I requested this book as soon as I saw it because I’m always up for a good mystery. I didn’t realise that this was part of a series, but I had no problem following along.

The Dark Angel starts in Italy when a corpse is found to have a handphone. And even weirder, Professor Angelo received a text from the corpse when he excavated it. Back in England, forensic archaeologist Ruth is struggling with her personal relationships. So when she gets an invitation from Angelo to come to Italy to consult, she brings her daughter and friend along for a holiday.

I have to admit, the mystery took a backseat to the relationships in The Dark Angel. Perhaps it’s because I’m jumping into the series midway, but I felt that the complicated relationships between the characters (particularly Ruth and Nelson) were more prominent than the mystery of the corpse. I’m not complaining since I enjoyed reading about it, but it was a bit of a surprise.

The mystery itself was pretty interesting and very much tied to the town where the corpse was found. I’ve never been to Italy (sadly) so I don’t know how accurate all the descriptions were, but I really felt the small town and it’s inhabitants very strongly.

There was only one thing that threw me off a little: the book switches between several POV characters, mostly Ruth and Nelson, although some characters get their time in the spotlight too. The switch could be a bit abrupt since it takes place within the chapter (I’m more used to having one chapter per POV) but it wasn’t a problem once I got used to the style.

Overall, I enjoyed this mystery. I enjoyed the setting and the characters in it. And perhaps because of the characters, I am interested in going back to read the first book in this series and finding out how it all started.

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

Elly Griffiths can do no wrong in my eyes - long may she continue to write about Ruth Galloway! Each successive book since I first read The Crossing Places has firmly held my attention from start to finish. I love the combination of history and archaeology mixed in with mystery, some light humour and the on/off romantic situations of the main characters. I felt this book was slightly below par compared to some of her others (maybe I have such high expectations now?) but it was still a great read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

In this 10th novel in the Ruth Galloway series, Ruth is off to Italy to help a friend and former colleague solve a mystery surrounding a Roman skeleton. She welcomes this distraction to get away from Norfolk and the constant reminders of Nelson and of his wife Michelle's pregnancy, which put the big kibosh on the rekindling of a relationship between Ruth and Nelson.
While in Italy, drama quickly unfolds when Ruth's friend, Angelo, reveals that he believes someone is trying to kill him. Then, an earthquake strikes! Oh no, Don Tomaso the priest has been killed! What? Now Nelson is here?! And Ruth et al have nearly been driven off the mountain??
As mentioned, plenty of drama. Unfortunately, it all falls a little flat. The excitement, suspense and (yay!) sexual tension that played such a role in Griffith's last Galloway novel (The Chalk Pit) was sorely lacking, leaving in it's place a dry, ho-hum mystery that felt a bit like assigned reading.
Don't get me wrong, y'all - it's still Ruth Galloway, and she's still my girl. I'm not ghosting on anyone here. But The Dark Angel is one of my least favorite Galloway novels - perhaps simply because I was expecting so much more after the last novel? Or perhaps because this one was just sub-par. I have faith in Elly Griffiths to bring things around in Book #11 - I just wish I didn't have to wait another year to see it happen.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* I have read every book in the Ruth Galloway mystery series and this 10th instalment would be one of my favourites thus far. 'The Dark Angel' is Griffiths' usual combination of mystery, history, archaeology, served with a side order of drama as the Ruth-Nelson-Michelle-Tim love 'square' develops further still. Unlike the other Galloway mysteries, most of this story's action happens in a picturesque Italian village, which only adds to the novel's appeal. As readers have come to expect, the book is full of twists and turns as Ruth and Nelson work to solve mysteries both new and old. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

First Sentence: ‘This grave has lain undisturbed for over two thousand years.’

