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Forensic archeologist Ruth Galloway investigates a heart-stopping case: an old university friend and fellow archeologist murdered in an arson attack.When Ruth Galloway learns that her old university friend Dan Golding has died in a house fire, she is shocked and saddened. But when she receives a letter that Dan had written just before he died, her sadness turns to suspicion.The letter tells of a great archaeological discovery, but Dan also says that he is scared for his life.
Was Dan's show more death linked to his find? The only clue is his mention of the Raven King, an ancient name for King Arthur. When she arrives in Lancashire, Ruth discovers that the bones reveal a shocking fact about King Arthur—and that the bones have mysteriously vanished.
The case draws in DCI Nelson, determined to protect Ruth and their eighteen-month-old daughter, Kate. But someone is willing to kill to keep the bones a secret, and it is beginning to look as if no one is safe. show less
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#5 in the Ruth Galloway mystery series, this may be my favorite save for the first one. I like Griffiths style - an almost chatty narrative that feels very organic to me and lets me just fall into the story. In this one, Ruth heads up north to look at some bones her college friend (now deceased) had discovered. Said friend died under mysterious circumstances, and Ruth, daughter Kate, and loyal Druid Cathbad, along with DCI Harry Nelson who happens to be in the area visiting family, find themselves surrounded by strange characters and more questions than answers about the bones, about the house fire that killed Ruth's friend, and about neo-Fascist activity in the area. It's all pretty interesting, but Ruth is, of course, the star. And show more after a few entries in the series where I found her to be a little grating, it was nice to get back to the funny, sharp and acerbic Ruth I first met in The Crossing Places. show less
A Dying Fall, the fifth book in the Ruth Galloway mystery series, is a straightforward thriller centering on the murder of Ruth's ex-colleague Dan Golding who, like Ruth, has forged a successful career in the field of archaeology. Ruth hears about his death through a mutual friend, one she has lost touch with, and coincidentally, two days later she receives a mysterious letter from Dan, written just before his death. She heads to Pendle University in Blackpool with her daughter Kate, and Kate's Druidic godfather, Cathbad, to solve the mystery of the newly discovered bones.
There is less actual archaeology in this book than the previous ones, and Ruth works to solve various plots that revolve around a group of white supremacists who have show more made inroads at the university and the complex personal relationships that connect several members of the university staff. There is a wonderful mix of the King Arthur legends, archaeology, mystery and an absolutely riveting finale.
You always know that this series will leave you educated and entertained. Ruth is a fantastic character, who constantly doubts herself on the personal level but is completely confident on the career level. Her personal life is a mess, but she is devoted to her friends and, of course, her daughter. The secondary characters are some of the most interesting and complex I've ever encountered. The author manages to weave archaeology into a compelling plot, and achieves an ideal balance between the character's private lives and the intriguing crime story. I can't wait to read the next book in this series, The Outcast Dead. show less
There is less actual archaeology in this book than the previous ones, and Ruth works to solve various plots that revolve around a group of white supremacists who have show more made inroads at the university and the complex personal relationships that connect several members of the university staff. There is a wonderful mix of the King Arthur legends, archaeology, mystery and an absolutely riveting finale.
You always know that this series will leave you educated and entertained. Ruth is a fantastic character, who constantly doubts herself on the personal level but is completely confident on the career level. Her personal life is a mess, but she is devoted to her friends and, of course, her daughter. The secondary characters are some of the most interesting and complex I've ever encountered. The author manages to weave archaeology into a compelling plot, and achieves an ideal balance between the character's private lives and the intriguing crime story. I can't wait to read the next book in this series, The Outcast Dead. show less
Another Ruth Galloway which was written so intriguingly that I fell into the story and happily read in two (long) evening binges. This sequel (#5) displayed Griffiths' ability to write an amusing dialogue. There were several especially clever dry-humour pieces with wry observations made by Ruth and Cathbad.
