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Ruth Galloway #14
The Locked Room
Pandemic lockdowns have Ruth Galloway feeling isolated from everyone but a new neighbor—until Nelson comes calling, investigating a decades-long string of murder-suicides that’s looming ever closer, in USA Today Elly Griffiths’ penultimate novel in the beloved series. Three years after her mother’s death, Ruth is finally sorting through her things when she finds a curious a decades-old photograph of her own Norfolk cottage— before she lived there—with a peculiar inscription on the back. Ruth returns to the cottage to uncover its meaning as Norfolk’s first cases of Covid-19 make headlines, leaving her and Kate to shelter in place there. They struggle to stave off isolation by clapping for frontline workers each evening and befriending a kind neighbor, Zoe, from a distance. Meanwhile, Nelson is investigating a series of deaths of women that may or may not be suicide. When he links a case to an archaeological discovery, he breaks curfew to visit Ruth and enlist her help. But the further Nelson investigates the deaths, the closer he gets to Ruth’s isolated cottage—until Ruth, Zoe, and Kate all go missing, and Nelson is left scrambling to find them before it’s too late.
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 28, 2022
About the author
Elly Griffiths
68 books8,610 followersElly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway novels take for their inspiration Elly's husband, who gave up a city job to train as an archaeologist, and her aunt who lives on the Norfolk coast and who filled her niece's head with the myths and legends of that area. Elly has two children and lives near Brighton. Though not her first novel, The Crossing Places is her first crime novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,867 reviews
July 29, 2022
Are you ready to relive the start of the Covid19 pandemic?😷😏
February 2020, The Locked Room addressed the deadly flu that originated in China. Ruth finds herself adjusting to remote teaching, complications for international students who have nowhere to go, the lack of PPE for healthcare workers, patients dying alone when visits are prohibited, and supermarkets with empty shelves.
Lockdown and staying at home complicate matters for DCI Harry Nelson who is investigating a suspicious suicide and a connection if there's one to other suicides.
The Norwich plague pits had me excited. But this isn't the main story and didn't go anywhere.
I feel The Locked Room lack in the mystery department, especially "old bones" which is the fascinating area that I like most. The book touches on domestic abuse. A beloved character's fate from the virus. Ruth's new neighbor, Zoe.
This is my fifth book in the series, and my least favorite. If this is your first book, and you feel it was meh, don't let it be a "one and done". There are much better installments. I hope the cliffhanger ending will finally address something we've all been waiting for!
This is my first time listening to Ruth Galloway. I think the narrator did a fine job, but the audio production seems lacking. It feels weird to hear the breathing through the mouth, big inhales, and swallowing.
February 2020, The Locked Room addressed the deadly flu that originated in China. Ruth finds herself adjusting to remote teaching, complications for international students who have nowhere to go, the lack of PPE for healthcare workers, patients dying alone when visits are prohibited, and supermarkets with empty shelves.
Lockdown and staying at home complicate matters for DCI Harry Nelson who is investigating a suspicious suicide and a connection if there's one to other suicides.
The Norwich plague pits had me excited. But this isn't the main story and didn't go anywhere.
I feel The Locked Room lack in the mystery department, especially "old bones" which is the fascinating area that I like most. The book touches on domestic abuse. A beloved character's fate from the virus. Ruth's new neighbor, Zoe.
This is my fifth book in the series, and my least favorite. If this is your first book, and you feel it was meh, don't let it be a "one and done". There are much better installments. I hope the cliffhanger ending will finally address something we've all been waiting for!
This is my first time listening to Ruth Galloway. I think the narrator did a fine job, but the audio production seems lacking. It feels weird to hear the breathing through the mouth, big inhales, and swallowing.
November 2, 2022
The fourteenth book in this great series which I hope will keep going for a long while yet! For a variety of reasons I listened to the audio instead of reading the paper copy as I usually do. It was okay except for the 'local yokel' accent that the narrator gave Nelson. It made me laugh at moments when I was not supposed to, especially when all the other characters spoke so properly.
Anyway the book was every bit as good as always. At first I thought 'oh no not another Covid book' but Griffiths handled the subject really well. It was interesting to see how they coped in England in the early months of the pandemic, and I liked the way the author showed how hard lockdown was for people in many different circumstances.
I had never thought about how hard it was for the police to operate when their movements were so restricted and this became a background to the whole story. For the reader who can see the whole picture it becomes obvious what is happening, but the characters are working in their own bubbles and not sharing their information as they normally would.
One of the shocking aspects of lockdown was of course the way families could not visit their sick and dying family members in hospital. Griffiths even brings this into the story and manages to scare all of her devoted readers by using a favourite character. There were tears.
Totally enjoyable especially for fans who have read all the earlier books. And now we have to wait until next year to find out what Michelle wants to speak about to Nelson! A very sneaky way to end the book Ms. Griffiths.
Anyway the book was every bit as good as always. At first I thought 'oh no not another Covid book' but Griffiths handled the subject really well. It was interesting to see how they coped in England in the early months of the pandemic, and I liked the way the author showed how hard lockdown was for people in many different circumstances.
I had never thought about how hard it was for the police to operate when their movements were so restricted and this became a background to the whole story. For the reader who can see the whole picture it becomes obvious what is happening, but the characters are working in their own bubbles and not sharing their information as they normally would.
One of the shocking aspects of lockdown was of course the way families could not visit their sick and dying family members in hospital. Griffiths even brings this into the story and manages to scare all of her devoted readers by using a favourite character. There were tears.
Totally enjoyable especially for fans who have read all the earlier books. And now we have to wait until next year to find out what Michelle wants to speak about to Nelson! A very sneaky way to end the book Ms. Griffiths.
April 14, 2022
Emotions fluctuate. What impacts you subtly one day may bowl you over completely the next. Life is like that.
The Locked Room will take us through an entire gamut of emotions. Elly Griffiths sets the register from the warmth of tender moments to the chill of indifference to the heated tension of uncertainty. We will even re-visit the initial perplexing stages of the oncoming pandemic and the limited coping skills before, during, and still during.
Dr. Ruth Galloway is the head of the archaeology department at the University at Norfolk. She and her eleven year old daughter, Kate, live in a small cottage facing the Saltmarsh. Ruth and Kate's father, DCI Harry Nelson, continue to live separate lives as Harry has married. They've chosen to not let those pesky emotions get in the way.
Nelson is in charge of the Serious Crimes Unit.....and we're beginning to have many of them show up lately. A sixty year old woman, Avril Flowers, is found dead from an apparent suicide in her bedroom. But here's the thing. Her bedroom door was locked from the outside. Shades of Agatha Christie. Soon additional middle-aged women have taken to suicide. What exactly is going on in this small town?
And then Boris Johnson orders a lockdown throughout the UK for a mysterious pandemic called Covid 19. In its initial stages, we observe Ruth and her friends adjusting their lives to the unknown. The greatest adjustment is experienced by Nelson and his team as they mask and social distance while trying to solve a heinous crime involving a serial killer.
Elly Griffiths even throws in a touch of the supernatural in the form of The Grey Lady who was the victim of an early plague who died from starvation. If anyone died in your household of the plague in the Middle Ages, your house was sealed shut with the remaining occupants. She can be seen wandering the marsh at night.
The Locked Room can definitely be read as a standalone. Griffiths fills in the backstories nicely. But The Locked Room speaks to the act of coping when life takes the reigns from your hands. Griffiths is never over-the-top maudlin in her telling. But it will give you pause. Well-crafted characters and a storyline that rises very close to the surface. Even if you have never read Griffiths before, this may just be the one to set your sail in her direction.