Archeologist Ruth Galloway and her daughter are invited to Italy by fellow archaeologist, and television host, Angelo Morelli to help identify bones found in a hillside town. Fontana Liri was Angelo’s ancestral home and where his grandfather played an important part during the resistance movement of WWII. But if the war is over, why are threats, and attempts being made on Angelo’s life? In England, DI Harry Nelson learns of the impending release of Micky Webb, a man he put in prison. Is Micky now threatening Harry, his family, and pregnant wife? Still, a natural disaster sends Harry to Italy to ensure the safety of his former lover, Ruth, and the daughter they produced together.

Author’s notes can provide such fascinating information. One should always take the time to read them.

There is an interesting juxtaposition of the focus on religion and Catholicism, and relationships involving infidelity. And infidelity does play a major role in this book, and series. In fact, it basically dominates the plot of the book.

Griffiths runs the separate storylines of Ruth and Nelson in parallel and it works. One is never confused as to which plot thread is being addressed. The story of Samer, the Syrian refugee is sad and typical of that which the Syrian people, many of whom are Catholics, are experiencing.

The information about the history of the area in Italy is interesting. The information regarding the positions in which people are buried in the church’s cemetery is even more so. It also provides an interesting perspective on some Italians’ views toward the Roman evacuations--”There are too many Roman sites in Italy,’ says Angelo. ‘There are only two metro lines in Rome because whenever they start digging, they come up against another damn amphitheater. The Romans are everywhere.’”

Ruth is a very real, very human character. In spite of her intelligence and capabilities, she is almost painfully self-critical and self-deprecating. Cathbad is a character one can’t help but like. He’s a Druid who—“…views the rules as guidance only, and guidance for other people at that.”

There are a couple of wonderful literary references to make one smile—“Stop it, she tells herself, you’re not Miss Marple, this has nothing to do with you.”—and one which is very Sherlock Holmes—”Nelson tries to cast his mind back. He remembers bloody Tim talking about something he called a memory house. Apparently, you have to go in and search through the rooms until you find the hidden memory.” She also makes mention of reading Ian Rankin.

The disposition of the corpses, both in England and in Italy provides one another piece of historical information. It’s one of those great “Who knew?” moments.

There is suspense, both in Italy and in England, and both are well done and include some good twists.

“The Dark Angel” is not Griffith’s best book by far. One could say the focus of the book was primarily on relationships and infidelity, with a small percent on the mysteries, and a tiny percent on archeology. Yes, there is a powerful cliff-hanger ending, but it may not be enough to ensure one will continue with the series.

THE DARK ANGEL (Pol Proc-Ruth Galloway/Harry Nelson-Italy/England-Contemp) - Okay
Griffiths, Elly – 10th in series
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt – May 2018

It's been a very long time since Ruth has taken a vacation, so when an old friend, a well-known archeologist in Italy, asks for her help identifying some recently discovered bones, she jumps at the chance to go. A working holiday is better than none at all! The hilltop village is rumored to have been an important part of the Resistance during World War II, and some of the residents still harbor dangerous secrets. When Ruth's findings seem to lead to a current-day murder, she feels obligated to help figure out if and how the events are related.

This is one of my favorite series, and I always look forward to the newest book to catch up with Ruth, Nelson, Cathbad and the rest. This book gave us the chance to learn more about Ruth when she's away from her home turf, and it wasn't surprising to learn that she's the same person no matter where she is. As usual, there's a lot of history woven into the story, something I've come to expect from these books. There are two stories going on simultaneously in this book, and the secondary story seemed just that – secondary – until the end of the book. The ending took me by complete surprise and leaves me with questions about what will happen next. I can't wait for answers to those questions in the next book.

The latest Ruth Galloway novel takes her on a business/holiday away from King's Lynn and Norfolk to sunny, hot Italy. She, her friend Shona and their children, Kate and Louis, are traveling because Ruth has been invited by a long-ago colleague to assist with the identification of some bones. He does have ulterior motives: Galloway is well known and these bones are to be televised! But much of the time will be vacation before her oncoming semester.