In this saga, the author introduces a new character (Tim Heathfield) who is a complex addition to the policing end of this mystery. I hope ‘Tim’ shows up in subsequent RG novels because he is as intriguing and as likeable a character as Cathbad. Tim will flesh out the mystery landscape if he participates in Book #6. Some of the other personalities that appear in A Dying Fall are weak and inconsistently portrayed. The show more inconsistency did not seem part of a deliberate misdirection by Griffiths’ design, but rather as if she hadn’t made up her mind how that individual was going to evolve in the book. I was also rather surprised bydevelopments with Max Grey because that didn't seem to add up with the impression I had in Book #4, not that this is an egregious error.
There were a few historical misdirections that detracted from the archaeological account:the Romans repelled the Angles and Saxons when they arrived on the southeast shores of Britain. Only after the Roman Empire withdrew from the Island did the subsequent invaders gain a foot hold. In the dig where supposedly King Arthur was discovered, the narrative indicates that Anglo-Saxon remains predated the Romans . Aside from these minor misgivings, I enjoyed this as much as Crossing Places and A Room Full of Bones. The final reveal about King Arthur was an unanticipated twist that made sense given all the drama around the bones and archaeological findings. I thought it was smugly fabulous! show less
In this saga, the author introduces a new character (Tim Heathfield) who is a complex addition to the policing end of this mystery. I hope ‘Tim’ shows up in subsequent RG novels because he is as intriguing and as likeable a character as Cathbad. Tim will flesh out the mystery landscape if he participates in Book #6. Some of the other personalities that appear in A Dying Fall are weak and inconsistently portrayed. The show more inconsistency did not seem part of a deliberate misdirection by Griffiths’ design, but rather as if she hadn’t made up her mind how that individual was going to evolve in the book. I was also rather surprised by
There were a few historical misdirections that detracted from the archaeological account:
"Dying Fall" was another good entry in this series! After I had a few problems with the fourth book, this one was a lot better and I was very happy about it.
The case gripped me right from the beginning: A good friend of Ruth's dies in a house fire. The next day, Ruth receives a letter from him, sent to her shortly before the day of the fire, in which he writes to her about a new archaeological discovery he made, and also mentions that he is afraid. Of course Ruth is drawn into the story and travels to the north of England to investigate at her friend's university.
I liked the case a lot and also enjoyed meeting all the characters that I have grown to love. They are a great bunch of people and make this series into real comfort reading. show more My pet peeve, though, persists:Why does Ruth seek danger all the time? Even if she has been threatened and there is no reason at all, she walks right into the trap, even endangering her daughter. It happens in every book and she just doesn't learn!
This is why I cannot rate this book five stars, although I love everything else about it and have already ordered the next three! show less
The case gripped me right from the beginning: A good friend of Ruth's dies in a house fire. The next day, Ruth receives a letter from him, sent to her shortly before the day of the fire, in which he writes to her about a new archaeological discovery he made, and also mentions that he is afraid. Of course Ruth is drawn into the story and travels to the north of England to investigate at her friend's university.
I liked the case a lot and also enjoyed meeting all the characters that I have grown to love. They are a great bunch of people and make this series into real comfort reading. show more My pet peeve, though, persists:
This is why I cannot rate this book five stars, although I love everything else about it and have already ordered the next three! show less
This is the fifth book in the Ruth Galloway series and my favorite entry so far. Both Ruth and DCI Harry Nelson end up vacationing in Blackpool - Harry with his wife on vacation visiting their families and Ruth combining business and pleasure by taking Kate and Cathbad with her when she goes to examine the findings of a recently deceased colleague. I loved all the history in this one and also the setting was so fun with the characters interacting outside of their comfort zones. Really well done. Ruth, as always, is a total delight:
"She goes downstairs wondering if it's decadent to drink wine when it's still light outside. Oh, sod it, she'll just have a small glass....She gets up and pours herself another glass of wine. They're very show more small glasses, more like sherry glasses really."
