The night hawks are a group of men who go out in the hours of darkness to do metal detecting, looking for treasure around Norfolk (a bit odd, really). On one of their forays they find a body on the beach, alongside various artefacts. It appears the body is newly deceased.

Dr Ruth Galloway is an archaeologist, who was invited to investigate the artefacts and date another, much older, body found with them.

The same detectorists then hear screams and gunshots at Black Dog Farm, and find two people dead. DI Nelson, married but father to Ruth's daughter, takes the case to find out what has happened - is it murder or suicide?

The plot is quite twisty, particularly if, like me, you haven't read any Ruth Galloway mysteries before. The author brings new readers up to speed, but it is hard to keep track of who is involved with whom.

Overall its a good read, with a clever plot. I wasn't too enamoured of the supernatural references, and am never convinced that civilians would be drawn so easily into investigating murders, other than as expert witnesses.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ruth Galloway is now back in Norfolk and heads up the archaeology department following Phil’s retirement from the job. She has appointed Daniel Brown to lecture in her former role but Ruth finds him a bit confronting and irritating. He seems to want to insert himself into everything. He also a member of the local night hawks a group of ‘detectorists’ that like to go out at night with their metal detectors looking for buried treasure and artefacts. One night, while investigating a beach, they find more than they bargained for. Along with what appears to be a Bronze Age burial site with grave goods they also stumble across the body of a young man who seems to have just washed up on the shore.

The next night two of the detctorists are passing Black Dog Farm when they hear gunshots and screams, police are called and it looks like a murder (the wife) and a suicide (the husband). But the two Night Hawks who called it in were also on the beach the night before and DCI Nelson doesn’t like coincidences. It all gets very murky as it seems the dead man, Douglas Noakes, while an esteemed scientist was also an abusive husband and father. More deaths follow but it all seems to revolve around Black Dog Farm and some illegal activities being conducted there. There are plenty of suspects.

This was another outstanding addition to this wonderful series. Things get very exciting towards the end when a bunch of people are lured to the farm for a showdown. Someone is shot and Ruth’s new recruit seems to redeem himself in her eyes. Ruth and Nelson’s non-relationship takes an interesting turn. Could they find happiness in the future? I don’t know but I will keep reading to find out. I enjoyed this book a lot and highly recommend it to those who enjoy character driven mysteries. Many thanks to Netgalley, Quercus Books and Elly Griffiths for providing me with a copy to review. My opinions are my own.

4.5 stars rounded down.

I absolutely loved it. So brilliant being back with Ruth on the Norfolk Coast. Brilliant to see the ongoing dynamics between her and Nelson. The murder mystery elements of the book were also excellent as expected. I particularly enjoyed seeing Kate become more of her own person. In short I loved it.

I'm late to the party with this series, but I really enjoyed this book. Believable characters and a cracking plot, I especially liked the interaction and competition between the female police characters. This could also be used as a travel advert for Norfolk, I'm now longing to visit due to the wonderful descriptions.

I adore Elly Griffiths' novels and have done since the first Ruth Galloway came out. Ruth is a great character, and so are the recurring supporting characters, from Cathbad the Druid to Ruth's friend Shona to the ever-present Harry Nelson. The Night Hawks is another cracking read, skilfully plotted and beautifully told.

Anoth fantastic instalment of the fabulous Ruth Galloway series. I love how the characters are going and the latest story is steeped in history and danger. Can’t wait till the next one. Highly recommended #TheNightHawks #NetGalley

My second book by Elly Griffiths. Dark and mysterious with a striking visual imagery that positioned my mind clearly in that farmhouse. A cross between a police procedural, thriller and dark fable this had me gripped from page one. Grittiths has a well deserved place at the top table of thriller writers.

I greatly enjoyed this book and the interactions between the lead characters. It was a brilliant whodunnit with enough subtle interactions so as not to give the game away until the very end, and even then I didn’t see it coming! This was my first book by this author and the characters felt well established, however the back stories were not so complex that I felt at a loss as to what was going on and was therefore able to focus on the plot and events. I’m off to find more by this author so thank you to Netgalley for the advance reader copy and for introducing me to a new series to devour!

I love Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway books because they combine the joy of returning to much-loved characters and settings with the thrill of stories that are always original and compelling - and written beautifully. Familiar and fresh. Quality guaranteed. Like a specialty brew from Fortnums.

