I have followed this series from the beginning and love the character Dr. Ruth Galloway. Once again Elly Griffiths did not disappoint. I have followed all the characters since the first book and it was so easy to dive back into the story. I thought I had figured out the perpetrator and was completely wrong which is what I loved about this book. The author gives you just enough information for you to calculate who you think committed the murder and then takes you on a world spin that leaves you completely surprised. This is still one of my favorite series.

The Stone Circle is the 11th book in the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths. Released 7th May 2019 by Houghton Mifflin, it's 368 pages and available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats.

This is the 11th book in the series and at this point, the characters have taken on a life of their own. Their internal motivations and aspirations are so well defined and 'real' that they feel like living people. I've noticed that for a lot of other series (especially 'serious' series) that the authors have either really hit their strides or developed an acute antipathy for their characters and it generally shows. I detect no whiff of ennui or antagonism in Ms. Griffiths writing toward her characters (even the odious Phil, whom I'd often like to box 'round the ears personally).

It's a really quality series of books. I like that Ruth is intellectual, not wispy and simpering. She is a realist and competent and broad minded, but also vulnerable where her emotions are concerned. I adore slightly goofy but pure Cathbad and his family as well as the interrelations and families which have developed over the course of the books.

This is not really a standalone book. I adore the series and would recommend reading them more or less in order, especially since this book refers very much to the previous books and earlier occurrences. It is possible to understand the plot with this book as an entry point, but be warned there are spoilers aplenty if you read them out of order.

My only hope is that when they cast the characters for TV/film that they don't find some wispy waifish 20 year old to play Ruth. (I'm so in awe of ITV for casting Brenda Belthyn for Ann Cleeves' Vera, that's what I'm talking about)!

Wonderful book, wonderfully well written and engaging series.

Five stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, Netgalley.com and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review.

The Ruth Galloway series is one of the best detective stories written. Here again we see Ms. Griffiths at her best. Writing Ruth and Nelson in such a relatable way, set in Norfolk, simultaneously bleak and beautiful. Threatening letters are being received and it's up to Ruth to figure it all out.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

Elly Griffiths pens one of my favourite mystery series - The Ruth Galloway books. The eleventh book in the series - The Stone Circle - has just released.

Ruth is a forensic archaeologist at the University in North Norfolk, England. An expert in bones, she is often called in to assist police, museums and on other digs. And it is DCI Harry Nelson that calls on Ruth's expertise. The two have a complicated past and present. It is this element of the series that has me always curious as what will happen next. The married Nelson is father to Ruth's daughter Kate. And the attraction is still there between Harry and Ruth, despite the fact that his wife is expecting a child.

But Griffith's mysteries are just as intriguing. The stone henges and salt marshes that opened this series make another appearance. A young girl's remains are found during a dig in the marsh. And Nelson is receiving anonymous letters telling him to go the stone circle and look for the innocent. Much of this mirrors the first case that Ruth and Harry worked on together. As does the appearance of a archaeologist with ties to that first case. I've learned something from every book in this series as Griffiths' cases use history as a basis.

There are many supporting players that I've come to enjoy (and dislike) as well. Griffiths has also fleshed them out with rich, full personal lives. Ruth's boss Phil's pronouncements are always good for a chuckle. Judy and Clough, who work with Harry, are part of Ruth's life as well. This is what I enjoy so much - Griffiths doesn't let her characters be - their lives are evolving as they would in real life. But my personal favourite is the enigmatic Cathbad, self proclaimed Druid.

Setting is also a character in Griffiths' books. The Norfolk area, while seemingly bleak, is beautiful in Ruth's eyes. I think I would enjoy living in her little cottage in the Saltmarsh, 'where the sea and the sky meet.'

I can't say enough about this series - I absolutely recommend it. But do yourself a favor and start with the first book in the series - The Crossing Places.

Nothing like starting a series with #11. I’ve not read the first ten of the Ruth Galloway series, so it took me a while to get all the characters and their relationships straight. And trust me, some of these relationships seem very complicated with lots of siblings and half siblings to keep straight. But I will say that Ruth endeared herself to me within just a few pages. She’s a no nonsense kind of gal. A single mom, an archeologist and a police consultant.

Even the case here harkens back to a previous book. The bones of a young girl are found at a henge, called a stone circle. The girl went missing 30 years prior. There are similarities to the case in the first book in the series, including strange letters delivered to DCI Nelson and Ruth.

This is a well written book, with just a slight hint of humor. It moves quickly, and flips between characters every few pages. For a mystery, you also get little bits of history, mythology and folklore, which I appreciated. I found myself highlighting these little tidbits, like the history of Jack O’Lantern. I did have to google Stanton Drew, one of the larger stone hedges in England, so I knew what it looked like.

