Fans of archaeological work and the English seaside will enjoy the ongoing stories of Ruth Galloway. Riddled with sexual tension and intelligent humor, Ruth is called upon by Detective Chief Inspector Nelson whenever questionable remains are uncovered. The recurring characters are enjoyable and charming. The relationship issues entertaining. Always a pleasure to catch the next installment!

In the eleventh entry in this excellent series, the bones of a young girl are found in an archeological dig on Ruth's beloved salt marsh. There is more than one eerie coincidence, including the presence of Erik Andersson's look-alike-son and a second - more recent - set of remains. Soon, Ruth and Nelson are thrust together again. Suspenseful, and filled with great characters readers will want to know better.

It seems as though forensic anthropologist Dr. Ruth Galloway and DCI Nelson have come full circle when they body of a young girl is found during a dig and they both receive threatening letters just like the events of the first case the worked together.

I love this series! This 11th book adds more personal insights into many of the supporting characters as well as Ruth and Nelson. I would recommend they be read in order.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Dr Ruth Galloway is back, but this series is as much about her as her circle of friends and colleagues. They are a complex and delightful bunch living in Norfolk. As Ruth is an archaeologist bones are sure to be involved, which may or may not be a result of a crime, but also more contemporary crimes are occurring. This book does tie in with ones earlier in the series so I think it is best to read them in order. It is good to know this series is continuing.

Griffiths never fails to disappoint. Her ability to blend private and professional life with humor, regret, anticipation, and of course, mystery always makes for a great read. The recurring characters are always a delight and the Ruth/Nelson relationship always keeps the reader guessing.

This 11th title in the Ruth Galloway series lives up to its predecessors in terms of mystery, setting integral to plot, and relationship twists. Efforts by Nelson and his team to resolve a cold case draw memories of, and comparisons to, Ruth's earliest adventure on the salt marsh. Those forensic efforts are paralleled by archaeological developments that add to the mystery and tension, especially with the appearance of Leif, son of Ruth's late mentor, Erik, and a mysterious summons, seemingly from beyond the grave. Some of the outstanding questions from the previous (10th) book are resolved earlier than (I) anticipated, thus sparking new developments, interactions and challenges, especially among the younger characters who play a more prominent role in this installment.

One can’t help but savor the deliciously excruciating relationship twists and turns between Ruth and Nelson, the salt marsh setting (one minute sinister, the next inviting) and the mystery combined with history, focusing on lesser-known real-life locations like Stanton Drew. All the subsidiary characters continue to delight: Cathbad is again brilliantly drawn, and it's a pleasure to see Judy further develop -- a spin-off involving this couple would surely be a hit! And as for the arguably most consequential subsidiary character: If the author, in making Michelle a somewhat sympathetic character, is trying to make me feel guilty about disliking Michelle, she's (still) doing a good job of it. One continues to wonder where this Ruth-Nelson-Michelle love triangle is headed -- Except it's not a triangle, because also making an appearance in this book is ... Frank. All of these factors contribute to the success of the newest installment, and leave me wondering how long we'll have to wait until the next!

A cautionary note: I do believe it's important to have read all, or most, of the series in order to fully enjoy each new installment. In this particular case, there are many references to the earliest book, and to fully appreciate the Ruth-Nelson relationship it's necessary to allow each book to build on the previous.

Note: I received an advance reader copy from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt via NetGalley. This is my honest review.
#TheStoneCircle #NetGalley

**Note: I received a free ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review.**

**Moderate spoiler warning**

A new book from the Ruth Galloway series is always a treat -- in fact, one of the greatest literary treats of the year for me. The Stone Circle was no different. I devoured it in a few days, and would have done so more quickly had life not gotten in the way. :)

I've just said that The Stone Circle was no different in one respect -- but in another respect, it felt very different indeed. I was surprised that much of the narrative moved from Ruth's perspective to the perspective of many other characters, particularly Judy (who I've always liked). This book felt a bit more of an ensemble piece than others in the past. Some other characters seemed to move away from the center a bit (such as Cathbad -- my perennial favorite, so I hope that he's front and center next time) and others toward the center (such as Nelson's daughter Laura -- a welcome addition).

The Stone Circle gave many different perspectives on motherhood: working motherhood, young and old motherhood, willing and unwilling motherhood...without being a book on motherhood. As always, I (a working mother myself) found a great deal to relate to, particularly in Ruth and Judy.

I cannot wait to read more about Ruth's future. Any more details would be too big of a spoiler. :)

A solid effort in a series that has gotten a bit mediocre lately. I've been reading this since the beginning, and I think readers like me will appreciate the return to the themes of the first book.

Another solid entry in Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway/Harry Nelson series. The book echoes events from the first in the series--another cold case involving a missing child, made urgent when a new-born is abducted. Nelson and his team race against the clock as they look for clues which may connect the cold case and the current one and which will allow them to find the missing baby before it's too late. As one expects from Griffiths, The Stone Circle is inhabited by complex characters in complex relationships, invokes a strong sense of place, and provides a page-turning intriguing mystery.

Elly Griffiths is a strong consistent writer, and this is why I return to the Ruth Galloway Mysteries again and again. This time we move strongly on the first Galloway Mystery by drawing on our memories of not only the original story, but all of its main characters. Already I look forward to the next.

In this latest installment in the Ruth Galloway series, we return in many ways to where everything began and it makes for a really good book. There is a juicy, multi-part mystery and a bit of archeology. There also appears to be some closure between Ruth and Nelson after the birth of Michelle’s baby, but things aren’t always what they seem.

