THE NIGHT HAWKS

5 stars out of 5

Archeologist and University of North Norfolk professor Dr. Ruth Galloway seems like such an old friend that I was surprised to learn I've read only one other book in this series - and after reading this one, I know I don't want to miss any more. As it opens, a group of local metal detectorists who call themselves the Night Hawks find a dead body on a North Norfolk beach. Ruth wants to learn more about the suspected Bronze Age weapons found near the body, but detective inspector Harry Nelson - Ruth's former paramour and the father of their young daughter Katie, who lives with Ruth - leans toward determining whether the young man's death actually is a murder.

Later, the same group of Night Hawks find two more bodies - this time at the remote Black Dog Farm, also the site that spawned the legend of Black Shuck, a huge dog that is believed by some to be sighted by people right before they die. The dead bodies, though, are a man and wife - and it appears to have been a murder-suicide. 

The investigation, understandably, includes looking into a connection between the dead bodies, members of the Night Hawks and that mythical (or not!) pooch. All the while, Ruth must deal with her feelings for the still-married Nelson and her distaste for the new guy in the Archeology Department - the one she hired to replace her when she was named department head. Not only is he a know-it-all pain in the you-know-what, but his behavior makes her suspicious of what he's really up to.

I never really bought into the Black Shuck notion (a little too other-worldly for me, I guess), but on the other hand, it added some interest, albeit offbeat. The end brought at least one surprise and wrapped up loose ends - except one: A cliffhanger that has the potential to change the course of books to come. I, for one, will be waiting. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, June 2021); 368 pp.

THE POSTSCRIPT MURDERS

4 stars out of 5

I've read only one other book by this prolific author, and more's the pity. With this one - an advance review copy courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley - I've become a fan. This is the second installment of her series that centers around Detective Sergeant Harbinder Kaur, an interesting character who is 36, gay, and still lives with her parents (who don't know she's gay). She's contacted by Natalka, a caregiver for elderly Peggy Smith, who found the woman dead. But there are no signs that anything is amiss, and since Peggy was 90 years old, Harbinder doesn't see a problem. The only thing remotely strange is that Peggy has business cards indicating that she's a "murder consultant" and is listed in the acknowledgements of books by several authors of crime books that apparently are favorites of the much-read Peggy.

That soon changes when Natalka and her friend, barista and former monk Benedict, return to Peggy's flat to start clearing out some things left by Peggy's son - who seemed in a hurry to sell his mother's flat - and encounter a gun-wielding masked person who grabs a book - one that's out of print - and runs. When Harbinder still seems reluctant to pursue the case seriously, Natalka, Benedict and Peggy's elderly neighbor of several years, Edwin, set off to investigate on their own. They begin by visiting a crime writers' conference in a not-too-distant town, where they run into several of the writers who have credited Peggy for suggestions they've incorporated in their books.

Then comes another murder; at that point, Harbinder begins to suspect that Peggy may have been murdered after all. From different locations, she and Natalka's competent team start sharing their findings, all of which lead up to a mostly surprising conclusion. Overall, well-written with intriguing characters whose interactions held my interest throughout. I'm already looking forward to the next one!

The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, March 2021); 284 pp.

THE WOMAN IN BLUE

3.5 stars out of 5


For the record, I read this book - an advance copy in exchange for a review - in early March. The publisher requested that all reviews be held until the release date (March 3, 2016), and I have honored that request.

While this is the eighth book in a series, it stands alone fairly well; that said, I do believe I'd have enjoyed it more had I read at least a couple of the previous entries. Somehow, everything seemed a bit disjointed (made more noticeable, I think, because settings often shift back and forth in the middle of a single chapter with no warning). I'm also not a big fan of books written in the present tense,  although in fairness I got used to that after a few chapters. For those reasons - and the fact that the ending somehow left me feeling I'd read all the other "stuff" more as filler than leading up to the conclusion.

The story is set in a medieval town known as England's Nazareth, a place known for religious phenomena. Cathbad, a druid friend of Ruth Galloway (the "star" of the series), notices a woman in a blue cloak in a cemetery at night and believes her to be the Virgin Mary. But when a woman wearing a blue cloak is found murdered the next day, there doesn't appear to be any connection to religion. Then, one of Ruth's friends who's an Anglican priest starts getting threatening letters - women simply shouldn't be priests, the writer asserts - and not long thereafter, another female priest is murdered.

Harry Nelson, who has a rather shaky history with Ruth, is in charge of the Serious Crimes Unit and takes charge of the case. He and his team set out to learn whether the murders are connected - and if so, how - and catch the killer before he (or she) kills again. 

The characters are quite complex and well-developed, although quite honestly, I never really identified emotionally with any of them. The plot had some twists and turns as well, at times veering off toward Da Vinci Code territory. Still, for the first half of the book, I just couldn't work up much enthusiasm. After that, though, the action started to pick up and get interesting; from that point on I didn't want to put it down. Overall, it's a solid book, and I thank the author and publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an advance copy for review.

The Woman in Blue by Elly Griffiths (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, May 2016); 384 pp.