I received a copy of this novel through Edelweiss for an honest review. My thanks to HarperCollins Publishers and to the talented Elly Griffiths for the opportunity.
The Locked Room will take us through an entire gamut of emotions. Elly Griffiths sets the register from the warmth of tender moments to the chill of indifference to the heated tension of uncertainty. We will even re-visit the initial perplexing stages of the oncoming pandemic and the limited coping skills before, during, and still during.
Dr. Ruth Galloway is the head of the archaeology department at the University at Norfolk. She and her eleven year old daughter, Kate, live in a small cottage facing the Saltmarsh. Ruth and Kate's father, DCI Harry Nelson, continue to live separate lives as Harry has married. They've chosen to not let those pesky emotions get in the way.
Nelson is in charge of the Serious Crimes Unit.....and we're beginning to have many of them show up lately. A sixty year old woman, Avril Flowers, is found dead from an apparent suicide in her bedroom. But here's the thing. Her bedroom door was locked from the outside. Shades of Agatha Christie. Soon additional middle-aged women have taken to suicide. What exactly is going on in this small town?
And then Boris Johnson orders a lockdown throughout the UK for a mysterious pandemic called Covid 19. In its initial stages, we observe Ruth and her friends adjusting their lives to the unknown. The greatest adjustment is experienced by Nelson and his team as they mask and social distance while trying to solve a heinous crime involving a serial killer.
Elly Griffiths even throws in a touch of the supernatural in the form of The Grey Lady who was the victim of an early plague who died from starvation. If anyone died in your household of the plague in the Middle Ages, your house was sealed shut with the remaining occupants. She can be seen wandering the marsh at night.
The Locked Room can definitely be read as a standalone. Griffiths fills in the backstories nicely. But The Locked Room speaks to the act of coping when life takes the reigns from your hands. Griffiths is never over-the-top maudlin in her telling. But it will give you pause. Well-crafted characters and a storyline that rises very close to the surface. Even if you have never read Griffiths before, this may just be the one to set your sail in her direction.
I received a copy of this novel through Edelweiss for an honest review. My thanks to HarperCollins Publishers and to the talented Elly Griffiths for the opportunity.
April 30, 2022
Of all the mystery series I follow, the Ruth Galloway series is one of my absolute favorites. I just adore Ruth. When the pandemic hits and Ruth is writing out her grocery list, the first two items are cat food and wine. Substitute dog for cat, and it would have mirrored my own. Priorities, right?
The Locked Room finds Ruth investigating an old skeleton found in the Tombland area of Norwich. Definitely old, probably medieval. Everyone keeps asking if it was a plague death, since it appears to be outside the borders of the church graveyard. She’s also recently cleaned out her mother’s things and found an old photo of Ruth’s cottage, taken before Ruth was even born. Meanwhile, Nelson is investigating the supposed suicide of a widow in her 60s.
Griffiths did a fabulous job of taking me right back to the start of the pandemic and how strange it all was. She perfectly gets the sensations of that time - the frustration, the worry. Nelson, especially, is bristling under the new rules. And when one of the gang contracts Covid, the tension really ratchets up.
The story comes together neatly with a very satisfying ending. Not to mention, a cliffhanger involving a personal relationship.
The problem with finishing the latest in this series is knowing I’ll have to wait another year to be in their company again.
My thanks to Netgalley and Mariner Books for an advance copy of this book.
The Locked Room finds Ruth investigating an old skeleton found in the Tombland area of Norwich. Definitely old, probably medieval. Everyone keeps asking if it was a plague death, since it appears to be outside the borders of the church graveyard. She’s also recently cleaned out her mother’s things and found an old photo of Ruth’s cottage, taken before Ruth was even born. Meanwhile, Nelson is investigating the supposed suicide of a widow in her 60s.
Griffiths did a fabulous job of taking me right back to the start of the pandemic and how strange it all was. She perfectly gets the sensations of that time - the frustration, the worry. Nelson, especially, is bristling under the new rules. And when one of the gang contracts Covid, the tension really ratchets up.
The story comes together neatly with a very satisfying ending. Not to mention, a cliffhanger involving a personal relationship.
The problem with finishing the latest in this series is knowing I’ll have to wait another year to be in their company again.
My thanks to Netgalley and Mariner Books for an advance copy of this book.
June 26, 2022
Ruth Galloway and Co. are on the cusp of the COVID pandemic. Elly Griffiths has them jumping in with both feet. While it was a bit uncomfortable to revisit that time in our recent history, the move was necessary and well-executed. Virus afoot or no, there are still ancient bodies to discover and Serious Crimes for DCI Harry Nelson and team to investigate. As with other books in the series, the history of the area impacts the present. I thought Griffiths did a spectacular job weaving in COVID, showing the fear, missed cues, and uncertainty that prevailed. Ruth's daughter Kate is growing up and I loved seeing her character develop and the relationships she has with those in Ruth's sphere. We also get to see Ruth move forward in her family relationships. The answer to the mystery at the core of the episode was cleverly hidden by several well-placed red herrings, but was not implausible or ridiculous. This continues to be a favorite series for me.
Thank you to Mariner Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Mariner Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2022
Have loved every book in this series and this one is no exception. Covid, isolation, juxtaposed with plague pits and a gruesome story of a Grey lady that haunts. Covid and a disappearance hit very close to Ruth and of course Nelson is as usual in and out. A remarkable series that contains characters that now seem like old friends, a good mix of history, archaeology and matters of hearth and home.
April 16, 2022
This latest Ruth Galloway mystery was enjoyable, it was so good to be back with old characters. This is an easy series to slip back into, the characters are good, they are endearing and interesting, the mysteries are always a secondary enjoyment for me.
The downsides for me were that
Still an enjoyable read, hoping the next book will have more of a gripping storyline!
The downsides for me were that
Still an enjoyable read, hoping the next book will have more of a gripping storyline!
July 13, 2022
4.5 very strong stars! I was extremely lucky to have won a copy of The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths in a goodreads give away! When I learned that The Locked Room was part of a series (#14) and I had not read any of the previous books I was worried I would be at a disadvantage from enjoying this book. My fears were not necessary. There were many characters in The Locked Room but as I got into the book I was able to keep track and identify with them. The Locked Room was a very captivating book that explored several mysteries. The author, Elly Griffiths, strategically and authentically wrote the story of The Locked Room during the beginnings of the Covid 19 outbreak and lockdown in Norfolk, England. Elly Griffiths’ vivid descriptions of the fear of the unknown, food shortages, empty shelves at the groceries, hoarding hard to find items, the closures of schools and businesses, the introduction to zoom, empty streets, social distancing, wearing masks, the 8 p.m. clapping for essential workers and health care providers or carers (the British term) and the frustration of not being able to visit loved ones as they fought for their lives in hospitals were so reminiscent of my experience during the early days of the Covid 19 lockdown. It was the perfect backdrop for the plot of The Locked Room. Several mysteries were revealed and untangled through the discovery of a long hidden photo, a series of murder-suicides, the identity of Ruth’s new neighbor and the discovery of medieval bones.
