There might be an underground society living in the old chalk tunnels under Norwich, and it might prove to be a link between a number of homeless people's murders and the disappearance of several women. But no one is sure the society even exists. When a tunnel collapses and human bones are found in the resulting sinkhole, Ruth Galloway is called in...and when she discovers that the bones are recent, DCI Nelson joins the investigation. This ninth in the series is strong on characterization, building on Nelson's and Ruth's relationship. As always Griffiths writes evocatively of the landscape that Ruth has chosen to call home. In addition, the plot is fascinating as it moves below ground and the social commentary about the homeless is sensitive. This is a great addition to the series.

This is an English mystery series as dreary as the rain sheeting across the moors. I've tried the first book and then this one, and it's not for me. Depressed and depressing characters, and depressing does not equal deep.This is an English mystery series as dreary as the rain sheeting across the moors. I've tried the first book and then this one, and it's not for me. Depressed and depressing characters, and depressing does not equal deep.

Homeless men are being stabbed, women are disappearing and there are rumors of an underground society living in the tunnels underneath the city. Ruth is sent to investigate some bones found in one the tunnels where a local architect is hoping to build an underground restaurant. Meanwhile the police are busy trying to solve the crimes above ground. There is a lot going on in this mystery but the author does a good job of tying it all together. The mystery was good and the solution makes sense. I really enjoy the setting and the characters. Enjoy this traditional English Mystery.

Mystery
Adult
This is the ninth installment in this mystery series set in Norfolk England, in which archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway teams up with Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson to solve crimes, quite similar to Kathy Reich’s Temperance Brennan series. When bones are found in an ancient tunnel by a restaurateur planning to open an upscale underground eatery, Galloway attends and soon determines the bones are not as ancient as first thought. Additionally, she finds evidence the bones were boiled, suggesting a possible crime. Meanwhile, Nelson’s team is also investigating a missing homeless woman (“rough sleeper in England-speak), and the urgency of the matter intensifies when someone stabs and kills the person who reported her missing. When a suburban mother of four also disappears, clues point to a community centre where the victims’ paths all crossed. Adding real depth to the story is the complex relationship between Nelson and Galloway, who have a child together though Nelson remains married, and his eldest daughters do not know about his six-year-old daughter with Galloway. The resolution is satisfying with intriguing hints of future complications that will leave readers waiting impatiently for the next title. This is a complicated character-driven procedural that will please fans of the series. It can be read as a stand-alone novel but there are several references to past incidents which will encourage new readers to start the series at the beginning. I really enjoy series in which protagonists change over time, and like the Canadian Inspector Gamache titles, I am pleased to have discovered this series that slipped by me despite clear popularity. My thanks to publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the advance reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30971744

This is the 9th of the Dr Ruth Galloway books and although they can each be read as standalone, it is worth reading them in order to gain familiarity with the characters. This one has substrands of the developing relationship between Ruth and DI Nelson which leaves doors open to be developed further.
This book is set in Norwich and makes use of the medieval underground passageways and caverns which exist there.
There are several strands including the focus on disappearance of serval women including Barbara who is homeless, without explanation, Ellie deals very sympathetically with the plight of street people and their difficulties in day to day existence.
As always a good read with doors open, for hopefully, the next in the series.

Elly Griffiths's books just keep getting better and better!!! The focus on the homeless community makes this one particularly timely. There were multiple mysteries, but they paralleled interesting developments in the lives of the main characters. I was particularly interested in seeing Kate's role and her relationship with Ruth grow. Changes in Nelson's relationships with his colleagues, his family, and his new boss were intriguing. I especially enjoyed the major role Judy Johnson played in finding solutions, and I look forward to seeing what she does in future books. In the past I've at times found Ruth a less than sympathetic character. That wasn't so much the case in this book. I look forward to the next installment in the series.

First sentence: He shouldn’t really be driving: they all know that.

DCI Harry Nelson has a new boss, with whom he’s not best pleased, and a missing person to find. Could she have disappeared into one of the many chalk-mining tunnels beneath Norwich. She wouldn’t be the only thing hidden there. Anthropologist Ruth Galloway has been asked to investigate a set of human remains. They’re not old, but they do appear to be the result of the body being boiled.

Griffiths does do a very good job of introducing one to most all of the relevant characters and their personalities. How can one not love her descriptions—“From his name Ruth expected Quentin Swan to be camp and at least sixty. In fact, the man who comes bursting in through the Guildhall doors is youngish and dark with horn-rimmed glasses. He looks like a cross between Harry Potter and Dr. Who (David Tennant era).” [Reviewing from an early ARC, one hopes the correction was made to “Doctor Who”.]

It is nice to have odd bits of history included as it provides those lovely “ah-ha” moments and create a bit of a pause before the action ramps up. …and then the murders begin.

Relationships play a significant role in the story. Within the police, it is appreciated that they work as a full team, each with their own responsibilities.

The plotting of the actual mystery is well done. There are very good connecting threats. The theme of underground cities is fascinating as they have existed around the world throughout history.