My favorite mystery series are those where I feel like I have a relationship with the characters. I’m thinking Joe Gunther, Jessica Daniels, Lucas Davenport, Armand Gamache. I can see this series fitting right in with that list. I will definitely be making time to go back and read the first ten books.

My thanks to netgalley and Quercus for an advance copy f this book.

Yet another good entry in the Ruth Galloway series. Motherhood is the focus of this volume. Babies are born and the bones of the missing are recovered. Ruth questions her own career and future companionship. I like that Ruth is at this crossroads at this age unlike other main characters in novels who are much younger.

Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley.

Elly Griffiths takes readers back to the beginning in The Stone Circle, recalling that fateful first case that drew Nelson and Ruth together so long ago. We revisit the very roots of this series and build up from there as the cast, both old and new, each takes their turn in the spotlight. The mystery and investigative side is spot-on and winds its way through the tale with a quiet yet sinister force.
I enjoyed the heavier focus on the crew's personal lives/issues this time around, which endeared them to me even more. This 11th book in the Ruth Galloway series is definitely one of my faves - so happy that Griffiths decided to surpass her original "10-book series" plans. Looking forward to Book #12! (And can I just say? Team Ruth & Nelson!!)

Elly Griffiths is one of my favorite authors, and I love the ensemble she has created in the Ruth Galloway series. There are the archaeologists, led by Dr. Galloway (often called in to consult with the police due to her expertise on bones), and their support crew; there is the CID team, led by DI Harry Nelson; there are Ruth's university colleagues -- and the interconnections among all these cohorts.

Those connections are numerous, complex and fascinating, perhaps made more pronounced by the semi-rural British setting. The rich and sometimes unconventional liaisons are even more central than usual in The Stone Circle, to the point where they could seem incestuous -- in a wholesome and non-sordid sense.

In this book, DS Judy Johnson takes a lead tole on the murder cases and in the narrative. The entire story, from the criminal incidents to the family dynamic and the archaeological puzzles, unfolded in cycles drawn from the recent and distant past.

What I like most about Elly Griffiths' work was abundant here: the intelligence and warmth that are present in every paragraph. She doesn't talk down to her readers, and there is always plenty of heart but little sentiment.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for an advance readers copy.

Another great episode in Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway series.
Another henge, another stone circle has been unearthed on the Saltmarsh near Ruth Galloway’s cottage. With this discovery, thoughts of the an earlier discovery, memorialized in Crossing Places the novel that introduced Ruth, D.C.I. Harry Nelson and the area of King’s Lynn, are made fresh for many people in the area.

Ruth is, once again, called on for her forensic archaeology skills to assess the very old burial at the center of this now active dig. But shocking herself and everyone present, she discovers a second, new burial which turns this ancient site into a modern crime scene.

Once again, the characters I expect have returned and there is a good amount of emotional carryover after all that happened in the last episode. There are new tensions between Ruth and Nelson due to his wife’s pregnancy. Cathbad is now a house husband. But the plot, characters and the telling work wonderfully.

This continues to be one of my favorite mystery series with an interesting and changeable setting, characters who are allowed growth and change (and human inconsistencies), and consistently good writing. The subjects centered on aspects of archaeology interest me. And there are also other minor and/or major topics spread through the story. This time there is an added subtext of fairy and folk tales that adds another dimension.

There is enough background provided to read this as a stand-alone novel but I strongly recommend you read the series to follow the lives and changes of these people.


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

The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths is the 11th in the Ruth Galloway mystery series.

First, let me thank both NetGalley and Edelweiss, the publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt , and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Series Background:   (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Ruth is a Forensic Archaeologist who lives in a rather remote cottage on the edge of the Saltmarsh near Norfolk England. She teaches at the university, and has a daughter by DCI Harry Nelson, an already married police officer. Their relationship is complicated. Ruth seems to help solve most of the crimes in the area, as they usually involve the discovery of bones. As well, there is often some aspect of religion in these books. Although Ruth believes in very little, Harry is a lapsed Catholic, their friend Cathbad is a Druid, and all of their families are quite religious.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Old bones are found at a dig site which is being run by Leif Andersson. His father, Erik, died not far from this site. Harry and Ruth both remember it well (See Book 1, Crossing Places). Again, there are threatening letters. It feels like the past is coming back to haunt them. In some ways Leif is a lot like his father, which is not necessarily a good thing.

When more current bones are found, it looks like an old case may finally be solved. But then a baby goes missing, and everything is being questioned.

Harry is dealing with a lot in this book. The current case, an old case, Michelle and the baby, his daughters, Ruth….

