If someone had told self three months ago that she would be on Book # 6 of Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway mystery series, she would have said, Get out! Yet, here we are.
In the last book, The Outcast Dead, there was minimal Ruth/Nelson interaction, but plenty of Judy/Cathbad angst. That was okay, since self likes Cathbad. She’s not as enthused with Frank, the American TV personality who seems to have only two outstanding character traits: 1) He flirts with Ruth; 2) He is not Nelson.
Anyhoo, he’s gone back to Cambridge or wherever he is based, and Ruth is back to digging! And digging Ruth is the best Ruth, in self’s humble opinion.
Another really enjoyable aspect of Ruth Galloway’s character is how much her boss irritates her. Of course, he is her complete opposite: hates to do any work (any kind of work), but likes fundraising, and also making public appearances.
He shows up during a dig, early in The Ghost Fields, to which self can only say: HALLELUJAH, HOPEFULLY FIREWORKS!
“Do you want to have a look at today’s finds?” asks Ruth. Although she excavated the skeleton yesterday and bagged up the bones herself, there are still a few interesting objects emerging from the trench.
Phil pulls a face. “It’s awfully hot,” he says, as if the weather is Ruth’s fault.
“Is it?” says Ruth, pushing back her damp hair. “I hadn’t noticed.”
Phil looks at her quizzically. He doesn’t always get irony unless he’s concentrating.
Excellent scene!
Kanlaon 