This latest addition to Griffiths popular series about Dr. Ruth Galloway, a brilliant and eccentric archaeologist in Norfolk, England. This book finds Ruth, her American partner Frank and her young daughter Kate living in Cambridge, where Ruth is now teaching. When a killer and his supporters want to only speak to Ruth to prove his innocence, DI Nelson persuades her to help, bringing her back into Saltmarsh and her circle of friends and colleagues there. Buried bodies are found and the mystery deepens, and does the chemistry between Ruth and Nelson. It's a good story and a good mystery, but the best part is the evolution of the characters and the relationships between. Kate is particularly interesting, becoming eccentric and fun like her mother. The novel ends with a bit of a cliffhanger, leaving an eagerness for the book thirteen.

I found this book very enjoyable. It is the 12th in the Dr Ruth Galloway series, and this series continues to go from strength to strength.

Ruth is no longer living in her beloved saltmarshes, instead she lectures at St. Jude's college at Cambridge University and lives with her American partner Frank in Cambridge, along with her daughter Kate. She spends a week at a writing retreat at the Grey Walls, while she finishes up her latest book.

Meanwhile Nelson is unhappy that Ruth has moved, but is busy working on a murder case. Ivor March was convicted for the murder of two young women, and Nelson firmly believes that he is guilty of two additional murders. When Ivor tells Nelson he will reveal the location of the two bodies if Ruth agrees to excavate them, Ruth is pulled back into the world of Nelson, and the rest of the detective crew.

We get to catch up with all the familiar team members, Judy, Cloughie and the rest, and also meet new DC Tony Zhang. We also return to the lives of Cathbad, his children and Nelson's family too.

Woven into the plot is the local story of the Lantern Men, men who drew people over the marshes to their death. Is the killer the Lantern Man? Is that Ivor March?

The plot is complex, and involves a large cast of characters, many of whom are connected to the Grey Walls retreat artistic community. But Griffiths does her usual wonderful job of keeping those characters distinct - weaving the story in such an intriguing way. We also see into the characters personal lives, and their motivations. I always enjoy the great descriptions of the Norfolk landscape - Griffiths really paints the picture for us of the location.

My only disappointment was that the book came to an end, and this quick and enjoyable read was over.

Many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review.

I’m a big fan of the Stephens and Mephisto series by Ellie Griffiths, so I expected great things from “The Lantern Men.” Unfortunately, this 12th in the series book needs more background information than you can get from Griffith’s back references. Great writing, and I look forward to catching up from #1!

A brilliant scientific investigator is requested by a serial killer to dig up the two remaining victims Inspector Nelson and his team need to prove that Ivor March is guilty. Thus begins the unraveling of this mystery of who killed these young women. They are all tall, blonde, and athletic the type Ivor has always preferred. Ivor is enigmatic,charming and very deceptive. Ruth is exacting, dogged, and clever and to Ivor a great match for his enterprise. TheLantern Men in the title refers to an old tale of a siren song that lures the young to their death in the Marshlands. It is a story of old dalliances and unrequited loves.

This was the perfect addition to the Ruth Galloway series. I admit I have read some, but not all of the books in this series. However, I didn't feel like I was missing anything by reading this and not having read some of the books prior to it. The thrills were plenty and the characters were well developed. I enjoyed this one!

The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths
Publication Date: July 14, 2020 - Out Today!!!

Description from NetGalley...
“Forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway changed her life—until a convicted killer tells her that four of his victims were never found, drawing her back to the place she left behind. Everything has changed for Ruth Galloway. She has a new job, home, and partner, and she is no longer North Norfolk police’s resident forensic archaeologist. That is, until convicted murderer Ivor March offers to make DCI Nelson a deal. Nelson was always sure that March killed more women than he was charged with. Now March confirms this and offers to show Nelson where the other bodies are buried—but only if Ruth will do the digging.”

Thank you to @NetGalley @hmhbooks for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.