Meanwhile, Ruth is starting to question where her life goes from here. Should she stay at her current job, settling for a dead-end career with no hope of promotion, or should she apply for the opening at Cambridge. Should she settle for always playing second fiddle to Michelle, knowing that she can’t have Nelson, or should she take a chance with Frank. Could she ever really leave the Saltmarsh?

My Opinions:
I still look forward to a new book in this series every year. I love the characters, even when I don’t always like their behavior. I must be getting used to affairs, because I had no issues in this book. My favorite character can change from book to book. Ruth is always in the running, but more often than not, Cathbad is a close second. I’ve never been particularly fond of Michelle, and Jo Archer is not yet fleshed out enough for me to really have an opinion but the rest are great. Elly Griffiths created wonderful characters that have grown with each book, and are aging accordingly.

The books are always descriptive enough so that I feel I am right there. A new archaeological site is often mentioned, and I often look them up. This one was also rife with some folklore, which I always find interesting.

The pace is good, with enough action that the books become a very fast read. I like how the author tells the story from different perspectives, and this really increased the suspense as the end grew near.

Overall, what can I say, this series is a sure bet!

This 11th installment of the series bids homage to the first book yet manages to maintain forward momentum. You can just see Ruth patiently excavating the newly discovered skeleton; Nelson rushing to and fro in his role as the conquering hero; Cathbad and Judy in domestic bliss yet with very distinct roles; Michelle doting on her new infant; little Kate charming each new acquaintance; all of our favorites are back with new ones to love. I don't want to give too much away. The connection to archaeology and academia makes us feel a bit smarter when we are done. Faithful readers of the series will most certainly not be disappointed. Give us more Ruth, Nelson & co!

Thank you Houghton Mifflin and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this new addition to the series in exchange for an honest review.

Elly Griffith’s latest addition to the Ruth Galloway series deals with an old murder of a 12-year-old girl who disappeared 30 years ago. The mystery itself is pretty entertaining, but is dragged out more than I would have preferred. The relationship aspects of this story line across the 11 books have been extended far beyond what a reader should have to endure. I personally am ready for there to be more resolution. Hopefully that will occur in the next installment or I may have to give up.

The Stone Circle is the eleventh book in the Ruth Galloway series by award-winning British author, Elly Griffiths. Nearly a decade ago, DCI Harry Nelson was the recipient of some anonymous letters that hampered his search for two missing girls. The writer of those letters, archaeologist Erik Anderssen, is dead. But now Harry and then Ruth, receive similar letters, exhorting them to “rescue the innocent buried” in the stone circle. Harry believes they have same mocking, erudite, menacing tone, but Ruth feels they are more benign.

Is it a coincidence that Erik’s son, Leif, also an archaeologist, has turned up at the same time? He’s conducting a new dig in the Saltmarsh near where, back then, the body of one of the missing girls was found. Harry doesn’t believe in coincidence. And that dig is exactly where they now find the body of a girl, missing for over thirty years. It’s a cold case that’s going to open up old wounds and raise old suspicions.

Both Ruth and Harry are still distracted by an attraction upon which they cannot act: Nelson has a wife, two adult daughters and now, a new baby boy, so he’s unlikely to jeopardise his marriage; Ruth accepts that but is unable (and perhaps unwilling?) to avoid encounters with the father of her seven-year-old daughter, Kate. Then the murder of a suspect in their cold case has Harry’s team redoubling their efforts without making much headway, when suddenly a missing newborn takes precedence.

Once again, Griffiths gives the reader an intriguing mystery full of twists, misdirections, red herrings and a number of possible suspects to keep the reader guessing right up to the final chapters. The circumstances of each disappearance are described from multiple perspectives by the many people involved, each with subtle differences as they are asked to try to recall any little detail that might not seem important. And it’s one of those little details that provides the critical clue.

Her characters, with all their flaws and quirks, are mostly appealing and easily believable. Ruth’s inner monologue is an utter delight: a little (but not too) self-deprecating, wry, insightful, and occasionally a bit cynical. Her ever-critical sister-in-law has foisted a Fitbit upon her: “Ruth fears that her relationship with the Fitbit is already an unhealthy one. She worries about its good opinion of her (otherwise why not take it off?) but she also resents its chirpy bullying. ‘Almost there! You’ve nailed your step target for the day!’ Never trust anyone, or anything, that uses that many exclamation marks.”

And while our heroine may be wearing a Fitbit, her enthusiasm for exercise has not changed: “Ruth scrapes her windscreen with her gym membership card. It’s the most use it ever gets.” Harry, meanwhile, is still working on getting his political correctness right and those alternative types remain hard to accept: “Nelson always finds it hard to imagine Cathbad sleeping. Somehow he pictures him hanging from the ceiling like a bat.” In this instalment, his paternal instincts have him threatening to kill someone.