And we are introduced to a new character who is sure to reappear - Tim Heathfield, an officer who works under Nelson's old buddy Sandy Macleod in Blackpool. Here's Tim's Bucket list: Attend a pagan funeral, swim with dolphins, read Ulysses, learn Italian, see the Taj Mahal, leave Blackpool. You like him already, don't you?! Me, too. show less
"She goes downstairs wondering if it's decadent to drink wine when it's still light outside. Oh, sod it, she'll just have a small glass....She gets up and pours herself another glass of wine. They're very show more small glasses, more like sherry glasses really."
And we are introduced to a new character who is sure to reappear - Tim Heathfield, an officer who works under Nelson's old buddy Sandy Macleod in Blackpool. Here's Tim's Bucket list: Attend a pagan funeral, swim with dolphins, read Ulysses, learn Italian, see the Taj Mahal, leave Blackpool. You like him already, don't you?! Me, too. show less
First Line: At first he isn't even scared.
Dr. Ruth Galloway's old university friend Dan Golding has died in a house fire. Still reeling from that news, Dan's death is put in an entirely different light when she receives a letter he wrote and posted to her just before he died. In the letter, Dan tells Ruth that he's made a great archaeological discovery, and that he's scared for his life.
When the department head at the university asks Ruth to come up to examine the bones Dan found, she packs up her eighteen-month-old daughter, Kate, and they (along with family friend Cathbad) make the journey to Blackpool, Lancashire-- home of Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson.
Once on campus, Ruth ignores the information about right-wing groups show more spouting hatred and racial slurs and focuses on the bones. Dan mentioned only one clue in his letter-- the Raven King. Ruth knows that this is an ancient name for King Arthur. Quick examination reveals a surprising fact about King Arthur, but when she returns a second time to examine them thoroughly, the bones have disappeared.
Nelson just happens to be in Blackpool visiting his mother. Naturally he gets drawn into the investigation, especially when it appears that Ruth and Kate may be in danger. Someone seems to be willing to kill to keep those bones a secret.
This is the fifth strong entry in the series about forensic archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway. She's a rather plain, plump woman in her early forties who's a single working mother. She's the furthest thing from glamorous, but she's got a mind like a steel trap... especially now that she's devised a routine for Kate that means she can get some badly needed sleep, too. Yes, this is a series that is character rich: Ruth, Kate, Cathbad the Druid, DCI Harry Nelson, Nelson's gorgeous wife, and more. These are even characters that you can take sides over. You can tsk tsk over Ruth's indiscretion with Harry, or you can decide not to like Harry because, as a married man, he should've known better than to sleep with Ruth. You can take sides with the wronged wife, or you can decide that Mrs. Nelson is at fault for what Harry did. Or... you can just enjoy them all as adults who can and do make mistakes. These are people I'd want to meet in the evening down at the local pub. Share a pint, share the news, share our lives.
But there's a good mystery contained in these pages along with all the latest doings of those fully-fleshed characters, and some heart-in-your-throat high octane action. If you need anything else, just add in some fascinating information about King Arthur. Dr. Ruth Galloway knows her anthropology and archaeology, and I always appreciate learning from her.
Action, danger, history, a puzzling whodunit, and a fascinating cast of characters. Haven't read any of Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway mysteries? What's stopping you? show less
Dr. Ruth Galloway's old university friend Dan Golding has died in a house fire. Still reeling from that news, Dan's death is put in an entirely different light when she receives a letter he wrote and posted to her just before he died. In the letter, Dan tells Ruth that he's made a great archaeological discovery, and that he's scared for his life.
When the department head at the university asks Ruth to come up to examine the bones Dan found, she packs up her eighteen-month-old daughter, Kate, and they (along with family friend Cathbad) make the journey to Blackpool, Lancashire-- home of Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson.
Once on campus, Ruth ignores the information about right-wing groups show more spouting hatred and racial slurs and focuses on the bones. Dan mentioned only one clue in his letter-- the Raven King. Ruth knows that this is an ancient name for King Arthur. Quick examination reveals a surprising fact about King Arthur, but when she returns a second time to examine them thoroughly, the bones have disappeared.
