I received a free ARC of this via NetGalley and Quercus in return for an unbiased review. This is another excellent entry into the Galloway series, showing the next step where Ruth is now head of department and there’s a new lecturer to take her old role on. The Galloway series features characters you love, interesting plots with lots of local legends, and this new book continues the legacy nicely - you’ll enjoy it!

Another smash hit in the Ruth Galloway series! I love getting back to this series. It's like visiting an old friend. Ruth is still her perky self, but she is leading the gang at work. She has a new colleague, and she isn't fully comfortable around him. There are several murders in town, and naturally DCI Nelson involves Ruth in the search for the culprit.

There is a lot going on in Ruth's and her family member's lives, which always makes an enjoyable read. Nelson is being himself, but nelson and his wife both have a soft and sore, or just a sore spot when it comes to Ruth. Since this is fiction, I enjoy reading about this strange triangle drama.

I love the quirky characters in this series, and i feel attached to them. I would love to be a part of this big weird family of friends, if it wasn't for all the murders. Who wouldn't like to be friends with a druid? The story itself flows nicely, it's an easy read, and an unputdownable book. What more could you want?

I was delighted to review the new book by Elly Griffiths The Night Hawks
This is the name of a group of metal detectorists , who are searching for buried treasure. They come across a body on the beach in North Norfolk .
The police become involved led by DCI Nelson who thinks this body may be a asylum seeker but turns out to be a local man who has just been released from prison.
Ruth Galloway a forensic archaeologist , has recently returned from some time spent in Cambridgeshire and becomes involved in the case.

Just love these books cannot wait to review the next one.

Yet again, a most enjoyable mystery, entertainingly solved by Galloway and Nelson. I love the humour and the characters, the way they interact, the insight into their personal thoughts. The mystery itself is excellent and kept me guessing. I read this in one sitting, so easy to read and highly engaging.

As a regular reader of this series and other books by the same author I was looking forward to reading this. I was not disapointed. The plot is well woven and I did not see the reveal coming although in retrospect as in all good crime books the clues were there. Alongside the murders the lives of Ruth and Nelson still converge but still remain mostly apart. A book well worth reading for fans of this author both old and new

The latest in Elly Griffiths’ forensic archaeologist Dr Ruth Galloway series is a real page turner. As she and DCI Harry Nelson zoom back and forth along North Norfolk’s coast road, called upon to investigate murder - and more - at Black Dog farm (named in homage to one of Norfolk’s dark legends), we are caught up in a tale of cruelty, abuse, loyalty and longing. Quite a mix!
Nevertheless, because Griffiths roots her tale in places that feel, and some of which are, real and because she writes convincingly and with subtlety about the interplay of complex feelings between Ruth, Nelson and his wife Michelle, I became thoroughly invested in the latest mystery. There are red herrings aplenty, as well as ancient and modern bodies on the sea shore, and it’s not easy to predict who is the murderer. However, when the revelation comes the motives seem entirely plausible.
A story which explores the messiness of family life: from the utterly dysfunctional and destructive to the merely unconventional, Griffiths shows us just how essential it is to care for and value those whom we best love.
My thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

My favourite forensic archaeologist is back. Ruth Galloway is still trying to find the right balance between her daughter & Nelson. Is there hope for them? A young man has been found on the beach looks like he could be a illegal immigrant but where did he come from? A couple has been found murdered in their house but it is a straightforward murder suicide? DCI Nelson has asked Ruth to help in his case but they don’t realise that both cases are linked. Will Nelson with the help of his team be able to find out the truth about all the cases that are linked? Another great read love seeing all my favourites in this one. Who knows what Nelson will decide? I know that I would love to see him & Ruth together. I was lucky enough to receive a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Always fantastic, the Ruth Galloway series gives us wonderful, complicated characters and relationships along with a compelling mystery. This book was faster paced than previous books and it worked really well. Gripping from page one!

Yet another great instalment in an excellent series. As always, the writing is exemplary, the plot is clever and the characters beautifully drawn. With a long-running series it is essential to shake things up from time to time, and that is just what Ms Griffiths has done. Ruth's long time boss, Phil, has retired and her new colleague David is an interesting character. Personal relationships always make for a fascinating backdrop to the central plot, and The Night Hawks is a wonderful read.