Meanwhile, at home, in a separate plot line, a man is released on parole from prison after 10 years. His crime: directing the arson that killed his wife and children. Among the involved officers: Harry Nelson. Nelson's boss alerts him to be watchful as they have difficulty believing this man truly has found religion and reformed. Additionally, Nelson's wife is very much pregnant. And Ruth's mother has died, simultaneous with the end of the last book, The Chalk Pit leaving Ruth's father living alone in London.. So there is much happening with our regulars.

Now I have provided the set up....I won't give away much plot. Needless to say there is a lot about to happen. As always, Griffiths' writing kept me glued to the story, moving from one development to the next. In Italy, there are major secrets that Ruth begins to suspect but which impact people in the small town where she stays. A town that still holds strong grudges dating to WWII. In King's Lynn the regulars are all on board, as we want them to be.

There are some events toward the end that left me wondering a bit. But I do trust Griffiths and admire the characters that she writes. I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series. I recommend this novel as I have recommended every other book in the series.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I love the Ruth Galloway series, and I've been eagerly anticipating the next book. The Dark Angel didn't disappoint. The book begins six weeks after the last one, so Ruth is still dealing with her feelings after her mother's death and her tryst with Nelson, followed by learning Michelle is pregnant and Nelson is staying with her. A phone call from Angelo Morelli, a fellow archaeologist with whom she once had a fling, gives Ruth an excuse to go on holiday to Italy, ostensibly to give her perspective on a newly-discovered skeleton. Of course, she winds up investigating murder between visits to the town plaza and the beaches.

I'm always interested in the crime aspect to the Ruth Galloway books, but I'm really here for Ruth, who I love. I was a little worried about Ruth packing up Kate (and dragging Shona and the terrible Louis along) and going away because I adore her relationships with the police detectives and her friends, especially Cathbad. I was happy that we also see what's happening back in Norfolk, and there is a secondary storyline involving one of Nelson's old cases.

I was worried when Elly Griffiths started writing the Max Mephisto series, thinking the Ruth Galloways would end or go downhill, but The Dark Angel is strong. I hope she keeps writing Ruth!

This is one of those series that I can't wait to read as I have to know the relationship status of Ruth and Harry. Oh how I wish they would be a family raising their daughter Kate. Anyway, this was another enjoyable tale in the adventures of Ruth and Harry that I devoured. Bones and murder bring the iconic duo to Italy, separately of course, and it is in the aftermath that we discover the person responsible. The author did a great job in staging this well-written mystery with intrigue in regards to the murder of the local priest, the significance of the bones, and who is trying to prevent Ruth from discovering the answers. Also happening simultaneously, is the situation in Norfolk with a released convict and Michelle's pregnancy. I especially loved how the scenes moved between characters, keeping me in tuned to every nuance until the moment where the scenes mirrored each other and I couldn't read fast enough to see how it will end. And end it did with a few twists that enhanced how well this story was being told and I can't wait to see how it will play in the next book in this captivating series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Ruth, still reeling from the events of the end of the last book, is living day to day, trying to hang out. An old friend calls her up and invites her to help with some bones in Italy, so she packs up Kate, Shona, and Louis and heads to Italy... where of course, murder happens. Meanwhile, back in Norfolk, one of Nelson's cadre of historical arrests is released, and stuff happens at home as well.

I enjoyed watching Ruth getting to explore the little Italian town, be on vacation, and get to meet some new characters. The relationships from prior books all develop a little more, and we get some depth added to at least one character who previously had very little page time. And while some of the events at the end were expected (because of well-written build up throughout the course of the novel), one big thing was completely unexpected, at least to me.

Yet again, a Ruth Galloway novel that doesn't disappoint - it's like Elly Griffiths knows what she's doing! ;) Thank goodness she does. And thank goodness the publishers keep coming back for more. I know I'm ready for the next one!