Ruth Galloway’s mother had died about three years ago. Her father had remarried and Ruth was good with that. Her father’s new wife, Gloria, wanted to redecorate a bit so Ruth took a break from her busy career as a forensic archeologist to go through her mother’s things. She taught at a University in Norfolk and had written several books. Ruth also had an eleven-year-old daughter named Kate whose father was DCI Harry Nelson. Nelson, however was married and had a young son. While Ruth was rummaging through her mother’s processions she found a shoebox of pictures that was marked “Private”. When Ruth finally got to the final photo in the box she discovered a picture of the cottage she lived in with Kate but from before she was even born. On the back of the photo her mother had written, “Dawn 1963”. What did this photo mean? Why did her mother have a photo of Ruth’s cottage from before Ruth was even born? What could it mean? Ruth was determined to uncover its meaning and discover why her mother had this photo and had kept it hidden from her and the rest of the family for so many years. Shortly after returning to Norfolk, Covid 19 presented its ugly presence and daily life changed quickly.
Right before the outbreak of Covid, DCI Nelson and his staff were in the process of investigating a series of murder-suicides. There were similarities between the cases and things that made Nelson and his staff question whether these victims had actually committed suicide or had they been murdered. With the outbreak of Covid their investigation became limited. Nelson needed Ruth’s help in this investigation. He rationalized that he had no choice but to break Covid lockdown protocol. Nelson went to Ruth’s cottage and enlisted her professional help. He believed that the murder-suicides were connected to a recent discovery of medieval bones Ruth and her students had unearthed. Would the romantic involvement between Ruth and Nelson be rekindled? Kate was thrilled to have the unexpected company of her father especially during the trying days of lockdown. Would Ruth be able to connect the dots for Nelson in his investigation?
When Ruth returned from her childhood home, she discovered she had a new neighbor. Her new neighbor, Zoe, was a divorced woman a little younger than Ruth. Zoe was a nurse at the local hospital and as Covid broke out she played a critical role in helping to save Covid patients. Ruth and Zoe formed an easy and comfortable relationship with each other. They were able to get together over the distance of their backyard fences. Then DCI Nelson discovered that Zoe might be hiding her true identity. Was Zoe who she claimed to be? Then Zoe went missing. She just disappeared. Ruth was determined to figure out what happened to Zoe. Where could she be?
I really enjoyed reading The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths. The story was relevant and suspenseful. There were twists and turns throughout the book. The characters were well defined and well developed. The Locked Room was fast paced and well written. I will definitely go back now and read some of the earlier books in this series but I also look forward to the next installment. Thank you to Mariner Books and Elly Griffiths for allowing me to read The Locked Room. I highly recommend this book.
Ruth Galloway’s mother had died about three years ago. Her father had remarried and Ruth was good with that. Her father’s new wife, Gloria, wanted to redecorate a bit so Ruth took a break from her busy career as a forensic archeologist to go through her mother’s things. She taught at a University in Norfolk and had written several books. Ruth also had an eleven-year-old daughter named Kate whose father was DCI Harry Nelson. Nelson, however was married and had a young son. While Ruth was rummaging through her mother’s processions she found a shoebox of pictures that was marked “Private”. When Ruth finally got to the final photo in the box she discovered a picture of the cottage she lived in with Kate but from before she was even born. On the back of the photo her mother had written, “Dawn 1963”. What did this photo mean? Why did her mother have a photo of Ruth’s cottage from before Ruth was even born? What could it mean? Ruth was determined to uncover its meaning and discover why her mother had this photo and had kept it hidden from her and the rest of the family for so many years. Shortly after returning to Norfolk, Covid 19 presented its ugly presence and daily life changed quickly.
Right before the outbreak of Covid, DCI Nelson and his staff were in the process of investigating a series of murder-suicides. There were similarities between the cases and things that made Nelson and his staff question whether these victims had actually committed suicide or had they been murdered. With the outbreak of Covid their investigation became limited. Nelson needed Ruth’s help in this investigation. He rationalized that he had no choice but to break Covid lockdown protocol. Nelson went to Ruth’s cottage and enlisted her professional help. He believed that the murder-suicides were connected to a recent discovery of medieval bones Ruth and her students had unearthed. Would the romantic involvement between Ruth and Nelson be rekindled? Kate was thrilled to have the unexpected company of her father especially during the trying days of lockdown. Would Ruth be able to connect the dots for Nelson in his investigation?
When Ruth returned from her childhood home, she discovered she had a new neighbor. Her new neighbor, Zoe, was a divorced woman a little younger than Ruth. Zoe was a nurse at the local hospital and as Covid broke out she played a critical role in helping to save Covid patients. Ruth and Zoe formed an easy and comfortable relationship with each other. They were able to get together over the distance of their backyard fences. Then DCI Nelson discovered that Zoe might be hiding her true identity. Was Zoe who she claimed to be? Then Zoe went missing. She just disappeared. Ruth was determined to figure out what happened to Zoe. Where could she be?
I really enjoyed reading The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths. The story was relevant and suspenseful. There were twists and turns throughout the book. The characters were well defined and well developed. The Locked Room was fast paced and well written. I will definitely go back now and read some of the earlier books in this series but I also look forward to the next installment. Thank you to Mariner Books and Elly Griffiths for allowing me to read The Locked Room. I highly recommend this book.
February 15, 2022
Although I very much enjoyed catching up with all the characters, the book tended to be a little too 'cozy' to give it 5 stars.
March 13, 2022
Another great addition to what has probably become my favorite contemporary mystery series! Lucky you if you are only now discovering Ruth Galloway!
February 6, 2022
4.5*
I couldn’t wait to get this book, especially in light of what was said at the end of the previous one. What I wasn’t expecting was for Griffiths to set this at the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This series is beyond addictive. Yes, we have a crime mystery in each instalment but ultimately these novels are more about the characters, their interactions, and how they develop. This is why you really need to read them in order. You also get very attached to these people, absurdly so.
I must admit I was a bit reticent to read about the pandemic since we’re still in it but Griffiths does a great job. Somehow she combines events that we all know too well with her ‘world’, her cast. It made for a suspenseful story.
I couldn’t wait to get this book, especially in light of what was said at the end of the previous one. What I wasn’t expecting was for Griffiths to set this at the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This series is beyond addictive. Yes, we have a crime mystery in each instalment but ultimately these novels are more about the characters, their interactions, and how they develop. This is why you really need to read them in order. You also get very attached to these people, absurdly so.
I must admit I was a bit reticent to read about the pandemic since we’re still in it but Griffiths does a great job. Somehow she combines events that we all know too well with her ‘world’, her cast. It made for a suspenseful story.
February 23, 2024
The Locked Room is the fourteenth instalment in Elly Griffiths' wonderful series featuring Norfolk archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway. It's an engrossing mystery, set against the backdrop of the first wave of Covid-19 lockdowns in the UK during mid-2020.
The book opens with Ruth in a reflective mood, sorting through some of her late mother's belongings following her father's remarriage. In a box of old papers, she discovers an old photograph, marked "Dawn, 1963" that inexplicably shows her own remote cottage on the northern coast of Norfolk. What can the photo mean? Ruth has no knowledge of any prior connection her mother may have had with the area - indeed, she'd always expressed dislike for Ruth's house and its location on the saltmarsh, and was reluctant to ever visit Ruth there.
Following her return home, Ruth is drawn into an excavation currently underway in the area known as "Tombland", in the vicinity of Norwich Cathedral. A medieval skeleton is discovered, and there is some speculation that it may belong to a 14th-century plague victim.
Meanwhile, DCI Harry Nelson's team are investigating a curious series of recent deaths which, on their face, appear to be suicides, but which have troubling common factors that are raising suspicion.
