Wednesday, March 08, 2023

The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths

 
First Lines: Sunday 24 March 2002. The bonfire is burning brightly now, its heart molten gold.
 
The aftershocks of the pandemic are still being felt. With no overseas archaeology students' money filling the coffers of the university, Dr. Ruth Galloway knows that it's probably only a matter of time before the entire archaeology department is closed down and she's looking for a new job.
 
In the meantime, she's asked to take a look at some human bones uncovered during the renovation of a café in King's Lynn. The bones turn out to be modern-- those of Emily Pickering, a young archaeology student missing since 2002.
 
Suspicion soon falls on an archaeology enthusiast who was part of the group gathered the weekend before Emily disappeared: Ruth's friend Cathbad.

Just as Nelson and his team begin to make progress in sorting out the tangled relationships within the archaeology group, Cathbad disappears. His trail leads Ruth to Neolithic flint mines known as Grimes Graves, but will the truth be uncovered in time to save her friend?

~

Through fifteen books, devoted fans have felt a part of the extended family of Dr. Ruth Galloway, DCI Harry Nelson, and their friends and co-workers. It's sad-- and even a bit traumatic-- to see a cherished series end, but if it has to, it should end on the sort of note that The Last Remains does. 

All the bases are covered here. Life during the pandemic and the NHS phone app that told users when they had to stay home because they'd been in the same place as someone with Covid. Ruth's very real possibility of losing her beloved archaeology department and her job. Nelson's boss constantly harping at him to retire. Cathbad's slow recovery from Covid and his mystifying disappearance. New faces, like a detective constable named Lucy. Ruth's daughter Kate growing up so fast. And-- of course-- a first-rate mystery to solve. 

The mystery surrounding archaeology student Emily Pickering's disappearance and death is excellent and kept me guessing every step of the way. And while the characters were hard at work trying to solve that mystery, author Elly Griffiths was busy tying up loose ends. If there are no further investigations for Ruth and Nelson, I will be sad... yet happy with the way The Last Remains ends. But a little part of me will always hope for Just. One. More.


The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths
ISBN: 9781529409710
Quercus © 2023
Hardcover, 384 pages (UK edition)
 
Police Procedural, #15 Ruth Galloway mystery
Rating: A+
Source: Purchased from Amazon UK. 

16 comments:

  1. As soon as I saw that this was an Elly Griffiths story, Cathy, I knew that you'd probably loved it. She's that kind of a writer - at any rate, she's never disappointed me. And this does sound like an engaging read. Trust Griffiths, too, to be able to weave the pandemic through all of this, too. Yes, I'm not surprised at all that this was such a fine read for you.

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    1. You're right, Margot. Elly and Ruth have never disappointed me.

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  2. I knew you would like this one. And I echo your last couple of sentences. Happy how it ended and will be hoping for just a little more as time goes by. ;-)

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  3. Having just started reading this series, you've given me quite a lot to look forward to!

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    1. I hope you continue to enjoy this series, Dorothy. It's been one of my favorites since the very first book.

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  4. I loved the ending and liked the mystery, although not the perpetrators, a slimy bunch. I was in tears over Cathbad's disappearance, and kept thinking: Elly, don't get rid of Cathbad, my favorite fictional druid. Yes, the ending. Loose ends are tied up. Even Bruno's future is figured out. But I am very sad about the series ending. Many plot ideas are rattling around my brain, but to the author, she's done. Or her publisher says so. All is Well That Ends Well!

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    1. For some reason, I never doubted Cathbad's continued existence. He's a lynchpin.

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  5. This is such a great series! I'm sad to think of it ending.

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    1. So am I, but if this is the end, the author does it in style.

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  6. Yes, she does end in style if this is it. I don't see how she can continue this particular story. And some of us don't need more tension on certain issues.

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    1. I can see how she might continue it due to the change Nelson made, but I don't want to get into that here due to spoilers.

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  7. Yes, ideas are rattling around my brain, but I think the publishers were done with the series. And no ideas from me, as I don't want to give spoilers.

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    1. These books are selling quite well, so I don't know about the publishers being the ones to throw in the towel. I think Griffiths wanted to at least take a break from the characters. The break may be permanent, it may not, but it's clear that you and I have ideas for how the stories may continue. (And you're right-- no spoilers.)

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  8. Saw Elly Griffiths art the
    pp recently and although her publisher may consider this the
    last Ruth Galloway book, she does not. Griffiths mentioned Ruth
    may go to London to teach. Or possibly, to Uppsala, Sweden,
    which the author visited recently and loves,

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    1. I saw the same thing. Like I said before, she may just want to take a little break from the characters in order to do something else. Then she can come back refreshed and raring to go. (I hope!)

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