The 10th in the Ruth Galloway series has Ruth combining business and pleasure in a rural Italian town, Castelli de Angeli. She is feeling rather low, with the married father of Ruth’s child and his wife about to have another baby, when an ex-lover and fellow archaeologist calls her to assist on a dig in Italy. Needing a break, she, her daughter, and a friend and her son decide to take an impromptu working vacation. Once in Italy, Ruth discovers that her role is to bolster the television career of her colleague. There is some reference to archaeology in this book, but less than in previous books in the series, as Griffiths focuses more on developing relationships and on the countryside. The landscape is lovingly described, transporting the reader from dark and damp Northfolk to bright and sunny Italy. Various treacheries, both past and present, come to light under that dazzling sun, and we get to watch Ruth bask in the brilliance. Of course, this is a murder mystery, and there is both an Italian murder and an American death to be dealt with. Although a familiarity with Ruth’s past relationships adds depth to the novel, this is a book that could easily be read as a standalone. The ending is a cliff-hanger, setting Ruth up for the next in the series – which can’t come soon enough as far as I’m concerned.

There are serious dangers in waking the spirits of the dead.

Dr. Ruth Galloway, UK bone specialist in archaeology, seems to know this quite often and usually up front and personal. Ruth has been contacted by an old colleague, Angelo Morelli, to examine some unusual bones found in an excavation site in the Liri Valley of Italy.

Dead men usually tell no tales, but this one speaks volumes from the confines of his grave. Buried face down is demeaning at best, but this poor soul has also had a stone lodged in his mouth where his tongue should have been.......the silence of an ancient statement.

The August Italian sun beckons for one last holiday before Ruth's daughter, Kate, returns to school. Wishing for company on this trek, Ruth invites her friend, Shona, and her son, Louis, to join them. What appears to be a routine dig turns into far more than Ruth bargained for. The historical vibes of the village have been laced with the impact of the Fascists, Nazis, and resistance fighters during World War II. It is evident in the older generations who speak of an occupied Italy where the deep footprint is still embedded.

The lulling breezes of the Italian countryside will soon reverse and take on a mighty windstorm. Ruth comes upon the body of the local elderly priest in the darkness of the village church. Who would ever harm this gentle soul and, more importantly, why?

Elly Griffiths creates quite the multi-leveled scenario here with lightning strikes both in Italy and in the UK simultaneously. Be assured. I have only read a few of her books and I was still able to follow the backstories going on in the lives of these characters. And there's quite a bit of eyebrow-raising with sparking relationships and who is connecting with whom. That in itself will draw you into this storyline. Oh, the games people play.

The Dark Angel emerges you into the pools of great storytelling from the onset. Just as things begin to sort out towards the end, Griffiths throws in a totally unexpected event that will play havoc in the future of many of these characters. Have mercy! She can't write fast enough for the next one to get here while we anxiously tread water. Yowzers!

This book, the tenth in the Ruth Galloway series, was as entertaining and well written as the previous nine. This story took Ruth away from the usual Norfolk setting to Italy, which introduced a new angle which allowed for more character development, along with another engaging mystery. Running parallel was a storyline back in Norfolk, which allowed previously tangential, but important, characters to develop even more. I’m really enjoying the balance between character and story, Elly Griffith is very good at that! Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy through NetGalley

I've loved Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series from the first, and was eagerly anticipating this next entry in the series. "Was" is the keyword in that last sentence. Griffiths has gone from writing top-notch mysteries focusing primarily on Ruth's role as a forensic anthropologist to writing sappy relationship novels that focus on Ruth as the "other woman" in a love triangle, successfully reducing her to a cliché. Why do writers do that? Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series suffered from the same issue, but Winspear is finally bringing Maisie back around to detecting. Griffiths needs to do the same. Ruth Galloway is so much more than Nelson and Kate. Bring her back! Please!

One of my favorite series and this new edition just reinforces my feelings.

Ruth travels to Italy at the request of an old friend and colleague and finds herself embroiled in small town secrets daring back to the Second World War. Fighting personal conflicts of her own and her feelings for her daughter's father, old habits are hard to break when the local priest is murdered and back home a released prisoner may be exacting revenge on Harry Nelson.

