a shame - she was rather hoping to get someone elses."; and "There is a pleasure in being mad that none but madmen know."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheHouseatSeasEnd
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.
DISCLOSURE: I own my copy of The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
They all look up at the grey house on the cliff. The curved wall of the tower is only two or three feet from the precipice. The remains of a fence hang crazily in midair.
There was a whole garden at the back of the house once. Summer house, the lot,' says Craig, one of the men. 'My granddad used to do the gardening.'
Beach has silted up too,' says Trace. 'That big storm in February has shifted a lot of stone.'
They all look towards the narrow beach. Below the cliffs, banks of pebbles form a shelf which then falls steeply into the sea. It's an inhospitable place, hard to imagine families picnicking here, children with buckets and spades, sunbathing adults.
ABOUT 'THE HOUSE AT SEA'S END': When bones are unearthed at the foot of a north Norfolk cliff, forensics expert Ruth Galloway and DCI Nelson are put on the case. The skeletons have lain there for decades, possibly since the war, and for all that time a hideous crime has been concealed.
When a body washes up on the beach, it becomes clear that someone wants the truth of the past to stay buried, and will go to any lengths to keep it that way. Can Ruth and Nelson uncover the truth in time to stop another murder?
MY THOUGHTS: I first read this in 2015,but reread it over the past few days as I am now reading the whole series, from the beginning, in order.
This was actually my first ever Elly Griffith read. I had seen good reviews of the series, but was avoiding them because they sounded little "dry" to me. Believe me, this book was anything but.
In addition to the unearthed crime dating back to WWII, we learn a lot more about Ruth's time in Bosnia when an old friend from that time makes a reappearance in her life.
Kate, Ruth's baby daughter undergoes both a naming ceremony - courtesy of Cathbad - and a Catholic christening to appease Nelson. Neither ceremony pleases her 'born again Christian' parents who don't attend either. And Ruth has an unsettling encounter with Judy at Judy and Darren's wedding.
Nelson learns something about his boss, Whitcliffe, that subtly changes his opinion of the man, and he finds he is no longer able to summon up his old hatred and contempt for him. A pity, as he misses it.
I love the little snippets of information we learn about the characters in each book. Clough eats almost constantly: McDonald's, Mars Bars, pot noodles, sandwiches, cakes . . .
Although this is easily read as stand a alone book - each book is a completely self-contained mystery, although there are references to occurrences in previous books - you would miss out on all the character development and the building of relationships. This was my second read. I loved it first time round, and loved it even more this time.
There were a couple of quotes from the book that I really enjoyed: "She has got her figure back after having the baby, which is a shame - she was rather hoping to get someone elses."; and "There is a pleasure in being mad that none but madmen know."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheHouseatSeasEnd
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.
DISCLOSURE: I own my copy of The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 22, 2019
Book three in the series starts with Ruth now the mother to a newborn. And she’s struggling with all the problems a single mother deals with. But her friends rally to help, including Michelle, Nelson’s wife. And poor Nelson is having a hard enough time adjusting to his new daughter without that!
I found the actual mystery in this book more engaging than book two. Six skeletons are found buried in the sand, hands tied behind their backs. The skeletons date to WWII. And then, older men involved in the Home Guard start dying under suspicious circumstances. The story moved at a fast clip and I was totally caught off guard by whom the murderer was.
I have become totally engaged not only with Ruth, but with the whole cast of characters. This series is very much character driven. So happy I still have so many more books ahead of me.
September 13, 2019
The third book in the Ruth Galloway series and it was every bit as good as the first two. Ruth is a very likeable character and it is easy to become involved in her life story!
In The House at Sea's End human bones are discovered in a landslide on the beach and Ruth is called to get them dated. Thanks to the wonders of modern science they can be dated to the second World War and identified as being from persons of German origin. A police inquiry begins and people linked to this start dying mysterious deaths.
I enjoyed the mystery very much and had no idea who the murderer was until he showed his hand. Alongside this of course is the development of relationships between all our main characters. I am a little unhappy with Nelson's behaviour although I understand that he is torn two ways. And what on earth does Judy think she is doing? That plus the little cliff hanger at the ending means I must get to #4 sooner rather than later.
In The House at Sea's End human bones are discovered in a landslide on the beach and Ruth is called to get them dated. Thanks to the wonders of modern science they can be dated to the second World War and identified as being from persons of German origin. A police inquiry begins and people linked to this start dying mysterious deaths.
I enjoyed the mystery very much and had no idea who the murderer was until he showed his hand. Alongside this of course is the development of relationships between all our main characters. I am a little unhappy with Nelson's behaviour although I understand that he is torn two ways. And what on earth does Judy think she is doing? That plus the little cliff hanger at the ending means I must get to #4 sooner rather than later.
October 29, 2012
This is the third book in this series. I enjoyed it less than the first two I read, so allow me to elaborate a bit on them.
The first book, The Crossing Places, was very chilling, and included pagan lore, history, and archaeology. I fell in love with the descriptions of the freezing salt marshes, the birds, the lonely cottage. The Janus Stone included Roman history, which I'm very interested in. I think the real pull for me with these books was the inclusion of my interests in great mystery plots. Between the salt marsh and the history and mythology, what's not to love?
I think my issue with the series first developed with the Janus Stone. Ruth, the main character, seems to get caught up in the center of a lot of drama that doesn't have much to do with her. Her character isn't compelling enough to attract so much attention. She's a well-drawn character, but a little dull; even the author admits it. In The House at Sea's End, Ruth is surrounded by people more interesting than herself. Cathbad, Tatiana, Nelson, Judy, Hugh Ancel, were all more interesting than the main character. Ruth was grating on me by the end.
The mystery for this book isn't as compelling as the previous volumes. The fact that almost all of the drama took place in the past undercuts the tension. The only way the author is able to inject drama or suspense into the plot is by having her characters make some poor decisions .
The solution to the mystery was a little convoluted for my taste. It was such an unlikely ending, and I was left dissatisfied.
However, it still earned three stars. The characters are all well-done, Tatiana's story was intriguing, and Nelson really made an impression on me with this volume. It's true that the previous two volumes incorporated past and present murders and mysteries, but I feel this time, the emphasis is too heavily in the past. I will read the next volume, probably via audio. The narrator is fantastic!
The first book, The Crossing Places, was very chilling, and included pagan lore, history, and archaeology. I fell in love with the descriptions of the freezing salt marshes, the birds, the lonely cottage. The Janus Stone included Roman history, which I'm very interested in. I think the real pull for me with these books was the inclusion of my interests in great mystery plots. Between the salt marsh and the history and mythology, what's not to love?
I think my issue with the series first developed with the Janus Stone. Ruth, the main character, seems to get caught up in the center of a lot of drama that doesn't have much to do with her. Her character isn't compelling enough to attract so much attention. She's a well-drawn character, but a little dull; even the author admits it. In The House at Sea's End, Ruth is surrounded by people more interesting than herself. Cathbad, Tatiana, Nelson, Judy, Hugh Ancel, were all more interesting than the main character. Ruth was grating on me by the end.
