(Image from Barnes & Noble)

(Note:  Although this review will not contain spoilers for The Janus Stone, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, The Crossing Places.  As always, I recommend reading series in order.)

Fresh from helping police find a kidnapped child—and narrowly escaping with her life—forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway isn't expecting to be thrown into another case quite so soon.  But, when a construction crew discovers bones beneath an old mansion they're tearing down, she's called in to help.  Because the remains are those of a child with a missing head, Ruth suspects the bones may be of ancient Roman origin.  She's wrong.  The victim died much more recently, which leads Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson to wonder if he/she could be one of the kids who went missing years ago when the mansion was used as a Catholic orphanage.  

Ruth is eager to help Nelson, who's become a little more than a friend, figure out what happened to the child.  The fact that she's pregnant doesn't slow her down.  Eerie happenings at the construction site, however, give her pause.  Is her spooked imagination working overtime?  Or is someone trying to warn her away from the investigation?  To what lengths might that someone go to stop her from finding the truth?

The Janus Stone, which takes place a few months after The Crossing Places, brings back many of the delightful characters from the first book in Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series.  My favorite is Ruth.  I love that her character is ordinary and understated, but never dull.  Besides her newest mystery, she's got plenty going on in her life, which makes The Janus Stone an engaging and compelling read.  My only complaint with the novel is that it lacks the vivid, atmospheric setting that made the first book so memorable.  Because of that, I liked The Crossing Places better.  Still, I'm continuing to enjoy this series with its exciting puzzles, enjoyable characters, and twisty plotlines.  

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other books in the Ruth Galloway series [The Crossing Places; The House at Sea's End; A Roomful of Bones; A Dying Fall; The Outcast Dead; and The Ghost Fields)

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(Image from Barnes & Noble)

No one understands Dr. Ruth Galloway's choice to live out on the Saltmarsh, a remote area of coastland near Norfolk.  Sacred to its ancient inhabitants, the marsh is an in-between place—part earth, part sea. Known for its eerie atmosphere and extreme, unpredictable weather, the location suits Ruth just fine.  The 39-year-old delights in solitude, especially when it can be found in a place that stirs her imagination and stokes her soul.  The Saltmarsh is, in fact, the perfect spot for an archaeologist who prefers her cats to human company, ancient bones to live people.  

When remains are found near her home, Ruth is called on by Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson to help identify the bones.  Nelson believes them to be those of Lucy Downey, a young girl who disappeared ten years ago.  Although Nelson is off on the age of the skeleton—by about two thousand years—Ruth can't stop thinking about young Lucy.  When another child vanishes, her abductor sends police cryptic letters with puzzling references to archaeology and mythology.  Out of his depth, Nelson again seeks Ruth's help, this time to decipher the letters.  Obsessed with finding the person responsible for the little girl's disappearance, the detective and his unlikely new partner chase down every lead they see.  With the clock ticking, they will risk everything to solve the case.  Can they do it?  Or will another child suffer the same unknown fate as Lucy Downey?  

Libraries and bookstores are full of mystery novels, some good, some not so much.  When I need help deciding which is which, I rely on one source—Kay's Reading Life.  One of my favorite bloggers, Kay always has great recommendations.  Case in point: the Ruth Galloway series by English author Elly Griffiths.  The first installment, The Crossing Places, offers everything I love in a mystery—a rich, atmospheric setting; complex, intriguing characters; and an exciting plot that keeps me guessing.  I especially love our understated heroine, whose intelligence, generous heart and subtle humor make her very appealing.  All of these elements combined to create a compelling mystery that I had a difficult time putting down.  With its unique, but subtle blend of science, drama, mystery, and even romance, The Crossing Places makes an excellent first book in a series that I've been enjoying immensely.

(Readalikes:  Other books in the Ruth Galloway series—The Janus Stone; The House at Sea's End; A Room Full of Bones; A Dying Fall; The Outcast Dead; and The Ghost Fields)

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