The House at Sea’s End by Elly Griffiths

Ruth Galloway, forensic archaeologist, professor, and mother? Ruth takes on her newest role of single parent to daughter Kate while trying to solve the decades old murder. In the latest entry into the Ruth Galloway mystery series, The House at Sea’s End by Elly Griffiths, Ruth has recently returned to work and been pulled into solving the mystery behind several murder victims found buried on the beach. The victims were found in the coastal village of Broughton Sea’s End, a village slowly being eaten away by erosion. (On a side note, I went to Ireland recently and did the cliff walks on Howth, and the houses, one particularly, reminded me of Broughton Sea’s End).

During Ruth’s investigation, she finds that the victims had been shot and the local police are brought in. Ruth and Detective Inspector Harry Nelson, the married father of Ruth’s baby, are again working together – something Ruth has been avoiding. As they begin to unravel the mysteries surrounding the World War II era victims, it becomes clear that someone is violently trying to protect the secret behind those bodies.

This is the third entry into the Ruth Galloway Mystery series and it is a series that just keeps getting better. Elly Griffiths writing is highly atmospheric and borders on modern Gothic. The mystery deftly weaves history, archeology and modern day crime and kept me guessing well into the story. If you interested in reading the first two (and I would highly recommend them), they are: Crossing Places and The Janus Stone.

Look for the upcoming review of Ruth Galloway #4, A Room Full of Bones.