However, before much action can take place, the Covid-19 pandemic rears its head and Ruth, along with most other residents of Norfolk, is mandated into home isolation. Elly Griffiths explores this plotline with sensitivity and a palpable sense of the frustration and anxiety with which many of us will be familiar from our own Covid experience. Ruth struggles to maintain her own workload, with all the students sent home to work online and her clever 12-year-old daughter Kate becoming bored with home-based schooling. One consolation is her growing rapport with her new neighbour, Zoe, who works as a practice nurse nearby.
Nelson is exempt from the requirement to isolate and continues with the investigation of his case. The absence of his wife, Michelle, who is staying with her mother in Blackpool during the period of home isolation, provides an opportunity for Nelson and Ruth to briefly rekindle their on-again, off-again affair.
I enjoy the character reflection and historical content that characterise this series, and both were certainly strong in The Locked Room. The mystery is tantalising, with both the mysterious suicides of local women and the occasional intrusion of a separate narrative, involving a woman locked underground and subject to the whims of a controlling captor. How is this tied to the excavation near Norwich Cathedral and superstitions around a ghostly apparition known as "The Grey Lady"?
As the book nears its conclusion, the various narrative threads pull together, as the familiar cast of characters are affected in different ways by their imposed isolation and the ever-present threat of the virus. A final thrilling denouement unmasks an unexpected and devious villain, whilst also resolving several other sub-plots. There is some foreshadowing of changes in the Ruth-Nelson-Michelle triangle in the future.
I'd highly recommend The Locked Room as an intelligent and stimulating read, with some added contemporary social interest, given its depiction of life during the pandemic in 2020. This is a series which I think is better read in series order, as there's a significant character development arc over the course of the series. That said, I'm sure The Locked Room could be enjoyed as a standalone read, but certain events in the story would lack the emotional resonance that series readers will experience.
I'm looking forward to reading more of Ruth, Nelson and their circle of friends and colleagues in the future.
**Re-read in February 2024, as part of extended Aussie Lovers of Crime/Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Annual Read-a-Series Challenge 2023.
The book opens with Ruth in a reflective mood, sorting through some of her late mother's belongings following her father's remarriage. In a box of old papers, she discovers an old photograph, marked "Dawn, 1963" that inexplicably shows her own remote cottage on the northern coast of Norfolk. What can the photo mean? Ruth has no knowledge of any prior connection her mother may have had with the area - indeed, she'd always expressed dislike for Ruth's house and its location on the saltmarsh, and was reluctant to ever visit Ruth there.
Following her return home, Ruth is drawn into an excavation currently underway in the area known as "Tombland", in the vicinity of Norwich Cathedral. A medieval skeleton is discovered, and there is some speculation that it may belong to a 14th-century plague victim.
Meanwhile, DCI Harry Nelson's team are investigating a curious series of recent deaths which, on their face, appear to be suicides, but which have troubling common factors that are raising suspicion.
However, before much action can take place, the Covid-19 pandemic rears its head and Ruth, along with most other residents of Norfolk, is mandated into home isolation. Elly Griffiths explores this plotline with sensitivity and a palpable sense of the frustration and anxiety with which many of us will be familiar from our own Covid experience. Ruth struggles to maintain her own workload, with all the students sent home to work online and her clever 12-year-old daughter Kate becoming bored with home-based schooling. One consolation is her growing rapport with her new neighbour, Zoe, who works as a practice nurse nearby.
Nelson is exempt from the requirement to isolate and continues with the investigation of his case. The absence of his wife, Michelle, who is staying with her mother in Blackpool during the period of home isolation, provides an opportunity for Nelson and Ruth to briefly rekindle their on-again, off-again affair.
I enjoy the character reflection and historical content that characterise this series, and both were certainly strong in The Locked Room. The mystery is tantalising, with both the mysterious suicides of local women and the occasional intrusion of a separate narrative, involving a woman locked underground and subject to the whims of a controlling captor. How is this tied to the excavation near Norwich Cathedral and superstitions around a ghostly apparition known as "The Grey Lady"?
As the book nears its conclusion, the various narrative threads pull together, as the familiar cast of characters are affected in different ways by their imposed isolation and the ever-present threat of the virus. A final thrilling denouement unmasks an unexpected and devious villain, whilst also resolving several other sub-plots. There is some foreshadowing of changes in the Ruth-Nelson-Michelle triangle in the future.
I'd highly recommend The Locked Room as an intelligent and stimulating read, with some added contemporary social interest, given its depiction of life during the pandemic in 2020. This is a series which I think is better read in series order, as there's a significant character development arc over the course of the series. That said, I'm sure The Locked Room could be enjoyed as a standalone read, but certain events in the story would lack the emotional resonance that series readers will experience.
I'm looking forward to reading more of Ruth, Nelson and their circle of friends and colleagues in the future.
**Re-read in February 2024, as part of extended Aussie Lovers of Crime/Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Annual Read-a-Series Challenge 2023.
July 6, 2022
I love this series and always look forward to these books. I read this one as a buddy read with GR friend (artist, politically active) Laura. As always, it was fun to read with her. Since we weren’t reading at the exact same times we sent discussion emails after almost every chapter.
It took until 5 days after publication date for me to finally get an e-copy and audiobook copy. When I finished the book the hardcover edition was still on order so I’m glad I was able to get a Kindle edition. It’s always hard to wait a year between books. This one ended on another cliff hanger but I’m so tired of that part of the story it is not a painful wait for me with this storyline, though I will continue to read these books.
The short chapters made this an easy read and a page-turner. I read it in 3 days over the long holiday weekend.
Kate is 11 and that is a fun age and I’ve always enjoyed Kate’s character, even when she was a toddler.
I read this series to catch up with the characters and their relationships more than for the mysteries. I like seeing how their lives change over time. I like the mysteries too. I also like the settings and the archaeology.
I thought that the mysteries in this were pretty good though. However; there were so many characters in this one. Tons. A lot of the old regulars and some old characters were back and there were more new and temporary characters than is typical. It wasn’t that I had a hard time keeping track of who was who, most of the time, it was that I had so many guesses and there were so many red herrings and potential red herrings that it almost became like a comic play, but without the humor, and scarier. The main problem for me with so many characters is that none of them appeared often enough for me, especially the regulars. The old photograph of Ruth’s cottage/the three cottages was the thing about this book that most intrigued me and there was a satisfying answer to that mystery.
I would not classify this series as cozy but I am appreciative that they’re light on violence and gore. There is suspense but not too much violence on the page, and not in this book. I also adore the humor, all of it good, much of it subtle. It always perfectly fits the characters and the situations.
This is a contemporary series and I do like how the author incorporated the Covid-19 pandemic. I hadn’t read any other fiction books/novels that have done that. I know there are others. The author explains in a note in the back of the book why she did this, and I think it’s worked. I’m not sure what she’s going to do about future books in the series though. The pandemic is going on and one, and she can’t even skip forward to a time when we’re past it because we don’t know when that might be or if there might be other pandemics coming in the near future. I got a kick out of Ruth’s brother talking conspiracy theories regarding the pandemic. He sounded like some people in the United States. I figured that some characters were likely to get the virus. The book opens in February 2020 and a lot of it takes place in spring 2020.
The thing I like least about this series is the love triangle/cheating. I will say that I never enjoy love triangles in any type of story. In fact, I hate them. I really hope that the author brings this part of the story to a conclusion as it’s gone on way too long and I do have strong feelings about how I’d like it to go.
I love the cats and dogs in this book. They add to my reading pleasure in all the books.
