Publisher's Weekly Review
The discovery of a cannibalized skeleton in a Norfolk underground tunnel catapults forensic archeologist Ruth Galloway into her engrossing ninth case (after 2016's The Woman in Blue). When a homeless man reports a missing woman and then is stabbed to death, Det. Chief Insp. Harry Nelson and his team join the investigation, which takes on added urgency when Det. Sgt. David Clough's significant other, who's the mother of his baby, disappears. Ruth's Druid friend, Cathbad, plays a prominent role, and series fans will find humor in Nelson's struggles with an ambitious female commanding officer. On the personal side, Ruth struggles with her love for the married Nelson, who's her daughter's father and whose wife, Michelle, makes a surprise revelation with far-reaching implications for the uneasy triangle. Despite grisly deaths, Griffiths maintains a gentle tone, and her portrayal of issues surrounding homelessness is compassionate and nuanced. A hopeful ending might seem facile to some readers and comforting to others. Agent: Rebecca Carter, Janklow & Nesbit. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
The discovery of some not-so-old bones opens up surprising possibilities of a mysterious underground world.Archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway is called in when several bones are found in one of the many underground chalk mine tunnels under the city of Norwich, England. The architect planning an underground restaurant is hoping they're ancient, but testing reveals not only that they're fairly recent, but that they'd been boiled and cut open, a sinister hint of cannibalism. Meantime, Ruth's one-time lover DCI Nelson, the father of her daughter, Kate, is asked by rough sleeper Eddie O'Toole to look into the disappearance of Barbara Murray, another rough sleeper who hasn't been seen in any of her usual haunts. When Eddie's found stabbed to death and soon after another homeless man is also found stabbed, Nelson begins to take the search for Barbara more seriously. Then a middle-class mother of four vanishes from her home, and the police go all out to find her. While all this is happening, Ruth and Nelson, who remains married, maintain a delicately balanced relationship. Nelson's wife allows him to spend time with Kate, but neither of his grown daughters knows of her existence. The missing housewife has one thing in common with the rough sleepers: they all spent time at a center run by an ex-con who's found religion and changed his ways. Wild rumors abound about the old chalk mine tunnels that run for miles under Norwich, and a statement that someone made about Barbara going underground lead the police to some hidden doors. Is it possible that a literally underground group could be responsible for the deaths? Like its predecessors (The Woman in Blue, 2016, etc.), Griffith's ninth is complex and character-driven, providing an excellent mystery whose very last sentence will leave you yearning for the next installment. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
The ninth Ruth Galloway mystery (after The Woman in Blue, 2016) from Mary Higgins Clark Award winner Griffiths brings forensic archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson together again in their customary atmospheric East Anglia setting. There is said to be an Underground in old Norwich, where the homeless dwell deep within abandoned chalk-mining tunnels beneath the streets. Ruth is asked to investigate some bones found in one of the tunnels, bones that show signs of possible cannibalism or ritualistic killing. Homeless people begin to disappear, and one of them is found stabbed outside the police station. Then a local young housewife goes missing, followed by one of Ruth's friends. It does not seem that her relationship with Nelson could get any more complicated, but there are a few surprises here for both the captivating (in spite of herself) Ruth and her man. Highly recommended for fans of articulate and gripping narratives with a hearty mix of police procedural, historical detail, and academia. Featuring one the best ensemble casts in crime fiction today.--Murphy, Jane Copyright 2017 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Griffiths's ninth "Ruth Galloway" mystery (after The Woman in Blue) has the forensic archaeologist examining bones excavated in one of the labyrinthine chalk-mining tunnels that riddle Norwich, England. Meanwhile, DCI Harry Nelson searches for a homeless woman rumored to have gone "underground." As the dual investigations merge, hints of secret societies, ritual -killings, and cannibalism surface, as does a string of murders that seem to be connected to a homeless community possibly living in the tunnels. Once again, the key elements of this award-winning series are at hand: complex personal relationships among the protagonists that continue to evolve in surprising ways, excellent use of history and folklore, and lyrically moody imagining of landscape. Verdict This combination of archaeology and crime investigation continues to be a good draw for mystery buffs. Series regulars will be intrigued by unexpected developments that promise further complications for Ruth and Nelson. For more top-notch archaeology-based mysteries, check out books by Erin Hart, Beverly Connor, and Kate Ellis. [See Prepub Alert, 11/14/16; library promotion.]-ACT © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