My thoughts...
Honestly, I have a couple of Elly Griffiths on my TBR pile and after reading this book I cannot believe I have waited so long. Know that I will pick the first book from this series, as Griffiths has now become a favourite author. First thing’s first, I decided to read the lastest in her Ruth Galloway (forensic archaeologist) series because I wanted to know if it can be a stand-alone. Yes, it can be. Griffiths did a great job in providing background information to catch the reader up without compromising the story. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I could not put this it down. I just got hooked with the story. I totally like her style of writing, and I was able to connect with her characters. There were many twists and turns, and the ending surprised me. AND, a favourite, auto-buy author of mine, Louise Penny, said about the first book in the series: “Ruth Galloway is an inspired creation.” again, what took me so long?

I love Elly Griffiths' books. All of them. But most especially I love those that feature Dr. Ruth Galloway. Our book starts with Ruth living with the American, Frank, and her young daughter, Kate, in Cambridge. She is teaching at St. Jude's College.She has recently completed her latest book at a peaceful writers and artists retreat, Grey Walls, which is run by Crissy Martin.To Ruth's surprise, she actually finds herself connecting with Crissy, a rare thing indeed. Back in Norfolk, DCI Harry Nelson is not happy, to say the least, that Ruth has moved to Cambridge, that she's living with Frank, and most especially that he's unable to see Kate as often as he would like. However, Harry is in charge of a case when serial killer, Ivor March, is found guilty the murder of 2 young women that he buried in his girlfriend, Chantal's garden, the evidence of which is quite sufficient for a jury prosecution.

Unfortunately there are 2 missing women, Jenny McGuire and Nicola Ferris. Harry Nelson is convinced that Ivor also murdered them and he wants to bring closure for the victims grieving families. So Harry decides to visits Ivor in prison with hopes of obtaining his confession, but Ivor refuses to play that game unless Dr. Ruth Galway is involved. It's seems that Crissy is Ivor's ex-wife. She and Chantal believe that Ivor is innocent and feel that Phil Trent, Ruth's former boss, has messed up the original investigation. It's their belief that Ruth is far more skilled and they are determined to have Ruth lead the case. So, when Ivor gives a location on the grounds of the Jolly Boatman, despite not liking Ivor, Ruth reluctantly agrees to oversee the search for the women's bodies. She is back home in her beloved Norfolk, which she has missed terribly. There is folklore in the area of the "lantern men", people that lead others to their deaths and in the past, Ivor was part of a group of men, the Grey Wall set, which refers to themselves as the modern day "lantern men", who rescue women and bring them back to Grey Walls to live for a while.I

Ruth and Harry Nelson find more than they expected at the Jolly Boatman and to further muddy mix things up, another young woman, a cyclist from the Lynn wheels club is also fun murdered. Could this be a copycat killing? Or could there be the remote possibility that Ivor is truly innocent? I love returning to this group of some of my favorite characters in fiction. There is a new team member, named Tony Zhang. We also get to catch up with Cathbad, his wife, DI Judy Johnson,DI Cloughie, who now manages his own team, Nelson's family, including his your son, George, Maddie and all of the others. Ruth begins suffering panic attacks. It's clear to most That she is not happy at Cambridge, she misses Nelson, all her dreams of moving on appear to have come to nothing.This book is a fantastic addition to an already great crime series.

I would like to thank Elly Griffiths, Houghton Miflin Harcourt, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is at once beautiful and terrifying. This is the 12th book in the Ruth Galloway Mystery series. It has been two years in Ruth’s timeline since book 11. Ruth is living with Frank in Cambridge.
Nelson is investigating the murder of two women found in a house garden. Ivor March is the accused suspect.
Ruth is drawn in when more bodies need finding. Then another woman is found murdered and no one knows what to think because the police believe they have their murderer locked up.
Laura, Nelson’s daughter is drawn into the story. Ruth and Nelson both have conflicted feelings, neither completely happy about who their with - Frank and Michelle.
The last 20% has you on the edge of your seat wondering who of those we have been following is the murderer of five women.
This is masterfully woven and the salt marsh once again features as part of the terrifying climax.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the opportunity to review an early copy of the book.