Nelson just happens to be in Blackpool visiting his mother. Naturally he gets drawn into the investigation, especially when it appears that Ruth and Kate may be in danger. Someone seems to be willing to kill to keep those bones a secret.
This is the fifth strong entry in the series about forensic archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway. She's a rather plain, plump woman in her early forties who's a single working mother. She's the furthest thing from glamorous, but she's got a mind like a steel trap... especially now that she's devised a routine for Kate that means she can get some badly needed sleep, too. Yes, this is a series that is character rich: Ruth, Kate, Cathbad the Druid, DCI Harry Nelson, Nelson's gorgeous wife, and more. These are even characters that you can take sides over. You can tsk tsk over Ruth's indiscretion with Harry, or you can decide not to like Harry because, as a married man, he should've known better than to sleep with Ruth. You can take sides with the wronged wife, or you can decide that Mrs. Nelson is at fault for what Harry did. Or... you can just enjoy them all as adults who can and do make mistakes. These are people I'd want to meet in the evening down at the local pub. Share a pint, share the news, share our lives.
But there's a good mystery contained in these pages along with all the latest doings of those fully-fleshed characters, and some heart-in-your-throat high octane action. If you need anything else, just add in some fascinating information about King Arthur. Dr. Ruth Galloway knows her anthropology and archaeology, and I always appreciate learning from her.
Action, danger, history, a puzzling whodunit, and a fascinating cast of characters. Haven't read any of Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway mysteries? What's stopping you? show less
When Dan Golding, an old university friend, contacted Ruth Galloway for help with a recent archaeological discovery, she was flattered and curious. But Dan died in a fire before they could meet up. Ruth is asked to visit the university where Dan conducted his research and, at the same time, the police determine the fire was intentionally set. Once again Ruth is caught in the intersection of crime and archaeology, and another excellent murder mystery is off and running.
This book was my favorite of the series so far. The setting shifted from Norfolk to Blackpool, providing a change of scenery and the opportunity to introduce new characters. Meanwhile, the relationships among the “regular cast” continued to develop in some very show more interesting ways. The fast-paced tension towards the end was handled in a new and very believable way, and I was left wondering what’s next for Ruth, Cathbad, and Nelson. Next book please! show less
This book was my favorite of the series so far. The setting shifted from Norfolk to Blackpool, providing a change of scenery and the opportunity to introduce new characters. Meanwhile, the relationships among the “regular cast” continued to develop in some very show more interesting ways. The fast-paced tension towards the end was handled in a new and very believable way, and I was left wondering what’s next for Ruth, Cathbad, and Nelson. Next book please! show less
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- Canonical title
- Dying Fall
- Original title
- Dying Fall
- Alternate titles
- A Dying Fall
- Original publication date
- 2012-12
- People/Characters
- Ruth Galloway; Harry Nelson; Tim Heathfield; Dan Golding; Clayton Henry; Sandy Macleod (show all 18); Max Grey; Cathbad; Maureen Nelson; Michelle Nelson; Susan Chow; Guy Delaware; Terry Durkin; Peter Greengrass; Elaine Morgan; Sam Elliot; Pendragon; Kate Galloway
- Important places
- Norfolk, England, UK; Blackpool, Lancashire, England, UK; Ribchester, Lancashire, England, UK
- Epigraph
- 'That strain again! It had a dying fall:
O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound
That breathes upon a bank of violets
Stealing and giving odour! Enough, no more;
Tis not so sweet now as it was before ...'
... (show all)Shakespeare, Twelfth Night - Dedication
- For John Maxted
and for Sarah and Michael Whitehead - First words
- At first he isn't even scared. (Prologue)
The phone is ringing when Ruth opens the front door. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Nelson looks as if he is about to speak, but in the end he just smiles and, with a flourish, takes Kate from his shoulders and hands her back to Ruth.
- Publisher's editor
- Wood, Jane
- Original language
- English
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