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Griffiths, Elly - 'A Room Full of Bones'
Paperback: 352 pages (Apr. 2012) Publisher: Quercus ISBN: 1849163707

Dr Ruth Galloway, Head of Forensic Archaeology at the University of North Norfolk, is due to attend the opening of the coffin of a medieval bishop at the local museum in King's Lynn. Ruth arrives early only to discover the museum's curator dead on the floor beside the coffin.

The museum is owned by Lord Smith who also owns the nearby racing stables. As DI Harry Nelson investigates, a number of threatening letters come to light demanding that the museum's collection of Aboriginal skulls, brought back to the UK by Lord Smith's explorer grandfather, are returned to their native land. The group call themselves The Elginists who want the skulls returned to their spirit land so that they can enter the Dreaming, explains Ruth's friend Cathbad, who unsurprisingly is a member of The Elginists. Cathbad has featured in all the earlier books in this series but I liked him more in this book - he is growing on me. Ruth asks to see these skulls and is amazed when she is shown into a room literally full of bones; the description of this airless room full of bones was unnerving - the sort of thought that sends a shiver down one's spine.

Although a modern-day mystery, there is much that is fey about this tale, as the writer weaves beliefs of the past into the present day. I became utterly absorbed as the story unfolded.

There are several unexpected events in this book that move Ruth's life into a different sphere, whether they are permanent or temporary does of course have this reader eager for the next instalment. Another wonderful entry in this justifiable highly acclaimed series.

Read another review of A ROOM FULL OF BONES.

Lizzie Hayes, England
May 2012

Lizzie blogs at Promoting Crime Fiction.

Details of the author's other books with links to reviews can be found on the Books page.
More European crime fiction reviews can be found on the Reviews page.



last updated 5/05/2012 16:01