Ruth is an appealing character living a complicated life. Yet it is her moments of decisiveness and strength that shine through—“Joe decides her. ‘Stay here,’ she barks at Ruth. That does it. Ruth isn’t going to be bossed about by a woman in tight trousers who things she’s Helen Mirren playing Jane Tennison.’

“The Chalk Pit” is well done, although it spends nearly as much time on the various and complicated relationships as on the case and the resolution seemed very rushed. One might also wish future stories to focus more on Ruth and her work.

THE CHALK PIT (Pol Proc-Harry Nelson/Ruth Galloway-England-Contemp) – G+
Griffiths, Elly – 9th in series
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt – May 2017

With The Chalk Pit, Elly Griffiths adds another highly satisfying and intelligent installment to her Ruth Galloway series. The Chalk Pit is the 9th book, and the characters and plot line remain outstanding, likeably quirky and original. The Chalk Pit centers around Norwich’s hidden underground tunnels and the discovery of human bones. Initially the bones are thought to be medieval, but Ruth quickly determines that they are recent, and as a result, DCI Nelson and Ruth must work to solve a murder. Meanwhile, women are going missing and homeless men (rough sleepers as they are called in Norwich) are being murdered. As the story unfolds, Ruth, DCI Nelson and the rest of the crew work to figure out whether these incidents are related and attempt to solve the various crimes.

The characters in this book are simply fantastic. I love reading about them all and seeing them develop over time as the books continue. Ruth and DCI Nelson’s interactions are always interesting, and for a while I had high hopes that things might resolve themselves in a manner that I would like, but apparently that is for another book. However, that did not lessen my enjoyment of The Chalk Pit. Griffith’s portrayal of the homeless population is empathetic and kind, and the underground tunnels are an intriguing inclusion in the story.

I highly recommend this entire series and specifically The Chalk Pit. Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The complex and realistic lives of the characters in these books continue to make it one of my favorite series. And somewhere along the way you realize how much history and science you are effortlessly learning. I am already impatient for yeh next book!

I am unable to review this as there is some software problem with the application.

Thank you Net Galley for the free ARC.

I always love "coming home" to this series - Ruth, Cathbad, Clough and the gang. This time rough sleepers are being killed and DCI Nelson is on the case.

P.S. Am I the only one that hopes Ruth and Nelson will eventually end up together?

4.5 One of my top five series, a series that I wait impatiently for the next offering. Adore the mix of archeology, police procedural and the personal lives of these oh, so interesting characters. The pace is always swift, and the plot intriguing.

In this one though she outdid herself, as she tackles the homeless, the danger, lack of awareness and sympathy they endure daily. Well I guess in the UK they are called rough sleepers, here in the U.S we call them homeless, or if one is being politically correct, housing challenged. I have never before, though there may be some out there, read a book that made these unfortunate people so, sympathetic, so real, individuals with past lives and talents. Treating them with respect and care, making us take notice. It is these kind of details that make this such a great series.

She applies the same talent to her characters, they are flawed but real. Dealing with many of the same things we deal with daily. In this book, I came to appreciate Judy, her quest to do right by those forgotten by most of society. As for Ruth, an incident that looks promising come to an abrupt and startling halt. Or does it? Well that's the cliffhanger for the next book, form which I will now wait impatiently.

ARC from Netgalley.

I'm so sorry that I can't review The Chalk Pit, as I can't get it on my Kindle Fire. However, I have asked my Library to purchase it when it's published in the US. I will review it then.

Bones are found during an excavation for a development, so Ruth is called in to determine how old said bones may be. When tests indicate that the bones are not ancient at all, the police have a potential murder investigation on their hands. At the same time, a rough sleeper (to us Americans, a person who is homeless) has disappeared and her friends tell the police that she may have "gone underground." Ruth and the police have heard of a network of old chalk-mining tunnels that run under King's Lynn, but could those rumors be true?

This is one of my favorite series, and I look forward to each book with great anticipation. This installment did not disappoint, and I found it very hard to put down, especially when I got to the the last third of the book. While it may be hard to accept some of the events in the story, logic tells me that they're very likely to be true. That is disturbing, but also what makes these books so good. The characters and their development over the course of the book leave me wanting more, but I'll have to wait until the release of the next book in this series.

Elly Griffiths we love you! Please keep writing about Ruth. You have a huge following in Suwanee GA. We handsell your titles whenever possible.

Elly Griffiths never disappoints. In The Chalk Pit, Griffiths writes of murder, science, and history while weaving in the ongoing story of a woman's life that is anything but average. Highly recommended.

I received a free advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I adore Ruth Galloway anyway, but this was among the better of this series so far. The mystery was intriguing and complex and the overarching series-wide plot got a very satisfying boost of forward momentum. Ruth is so down-to-earth, so fully fleshed out, and so realistic that I always look forward to the next installment of her story. In this one, the mystery involves multiple disparate storylines that make it difficult toccata see how the crimes are connected, yet the solution makes perfect sense. My only complaint is that the red herring was never really explained sufficiently.