The mystery for this book isn't as compelling as the previous volumes. The fact that almost all of the drama took place in the past undercuts the tension. The only way the author is able to inject drama or suspense into the plot is by having her characters make some poor decisions .
The solution to the mystery was a little convoluted for my taste. It was such an unlikely ending, and I was left dissatisfied.
However, it still earned three stars. The characters are all well-done, Tatiana's story was intriguing, and Nelson really made an impression on me with this volume. It's true that the previous two volumes incorporated past and present murders and mysteries, but I feel this time, the emphasis is too heavily in the past. I will read the next volume, probably via audio. The narrator is fantastic!
November 9, 2020
The discovery of six bodies in a gap in the cliffs by a group studying coastal erosion brings forensic archaelogist Dr Ruth Galloway into a new mystery. From the dating and mineral composition of the bones she determines these are much more modern bodies than those she usually deals with and are most likely those of German soldiers who came ashore during the early years of WW2. The unexpected death of two elderly men who were in the Home Guard at the time, leads DCI Nelson and his team to suspect that someone knows something about the death of the Germans.
As well as delivering a good solid mystery to solve, it's the richness of characters and their ongoing lives that draws me back to this series. Ruth has now had her baby and is struggling to cope with her return to work and the demands of being a single mother. As the baby's father, Nelson is feeling guilty and wants to help but neither he nor Ruth want his wife and daughters to know, although some of their friends and colleagues are beginning to have suspicions. Cathbad the Druid is always a welcome character and his involvement and Druid ceremonies always add interesting highlights. Although I have read a number of books in this series before (through buys at second hand shops) this is one I haven't read and I am very much enjoying re-reading the series in order (as it should be!) and filling in the gaps.
As well as delivering a good solid mystery to solve, it's the richness of characters and their ongoing lives that draws me back to this series. Ruth has now had her baby and is struggling to cope with her return to work and the demands of being a single mother. As the baby's father, Nelson is feeling guilty and wants to help but neither he nor Ruth want his wife and daughters to know, although some of their friends and colleagues are beginning to have suspicions. Cathbad the Druid is always a welcome character and his involvement and Druid ceremonies always add interesting highlights. Although I have read a number of books in this series before (through buys at second hand shops) this is one I haven't read and I am very much enjoying re-reading the series in order (as it should be!) and filling in the gaps.
November 2, 2019
Probably my favourite in the series so far. Another mystery unfolds on the North Norfolk coast. This time it involves a (fictitious ) WWII invasion and has a general theme of war crimes. The mystery was good in this book, secondary to me though, I love the characters and their relationships but I enjoy the historical and archaeological details too. This series is set on my doorstep so it is fun reading about places I know and love.
The main characters are wonderful and realistic, multifaceted people. I've grown to be fond of the annoying Cathbad, have sympathy with Judy, feel sorry for Michelle who is and all the characters are likeable and interesting. I hope things work out without people getting hurt but that is probably unrealistic.
As with many mystery books you have to suspend belief that so many murders/ bad situations/ danger threatening your life or your loved ones can keep on happening. This is still a very enjoyable series and I'm looking forward to the next book!
The main characters are wonderful and realistic, multifaceted people. I've grown to be fond of the annoying Cathbad, have sympathy with Judy, feel sorry for Michelle who is and all the characters are likeable and interesting. I hope things work out without people getting hurt but that is probably unrealistic.
As with many mystery books you have to suspend belief that so many murders/ bad situations/ danger threatening your life or your loved ones can keep on happening. This is still a very enjoyable series and I'm looking forward to the next book!
August 29, 2019
4-1/2 stars
I feel as though I’m harshly grading this series. It’s excellent and maybe better than some other mystery books I’ve assigned 5 stars. Yes, I wish we had a 1-100 point scale. But it’s hard to compare books against other books no matter the method.
I read an Open Library e-copy so I took at photo of the map drawing near the front of the book and printed it to have on hand. Even as I finished the book today neither the library’s Overdrive e-copy or the hardcover copy were on their way to me; I’ve deleted my holds on them. Since I read an e-book and so only at home, I thought I’d have to pick up the pace to read it to finish it by today/in 6 days, but it was a fast read and easy to read in less than a week, even though I had limited reading time.
I love Ruth. I love the characters. I love this series. I love the setting(s). I love the archeology. I love the story(ies).
It’s so interesting reading in a fictional mystery and having there be story details that correspond to a non-fiction biography I recently read re England during WWII. I love when various books’ subjects and details overlap.
I do get tired of mystery series though, including this one, when the recurring main character at some point in each book becomes in grave danger. Also., I do wish this one didn’t get quite so scary each time toward the end. Of the first three books in the series I found book two much more amusing than book one and also more amusing than this third book. Though the characters, regular and guest, are so interesting that I do continue to like the books more and more. I hope book four has more humor and is at least a tad less scary. I love what humor is there.
I do feel sorry for I am eager to see what will happen. I appreciate how the characters and their relationships grow and change and develop.
I feel as though I’m harshly grading this series. It’s excellent and maybe better than some other mystery books I’ve assigned 5 stars. Yes, I wish we had a 1-100 point scale. But it’s hard to compare books against other books no matter the method.
I read an Open Library e-copy so I took at photo of the map drawing near the front of the book and printed it to have on hand. Even as I finished the book today neither the library’s Overdrive e-copy or the hardcover copy were on their way to me; I’ve deleted my holds on them. Since I read an e-book and so only at home, I thought I’d have to pick up the pace to read it to finish it by today/in 6 days, but it was a fast read and easy to read in less than a week, even though I had limited reading time.
I love Ruth. I love the characters. I love this series. I love the setting(s). I love the archeology. I love the story(ies).
It’s so interesting reading in a fictional mystery and having there be story details that correspond to a non-fiction biography I recently read re England during WWII. I love when various books’ subjects and details overlap.
I do get tired of mystery series though, including this one, when the recurring main character at some point in each book becomes in grave danger. Also., I do wish this one didn’t get quite so scary each time toward the end. Of the first three books in the series I found book two much more amusing than book one and also more amusing than this third book. Though the characters, regular and guest, are so interesting that I do continue to like the books more and more. I hope book four has more humor and is at least a tad less scary. I love what humor is there.
I do feel sorry for I am eager to see what will happen. I appreciate how the characters and their relationships grow and change and develop.
February 25, 2016
This book was a very good addition to the Ruth Galloway series. The archeological aspect centers on the 1940 German invasion of the Norfolk shore and deaths of six German soldiers. Ruth is learning just what motherhood involves and the depths of her maternal feelings. As a single mother, she's struggling with the work/motherhood juggle, and several people are assisting with Kate's care. I'm glad this book finally dealt with Nelson's guilt, but I'm not as sure as Cathbad is about Nelson's feelings and intentions. I believe Judy, on the other hand, has made a terrible mistake. I'm looking forward to continuing the series!!