Another great addition to the Ruth Galloway series. Ruth now lives with Frank in Cambridge and she has a new job. She is however drawn back to Norfolk due to a case. A convicted murderer offers the police a deal. He is willing to tell the police about the murders, but only if Ruth will handle the diggings to find the murder victims. Naturally she agrees. She is once again involved in a case that the media is all over. The case has something to do with the mysterious Lantern men, but who are they? Young, tall blonde women seem to be the target, but one of the victims does not fit the pattern…

It is an enjoyable read. The beginning took me by surprise since it took the reader two years forward from the previous book to Ruth’s new life. Once I got used to the idea the book focused mostly on Norfolk and its quirky people. This book is a solid part of the series and recommended to all Ruth Galloway fans!

Ruth has a new job, a new home and a new relationship, but she's not ready to leave the saltmarsh behind forever. When a convicted murderer offers Nelson a deal on the condition that Ruth get involved in the case, she's back into the thick of things. As bodies of young women are unearthed, both Ruth and Nelson try to figure out if the deaths are all connected, and when the investigation takes a personal turn, it forces everyone involved to question what they thought they already knew.

This is the 12th book of the Ruth Galloway series, which quickly became one of my favorite series, and I was really looking forward to reading this book. Thankfully, I was not disappointed, although it took a couple of chapters to get used to all the changes in Ruth's life since the last book. I even went back to the end of the previous book in the series to be sure I hadn't missed or forgotten something, but no, these were all new developments. I'm not sure how I feel about the two-year gap since the end of the previous book, especially with so many significant changes happening during that time.

The new setting took some getting used to, and, like Ruth, I missed the saltmarsh and her little cottage there. Most of the recurring characters were there, although some in what almost seemed like cameo appearances, which was a relief, as I like these characters and the interactions and relationships between them. The mystery was a good one, and I had a rather extensive list of possible suspects, but the person who was revealed as the killer was nowhere near the top of that list until the events leading up to the reveal started to point in that direction. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

It's a wonderful thing to reconnect with old friends....and this is how I feel about this book. Ruth and Nelson are like old friends that I miss between books. Alot has happened since The Stone Circle....it's 2 years later and Ruth is living with Frank and teaching in Cambridge, but she is drawn back to her beloved salt marsh and the Fens to help Nelson and the Police find the body of a missing woman. One of the things I really enjoy about Elly Griffiths' writing is how she includes the legends and folk tales into the story. A master at her craft Ms. Griffiths continues to write superb crime mysteries. This is the 12th Ruth Galloway book...and I've loved them all! Hopefully this series will have many more books.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read and review this book.

Dr. Ruth Galloway is brought back to her ‘old digging grounds’ to try and help DCI Nelson prove that a man already in jail has killed others. They find more bodies, but not everyone is convinced of who the actual murderer is. DCI Nelson and his team must sift through a group of people who all lived and worked together in the past. When people close to Nelson are put in danger, the truth is finally revealed.

I have read all of the Nelson/Galloway books, and I enjoy the stories and the mysteries that need need to be resolved. These books are well-written, and the stories are engaging. The story of ‘The Lantern Men’ is quite intriguing.

I think this is a solid addition to this series. I would have liked to see more of Ruth in the story, but it was still a solid mystery with good character development.

This one is a 4* which puts it as a great read for me
So shoot me now, as this is another series that I’m not reading in order!
I ought to as the characters develop throughout the series. They become like old friends that you catch up with. The Ruth Galloway series is fast becoming my comfort read. You know they are going to be a consistent standard, and can relax into them and enjoy them, more cosy crime than dark and Disturbing. A enjoyable read, lots of threads to the plot with bits of humour. I like ‘queen of the bleeding obvious’ to describe the profiler.
I was somewhat disturbed by Ruth’s circumstances in the beginning, it
felt a bit emotional at the end. The ending gets my seal of approval.
Thanks to netgalley for allowing me to read this book.
Look forward to reading more, although it’s anyone’s guess where on the time line I’ll land next 😊
I like the Cover of blue and lantern better than the fens house and lane I think
#netgalley #thelanternmen