I loved the touch of at the end of the book having an excerpt included from the science fiction novel about a cat that Kate is writing.
I appreciated the character list with its details of some of the main characters that is also at the end of the book. Perhaps it should have been placed at the start of the book?
I’m putting the rest of this review in a spoiler tag. If you’re reading the series (or think that you might) and haven’t read this book yet, I recommend skipping the following:
It took until 5 days after publication date for me to finally get an e-copy and audiobook copy. When I finished the book the hardcover edition was still on order so I’m glad I was able to get a Kindle edition. It’s always hard to wait a year between books. This one ended on another cliff hanger but I’m so tired of that part of the story it is not a painful wait for me with this storyline, though I will continue to read these books.
The short chapters made this an easy read and a page-turner. I read it in 3 days over the long holiday weekend.
Kate is 11 and that is a fun age and I’ve always enjoyed Kate’s character, even when she was a toddler.
I read this series to catch up with the characters and their relationships more than for the mysteries. I like seeing how their lives change over time. I like the mysteries too. I also like the settings and the archaeology.
I thought that the mysteries in this were pretty good though. However; there were so many characters in this one. Tons. A lot of the old regulars and some old characters were back and there were more new and temporary characters than is typical. It wasn’t that I had a hard time keeping track of who was who, most of the time, it was that I had so many guesses and there were so many red herrings and potential red herrings that it almost became like a comic play, but without the humor, and scarier. The main problem for me with so many characters is that none of them appeared often enough for me, especially the regulars. The old photograph of Ruth’s cottage/the three cottages was the thing about this book that most intrigued me and there was a satisfying answer to that mystery.
I would not classify this series as cozy but I am appreciative that they’re light on violence and gore. There is suspense but not too much violence on the page, and not in this book. I also adore the humor, all of it good, much of it subtle. It always perfectly fits the characters and the situations.
This is a contemporary series and I do like how the author incorporated the Covid-19 pandemic. I hadn’t read any other fiction books/novels that have done that. I know there are others. The author explains in a note in the back of the book why she did this, and I think it’s worked. I’m not sure what she’s going to do about future books in the series though. The pandemic is going on and one, and she can’t even skip forward to a time when we’re past it because we don’t know when that might be or if there might be other pandemics coming in the near future. I got a kick out of Ruth’s brother talking conspiracy theories regarding the pandemic. He sounded like some people in the United States. I figured that some characters were likely to get the virus. The book opens in February 2020 and a lot of it takes place in spring 2020.
The thing I like least about this series is the love triangle/cheating. I will say that I never enjoy love triangles in any type of story. In fact, I hate them. I really hope that the author brings this part of the story to a conclusion as it’s gone on way too long and I do have strong feelings about how I’d like it to go.
I love the cats and dogs in this book. They add to my reading pleasure in all the books.
I loved the touch of at the end of the book having an excerpt included from the science fiction novel about a cat that Kate is writing.
I appreciated the character list with its details of some of the main characters that is also at the end of the book. Perhaps it should have been placed at the start of the book?
I’m putting the rest of this review in a spoiler tag. If you’re reading the series (or think that you might) and haven’t read this book yet, I recommend skipping the following:
May 8, 2022
So far this was the best book I have read 2022!
January 8, 2023
The Locked Room combines one of my favorite mystery series with the onset of the Covid pandemic in February of 2020. Ruth Galloway and Nelson, Cathbad and Judy, and everyone else in the area of King’s Lynn and the University and the Police are learning new facts of pandemic life—masks, Zoom and FaceTime, distancing. Everything we have come to know so well. Not long after the novel begins, the country is in lockdown. But that doesn’t stop Ruth’s teaching by Zoom and homeschooling Kate, or Nelson and his team’s investigation of suspicious suicides.
Ruth also has a new neighbor renting next door, a woman whose company she enjoys. And she becomes involved in Nelson’s case through her knowledge of local lore, people and historical sites.
Covid becomes another character in the story, shaping characters’ actions and responses at times. Some of these actions lead me to wonder what will happen next in the series. Meanwhile, I’m as positive about this series as I ever have been and continue to recommend it. But again, I suggest any new reader should start at the beginning to enjoy the development of relationships, friendships over time.
Ruth also has a new neighbor renting next door, a woman whose company she enjoys. And she becomes involved in Nelson’s case through her knowledge of local lore, people and historical sites.
Covid becomes another character in the story, shaping characters’ actions and responses at times. Some of these actions lead me to wonder what will happen next in the series. Meanwhile, I’m as positive about this series as I ever have been and continue to recommend it. But again, I suggest any new reader should start at the beginning to enjoy the development of relationships, friendships over time.
May 18, 2022
Nice to be back with familiar characters but I found this one quite underwhelming.
April 2, 2022
Dr. Ruth Galloway is an archaeology professor at the University of North Norfolk. She is worrying about homeschooling her daughter during the Covid lockdown, and teaching her university courses via Zoom. Nelson and Judy are investigating a series of deaths that were labeled suicides, but now seem to be connected. Students acting strangely, a new neighbor with a mysterious past, and Covid are all part of this page turner. I love revisiting these characters, and Griffiths is a master plotter--I just couldn't put this book down! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this advance copy.
September 24, 2022
The pandemic comes to Norfolk, finding Ruth sorting through her late mother's things. She is surprised to find a photo of her cottage--from quite some time ago. Why would her mother have a picture of Ruth's place long before she lived there? As the pandemic forces Ruth and her daughter Kate to shelter at home in said cottage, they befriend a new neighbor, Zoe, a nurse working at a nearby hospital. But soon Nelson needs Ruth's help in investigating an ancient murder-suicide and before they know it, a more modern one.
A Ruth Galloway book is perfection, as always. I was dreaming of more Ruth and Nelson drama (updates, progress?), but this was an excellent read with a surprising and twisty modern mystery that kept me guessing! There were the usual appearances from the superb supporting cast, but Cathbad and Judy really had a main role in this one--Griffiths' characters are truly friends, and at points, this book had me in tears as I care for everyone so deeply. I also very much love Nelson and his sarcasm, which provides the perfect antidote of humor.
ROOM gives us a chance to explore more about Ruth's family and her past friendships, which was different and interesting. Nelson is still grappling with the future and potential retirement, and we get to see his wonderful and diverse team at work helping him solve cases.
Overall, this is a great, atmospheric mystery featuring a beloved group of characters that blends the pandemic well into the setting. Please note a trigger warning for mentions of suicide. 4.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Mariner Books in return for an unbiased review.
A Ruth Galloway book is perfection, as always. I was dreaming of more Ruth and Nelson drama (updates, progress?), but this was an excellent read with a surprising and twisty modern mystery that kept me guessing! There were the usual appearances from the superb supporting cast, but Cathbad and Judy really had a main role in this one--Griffiths' characters are truly friends, and at points, this book had me in tears as I care for everyone so deeply. I also very much love Nelson and his sarcasm, which provides the perfect antidote of humor.
ROOM gives us a chance to explore more about Ruth's family and her past friendships, which was different and interesting. Nelson is still grappling with the future and potential retirement, and we get to see his wonderful and diverse team at work helping him solve cases.
Overall, this is a great, atmospheric mystery featuring a beloved group of characters that blends the pandemic well into the setting. Please note a trigger warning for mentions of suicide. 4.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Mariner Books in return for an unbiased review.