August 9, 2018
I'm liking this series more and more, it's a very enjoyable story with a little more police work than forensic archeology this time.
April 1, 2020
This is the third book I’ve read in this series and I believe these are getting better as they progress. The interesting thing about these British mysteries are not the mysteries themselves but the use of an archeologist as the protagonist. In this latest story, little known WWII strategies are ‘uncovered’ along with aged bones. As usual, Ruth, the archeologist, is called in to analyze the bodies and aid in the police investigation. I love the usual cast of characters and I’m curious to see how DCI Nelson gets himself out of this pickle.
Round up 3.75 stars.
Round up 3.75 stars.
April 15, 2020
This is the 3rd book in the Dr Ruth Galloway series. I did enjoy it but not quite as much as the first two. Nevertheless these books a very well written and I do recommend them. I would also add that anyone wanting to read them should probably do so in numerical order as the main characters move on with their personal lives though the plots are different.
May 18, 2024
The House At Sea’s End is the third book in the Ruth Galloway series by award-winning British author, Elly Griffiths. Trace and Irish Ted lead a team of archaeologists conducting a survey on coastal erosion when one of them stumbles across what turns out to be a mass grave in a ravine under the cliff below the home of MEP Jack Hastings: six skeletons with bullet wounds, hands bound behind their backs.
Dr Ruth Galloway, back at work now that Kate is five months old, helps with the rush job to remove them before the tide takes them. The autopsies determine that the men were likely executed; Ruth estimated the remains are less than a century old, aged between 21 and 40; her tests reveal they were probably from Germany. A German journalist turns up on Ruth’s doorstep and gives them names.
DCI Harry Nelson has a historic multiple murder case on his hands, and something that the Hastings matriarch says sends him looking for members of the local Home Guard, one of whom is the grandfather of his Superintendent, Gerald Whitcliffe. These men would be his best chance for information about the deaths. It turns out, though, that of these old men, High Anselm, who alerted the journalist to the murders, has died recently, apparently of a stroke.
Archie Whitcliffe, when Nelson talks to him, says a few cryptic things, including something about a blood oath, things that cannot be later clarified when the man dies that night. His carer says his enigmatic last word was Lucifer, and Nelson is not convinced he died a natural death, which has him also wondering about Hugh Anselm’s demise.
As Nelson and the soon-to-be-married DS Judy Johnson search for elderly Broughton residents who might recall the events of almost seventy years previous, as they page through old parish bulletins and sort through Hugh Anselm’s papers, a body washes up on the beach, and it isn’t an accidental drowning or a fall from the cliff. It is beginning to look like someone wants the circumstances of the deaths to remain secret.
In this instalment, as well as digging up bones and lecturing students, Ruth endures (rather than enjoys) a hen party, solves a secret code, attends a wedding, irretrievably loses her mobile phone, is criticised for her mothering, and almost drowns. There’s both a naming ceremony and a baptism for baby Kate, a Bosnian archaeologist comes for a short stay, and Nelson gets the kiss of life. The final body count, if a historical suicide is included, runs to an even ten. And with lots of speculation going on, the secret of Kate’s paternity looks to be on thin ice. The fourth book, A Room Full Of Bones, is eagerly anticipated.
Dr Ruth Galloway, back at work now that Kate is five months old, helps with the rush job to remove them before the tide takes them. The autopsies determine that the men were likely executed; Ruth estimated the remains are less than a century old, aged between 21 and 40; her tests reveal they were probably from Germany. A German journalist turns up on Ruth’s doorstep and gives them names.
DCI Harry Nelson has a historic multiple murder case on his hands, and something that the Hastings matriarch says sends him looking for members of the local Home Guard, one of whom is the grandfather of his Superintendent, Gerald Whitcliffe. These men would be his best chance for information about the deaths. It turns out, though, that of these old men, High Anselm, who alerted the journalist to the murders, has died recently, apparently of a stroke.
Archie Whitcliffe, when Nelson talks to him, says a few cryptic things, including something about a blood oath, things that cannot be later clarified when the man dies that night. His carer says his enigmatic last word was Lucifer, and Nelson is not convinced he died a natural death, which has him also wondering about Hugh Anselm’s demise.
As Nelson and the soon-to-be-married DS Judy Johnson search for elderly Broughton residents who might recall the events of almost seventy years previous, as they page through old parish bulletins and sort through Hugh Anselm’s papers, a body washes up on the beach, and it isn’t an accidental drowning or a fall from the cliff. It is beginning to look like someone wants the circumstances of the deaths to remain secret.
In this instalment, as well as digging up bones and lecturing students, Ruth endures (rather than enjoys) a hen party, solves a secret code, attends a wedding, irretrievably loses her mobile phone, is criticised for her mothering, and almost drowns. There’s both a naming ceremony and a baptism for baby Kate, a Bosnian archaeologist comes for a short stay, and Nelson gets the kiss of life. The final body count, if a historical suicide is included, runs to an even ten. And with lots of speculation going on, the secret of Kate’s paternity looks to be on thin ice. The fourth book, A Room Full Of Bones, is eagerly anticipated.
November 5, 2020
This is the third book in the Ruth Galloway series by author Elly Griffith.
Having just returned from maternity leave forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway is struggling to cope with both work and being a mother. When six bodies are discovered buried at the foot of a cliff by a team from the University of North Norfolk, Ruth is asked to help with the case. DCI Nelson the father of Ruth's daughter Kate is investigating which causes extra complications. Tests show that the bodies are from Southern Europe, killed sixty years ago and police Investigations unearth records of Project Lucifer, a wartime plan to stop a German invasion. A further discovery reveals that members of the Broughton Sea's End Home Guard took a 'blood oath' to conceal some deadly wartime secret. When a visiting German reporter is killed, Ruth and Nelson realise that someone is still alive who will kill to keep the secret of Broughton Sea's End's war years. Can they discover the truth in time to stop another murder?
Another very good read that continues with the personal dramas of the regular characters as well as an entertaining case.
Having just returned from maternity leave forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway is struggling to cope with both work and being a mother. When six bodies are discovered buried at the foot of a cliff by a team from the University of North Norfolk, Ruth is asked to help with the case. DCI Nelson the father of Ruth's daughter Kate is investigating which causes extra complications. Tests show that the bodies are from Southern Europe, killed sixty years ago and police Investigations unearth records of Project Lucifer, a wartime plan to stop a German invasion. A further discovery reveals that members of the Broughton Sea's End Home Guard took a 'blood oath' to conceal some deadly wartime secret. When a visiting German reporter is killed, Ruth and Nelson realise that someone is still alive who will kill to keep the secret of Broughton Sea's End's war years. Can they discover the truth in time to stop another murder?
Another very good read that continues with the personal dramas of the regular characters as well as an entertaining case.