In this book, Ruth isn’t whiny (for a change); Michelle isn’t quite perfect; and little Kate is really growing up. Nelson, however, remains the same. As always, though, it’s great to catch up with the charming secondary characters and to visit the Saltmarsh.

I thoroughly enjoy this delightful series and highly recommend this latest installment. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

One of my favorite series is back with Dr. Ruth Galloway reliving memories of one of her first cases as a child's body is recovered at a dig site starting an investigation with roots in the past.

Ruth is an independent, intelligent woman, strong but vulnerable with skills, both scientifically and intuitive to solve crimes. She is not afraid to get involved when needed and her expertise is put to the test when a cold case resurfaces putting her back in contact with the father of her daughter and the feelings that have never gone away.

A surprising ending, likable characters and a location conveying the dampness and beauty of the salt marshes make this one you will not want to miss.

Archaeology professor Ruth Galloway is called to a Bronze Age burial site, but then identifies a second set of remains as more recent. The search for the murderer of what is soon identified as a young girl begins, with Nelson, Judy, Clough, and Tanya all interviewing people who knew twelve year old Margaret when she disappeared in 1981. Then there are mysterious letters, a missing baby, and another murder, and the police realize that all of their cases may be related. Elly Griffiths is an author that just seems to get better and better—I look forward to reading her skillfully plotted novels with exceptional characters.

Once again Ruth jumps into the fray to help solve a murder.. While a dig is in progress carefully digging through the layers, a newer burial is found right on top of the cist. the archaeologists are interested in. Old memories are dug up for Ruth as Eric, Leif's son is in charge of the dig. Katie knows Nelson is her father, but what happens if his other daughters find out? Ruth is torn between Nelson, who is marries, and Frank. The murder is solved, but not Ruth's love life. Good book all the way around.

I love the Ruth Galloway series: familiar characters, mostly familiar places, a good mystery for tickling the little grey cells! I found The Stone Circle particularly satisfying since the last Ruth Galloway title, The Dark Angel, was set in Italy, a departure from her usual scene of North Norfolk. I enjoyed The Dark Angel and I must say I really don't know how Ms Griffiths manages to keep her stories fresh time and again using the same characters and the same locale, but thankfully, she does! #TheStoneCircle #NetGalley

Elly Griffiths is one of my favourite authors and her latest book in this series did not disappoint.
DCI Nelson has received an anonymous letter relating to the disappearance of a young girl
in 1981. A body is then discovered in an dig and Ruth is called in to analyze the skeletal remains.
Another murder occurs during the investigation and you are kept guessing until the end who the
actual murderer is. The descriptions of the various characters are so well defined that you can visualize them immediately. Thank you for a wonderful read.

Another strong entry in the Ruth Galloway series. Enjoy both the mystery and the continuing relationships of the characters.

I almost couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this was available for review so soon after The Dark Angel dropped. And it's better than I could have expected! While book #10 was a departure from the usual setting of the series, The Stone Circle brings us back to the beginning. Nelson gets a letter that looks creepily like those Erik Anderssen sent him in Crossing Places, when that first skeleton was found on the Saltmarsh near an Iron Age henge. A new dig has revealed a second circle nearby, and Nelson and Ruth find themselves tracing another new body that turns up near an ancient one.

A lot happens in The Stone Circle, both in terms of the action of the investigation and for the characters. We get to revisit the storyline from The Crossing Places and learn more about the first missing girl and her family, and the story unfolds to reveal more connections between characters. Some readers have complained about the years-long triangle between Ruth, Nelson, and Michelle, and I think they'll at least appreciate the changes in that situation. Personally, I like how messy these people's lives are and how nobody has behaved perfectly but they're all good people. The plot is twisty and exciting, and as always, spending time with Ruth, Cathbad, Judy, and the others is enjoyable (even during a murder investigation). Basically, I loved it. And while some storylines are closed, enough is unresolved that I think the door is open for more books in the series.

I'll admit I'm spoiled, having been able to read advance copies of the two most recent Ruth Galloway books, the latest Mystery Men, AND The Stranger Diaries. I need Elly Griffiths to keep up her prolific writing, because it will hard to have to wait after such a bounty.

Ruth is back and better than ever! After the disappointing Dark Angel, where Dr. Galloway was reduced to a cariacature caught in a tiresome love triangle, Griffiths has gone back to the beginning and delivered a cracking good story. The past has caught up with all our favorite characters, as Ruth once again discovers the bones of a young female buried in a dig quite near the original henge that started the series. This discovery sets in motion a series of events that solve a cold case from 1981 and also close the loop on several stories within the series.

Ruth and Cathbad finally have the chance to say goodbye to Erik in a wonderful car trip sequence that includes Erik’s son, his widow, their “miracle baby” Freya, some standing stones, and libations poured freely into the earth. Harry and Michelle welcome their own miracle baby, and Harry finally comes clean to his daughters about his affair with Ruth, and also finanlly admits his feelings for Ruth. There are lots of “circles” closed here, which suggests that Griffiths is perhaps done with these characters or plans to take them all in new directions.

No matter what she decides, Stone Circle is the book I’ve been waiting for. I couldn’t stop reading. Recommended.

Forensic anthropologist Ruth Galloway and DCI Nelson return. They are still struggling with the intricacies of raising the child Ruth has after their brief affair, but as usual, something ominous raises its head. This time, Nelson is getting threatening notes from Ruth’s old mentor, Erik Anderson. Ruth has had a note from Anderson as well, but that cannot be possible, Anderson has been dead for years. Or has he? If you’re looking for blood, guts, gore and non stop action, this is not the series for you. If, however, you like moody, cleverly plotted stories with characters that will begin to feel like old friends after a couple of books, then you will be delighted