September 18, 2024
The story takes you back to the start of all the Covid restrictions and the unknowns that it brought to the world. Even though the U.S. may not have experienced the same restrictions as England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in their controls, you will readily recognize the constraints and the reactions.
Harry and Ruth are still playing 'should we or shouldn't we" and their feelings about each other are still as mixed up as ever. Ruth's mother has recently died and when Ruth is sorting through her papers she comes across a photograph of a cottage with the word "Dawn" written on it...it's HER cottage...but who is Dawn and why does her mother have picture of it?
Once again, we have an intricate web of some truths, a lost legend, and social shamefulness to give us another exciting mystery. I have to say that you will find that the twists toward the end will probably be anticipated, and they may be shocking...but I believe the reveal will be something you expected...but you won't expect the whole thing to again, in Elly Griffith style, to be turned up-side-down. At the end, the mystery may be solved, but the Ruth/Nelson tangled mess still continues.
Harry and Ruth are still playing 'should we or shouldn't we" and their feelings about each other are still as mixed up as ever. Ruth's mother has recently died and when Ruth is sorting through her papers she comes across a photograph of a cottage with the word "Dawn" written on it...it's HER cottage...but who is Dawn and why does her mother have picture of it?
Once again, we have an intricate web of some truths, a lost legend, and social shamefulness to give us another exciting mystery. I have to say that you will find that the twists toward the end will probably be anticipated, and they may be shocking...but I believe the reveal will be something you expected...but you won't expect the whole thing to again, in Elly Griffith style, to be turned up-side-down. At the end, the mystery may be solved, but the Ruth/Nelson tangled mess still continues.
May 15, 2022
The latest Doctor Ruth Galloway adventure begins in January 2020 when news of a lethal new virus from China is beginning to filter through to the U.K., and finds Ruth back in her childhood home at Eltham, South London sorting through her late mother’s belongings. Amongst all the other knick-knacks, she discovers an old photograph of her current home bearing the inscription “Dawn 1963”. As far as Ruth knows, Jean had no knowledge of the place until Ruth bought it in the 1990s and, even then, she claimed to dislike the place.
Determined to solve the mystery, Ruth returns to Norfolk where she is involved in the excavation of a skeleton found in Tombland near Norwich Cathedral. DCI Harry Nelson is meanwhile investigating the case of the alleged suicides of several women which point to the work of a serial killer.
Less than two months later, the virus is on the rampage and the whole country is placed under lockdown. Nelson tries to pursue his case in face of all the imposed restrictions and Ruth finds herself confined to her Saltmarsh cottage with just Kate and Flint for company, although she has recently acquired a pleasant but mysterious new neighbour called Zoe.
It’s always a pleasure to catch up with Ruth and her pals and, of course, the stunning North Norfolk scenery. I particularly liked the way they all rallied round when one of their number was hospitalised with the virus. Also, the two most annoying regulars, Shona and Michelle, were largely absent. To make things even better, Ruth makes a startling new discovery about her family history.
As always with this series, despite all the camaraderie and humour, there is always a certain edge to the stories which prevents things becoming too cosy. This latest episode manages to seamlessly integrate quite recent events into another realistic and gripping tale. It certainly took me back two years to those early, scary days of the pandemic with the endless queues, shortages and panic buying, when the idea of an effective vaccine seemed just a pipedream.
Determined to solve the mystery, Ruth returns to Norfolk where she is involved in the excavation of a skeleton found in Tombland near Norwich Cathedral. DCI Harry Nelson is meanwhile investigating the case of the alleged suicides of several women which point to the work of a serial killer.
Less than two months later, the virus is on the rampage and the whole country is placed under lockdown. Nelson tries to pursue his case in face of all the imposed restrictions and Ruth finds herself confined to her Saltmarsh cottage with just Kate and Flint for company, although she has recently acquired a pleasant but mysterious new neighbour called Zoe.
It’s always a pleasure to catch up with Ruth and her pals and, of course, the stunning North Norfolk scenery. I particularly liked the way they all rallied round when one of their number was hospitalised with the virus. Also, the two most annoying regulars, Shona and Michelle, were largely absent. To make things even better, Ruth makes a startling new discovery about her family history.
As always with this series, despite all the camaraderie and humour, there is always a certain edge to the stories which prevents things becoming too cosy. This latest episode manages to seamlessly integrate quite recent events into another realistic and gripping tale. It certainly took me back two years to those early, scary days of the pandemic with the endless queues, shortages and panic buying, when the idea of an effective vaccine seemed just a pipedream.
July 7, 2022
3.5 - You can see what I spent my 4th of July doing! In bed all day finishing this!
Here are three excellent reviews by friends who are all as hooked as I am on this series!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Some of the things pointed out in the reviews above that I agree with:
Not much of an archaeological or historical story this time. It was kind of glossed over just to get Ruth and Nelson involved. The villain was pathetic and unrealistic. The murders were very unrealistic! The sister story fell into place much too conveniently. Ruth is still marching into danger, often with Kate and often without her phone. She's a smart woman, but she lacks basic instincts about danger! I want to shake her sometimes. What are you thinking! But, hey, it makes an exciting story!
Here are a few of my thoughts. The covid scenes, especially in the hospital were very realistic to me of that first awful year of covid in 2020. What happened to my very favorite character made me very sad and very anxious - the tubes, the intubation, the FaceTime chats with family because no one could visit. It was a sad reminder of what people went through and what some are still going through today, two and a half years later. Will this never end!!
I am growing disenchanted with the soap opera of Ruth and Nelson. Nelson needs to get a spine and get a divorce and/or Ruth needs to quit whining about not having him in her life. Ruth is becoming an unsympathetic character to me with her carping about not having Nelson. I especially hated her snide remark about Nelson's daughter, Laura "running home to daddy" during covid. Yeah, that's what many young people did; they went home to their families. But this is not my book and I'm sure Griffiths knows what she is doing painting the two main characters as she has. And I am still reading, right!
I really hope there are no more deaths of characters whom I have grown attached to. I hated it when I am very attached to all the characters and will definitely follow them until the series ends unless something catastrophic happens to one of them.
I will say that I fell for a few of the red herrings about who the villain was, so that aspect was good. But the real villain was so unbelievable, I would rather it had been one of the red herrings!
I love the new Maine Coon cat and am glad that Flint will have a friend! I would like to see Kate a bit more as she develops into a teenager. I'm glad my favorite character survived.
On to #15! It will be a long wait.
Here are three excellent reviews by friends who are all as hooked as I am on this series!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Some of the things pointed out in the reviews above that I agree with:
Not much of an archaeological or historical story this time. It was kind of glossed over just to get Ruth and Nelson involved. The villain was pathetic and unrealistic. The murders were very unrealistic! The sister story fell into place much too conveniently. Ruth is still marching into danger, often with Kate and often without her phone. She's a smart woman, but she lacks basic instincts about danger! I want to shake her sometimes. What are you thinking! But, hey, it makes an exciting story!
Here are a few of my thoughts. The covid scenes, especially in the hospital were very realistic to me of that first awful year of covid in 2020. What happened to my very favorite character made me very sad and very anxious - the tubes, the intubation, the FaceTime chats with family because no one could visit. It was a sad reminder of what people went through and what some are still going through today, two and a half years later. Will this never end!!
I am growing disenchanted with the soap opera of Ruth and Nelson. Nelson needs to get a spine and get a divorce and/or Ruth needs to quit whining about not having him in her life. Ruth is becoming an unsympathetic character to me with her carping about not having Nelson. I especially hated her snide remark about Nelson's daughter, Laura "running home to daddy" during covid. Yeah, that's what many young people did; they went home to their families. But this is not my book and I'm sure Griffiths knows what she is doing painting the two main characters as she has. And I am still reading, right!