August 6, 2016
Despite belatedly coming to the novels of Elly Griffiths and meeting the unashamedly down to earth Dr Ruth Galloway, head of forensic archaeology at the University of North Norfolk, I have quickly fallen in love with this ultimate 'feel good' series. The House at Sea's End, the third outing in the series, is once again an engaging mix of character development amongst the regular cast and an excellent mystery which kept me puzzling until the very end. Set against the Norfolk coastline where the treacherous weather is no stranger, Elly Griffiths delivers plenty of archaeological tidbits which allow the reader to fully engage with the story and the benefit of feeling like an armchair expert!
This novel opens with Ruth giving birth to her daughter by DCI Harry Nelson, but pretty soon she is keen to resume her career and finding that single motherhood is quite a juggling act, leaving her filled with guilt at every moment she spends away from her daughter and dependent on an assorted brigade of babysitters. As a keen radio 4 listener, the debates on Woman's Hour surrounding 'having it all', have never seemed more relevant. Having been back at work for several weeks, Ruth's expertise is soon needed when the field team stumbles upon six unearthed bodies revealed by virtue of the coastal erosion and a subsequent cliff fall. Buried in sand with its acidic effects, someone clearly never had any intention of these bodies ever being discovered. That the bodies are bound and with visible gunshot wounds makes matters all the more unsavoury and when Ruth's isotope analysis reveals that these are likely to be the bodies of German soldiers from the 1940s, the discovery leads straight back to the owner of the house which hangs over the precipice, looming at the top of the cliff. MEP Jack Hastings is facing the gradual destruction of his home as the coastal erosion stakes its claim and needless to say he is none too keen for his own fathers military involvement to be questioned when the first line of enquiry leads straight back to the Hastings family. With 'Buster' Hasting, leader of the dedicated Home Guard volunteers who were primed for the German forces daring to invade the coastline now dead, the surviving members of the Home Guard seem to hold the only chance of discovering just what occurred in the 1940s. The arrival of a German military historian bearing the names of the dead and hoping to return the bodies to their families for burial only seems to hasten the disclosure. However someone clearly wants to keep these secrets firmly in the past and will stop at nothing to ensure they never see the light of day, including taking lives...
With Ruth seconded to the Serious Crimes Unit of the police in her capacity as a forensic archaeology expert, this allows author Elly Griffiths to furnish her readers with hugely satisfying details about the archaeology aspects of Ruth's work as she is tasked with explaining the specifics to Nelson. Alongside the foreboding setting of Ruth's home on the Saltmarsh and the bitter weather of the Norfolk coastline, Griffiths delivers a spine-chilling element of danger and ensures readers are never less than fully consumed by her grandstand climaxes.
The House at Sea's End also addresses the guilt of DCI Harry Nelson, a man in love with his wife but equally drawn to Ruth and keen to support his new baby daughter. As he explores the complexity of his feelings towards Ruth, the similarities with the wartime secrets which have clearly tested the consciences of those involved and refused to stay hidden chimes well with Nelson's own feelings. Alongside this, the return of Ruth's friend Tatjana, whom she worked alongside excavating mass graves in a war ravaged Bosnia has never recovered from her own child's loss in the massacre and evidences that discovering a body can often be the only hope for the descendants who remain gaining any sense of closure. The knowledge that the casualties of war never become any easier to bear is a clear theme running through The House at Sea's End and remains a lasting memory.
Whilst Ruth and DCI Nelson are the central characters in proceedings, Griffiths never abandons the more secondly figures, ensuring these characters also evolve and making the next slice of Dr Ruth Galloway and her quirky companions essential reading. From excavating with a baby of her back, to Cathbad's pagan naming ceremony and a hen night at the Zanzibar nightclub, Ruth is as entertaining as ever and a realistic heroine in the world of crime fiction.
This novel opens with Ruth giving birth to her daughter by DCI Harry Nelson, but pretty soon she is keen to resume her career and finding that single motherhood is quite a juggling act, leaving her filled with guilt at every moment she spends away from her daughter and dependent on an assorted brigade of babysitters. As a keen radio 4 listener, the debates on Woman's Hour surrounding 'having it all', have never seemed more relevant. Having been back at work for several weeks, Ruth's expertise is soon needed when the field team stumbles upon six unearthed bodies revealed by virtue of the coastal erosion and a subsequent cliff fall. Buried in sand with its acidic effects, someone clearly never had any intention of these bodies ever being discovered. That the bodies are bound and with visible gunshot wounds makes matters all the more unsavoury and when Ruth's isotope analysis reveals that these are likely to be the bodies of German soldiers from the 1940s, the discovery leads straight back to the owner of the house which hangs over the precipice, looming at the top of the cliff. MEP Jack Hastings is facing the gradual destruction of his home as the coastal erosion stakes its claim and needless to say he is none too keen for his own fathers military involvement to be questioned when the first line of enquiry leads straight back to the Hastings family. With 'Buster' Hasting, leader of the dedicated Home Guard volunteers who were primed for the German forces daring to invade the coastline now dead, the surviving members of the Home Guard seem to hold the only chance of discovering just what occurred in the 1940s. The arrival of a German military historian bearing the names of the dead and hoping to return the bodies to their families for burial only seems to hasten the disclosure. However someone clearly wants to keep these secrets firmly in the past and will stop at nothing to ensure they never see the light of day, including taking lives...
With Ruth seconded to the Serious Crimes Unit of the police in her capacity as a forensic archaeology expert, this allows author Elly Griffiths to furnish her readers with hugely satisfying details about the archaeology aspects of Ruth's work as she is tasked with explaining the specifics to Nelson. Alongside the foreboding setting of Ruth's home on the Saltmarsh and the bitter weather of the Norfolk coastline, Griffiths delivers a spine-chilling element of danger and ensures readers are never less than fully consumed by her grandstand climaxes.
The House at Sea's End also addresses the guilt of DCI Harry Nelson, a man in love with his wife but equally drawn to Ruth and keen to support his new baby daughter. As he explores the complexity of his feelings towards Ruth, the similarities with the wartime secrets which have clearly tested the consciences of those involved and refused to stay hidden chimes well with Nelson's own feelings. Alongside this, the return of Ruth's friend Tatjana, whom she worked alongside excavating mass graves in a war ravaged Bosnia has never recovered from her own child's loss in the massacre and evidences that discovering a body can often be the only hope for the descendants who remain gaining any sense of closure. The knowledge that the casualties of war never become any easier to bear is a clear theme running through The House at Sea's End and remains a lasting memory.
Whilst Ruth and DCI Nelson are the central characters in proceedings, Griffiths never abandons the more secondly figures, ensuring these characters also evolve and making the next slice of Dr Ruth Galloway and her quirky companions essential reading. From excavating with a baby of her back, to Cathbad's pagan naming ceremony and a hen night at the Zanzibar nightclub, Ruth is as entertaining as ever and a realistic heroine in the world of crime fiction.
