The Night Hawks – number thirteen in the Ruth Galloway series. And Elly Griffiths is already onto number 14! This one finished my summer reading with a bang, and gave me an N for my Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge.
The Night Hawks (Ruth Galloway #13)
by Elly Griffiths
Dr Ruth Galloway returns to the moody and beautiful landscape of North Norfolk to confront another killer. A devastating new case for our favourite forensic archaeologist in this acclaimed and bestselling crime series.
The Night Hawks, a group of metal detectorists, are searching for buried treasure when they find a body on the beach in North Norfolk. At first Nelson thinks that the dead man might be an asylum seeker but he turns out to be a local boy, Jem Taylor, recently released from prison. Ruth is more interested in the treasure, a hoard of Bronze Age weapons. Nelson at first thinks that Taylor’s death is accidental drowning, but a second death suggests murder.
Nelson is called to an apparent murder-suicide of a couple at the isolated Black Dog Farm. Local legend talks of the Black Shuck, a spectral hound that appears to people before they die. Nelson ignores this, even when the owner’s suicide note includes the line, ‘He’s buried in the garden.’ Ruth excavates and finds the body of a giant dog.
All roads lead back to this farm in the middle of nowhere, but the place spells serious danger for anyone who goes near. Ruth doesn’t scare easily. Not until she finds herself at Black Dog Farm …[goodreads]
My Review
If you’re new to Ruth Galloway… don’t start here. Several books are worth starting with if you don’t want to go to the first one, but not this. It’s not that there isn’t enough backstory on who’s who, it’s more that the relationships (and job changes) have developed so far it would be enormously confusing. And Kate is nearly a teenager! How time flies.
Is the story as good as ever? Yes.
Are the twists and turns of the relationships as satisfying as ever? Well, there are some undercurrents that seem confusing, and plenty of difficulties for our number two police detective in her relationships with everyone including work. New people arrive who don’t know the history, and are, frankly, irritating. I was actually hoping one of them did it, rather than have him turn up in future books!
Will my review of Night Hawks make any difference to what a die-hard Ruth Galloway lover or hater will do about this book? It will not.
So, I’ll just say it’s a worthy successor. And as this is set in a looming-Covid world, I’m intrigued to see what will happen in the next book, out next February.
Book Review | The Night Hawks by @EllyGriffiths: as satisfying as are all Elly Griffiths' mysteries. Although I was hoping an irritating new character 'did it', rather than have him turn up in future books! #RuthGalloway #crime Share on X
Great review Jemima.
Hugs Galore
I agree with David. This is an informative review of Elly Griffiths’ book. Thanks for the tip to start reading one of her previous books. I love mysteries, as long as they are not too graphic. The write up of The Night Hawks sounds intriguing. Thanks for sharing this review with your followers.
And I know I’m a little late, but thanks for co-hosting IWSG’s question for October. All best to you!
Great review Jemima. This series is one of my favourites, just waiting on the price to be right before I buy this one, might end up on my Christmas wish list. I love the Norfolk setting with these books too. Elly did a talk at my local library last year just before covid but unfortunately I was away at the time and missed out. Hoping she’ll come back at some point now things have opened up again. KL <3
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