Receiving a copy of Elly Griffiths latest Ruth book was like xmas come early for me and it didn't disappoint. This series is firmly top of my must read list. For a long running series the plots are always fresh and relevant and the character development like receiving an update on old friends , although like all good friends sometimes you want to yell at them to stop being idiots. Five star, you don't need to start at the beginning of the series but if you do you'll be in for a real treat. what better way to get through the winter?

Ruth Galloway is back in Norfolk, now Head of Department after the retirement of Phil, her old boss. A body, assumed to be an asylum seeker, is washed up on Cley beach, immediately after the discovery of old bones by the Night Hawks, a group of metal detectorists. So Ruth is called in to examine the old bones and becomes embroiled with Nelson and his examination of the recent body.

Of course the plot is an incidental addition in these novels, at least to me, the joy is in the ongoing relationships, particularly between Nelson and Ruth. I love these novels and the touches of humour along the way (needing contact with a young person to explain who the 'celebrities' are on Strictly).
Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy, and the ending promises great things for the next novel which can't come too soon.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked the way the personal lives played out in the story - I have always wanted to read the next one to find out what happens in the Nelson/Ruth saga. And the Night Hawk story was a good read - better than some in the series. And the ending was unexpected. One of the better ones in the series - highly recommended. Thank you for the Advanced Copy

This is book number 13 of the Ruth Galloway series, and I’m usually too excited to wait to read them, no exception here. Ruth is an archaeologist who helps the police out when bones are found in Norfolk cases. This time a fresh body is found on the beach by the ‘night hawks’ - a group of amateur metal detectorists looking for ancient Viking treasure. They found the treasure- bones surrounded by artefacts, but also a modern murder victim. Cue another case for Ruth and DCI Nelson to work together on.

This was a good one - broadly the same cast of characters as usual but with a few new additions, such as David, the new lecturer at UNN. Ruth herself has now graduated to head of department, while Nelson is trying to head off questions about his retirement. The mystery centred around the ominously named ‘Black Dog farm’, seemingly related to creepy tales of large black dogs in Norfolk which foretell death- a creepy place for crimes and excavations. This sets the scene for a rather dramatic ending for our regular cast of characters. The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger though!

My thanks to #NetGalley and Quercus Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have been eagerly awaiting this book as it is one of my favourite series of all time and was thrilled that netgalley approved me to read it.

As usual, Griffiths wrote a plot which meant I was unable to put this book down and read it in nearly one sitting. The relationship between the two lead characters was as complex and gripping as ever, and the storyline gave a gentle nod to the pandemic is was written during. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it has left me desperate to know what will happen next in Galloway and Nelson’s lives.

Thank you very much for this read netgalley!!

North Norfolk has lots of myths and legends and there are many great archeological finds. Therefore it would make sense that metal detectorists would be fascinated by this. The Night Hawks are a group of such people who use the quietness of the night to look for treasures. On one such night they come across the body of a young man in the sea. At first it is thought that the man is an illegal immigrant washed up after failing in his quest to reach the UK. But evidence emerges that he is a local man and he has been murdered. Shortly after this find, Nelson's team are called to a remote farmhouse as shots and screaming have been heard. At the first site bones are discovered and Ruth is called into excavate the possible Bronze age site. She is now dealing with her first term as Head of Department at the UNN and has a new member of staff, David, who although enthusiastic, seems to undermine her. She once again becomes Nelson's go-to digging person and becomes involved in the case.
Things are never straightforward and one murder leads to another and a complex web involving many of the characters.
I did gasp at one point and was very worried for a major character. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

A body is found on a deserted beach by a group of amateur treasure hunters who call themselves the Night Hawks. Then another body is discovered there - a centuries old skeleton preserved in the sand. A research scientist and doctor kills his wife and then himself at their isolated farmhouse named the Black Dog after local legend the Black Shuck, a dog whose presence predicts death. The shots are heard by two members of the Night Hawks. DI Harry Nelson does not believe in coincidence.

As soon as Nelson sees the ancient body on the beach, he calls university professor and archeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway to lead the excavation. Nelson’s whole team knows that he and Ruth were lovers and share daughter Kate although he has remained married to his wife. And because the doctor’s suicide note mentions a body buried in the garden, Nelson asks Ruth to bring equipment to locate the grave. Ruth is dealing with the stresses of her new position as department head and a newly hired, self-promoting professor. As Nelson investigates the murders and Ruth works at both sites, familiar tensions begin to build between them. Mysteries within the investigations also build and lead to an exciting, unpredictable conclusion.