June 19, 2024
This was another satisfying instalment in Elly Griffiths's excellent forensic archaeology-themed Ruth Galloway series. I'm re-reading the series in chronological order over the course of 2023 for the Aussie Lovers of Crime/Mystery/Suspense Group's 2023 Read-a-Series Challenge.
In this outing, Ruth - now the mother of four-month-old Kate - is called in to consult when the skeletonised remains of six people are found on a remote beach in northeast Norfolk, following a cliff collapse. It quickly becomes clear that the remains date from the early years of the Second World War, when rumours of a planned German invasion on the British coast had the local communities on high alert. When the two surviving members of the local Home Guard division from the area in which the skeletons have been found - one the grandfather of DCI Harry Nelson's Chief Superintendent, Gerald Whitcliffe - die unexpectedly, it appears that the ramifications of historical events have sustained into the 21st century.
The forensic archaeology aspects of the plot are, as always, fascinating. This instalment also continues the ongoing plotline surrounding Dr. Ruth Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson's private lives. Ruth is struggling with balancing the demands of her career with her obligations as a single mother. Nelson seems more prickly than in the preceding books, and is having difficulty accepting the lack of contact he has with his third, secret, daughter in Kate.
As readers have come to expect from the series, the cast of supporting characters are interesting and well-developed. DS Judy Johnson is a more prominent character than previously, and Griffiths sows the seeds for her to become a more permanent fixture in Ruth's social circle going forward. Similarly, the evocative landscape of Norfolk is again woven into the mystery, with the precarious nature of the eroding sandstone coastline being not only the means of the revelation of a mass grave, but driving much of the tension in the later stages.
Running concurrently to the main story set in Norfolk are flash-back style sections to the period Ruth spent in assisting to uncover mass war graves in Bosnia, brought to Ruth's mind by Tatjana, her houseguest, a fellow archaeologist and friend she made while working in the former Yugoslavia. While this sub-plot was interesting, I found it distracted from, rather than enhancing the main plot, despite the parallels with the WW2 storyline. My feeling is that I would rather have read a more comprehensive account of the Bosnian events in standalone form, perhaps as a Ruth Galloway prequel.
The books to date in the Galloway series aren't traditional whodunnit style mysteries, in that the reader is never in possession of all the information necessary to identify the villain ahead of the text. Instead, the complex narrative enables relevant information - and red herrings - to be gradually revealed to the protagonists in real time with the reader. Consequently, Ruth again finds herself in a potentially deadly confrontation when the killer's identity is unveiled at the end of the book. She seems to be making a habit of this!
Overall, an engaging and well-written novel, exploring the idea that the sins of the past cast long shadows.
In this outing, Ruth - now the mother of four-month-old Kate - is called in to consult when the skeletonised remains of six people are found on a remote beach in northeast Norfolk, following a cliff collapse. It quickly becomes clear that the remains date from the early years of the Second World War, when rumours of a planned German invasion on the British coast had the local communities on high alert. When the two surviving members of the local Home Guard division from the area in which the skeletons have been found - one the grandfather of DCI Harry Nelson's Chief Superintendent, Gerald Whitcliffe - die unexpectedly, it appears that the ramifications of historical events have sustained into the 21st century.
The forensic archaeology aspects of the plot are, as always, fascinating. This instalment also continues the ongoing plotline surrounding Dr. Ruth Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson's private lives. Ruth is struggling with balancing the demands of her career with her obligations as a single mother. Nelson seems more prickly than in the preceding books, and is having difficulty accepting the lack of contact he has with his third, secret, daughter in Kate.
As readers have come to expect from the series, the cast of supporting characters are interesting and well-developed. DS Judy Johnson is a more prominent character than previously, and Griffiths sows the seeds for her to become a more permanent fixture in Ruth's social circle going forward. Similarly, the evocative landscape of Norfolk is again woven into the mystery, with the precarious nature of the eroding sandstone coastline being not only the means of the revelation of a mass grave, but driving much of the tension in the later stages.
Running concurrently to the main story set in Norfolk are flash-back style sections to the period Ruth spent in assisting to uncover mass war graves in Bosnia, brought to Ruth's mind by Tatjana, her houseguest, a fellow archaeologist and friend she made while working in the former Yugoslavia. While this sub-plot was interesting, I found it distracted from, rather than enhancing the main plot, despite the parallels with the WW2 storyline. My feeling is that I would rather have read a more comprehensive account of the Bosnian events in standalone form, perhaps as a Ruth Galloway prequel.
The books to date in the Galloway series aren't traditional whodunnit style mysteries, in that the reader is never in possession of all the information necessary to identify the villain ahead of the text. Instead, the complex narrative enables relevant information - and red herrings - to be gradually revealed to the protagonists in real time with the reader. Consequently, Ruth again finds herself in a potentially deadly confrontation when the killer's identity is unveiled at the end of the book. She seems to be making a habit of this!
Overall, an engaging and well-written novel, exploring the idea that the sins of the past cast long shadows.
October 4, 2022
#3 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”).
The geographical focus here shifts from West of the North Norfolk Coast (scene of the first novel and Ruth’s home) to what seems to be the extreme east of that Coast (albeit as the author seems to acknowledge at the end, the cliff erosion is perhaps more consistent with the North of the East Norfolk Coast – for example Happisburgh).
In a cove beneath the house of a vocal MEP which sits on a crumbling cliff, a group of archaeologists find a group of bodies killed by gunshots who they establish by forensic investigation, lead by Ruth, are of German origin and date from the mid 20th Century.
It seems very likely that they must be of German soldiers and there must have been some involvement of the local Home Guard (lead by the MEP’s father) – this seems confirmed by the involvement of a German investigative journalist contacted by one of the Home Guard members (a known socialist and pacifist) but both the socialist and another member die in quick succession apparently from natural causes and then the journalist (who meanwhile has started an affair with the MEP’s young daughter) is found murdered and Ruth and DCI Nelson are directly involved again in one of their signature police and forensic archaeological investigations.
As an aside it seemed a shame to feature a Norfolk Home Guard without any reference to the nearby filming of Dad’s army.
Generally I felt this was a stronger novel than the first two in the series – less rather bizarre pagan or Roman references, less jeopardy around the main characters (unfortunately this re-emerges at the book’s climax).
They instead have to navigate Nelson’s unacknowledged (except to Ruth and he) parentage of Ruth’s baby Kate (Ruth herself struggling with the contradictions and complications of late, single motherhood) and this adds some depth the novel.
There is an interesting side story of Ruth’s earlier investigation of war graves in Bosnia and her involvement with the mother of a missing child.
The villain in this case was I felt a little too obscure to be fully satisfactory while still involving rather too much coincidence.
Increasingly I found that the book has rather too much unfaithfulness and infidelity – every character seems to have had, be having or contemplating an illicit relationship with another – albeit this is all I think part of developing the side characters, it might just have been nice for the author to think of a different way of developing a story arc.
But this still remains a series I will follow.