I really hope there are no more deaths of characters whom I have grown attached to. I hated it when I am very attached to all the characters and will definitely follow them until the series ends unless something catastrophic happens to one of them.
I will say that I fell for a few of the red herrings about who the villain was, so that aspect was good. But the real villain was so unbelievable, I would rather it had been one of the red herrings!
I love the new Maine Coon cat and am glad that Flint will have a friend! I would like to see Kate a bit more as she develops into a teenager. I'm glad my favorite character survived.
On to #15! It will be a long wait.
December 17, 2021
The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths..
Thanks to quercus for an early copy..I started this with some trepidation, not sure if I was ready yet for a Covid -19 related book at this time. Starting at the outset of the pandemic in 2020
This author again produces another 5* read. This is the most weepy book of the series so far. I do not think there will be many dry eyes of Ruth fans on completion of the story.
We will have fans very worried for one of our favourite characters
The plot is brilliant, quite scary too. The Legend of the Grey Lady of Tombland in Norwich plays its part..Nelson is to the fore with his team working to solve a mystery. Are the reported deaths suicide, or something more sinister.
I do like the way we learn much more about Ruths family history.
Thanks to quercus for an early copy..I started this with some trepidation, not sure if I was ready yet for a Covid -19 related book at this time. Starting at the outset of the pandemic in 2020
This author again produces another 5* read. This is the most weepy book of the series so far. I do not think there will be many dry eyes of Ruth fans on completion of the story.
We will have fans very worried for one of our favourite characters
The plot is brilliant, quite scary too. The Legend of the Grey Lady of Tombland in Norwich plays its part..Nelson is to the fore with his team working to solve a mystery. Are the reported deaths suicide, or something more sinister.
I do like the way we learn much more about Ruths family history.
September 13, 2022
This might be my favorite Ruth Galloway book out of the 11 or so that I have read from this series. I was taking a risk in reading two COVID books in a row, this one right after the Lucy by the sea book. All the favorite characters played their roles in dealing with the virus. Ruth gains a new relative previously unknown to her. I won't include spoilers. If you have been reading this series over the years you really need to grab this latest one. Good mix of crime and crises.
Library Loan
Library Loan
August 16, 2022
Somehow, I had completely missed the fact that The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths was book 14 of a series, so when I said yes to reading it, I had no idea I was committing myself to 13 other books (plus future books I'm sure). Because that is exactly what I did now that I have finished and seriously enjoyed this book. I already put the first 3 books on hold at the library, and I officially need more of Ruth Galloway. There are a few different viewpoints and a lot of characters, so it was hard to follow along at times, especially in the beginning. However, by the end I felt like I had a mostly good grasp of them all. I did see reviews that said this is fine as a standalone, but personally I felt like I was missing certain relationships and pieces of characters by not having read from book 1. This is another reason I am starting from the beginning while The Locked Room is still fresh in my memory.
I also want to note that if you listen to the audiobook as I did, you will want to make sure to pay close attention, so you don't miss anything. I thought the narrator Jane McDowell was great and she did a wonderful job bringing the book and characters to life, but it is a lot of characters for only 1 narrator, and there is quite a bit going on. It was easy to miss things and I found myself rewinding at times, so I would say it might be best to read The Locked Room as opposed to listening to it. I thought there were quite a few very likable characters in the novel, and of course, I loved both Ruth and Nelson. It was a little weird reading a book that spoke about Covid 19 so heavily as I don't LOVE reading about it, but it ended up really working for the plot and I was pleased to find that I didn't mind it at all. I was shocked by the conclusion, and I loved the mystery as much as I loved the characters. I am looking forward to reading more of this author and more of this series!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I also want to note that if you listen to the audiobook as I did, you will want to make sure to pay close attention, so you don't miss anything. I thought the narrator Jane McDowell was great and she did a wonderful job bringing the book and characters to life, but it is a lot of characters for only 1 narrator, and there is quite a bit going on. It was easy to miss things and I found myself rewinding at times, so I would say it might be best to read The Locked Room as opposed to listening to it. I thought there were quite a few very likable characters in the novel, and of course, I loved both Ruth and Nelson. It was a little weird reading a book that spoke about Covid 19 so heavily as I don't LOVE reading about it, but it ended up really working for the plot and I was pleased to find that I didn't mind it at all. I was shocked by the conclusion, and I loved the mystery as much as I loved the characters. I am looking forward to reading more of this author and more of this series!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 5, 2022
I enjoyed this book, even though Covid reared its ugly head more than once. There are so many recurring characters in here I really enjoy, and one of them became quite endangered in this, leading me to become quite addicted and flip this book to must read status.
All of the elements I enjoy about the series are still here: there is humor, sometimes when you least expect it; the characters; the creepy British countryside; the writing, so easy to fall into and enjoy. The mystery aspect is always the least appealing part of this series, bc I’m much more interested in the character development, but I did enjoy the mystery in this. I read with a buddy and she and I had fun guessing. As always, she came much closer than me in guessing the major aspects, which I always appreciate. 😁
Can I do without the major soap opera aspect of this that just won’t go away? Does it make me mad and even feel unbelievable at times? Yes, absolutely. Will I keep reading? Yes, absolutely.
All of the elements I enjoy about the series are still here: there is humor, sometimes when you least expect it; the characters; the creepy British countryside; the writing, so easy to fall into and enjoy. The mystery aspect is always the least appealing part of this series, bc I’m much more interested in the character development, but I did enjoy the mystery in this. I read with a buddy and she and I had fun guessing. As always, she came much closer than me in guessing the major aspects, which I always appreciate. 😁
Can I do without the major soap opera aspect of this that just won’t go away? Does it make me mad and even feel unbelievable at times? Yes, absolutely. Will I keep reading? Yes, absolutely.
March 26, 2022
This was Elly Griffiths at her best, with a book both written during and set in the covid pandemic. It has a few surprises, particularly in Ruth's personal life and lots of description especially of the older parts of Norwich. As usual I couldn't put it down
July 27, 2022
I liked how the Covid virus and subsequent lockdown was incorporated into these murder/kidnappings. Always good to read of Ruth and friends/family again; but I do wish there was more of the forensic archeology angle in the plots.
February 7, 2022
Oh my gosh, I was so looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint!
First of all - and because I finished Book #13 in April 2021, after bingeing the whole series - I've got to say that I think Elly Griffiths made a BANG ON right decision, setting this in 2020 and during the UK pandemic (first) lockdown. I guess she knew she would - because the 'Ruth Galloway' series is generally very sequential with books coming within a few weeks or months of each other (every so often a book will leap ahead by a couple years, but that's generally been to get child-characters out of diapers and more active in the story, is my reading of it!). And in 'The Night Hawks' Griffiths did very cleverly end that book with Ruth's university mentioning a newfangled teaching tool called Zoom ... but I do credit Griffiths with leaning into the pandemic of it all and staying true to how these characters have been evolving in real-time (there's previously been mention of Brexit, so it is very much within the bounds of reason that we'd see how the pandemic affected higher-education, policing, crime, etc.) For me, personally, I wasn't put off or unable to read this book because of the pandemic. Honestly, it was interesting to read the slow unravel of how things happened in the UK ...
