The House at Sea's End: The Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries 3

Product Information

Harry isn’t the guy that I would choose. He kind of isn’t the guy that Ruth would choose either, it just happened. But you know, I like him a lot better when I see him trying to bond with this baby! Maybe he’s not the complete jerk that I have been imagining for the first two books. The aspect of the book with which I had reservations, and thus dropped my rating from “VG,” is based on the relationship between two of the characters. It is my personal view only. Yet because it is such a significant part of the series and accounts for a considerable portion of each story, it’s not something I can ignore. The event is a moral decision, not one of legality, and while I realize may this may seem silly, being the characters are fictional, but it is just not something acceptable to me. Had an event which occurred in the first book of the series not reoccurred, I am certain I would feel differently. However, that was not the choice made by the author. That’s fine, it is her choice, but it is one that clearly impacts the way I feel about the book. This is the third book in this series. I enjoyed it less than the first two I read, so allow me to elaborate a bit on them.

One of the early titles in the popular Ruth Galloway series and my favourite so far, starting from the beginning that I've already grown to love the development of the series main protagonist - especially now that Ruth is a single mum to 4 month old Kate. I would definitely recommend this one. I really love this series and even though the ending wasn’t my cup of tea, the rest of the story made up for it! If you’re looking for a crime series with high stakes and personal drama then this is definitely for you. The books to date in the Galloway series aren't traditional whodunnit style mysteries, in that the reader is never in possession of all the information necessary to identify the villain ahead of the text. Instead, the complex narrative enables relevant information - and red herrings - to be gradually revealed to the protagonists in real time with the reader. Consequently, Ruth again finds herself in a potentially deadly confrontation when the killer's identity is unveiled at the end of the book. She seems to be making a habit of this!

Customer reviews

I love the little snippets of information we learn about the characters in each book. Clough eats almost constantly: McDonald's, Mars Bars, pot noodles, sandwiches, cakes . . . After just two books in this gripping series the central characters, forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson, have the allure of old friends, and it's great to find that the third title is just as enthralling as its predecessors. Erosion on the north Norfolk coast leads to the discovery of six bodies buried at the foot of a cliff, and it soon becomes clear that the corpses are German and have lain there since the second world war. Further investigation reveals a plan to repel an enemy invasion and an oath of secrecy sworn, in blood, by members of the Home Guard. Although the use of the present tense can be a bit uncomfortable at times, it doesn't detract from the sheer readability of this Boy's Own-style psychodrama with its cast of refreshingly unusual characters. Kate, Ruth's baby daughter undergoes both a naming ceremony - courtesy of Cathbad - and a Catholic christening to appease Nelson. Neither ceremony pleases her 'born again Christian' parents who don't attend either. And Ruth has an unsettling encounter with Judy at Judy and Darren's wedding. The mystery itself is very good. While you, as reader, know some of the events have a direct impact on the story, it’s Ms. Griffiths’ ability to bring together a lot of small pieces into solving the complete puzzle that is admirable. There is heart-pounding suspense, surprises, twists and an ending which was wonderfully set up but not contrived. of the Ruth Galloway novels – a series of crime novels featuring a Norfolk based forensic archaeologist and of particular interest to me given my interests in both Norfolk and archaeology (see my review of “The Janus Stone”).

Having just returned from maternity leave forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway is struggling to cope with both work and being a mother. When six bodies are discovered buried at the foot of a cliff by a team from the University of North Norfolk, Ruth is asked to help with the case. DCI Nelson the father of Ruth's daughter Kate is investigating which causes extra complications. Tests show that the bodies are from Southern Europe, killed sixty years ago and police Investigations unearth records of Project Lucifer, a wartime plan to stop a German invasion. A further discovery reveals that members of the Broughton Sea's End Home Guard took a 'blood oath' to conceal some deadly wartime secret. When a visiting German reporter is killed, Ruth and Nelson realise that someone is still alive who will kill to keep the secret of Broughton Sea's End's war years. Can they discover the truth in time to stop another murder? The villain in this case was I felt a little too obscure to be fully satisfactory while still involving rather too much coincidence. History is a driving thread through the plot of the story. I particularly appreciate her perspective of someone in the present being unable to comprehend the fear of those living in vulnerable areas during the war. One can empathize, but never really understand without having the experience. The mystery for this book isn't as compelling as the previous volumes. The fact that almost all of the drama took place in the past undercuts the tension. The only way the author is able to inject drama or suspense into the plot is by having her characters (Ruth, I'm looking at you) make (no boundaries between you and Nelson, really? some (why do Ruth and Nelson end up at that house so often, anyway?) poor (So you ask the daughter of some one involved in a case to babysit? And then poor Judy's gotta clean up the mess?) decisions (and a fireship seemed like the best idea to you, eh? It has the word FIRE in it..The characters are pretty much the same, there’s Nelson, Ruth, Julie, and Shona. We do get an addition of a couple more, this was more to add something new to the story. I will say that this is The House at Sea’s End is the first book I’ve read that didn’t feel like Ruth’s story. There was far more emphasis on Nelson and his team. Ruth just didn’t feel as involved as she usually did. However saying that I loved watching Ruth struggle to work and be a mother and the insecurities that surrounded that. It was a really great insight into usually and infallible character. I really appreciated seeing her honest thoughts about being a mother. The manner in with Griffiths thrusts parenthood on to forensics expert Galloway adds a nice touch of chaos to her life, something that all parents can relate too especially as Ruth is trying to juggle working too.