The geographical focus here shifts from West of the North Norfolk Coast (scene of the first novel and Ruth’s home) to what seems to be the extreme east of that Coast (albeit as the author seems to acknowledge at the end, the cliff erosion is perhaps more consistent with the North of the East Norfolk Coast – for example Happisburgh).
In a cove beneath the house of a vocal MEP which sits on a crumbling cliff, a group of archaeologists find a group of bodies killed by gunshots who they establish by forensic investigation, lead by Ruth, are of German origin and date from the mid 20th Century.
It seems very likely that they must be of German soldiers and there must have been some involvement of the local Home Guard (lead by the MEP’s father) – this seems confirmed by the involvement of a German investigative journalist contacted by one of the Home Guard members (a known socialist and pacifist) but both the socialist and another member die in quick succession apparently from natural causes and then the journalist (who meanwhile has started an affair with the MEP’s young daughter) is found murdered and Ruth and DCI Nelson are directly involved again in one of their signature police and forensic archaeological investigations.
As an aside it seemed a shame to feature a Norfolk Home Guard without any reference to the nearby filming of Dad’s army.
Generally I felt this was a stronger novel than the first two in the series – less rather bizarre pagan or Roman references, less jeopardy around the main characters (unfortunately this re-emerges at the book’s climax).
They instead have to navigate Nelson’s unacknowledged (except to Ruth and he) parentage of Ruth’s baby Kate (Ruth herself struggling with the contradictions and complications of late, single motherhood) and this adds some depth the novel.
There is an interesting side story of Ruth’s earlier investigation of war graves in Bosnia and her involvement with the mother of a missing child.
The villain in this case was I felt a little too obscure to be fully satisfactory while still involving rather too much coincidence.
Increasingly I found that the book has rather too much unfaithfulness and infidelity – every character seems to have had, be having or contemplating an illicit relationship with another – albeit this is all I think part of developing the side characters, it might just have been nice for the author to think of a different way of developing a story arc.
But this still remains a series I will follow.
June 2, 2022
One of the early titles in the popular Ruth Galloway series and my favourite so far, starting from the beginning that I've already grown to love the development of the series main protagonist - especially now that Ruth is a single mum to 4 month old Kate.
The manner in with Griffiths thrusts parenthood on to forensics expert Galloway adds a nice touch of chaos to her life, something that all parents can relate too especially as Ruth is trying to juggle working too.
The case that she is involved in is also the strongest out of the three early releases as six skeletons are uncovered by a costal erosion team that holds a secret dating back to the Second World War.
These books are so enticing that they're so easy to get stuck right in.
There's a nice sense of humour too, though the comparison of a baby bouncer to a Dalek was quite amusing - it should be pointed out that they've been able to elevate and climb stairs for quite a while now!
There's so much that I enjoy about Griffiths writing, both the setting feels real and characters that I instantly care about.
What's even better is there's plenty more to catch up on!
The manner in with Griffiths thrusts parenthood on to forensics expert Galloway adds a nice touch of chaos to her life, something that all parents can relate too especially as Ruth is trying to juggle working too.
The case that she is involved in is also the strongest out of the three early releases as six skeletons are uncovered by a costal erosion team that holds a secret dating back to the Second World War.
These books are so enticing that they're so easy to get stuck right in.
There's a nice sense of humour too, though the comparison of a baby bouncer to a Dalek was quite amusing - it should be pointed out that they've been able to elevate and climb stairs for quite a while now!
There's so much that I enjoy about Griffiths writing, both the setting feels real and characters that I instantly care about.
What's even better is there's plenty more to catch up on!
July 9, 2021
This is the third book in the Ruth Galloway series and just as enjoyable as the first two.
Ruth now has her daughter Kate and is still coming to terms with motherhood as a single mother, and trying to juggle her career as a forensic archaeologist.
When bones are discovered in an eroded cliff she finds herself working alongside DI Nelson (Kate's father) once again. The bones appear to be linked to an old house above the cliff and the family that has lived there for three generations.
Ruth finds herself drawn in and DI Nelson uses the opportunity to see more of his daughter and feels the pull to be involved with her, despite being married with children of his own.
Really looking forward to book four in this very readable series.
Ruth now has her daughter Kate and is still coming to terms with motherhood as a single mother, and trying to juggle her career as a forensic archaeologist.
When bones are discovered in an eroded cliff she finds herself working alongside DI Nelson (Kate's father) once again. The bones appear to be linked to an old house above the cliff and the family that has lived there for three generations.
Ruth finds herself drawn in and DI Nelson uses the opportunity to see more of his daughter and feels the pull to be involved with her, despite being married with children of his own.
Really looking forward to book four in this very readable series.
May 13, 2020
After reading the second book in this series, I questioned whether I wanted to go on to this one since I had a number of "issues" with The Janus Stone.
Thankfully, those problems didn't show up in this book. Ruth does not repeatedly and illogically put herself in harm's way, and the overall tone is more consistent. And the plot, involving skeletons dating back to WWII, is well conceived and nestled nicely into the backdrop of the effects of coastal erosion in Norfolk.
But I'm afraid I'm the type of crime novel reader for whom the mystery is more important than the lives of the characters, and for me, the Ruth/Nelson romance takes up too much space. I actually liked Ruth much more in this book than the last - her maternal insecurities ring very true - but I find myself wishing Nelson would move back up north.
Overall, 3.5 stars. I liked it well enough, but not enough to bump it up to a 4.
Thankfully, those problems didn't show up in this book. Ruth does not repeatedly and illogically put herself in harm's way, and the overall tone is more consistent. And the plot, involving skeletons dating back to WWII, is well conceived and nestled nicely into the backdrop of the effects of coastal erosion in Norfolk.
But I'm afraid I'm the type of crime novel reader for whom the mystery is more important than the lives of the characters, and for me, the Ruth/Nelson romance takes up too much space. I actually liked Ruth much more in this book than the last - her maternal insecurities ring very true - but I find myself wishing Nelson would move back up north.
Overall, 3.5 stars. I liked it well enough, but not enough to bump it up to a 4.
December 5, 2023
3.5 stars
“Never trust a man who flies the Union Jack.”
This is the third in a series of detective novels. I sometimes don’t get too far in thos sort of series, but the setting and landscape helps. North Norfolk and the fens, often bleak and austere.
“She loves the house, loves the view that stretches over the marshes into nothingness, loves the expanse of sky and the sound of the sea, loves the birds that darken the evening sky, their wings turned to pink by the setting sun.
…It is a grey morning. The mist still lingers inland, but at the edge of the sea the air is cold and clear. It’s hard going, walking over pebbles and rocks encrusted with tiny, sharp mussel shells.”
The archaeology is always interesting and Griffiths has produced a developing cast of characters with some interesting interplay.