These two parallel stories are very interesting and the ending will make you want more.

Highly recommended!

This is the 10th book in this series. And, if you are not already invested, this is not for you. The mystery at the heart of this book was thinly veiled and the focus of the plot was in advancing the story line that runs through the books.

The title of Elly Griffiths 10th novel, The Dark Angel, in the Ruth Galloway Mystery series seems to suggest there is a darkness hovering over Ruth's next archaeological dig. She is contacted by Angelo Morelli, a former friend and lover, to help him identify some bones from the Roman era in Italy. She will be staying in Pompeo’s (Angelo’s grandfather) old apartment in Castello degli Angeli, a small Italian village that has it's own secrets dating back to the German occupation from World War II. Ruth decides to take Kate, Shona and Louis, Shona's son, along with her. Back in Norfolk, Nelson hears about an earthquake in the area of Italy that Ruth and Kate are visiting. He cannot contact her on the phone and shows up the next morning in Castello degli Angeli much to Ruth's surprise. After Ruth discovers a modern-day body in the village church, their holiday turns upside down as the darkness in this little village is brought to surface.

This book takes place in two different settings, Norfolk and Italy, and the plot switches back and forth throughout the novel. Elly Griffiths' descriptions and history of each setting gives us a feeling like we are visiting there too. This series should be read in order as the characters and storyline develops throughout and the characters start to feel like friends that you really care about. The plot was paced in such a way that each chapter had a cliffhanger which makes you want to read on and kept the pages turning until the surprising ending. Each book does involve a mystery but it's the characters and their relationships that really drive the story. I look forward to each and every installment in order to see how they are developing. This series is by far one of my favorite and I would have to say that The Dark Angel ranks at the top of the series for me. I would suggest that you pick up the first book, The Crossing Places, and promise you that you cannot just read the first one, as this series is contagious! I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I eagerly requested this book from NetGalley and devoured it; sadly I will now have to wait to find out what's next for Ruth & Nelson. This tenth book in the series continues the arc from the last book with Nelson conflicted and Ruth stiff upper lipped. Ruth is depressed about Michelle's pregnancy and the realization that Nelson cannot leave her. When a colleague convinces Ruth to help with a dig in Italy, she jumps at the chance to get away and have a holiday. A convicted killer that Nelson put away is released and may or may not be stalking him. The muddled family relationships are reminiscent of "Last Tango in Halifax" and the paternity issue just adds to the suspense. Elly Griffiths shows the mastery of her craft with the heightened suspense of Bruno's absence and the nearly simultaneous threats to both Ruth and Michelle. That section of the book is a true breathtaking page-turner!
So now #10 is thoroughly consumed, the suspense continues, and the wait for the next Ruth Galloway will be much longer than desired by the appreciative reader.
Posted on Goodreads

THE DARK ANGEL by Elly Griffiths. This is the 10th book of 10 in series featuring Dr. Ruth Galloway, a forensic archaeologist, and Harry Nelson, a detective chief inspector, in the Saltmarsh area near Norfolk, England. Publishing in May 2018, it has 352 pages.
Emotionally Ruth is dealing with the passing of her mother and the fact that Nelson’s wife is pregnant so a future with him is out of the range of possibility which is why she jumps at the chance to look at some bones in Italy when asked by an old colleague. Of course, death follows even on a working vacation.
I enjoyed this outing with Ruth and her extended chosen family. Going to Italy was a nice break for the reader and avoided Cabot Cove syndrome. The crime solving was light to near non-existent or off stage which can get frustrating for a mystery reader but I also just like hanging out with all the characters that Griffiths has created. A series set in the world of archeology can tend toward Indiana Jone-ness, however, these books are grounded in things-don’t-always-work-out reality which I appreciate. Things don’t always get resolved prettily. I am looking forward to her next book and finding out what happens next to Ruth.