THE CROSSING PLACES

TITLE: THE CROSSING PLACES
AUTHOR: ELLY GRIFFITHS
Pages: 303
Date: 12/05/2011
Grade: 4.5
Details: no.1 Ruth Galloway
Library

Ruth Galloway is an archaeologist living in a remote, wild place called Saltmarsh where she's perfectly happy with just the company of her two cats.
Her peace and quiet is disturbed when she's asked by DCI Harry Nelson to investigate bones which have been found on the marsh. The bones turn out to belong to a child, but much to Nelson's disappointment they are also hundreds of years old. Nelson had hoped the bones would belong to a girl who disappeared 10 years ago, a case he never managed to close and which is still haunting him.
Ruth gets involved in the case of the missing girl and when another young girl disappears, a new urgency is added to the investigations.
10 years ago, at the time of the first disappearance, Ruth had been involved in an archaeological dig on the Marsh and as others who were there at the time come back for a follow up dig, Ruth has to reassess not only her memories of the past but also her feelings towards and her trust in the people she considered her friends. Because as the case develops, Ruth finds herself threatened and in danger. But by and from whom exactly?
I always seem to enjoy archaeological mysteries and am delighted to have found another series. Ruth is a good main character since she's so recognizably human. She's overweight and filled with doubts, but knows or thinks she knows where she stands in life. She is no hero and she doesn't do stupid things a real person would never even think about, which makes the story realistic and all the more scary.
The same is true for the other characters in the story. None of them are just good or bad. All of them are recognizable though with strong points and weaknesses, people you might know.
The setting of Saltmarsh with its treacherous tides and all the dangers they bring with them add a dark touch to the story which increases the tension for the reader and kept me turning the pages.
I'm glad I've already got the next two books in the series here waiting for my attention. It won't be long before I pick up the next one.