This novel reads well as a stand-alone, but there are quite a lot of references to earlier cases and thus spoilers for earlier books if readers are intending to read the series. In particular, this novel refers back to The Crossing Places in detail, so it is advisable to read that one first. Another excellent dose of archaeology-laced Norfolk crime that will have readers eagerly anticipating Ruth’s next outing. Recommended.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publishers.

The past is reaching out to both Nelson and Ruth - in ways that are strange as the author of the previous missives is now long dead. Who could be knowing the style of writing, the cryptic poetry and the messages it conveys other than Erik himself and they both know he is dead.

When the body of a little girl is found within a henge (a circle of stone) and when carbon dating proves that it is of recent origin the detectives get their cold cases together to find out who would fit the profile. Apart from solving the case of the missing Margaret, there are many threads from previous cases which link all the characters together. From Michelle Nelson's wife who is about to give birth and does not know whether it is her husband's or her lover's child she is expecting to Ruth who finds it bitter sweet because Nelson is the father of her Katie. So much of inner tension in the story underlying the professional relationships which have to be maintained at all costs and impersonally, if the case is to be solved.
This was a different take on a mystery murder story. The detectives themselves had a convoluted history and apart from the main two, several others were also involved in the story. It added a different structure to the story.


Very much of a page turner in a different style this was a very good read.

Katie's now almost 8 and Nelson still hasn't told his girls with his wife Michele that she's his daughter. And, Michele just had his son- a late in life baby that brings both joy and relief that he's not the son of Tim with whom Michele had an affair. Children are at the heart of this wonderful latest installment in the long running series. The bones of a girl who has been missing since the wedding of Charles and Diana are found at an archeological dig and this opens a can of worms as the investigation into her killer moves through town. No spoilers on that. For Ruth, though, Leif, the son of Erik her teacher and mentor, is in the area for a dig. His prescense raises old questions. These are some of my favorite fictional characters- Ruth, Nelson, Judy, Cathbad in particular have wound their way into my brain and heart over the years. Because this series has gone so long, even I, a huge fan have forgotten some of the details of cases and incidents which make small appearances here but that's ok. I also think you'd be fine reading this as a standalone although you will have missed the joy of the journey (Cathbad's in particular). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This was a treat and an excellent read. I very much want to know what Ruth will do next (although I think the last lines of this let you know her decision about one thing.).

I discovered the Ruth Galloway series in March, and since then, I've blown threw all ten published novels and devoured the ARC of the 11th. Ruth is a strong, smart, academic protagonist. She's imperfect in many ways and makes questionable snap decisions, as do we all. In addition to the lead character, I love the arcs of *all* the characters, and have enjoyed seeing them evolve and develop over the course of the series. I have recommended this series to all my reader friends, and as soon as I finished "The Stone Circle", I Googled publication information for the 12th in the series. ;-) Highly recommend the latest entry in this smart series!

I have not been reading the Ruth Galloway series in order, so I was delighted to find that this was a follow-up story to the last book I read (The Crossung Places).. It was so simple to ease back in to the setting, characters and history. I am mesmerized by the archaelogy as well as the myth and mystical elements in this story of interlinking murders of girls in the past and present. There is much attention to archaelogical detail as well as unforced character development with Ruth (professor, police consultant and female protagonist) and her friends, family and colleagues. I intend to read this entire series and would recommend to anyone who is interested in archaeology and the Bronze and Stone ages, police procedurals and characters who ring true.

Enjoyed this book very much. Have read all in the series and love to catch up with what the characters are up to as well as looking forward to trying to solve the mystery of who done it.. would definitely recommend this this novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it

A police procedural with lots of atmosphere, strong characters (some are pretty quirky), and an ongoing attraction between DCI Nelson and archeologist Ruth Galloway. Highly recommended. (Full review here: https://readersforecast.blogspot.com/)

Though a typical subject for a mystery (a old case - the unsolved disappearance of a child), this book seemed to take a long time to find traction and the dialogue didn't click along as in most mysteries; one really has to work at reading or you might miss something important. Perhaps it was because there were so many characters with crossed relationships that keeping them straight was a chore. I found myself skipping ahead frequently (mostly so I would keep reading and not give up on this potentially good mystery). Maybe others found the book more interesting/compelling, at least I hope so. The author has created some solid characters (I loved the anthropologist/professor), several with complex relationships, and you can tell she spent a good while on research. I'll go back to this book in a few weeks and give it another go.