The plot in this one relates to World War Two and the threat of invasion: the north Norfolk coast being one of the places earmarked for a German invasion. Six skeletons are found on an eroding beach and are identified as being from Germany. The investigation has surprising resonances in the present and inevitably there are more suspicious deaths. There is more than a touch of the baroque here and although in this genre there is no shortage of female forensic experts, Griffiths seems to be producing one of the better ones. The landscape does help when building a sense of menace. There are lots of vignettes in this and the ongoing character of Cathbad (a druid) is one of the better ones. There is a wry humour which helps it along and which Griffiths uses to reflect on the characters. Ruth Galloway, the main protagonist is a new mother:
“…she found that, increasingly, when she spoke, people tended not to hear. This was a shock for Ruth, who has been a university lecturer for all her working life. People used to pay to listen to her. Now, unless she was talking specifically about the baby, her mouth simply opened and shut like one of those nodding dogs in cars.”
All in all this was ok, apart perhaps from a rather lame revel at the end.
“Never trust a man who flies the Union Jack.”
This is the third in a series of detective novels. I sometimes don’t get too far in thos sort of series, but the setting and landscape helps. North Norfolk and the fens, often bleak and austere.
“She loves the house, loves the view that stretches over the marshes into nothingness, loves the expanse of sky and the sound of the sea, loves the birds that darken the evening sky, their wings turned to pink by the setting sun.
…It is a grey morning. The mist still lingers inland, but at the edge of the sea the air is cold and clear. It’s hard going, walking over pebbles and rocks encrusted with tiny, sharp mussel shells.”
The archaeology is always interesting and Griffiths has produced a developing cast of characters with some interesting interplay.
The plot in this one relates to World War Two and the threat of invasion: the north Norfolk coast being one of the places earmarked for a German invasion. Six skeletons are found on an eroding beach and are identified as being from Germany. The investigation has surprising resonances in the present and inevitably there are more suspicious deaths. There is more than a touch of the baroque here and although in this genre there is no shortage of female forensic experts, Griffiths seems to be producing one of the better ones. The landscape does help when building a sense of menace. There are lots of vignettes in this and the ongoing character of Cathbad (a druid) is one of the better ones. There is a wry humour which helps it along and which Griffiths uses to reflect on the characters. Ruth Galloway, the main protagonist is a new mother:
“…she found that, increasingly, when she spoke, people tended not to hear. This was a shock for Ruth, who has been a university lecturer for all her working life. People used to pay to listen to her. Now, unless she was talking specifically about the baby, her mouth simply opened and shut like one of those nodding dogs in cars.”
All in all this was ok, apart perhaps from a rather lame revel at the end.
June 6, 2025
Simon and I listened to the audiobook together. There's a lot going on in this volume of the series and some passages left me shaking my head in disbelief. The writing of the working mother passages was a little clumsy in my opinion. I'm not sure whether the author was trying to convey the character's difficulty in adapting to motherhood or something else, but it made me squirm and drew me out of the story. In fact, there were a number of passages that pushed me away, rather than drawing me closer.
Quotes:
"She has got her figure back after having the baby, which is a shame - she was rather hoping to get someone else's." This struck me as funny and sad at the same time.
"A man in a waxed jacket is walking purposefully towards them. Two depressed looking spaniels run at his heels." This took me right out of the story - I've known a lot of spaniels, and even owned three of my own, but never experienced a depressed looking one. I think of them as being bouncy and friendly and always on the go! I haven't been able to get this out of my mind.
"Class is a stronger social adhesive than nationality." Something to consider.
Narration provided by Jane McDowell. The 'pressured' or sharp tone of her voice made me wince on occasion and overall, it wasn't one of my better experiences.
Quotes:
"She has got her figure back after having the baby, which is a shame - she was rather hoping to get someone else's." This struck me as funny and sad at the same time.
"A man in a waxed jacket is walking purposefully towards them. Two depressed looking spaniels run at his heels." This took me right out of the story - I've known a lot of spaniels, and even owned three of my own, but never experienced a depressed looking one. I think of them as being bouncy and friendly and always on the go! I haven't been able to get this out of my mind.
"Class is a stronger social adhesive than nationality." Something to consider.
Narration provided by Jane McDowell. The 'pressured' or sharp tone of her voice made me wince on occasion and overall, it wasn't one of my better experiences.
November 14, 2020
I have so much love for this series! I was so pleased to start it, knowing I had many installments to come, but after the third, I already fear running out too soon!
February 3, 2011
First Sentence: Two people, a man and a woman, are walking along a hospital corridor.
A team of archeologists studying coastal erosion uncover a number of skeletons neatly placed within a cleft of a cliff. Archeologist and forensic expert Ruth Galloway is brought in to work with DCI Harry Nelson, to determine the age and identity of the remains. The more they discover, the less someone wants them to find and others die trying to keep secrets buried.
Every now and then there is a review which I find difficult to write; this is one. Let me start with all that I found very well done:
I love the illustration at the beginning of the book. I admit to being a map person so anything which provide a prospective as to the settings, I appreciate. Additionally, Ms. Griffiths’ descriptions are wonderful a establishing a sense of place and enhancing the action of the story. She describes both the tension of driving in a heavy snowstorm as well as the beauty it creates with equal skill.
History is a driving thread through the plot of the story. I particularly appreciate her perspective of someone in the present being unable to comprehend the fear of those living in vulnerable areas during the war. One can empathize, but never really understand without having the experience.
The mystery itself is very good. While you, as reader, know some of the events have a direct impact on the story, it’s Ms. Griffiths’ ability to bring together a lot of small pieces into solving the complete puzzle that is admirable. There is heart-pounding suspense, surprises, twists and an ending which was wonderfully set up but not contrived.
The characters themselves are complex, interesting and very realistically human. There is a wonderful diversity among them and I’ve certainly come to have my favorites. Relationships are complicated; and nowhere is that point made more clear than in this series.
The aspect of the book with which I had reservations, and thus dropped my rating from “VG,” is based on the relationship between two of the characters. It is my personal view only. Yet because it is such a significant part of the series and accounts for a considerable portion of each story, it’s not something I can ignore. The event is a moral decision, not one of legality, and while I realize may this may seem silly, being the characters are fictional, but it is just not something acceptable to me. Had an event which occurred in the first book of the series not reoccurred, I am certain I would feel differently. However, that was not the choice made by the author. That’s fine, it is her choice, but it is one that clearly impacts the way I feel about the book.
So, the big question is: Will I continue with the series? Yes, I shall. For as much as I am uncomfortable with the relationship, I have to believe the author has a purpose for making this, and other, relationships such a focus of the books. That, the quality of the writing, and the author’s ability to create a compelling mystery is enough to bring me back—for now.
THE HOUSE AT SEA’S END (Lic Inv/Archeo-Ruth Galloway/DCI Nelson-England-Cont) – Good
Griffiths, Elly – 3rd in series
Quercus, ©2011, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9781849163675
A team of archeologists studying coastal erosion uncover a number of skeletons neatly placed within a cleft of a cliff. Archeologist and forensic expert Ruth Galloway is brought in to work with DCI Harry Nelson, to determine the age and identity of the remains. The more they discover, the less someone wants them to find and others die trying to keep secrets buried.