'The Locked Room' is still a frustrating book in other ways, for fans of the Ruth and DCI Harry Nelson pairing. Of course it is. That's a theme of this series in which the characters live in a literal liminal space between water and land in Norfolk - and have been making decisions that see them similarly trapped between rocks and hard places. For Ruth it's falling for a married man and having a baby with him, knowing he'll never entirely choose or be there for them. For Harry it's finding himself with two families he loves (in different ways) and knowing that any decision he makes will hurt one of them.
Well it's more of that ... even as this 14th book sees Harry's wife Michelle locked-down in Blackpool for the duration of the novel, so Ruth and Harry are coming back together in their affair - even, for the first time since holiday-set 10th book 'The Dark Angel' where they get to be together day-on-day and glimpse another world in which they live together as a whole family, with Kate.
The illusion however, is quickly shattered by Harry's daughter Laura coming home for lockdown and a perplexing run of suicides that might have more sinister underpinnings. Not to mention talk of uncovered 'plague pits' in Norfolk, and a 'Grey Lady' haunting the town square.
I found this to be a very satisfying murder-mystery, even if the personal aspects of the character and their evolution dragged feet again. ALTHOUGH - I will say - I think this book will end up being a little reprieve for big waves coming (I say this every book, and then nothing much overly changes between Ruth and Harry but I am forever hopeful).
My prediction is that Michelle will have come home with an ultimatum for Harry - either she's started seeing someone (unlikely, since Griffiths did and wrapped that with the Tim storyline) more likely I think Michelle will be insisting that Harry retire and/or they move away from Norfolk. A couple times Harry alluded to Superintendent Jo wanting him to retire, and that Judy - his second in charge - really should be a DCI, but to do that Harry would need to step aside and retire or leave. Ruth previously moved away to Cambridge with her American lover Frank, so now it feels like Harry's turn ... also that Ruth's worst nightmare should come to pass (Harry not choosing her and Kate) and maybe Harry should get a taste of what actually making a decision feels like (the kicker being; he'll miss Ruth more than he wants to keep calm-waters with Michelle). If that's all the case then I'll be really emotionally wrought and excited.
Overall; another fab instalment and I once again can't believe I've got to wait until Feb 2023 for more! GAAAAH!
The pandemic worked especially well - allusions to the struggles of international uni students, lack of PPE gear, Ruth disbelieving that she's going through a once-in-a-lifetime event with a leader called Boris, domestic violence prevalence in lockdown, murmurings of Oxford university searching for a vaccine ... it's all still so close to the surface and used to great effect here by the masterful Griffiths, to keep readers and these characters grounded in the here and now - even as we still grasp at the more liminal love story that's forever just out of reach.
First of all - and because I finished Book #13 in April 2021, after bingeing the whole series - I've got to say that I think Elly Griffiths made a BANG ON right decision, setting this in 2020 and during the UK pandemic (first) lockdown. I guess she knew she would - because the 'Ruth Galloway' series is generally very sequential with books coming within a few weeks or months of each other (every so often a book will leap ahead by a couple years, but that's generally been to get child-characters out of diapers and more active in the story, is my reading of it!). And in 'The Night Hawks' Griffiths did very cleverly end that book with Ruth's university mentioning a newfangled teaching tool called Zoom ... but I do credit Griffiths with leaning into the pandemic of it all and staying true to how these characters have been evolving in real-time (there's previously been mention of Brexit, so it is very much within the bounds of reason that we'd see how the pandemic affected higher-education, policing, crime, etc.) For me, personally, I wasn't put off or unable to read this book because of the pandemic. Honestly, it was interesting to read the slow unravel of how things happened in the UK ...
'The Locked Room' is still a frustrating book in other ways, for fans of the Ruth and DCI Harry Nelson pairing. Of course it is. That's a theme of this series in which the characters live in a literal liminal space between water and land in Norfolk - and have been making decisions that see them similarly trapped between rocks and hard places. For Ruth it's falling for a married man and having a baby with him, knowing he'll never entirely choose or be there for them. For Harry it's finding himself with two families he loves (in different ways) and knowing that any decision he makes will hurt one of them.
Well it's more of that ... even as this 14th book sees Harry's wife Michelle locked-down in Blackpool for the duration of the novel, so Ruth and Harry are coming back together in their affair - even, for the first time since holiday-set 10th book 'The Dark Angel' where they get to be together day-on-day and glimpse another world in which they live together as a whole family, with Kate.
The illusion however, is quickly shattered by Harry's daughter Laura coming home for lockdown and a perplexing run of suicides that might have more sinister underpinnings. Not to mention talk of uncovered 'plague pits' in Norfolk, and a 'Grey Lady' haunting the town square.
I found this to be a very satisfying murder-mystery, even if the personal aspects of the character and their evolution dragged feet again. ALTHOUGH - I will say - I think this book will end up being a little reprieve for big waves coming (I say this every book, and then nothing much overly changes between Ruth and Harry but I am forever hopeful).
My prediction is that Michelle will have come home with an ultimatum for Harry - either she's started seeing someone (unlikely, since Griffiths did and wrapped that with the Tim storyline) more likely I think Michelle will be insisting that Harry retire and/or they move away from Norfolk. A couple times Harry alluded to Superintendent Jo wanting him to retire, and that Judy - his second in charge - really should be a DCI, but to do that Harry would need to step aside and retire or leave. Ruth previously moved away to Cambridge with her American lover Frank, so now it feels like Harry's turn ... also that Ruth's worst nightmare should come to pass (Harry not choosing her and Kate) and maybe Harry should get a taste of what actually making a decision feels like (the kicker being; he'll miss Ruth more than he wants to keep calm-waters with Michelle). If that's all the case then I'll be really emotionally wrought and excited.
Overall; another fab instalment and I once again can't believe I've got to wait until Feb 2023 for more! GAAAAH!
The pandemic worked especially well - allusions to the struggles of international uni students, lack of PPE gear, Ruth disbelieving that she's going through a once-in-a-lifetime event with a leader called Boris, domestic violence prevalence in lockdown, murmurings of Oxford university searching for a vaccine ... it's all still so close to the surface and used to great effect here by the masterful Griffiths, to keep readers and these characters grounded in the here and now - even as we still grasp at the more liminal love story that's forever just out of reach.
June 28, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and Mariner books for gifting me an advanced copy. Below you'll find my honest review.
I really love Elly Griffiths Ruth Galloway series. I'm heavily invested in the characters and their lives... so this one threw me for a loop because, just like the rest of us, this world was shaken by Covid-19.
I figured out the murderer, but I enjoyed the story... even if the Covid-19 parts brought back some trauma and made it less of an escape than I usually want from my books.
I'm interested to see where it's going next, because of how it ended.
Guess we'll see soon enough! (Fingers crossed)
Definitely recommend this series, but please read from the beginning. There's a lot of history here and you'll be at a loss if you don't read the rest.
I really love Elly Griffiths Ruth Galloway series. I'm heavily invested in the characters and their lives... so this one threw me for a loop because, just like the rest of us, this world was shaken by Covid-19.
I figured out the murderer, but I enjoyed the story... even if the Covid-19 parts brought back some trauma and made it less of an escape than I usually want from my books.
I'm interested to see where it's going next, because of how it ended.
Guess we'll see soon enough! (Fingers crossed)
Definitely recommend this series, but please read from the beginning. There's a lot of history here and you'll be at a loss if you don't read the rest.
July 7, 2022
3 Stars
Not the most interesting book in the series but still enjoyable.
Not the most interesting book in the series but still enjoyable.
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