The Crossing Places (Ruth Galloway Mysteries) (Ruth Galloway Mysteries, 1) Paperback – September 28, 2010

I was pleasantly surprised at how good this book was. Lately I've been buying into too many new (to me) mystery series, not knowing much about them except the reviews and ratings in the description. Then I'll read the first book and too often find that it really is just mediocre, and I don't have the desire to continue reading the series, even though I may have picked up a few of the other books on Amazon sale.But Elly Griffiths is a very good writer, and Ruth Galloway is a very interesting main character. This book kept my attention the entire way through. The last half was a real page-turner, and the ending was pretty darn suspenseful. And ... the bad guy wasn't obvious. Will definitely read the rest of the series.

Believable mystery, mostly, with a feel- good end. Character development of the protagonist, Ruth, is excellent. Author’s use of a third person present tense in narrating the story feels odd somehow but it works. Quick read, great book to take along on a trip. Well worth reading.

At the rate that I had been reading lately, I think it is safe to say it has been a while since I finished a book in 2 days. Yet here I was, wrapped up in Ruth's world, wondering who was murdered these young girls, developing a mild interest in archeology, and yes, I have added North Norfolk England to my bucket list of places to visit. I was as enamored with the Saltmarsh as the woman who lived there.One of the reasons I really enjoyed Ruth's company is I can relate to her. I know nothing of archeology, but I know what it is like to push 40 as a childless woman. I know the feeling of being left out of the mother's club, of being told I will never appreciate my mother because I don't have children of my own. Like Ruth, I had a life changing moment that made me realize that last criticism is a bunch of malarkey. I can't write enough about how much I liked Ruth. Through all that happened to her, she never played the victim. She was smart, fearless, quick-witted and sincere. She was passionate about her work and not afraid of the choices she made and the woman she is. To Ms. Griffiths' credit, she created a woman whom I will continue to follow. I want to know what happens to her next.Ruth Galloway isn't the only enjoyable character in The Crossing Places. I quite enjoyed Harry Nelson. Okay, fine, I have a mad literary crush on him. And thanks to his wife, I can only picture him being played by George Clooney. He is rough around the edges, but he's resilient and he doesn't give up. My other favorite character in this novel is Cathbad. Oh, man, he made me laugh. I can only hope that he comes back in future books. Is he a geek? Oh yes. Is he intelligent? Yes again. Is he the comic relief in this novel? Absolutely. He brought a touch of humor when one was needed.The story moves quickly. There were a couple of plot twists and turns I did not expect. In the same token, there were a couple I guessed in advance. Even so, this didn't deter me from absolutely loving this the novel. I must commend Ms. Griffiths' for the way she handled the story of child abduction and murder. She wrote the perspectives of the girls' parents, Ruth and Nelson with compassion, caring, and understanding. I felt it was earnest and touching.Thanks to Jenn and Elly Griffiths, I am now a Ruth Galloway fan and look forward to reading more.

This is a good mystery along the lines of the television show "Midsomer Murders" as seen on PBS. Plot is not as predictable as it might seem at first, but it can be worked out. Our book club "challenged" some of the characters in the story when we met to discuss. A couple of story lines had us asking, "Why put this in the story?" or "How could such and such be possible or not be discovered?" The Type-As and the lawyer were critical lookers at the story and asked the how and why questions that caused all of us to do a little critical sleuth thinking. One of our club members is from the UK and she said the description of the area of the story was quite typical and accurate for similar areas of which she was acquainted. Club group gave the book / story a 2 1/2 - 3 stars out of 4.

I love the descriptions of the setting, the Saltmarsh and the wonderful characters. For those of us who have sometimes felt out of sync with others and the times, Ruth Galloway is a new best friend.

Excellent plot and character development. Very believable. The description of the landscape is wonderful. An enjoyable series from a great writer.

Consigliato da mia cugina come libro da leggere in lingua originale non troppo impegnativo. E' stata sicuramente un'esperienza molto positiva; il libro scorre velocemente, la trama è intrigante ed il linguaggio utilizzato è comprensibilissimo. Adesso che ho terminato il primo libro acquisterò sicuramente il successivo!

Very good

Me gustó el planteamiento de un arqueóloga ayudando a la policia y la forma en la que se va implicando en el caso. La descripción del paisaje es muy viva y pone un buen marco a la historia.

I enjoyed every minute spent reading the book. I found Ruth credible and appealing, respectable as well. I also liked the fact that the book is well written without the usual spelling /typing mistakes you find in most ebooks, even the good ones. It is not a real thriller in that it's fairly easy to guess who the culprit is. The writing gift of the author rather comes from Ruth's struggle to let go of her idealistic notions regarding the alleged heroes of her youth before she can unravel the plot. I personally consider the book as having a lot of class. I recommend it to readers who enjoy thrillers that are not simple who-dun-it stories.