The Night Hawks is a standalone crime thriller. Elly Griffiths skillfully adds details so the reader understands much of what has happened in the earlier dozen books in the Dr. Ruth Galloway series. They are all equally good, each deserving a 5 star rating. However, events at the end of The Night Hawks will make you want the next volume NOW. I hope Elly Griffiths is a fast writer! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Quercus Books and Elly Griffiths for this ARC.

I literally did a little happy dance when I was approved for the latest in the Dr Ruth Galloway series.

This is the 13th book in the series and for me, I think its the best so far.

It had me hooked from page one, if I wasn't engrossed in the crime solving, I was engrossed by the relationships of the characters. All the favourite characters were back and the tension between Ruth and Nelson is still growing, but even after 13 books, it isn't boring me.

As usual, a brilliant ending with the twist you never see coming but THAT ENDING!!!!

The only disappointing thing is the fact I devour these books in 2 days and I need to wait for the next one to be written!! The struggle is real!!

This is book #13 of the Ruth Galloway series. I love this series and have read all of the books. Whilst it can be read as a standalone book, I would recommend reading it as part of the series for better understanding of the characters back stories. Ruth is back in Norfolk following her relationship break up, and has now taken over her previous boss’s job at the University. The Night Hawks are a group of metal detectorists who sweep the Norfolk beaches at night in search of treasure, but when they discover a body, DCI Harry Nelson again asks Ruth for help on the case.

I love Ruth’s character and have done from the beginning of the series. Whilst she seems happier being back at her own home again, there always seems to be a big Nelson shaped cloud hanging over her! I can connect to her character on so many levels – middle aged, juggling home and work, and always feeling that she’s not good enough! DCI Harry Nelson is a grumpy Northern detective who never seems happy being in Norfolk rather than his native Blackpool. He’s reaching his early retirement age and is desperately trying to hold onto his job despite his boss pushing him towards a life of gardening and childcare. He’s such a drole and sullen character, but I do like him and I never fail to raise a smile with every roll of his eyes that he makes, particularly when myths and fables are mentioned by Ruth’s druid friend, Cathbad!!

This book focusses on the discovery of a body on the sands during one of the Night Hawks searches. When a murder-suicide occurs not too far away at Black Dog Farm, Nelson thinks the cases may be linked, but just can’t figure out why. Black Dog Farm seriously gave me the creeps and with the myth of the Black Shuck, a dog which only appears to people who are about to die, I have to admit I would have hot-footed it out of there without so much as a backwards glance. Nelson isn’t taken in with all the myths and legends, unlike the locals, and methodically works through the case, being helped by his hardworking team!

The storyline is gripping and keeps you hooked throughout. Whether it’s focussing on the murder investigation or Nelson and Ruth’s complicated relationship, it’s enough to keep you turning the pages trying to work out what is going on. The Norfolk coastline has always appeared bleak in most of the books, and this book is no different with its cold and wet weather chilling you to the bone. I’ve spent 13 books now waiting to see if Nelson’s cold exterior will ever thaw out enough to declare his love for Ruth as she so deserves some happiness in her life, and the author yet again keeps you waiting to find out!

There was a great twist with the murder storyline which I just didn’t see coming, and I love how the author manages to make you think it’s going one way, and then turns it all around at the last minute. Full of great characters, an interesting plot with lots of local mysteries and legends and plenty of suspense, this is a fabulous addition to this series! Every time, I’m so excited to start a new Ruth Galloway book and then I’m really disappointed when I finish it as I know I have to wait again for more! Enjoyable, thrilling and the perfect read! Would definitely recommend!

Another excellent book. A good storyline with all the usual characters who are still developing. Ruth and Nelsons relationship is interesting especially with what is left hanging at the end of the book.

Number 13 in the Ruth Galloway series and yet again Elly has written a brilliant book. All the usual characters are here and also a new Lecturer to assist Ruth in her new role as Head of Department. This book concentrates on the Night Hawks who are metal detectorists who go out at night time. On one such night they come across a body on the North Norfolk coast. This leads to Ruth being called in to excavate another grave. There is then a murder suicide at a local farm, are they linked and how? This book has plenty of twists and turns with Norfolk folklore intertwined.
I received this book from Netgalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review