DCI Harry Nelson is satisfied that Ivor March has been convicted of the murder of two young women but is also certain that he murdered at least two others, whose bodies have never been found. He's also unhappy that Ruth Galloway, a forensic archeologist, and their daughter Katie have moved from Norfolk to Cambridge to live with Frank, an American academic. Ruth, for her part, misses Norfolk but likes her new digs- and Katie's happy. Then March says he'll tell then where the bodies are if Ruth is the one who does the dig. They find not just the bodies they expected but another as well. Fans of the series (and it's so so good) know that this is much more complicated than that and that its the people as well as the mystery that make this a fantastic read. New readers- try it and know that there might be nuance you'll miss (especially between Ruth, Harry, and so on) but that this is a tricky and atmospheric read. Griffiths brings the marshes to life. You get a good slice of the region but even better of the people. This features a group of aging men and women who lived together in an artistic collective years ago, as well as March's lover. As always, there is a clue or two that I totally missed- as did Ruth at first- and there's a whopper of a twist. And a satisfying end. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A terrific addition to the series and now I want to know- really really want to know- what happens next.

This new mystery novel in the series did not disappoint. I am looking forward to more of Ruth Galloway, forensic archaeologist, when she returns to her home in the marshes after a stint teaching at Cambridge. Her mystery solving is enhanced by details of her home and love life!

Thanks to Netgalley, for an ARC of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

I was a little surprised, at the start of the book, to realize that a couple years had passed and that everything had changed - Ruth had changed jobs, was now living with Frank and teaching in Cambridge, Katie was a schoolgirl, rather than a day-care-going toddler. Even changes at the police station, with Clough moving on. OK, life moves on, and I think it was an interesting way for Griffiths to introduce some change into the series. Since the series is really about the people as much, or more, as about the specific crimes involved, it's going to get stale if you don't shake it up!

As it went on, though, it became pretty clear that Ruth is not living in a new paradise - she's having intermittent panic attacks, and there's no indication that she's particularly happy. Even the job - the only positive thing is that her office is a bit bigger than her old one. No suggestion that it's more challenging or interesting or satisfying.

While the crime itself is reasonably interesting, this was definitely a book that I found more interesting from the people perspective - and figuring out what is going to be happening next in Ruth's life. It's pretty clear that things will be changing again, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series to find out how!

We’re back in the heart of Norfolk for the action in this Ruth Galloway mystery, although Galloway is now based in Cambridge. I particularly liked the setting of Cley next the Sea, as I’ve enjoyed a good visit myself, luckily not full of death as in the book. The story revolves around a historical group of artists and a group of missing girls, and what is discovered in the present day when the group has dispersed. We follow familiar series characters as they interact both with the mystery and personally, and Griffiths writes with engaging skill. Another solid entry in the series. I received an ARC through NetGalley.

I have not read all the Dr. Ruth Galloway mysteries, but enough that I can sense a “can’t put I t down” installment from the first page. This was a home run. There is no time for note taking, little time for reflection, just read, turn the page, hold your breath, wait for it, turn the page, ah now I can get up and get a drink, have a bite to eat, the last page has been turned.

Many familiar characters, some staying for the entirety, some popping in and out. A few are newer to the scene which has moved to a city with different complexities. Griffiths populates her stories with as many suspects as the mind can handle as the story twists and points to this one and turns pointing to another. Clever, oh so clever. She can point out the frailties of her mainstay characters while never losing her focus of the mystery to be solved.

Thank you NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for a copy.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy the mysteries that Elly Griffiths writes. I've only read one of her Magic Men series, but I plan on eventually rereading that first one and catching up on the series. She's also had a standalone in the past year or two that was quite good. But I absolutely adore the misadventures of one Dr. Ruth Galloway and friends.

This one jumps ahead a little in time after the last one, setting everyone up in different locations geographically as well as in different places in their lives than the last time we saw them. This one also has a large cast of potential suspects, which made it really fun, since it was definitely a hard to solve mystery. We get a little more depth to some of the characters we already know (specifically Tanya), and we get a new character or two that also show some potential. I really like Tony Zhang!

I don't want to spoil anything, but here's a quick rundown: Ivor March is in jail for the murders of two women. There are a few more victims that have yet to be found, and Nelson and team are convinced Ivor March is responsible. Even more so when he tells them he'll reveal the location of the two bodies but only if Ruth manages the digs.

Of course, things get even more twisty after that. So I'll zip my lips and let you read and find out.

I'd really encourage you to read the rest of the series before this one. Lots of personal relationships and plot points from prior books will be spoiled if you don't. But you could read this one in its own if you wanted. Great entry into the series!