Every now and then there is a review which I find difficult to write; this is one. Let me start with all that I found very well done:
I love the illustration at the beginning of the book. I admit to being a map person so anything which provide a prospective as to the settings, I appreciate. Additionally, Ms. Griffiths’ descriptions are wonderful a establishing a sense of place and enhancing the action of the story. She describes both the tension of driving in a heavy snowstorm as well as the beauty it creates with equal skill.
History is a driving thread through the plot of the story. I particularly appreciate her perspective of someone in the present being unable to comprehend the fear of those living in vulnerable areas during the war. One can empathize, but never really understand without having the experience.
The mystery itself is very good. While you, as reader, know some of the events have a direct impact on the story, it’s Ms. Griffiths’ ability to bring together a lot of small pieces into solving the complete puzzle that is admirable. There is heart-pounding suspense, surprises, twists and an ending which was wonderfully set up but not contrived.
The characters themselves are complex, interesting and very realistically human. There is a wonderful diversity among them and I’ve certainly come to have my favorites. Relationships are complicated; and nowhere is that point made more clear than in this series.
The aspect of the book with which I had reservations, and thus dropped my rating from “VG,” is based on the relationship between two of the characters. It is my personal view only. Yet because it is such a significant part of the series and accounts for a considerable portion of each story, it’s not something I can ignore. The event is a moral decision, not one of legality, and while I realize may this may seem silly, being the characters are fictional, but it is just not something acceptable to me. Had an event which occurred in the first book of the series not reoccurred, I am certain I would feel differently. However, that was not the choice made by the author. That’s fine, it is her choice, but it is one that clearly impacts the way I feel about the book.
So, the big question is: Will I continue with the series? Yes, I shall. For as much as I am uncomfortable with the relationship, I have to believe the author has a purpose for making this, and other, relationships such a focus of the books. That, the quality of the writing, and the author’s ability to create a compelling mystery is enough to bring me back—for now.
THE HOUSE AT SEA’S END (Lic Inv/Archeo-Ruth Galloway/DCI Nelson-England-Cont) – Good
Griffiths, Elly – 3rd in series
Quercus, ©2011, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9781849163675
January 27, 2020
Sometimes I want to read a good story with characters I enjoy knowing, good plots that are devoid of all but the essential details of violence and death. One of the many series that I look to for such reading is Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway novels.
Galloway is a forensic archeologist first and foremost, but also works with the local police in Serious Crimes in cases where her skills are useful to the investigation. Galloway is also a first-time single mother in this story, with the familiar struggle of working moms everywhere: How to balance work and motherhood.
In this story, the bones of six men are found buried in an eroding coastline, bodies modern enough to have been from the WWII era. As an investigation ensues that finds Galloway and Chief Inspector Harry Nelson working side by side once again, two coincidental deaths and an outright murder up the ante.
Galloway is a forensic archeologist first and foremost, but also works with the local police in Serious Crimes in cases where her skills are useful to the investigation. Galloway is also a first-time single mother in this story, with the familiar struggle of working moms everywhere: How to balance work and motherhood.
In this story, the bones of six men are found buried in an eroding coastline, bodies modern enough to have been from the WWII era. As an investigation ensues that finds Galloway and Chief Inspector Harry Nelson working side by side once again, two coincidental deaths and an outright murder up the ante.
February 15, 2016
The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffith.
Ruth Galloway, forensic archaeologist, is a new mother of Kate. Ruth is having a hard time of juggling her work at the university, her archaeological interests and her new born baby. It seems daytime baby care doesn't last long enough and she finds herself needing someone else to pick up Kate or have permission to leave her there for that extra hour. So many extra hands ready to help out with baby Kate...all except for DCI Nelson.
On a stretch of seacoast just off of Sea's End House the bodies of 6 men have been found. All have been bound and shot. This was not just another stretch of coastline as Ruth was soon to find out.
This was the 3rd excellent addition in the Ruth Galloway series.
Ruth Galloway, forensic archaeologist, is a new mother of Kate. Ruth is having a hard time of juggling her work at the university, her archaeological interests and her new born baby. It seems daytime baby care doesn't last long enough and she finds herself needing someone else to pick up Kate or have permission to leave her there for that extra hour. So many extra hands ready to help out with baby Kate...all except for DCI Nelson.
On a stretch of seacoast just off of Sea's End House the bodies of 6 men have been found. All have been bound and shot. This was not just another stretch of coastline as Ruth was soon to find out.
This was the 3rd excellent addition in the Ruth Galloway series.
July 11, 2011
This is the third and now my favorite in Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series. The characters continue to develop, both the primary and the many good and important secondary ones. I really like the windswept and somewhat bleak Norfolk setting that seems to add to the story. Here, the personal details of the protagonists' lives become as important as the mystery and as complicated. I don't want to give any plot points away for anyone who hasn't read any of the books yet, but I highly recommend it to mystery readers/lovers.
January 31, 2020
Spooky! Bodies found under a cliff turn out to be those of WWII Nazi soldiers murdered during the war. Ruth and Nelson have to figure out why someone is still killing people to hide their secrets. I suspect everyone except the real murderer. Good thing I'm not involved in the investigation.
June 10, 2019
Really enjoying this series because all of the recurring characters are interesting people, I love the British countryside, the writing is smooth and easy to fall into, and the audio narration is well done. In addition, it's a mystery series that has moments of humor and is low on violence.
There's really nothing more I look for from a mystery series than all of this. So I'll definitely be continuing on with it. I'm glad there are many unread volumes left 💙
There's really nothing more I look for from a mystery series than all of this. So I'll definitely be continuing on with it. I'm glad there are many unread volumes left 💙
February 7, 2020
Yet another excellent Ruth Galloway mystery! After finishing this book I spent a moment trying to put my finger on why I enjoy these books so much. I love how they combine archeology with police work and that the settings are always a bit cold and desolate, but I think what I find so appealing about these stories is Ruth’s character.
Frequently in books featuring a single, middle-aged female protagonist you find the character being portrayed as lonely and pathetic and just wishing they had a man so they too could be happy. Not Ruth Galloway. She clearly loves her life and lives the way she lives because she wants to.
When she talks about the relief she felt over a long term relationship ending because she could just spread out and reclaim her space I completely identified with her.
I’m trying to pace myself with this series because I don’t want to get burned out, but I’m already looking forward to the next one!
Frequently in books featuring a single, middle-aged female protagonist you find the character being portrayed as lonely and pathetic and just wishing they had a man so they too could be happy. Not Ruth Galloway. She clearly loves her life and lives the way she lives because she wants to.
When she talks about the relief she felt over a long term relationship ending because she could just spread out and reclaim her space I completely identified with her.
I’m trying to pace myself with this series because I don’t want to get burned out, but I’m already looking forward to the next one!
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