Elly Griffiths clearly knows just how to construct a great mystery but she does it with a lightness of touch that means you never feel manipulated and are always left satisfied. In ‘The Night Hawks’, just as Ruth digs and sifts the earth to uncover its secrets, so the human lives and psyches of the people around two people found dead in a remote farmhouse are explored to, little by little, expose the truth. I couldn’t stop reading and it was over far too soon.

This latest instalment has all the elements we expect: the landscapes of East Anglia, history and archeology, local folklore, family life and the ongoing will they/won’t they romance played out through subtle undercurrents in everyday exchanges and brief moments where the depth of passion is revealed like a split in the earth showing a glint of hidden treasure.

I came for the characters and stayed for the story. I love this series and this new addition is excellent. I can’t bear to think how long I have to wait for more.

What a return! I had been worried that the Ruth Galloway series was running out of steam but I am so glad to be wrong. Bodies, mysterious goings on in the middle of the night, demon dogs, viruses and of course, Ruth and Nelson - this book delivered everything that I was after and more.

Elly Griffth's characters are old friends and it was lovely to spend some time with them - they may be pondering the same moral quandries, but there are new characters to add intrigue and of course commit the required crimes. This series provides a warm reassuring blanket that we all need every now and then.

In this thirteenth book of the series, forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway has returned to the Norfolk fens that she loves so much. With her refusal of marriage to American historian Frank Barker, she has left Cambridge and taken over as Head of Archaeology from her old boss Phil Trent who has retired. She and her daughter Kate, now ten, are alone again living back in her little cottage on the coast. It's not long however before Kates father, DCI Harry Nelson calls her in to examine some bones found on the beach near the body of a young man.

The best feature of this series is the on-going development of the characters. Ruth is the star with her unconventional independence and her snarky but witty thoughts about people. Nelson is still conflicted by his love for Ruth and his devotion to his wife and family and is doggedly ignoring Super Jo, (his superintendent) and her strong suggestions that he should retire now he has completed thirty years of service. He loves nothing better to be involved in a case but fears DI Judy Johnson will look for promotion elsewhere if he doesn't leave. Judith's husband Cathbad, the Druid is also a star of this series with his knowledge of Norfolk myths and legends and calming influence on all. New archaeology Lecturer David Brown initially annoys Ruth with his enthusiasm, but she has warmed to him by the end of the book and it will be interesting to see where he will find his place in the series.

As further deaths occur to muddy the waters, the plot is very much aided by the strength of the characters Following the discovery of the body on the beach, a research scientist and his wife are found dead in their home. The Night Hawks, a group of licensed metal detectorists who look for ancient relics on the fens at night are very much at the centre of the murder investigation with multiple connections between them and the dead. For me the plot felt a little weak, as we are told the scientist was involved in illegally testing a drug or vaccine, but this was never really elaborated on as to what he was testing and why he couldn't do this through his research company. Despite that quibble, there are lots of interesting background details that all come together to make this an entertaining read. Such as the local legend of a large black dog with hellfire eyes, the Black Schuck, a harbinger of death. Also the bones and archaeological relics found on the beach, possibly belonging to a group of European invaders called the Beakers, who may have brought a virus with them that caused the disappearance of the local inhabitants. Together it all made for a very engaging read.

This is another series that has stood the test of time, gone beyond double figures, with absolutely no sign of flagging. It's also another of my favourites and I really can't believe we've got to book 13. As per usual, it will work as a stand alone at a push as the main story is self contained, but to get the very best from the series as a whole - character development and backstory - please do start from book one and read in order. I realise this is a bit of a chore being as there are 12 books to play catch-up with but you'll thank me, I'm sure!
So... after a spell away, Ruth is back at UNN. This time she's in charge, she's only gone and scored Phil's old job as he's retired. Daughter Kate is also glad to be back, to see her old friends and also to be closer to father Nelson, the local DCI who Ruth met way back when she first consulted for the police. In this book, she is called upon once again when ancient bones are found near a fresh crime scene. A scene discovered by a local group of metal detectorists - yes, that's a thing apparently - and she swiftly gets embroiled into more than just the bones when there's a second body. Meanwhile, Nelson has his hands full with what looks to be a murder-suicide at an isolated farm and calls upon Ruth again to try explain something found in the suicide note.
All seems a bit strange - well it's par for the course for our crimefighting duo and their sidekicks - Cathbad included (love him) and it becomes more and more perilous for most as the story progresses to a rather exciting conclusion...
I love this series. I love the setting, the characters, their interactions, and the plots. I really don't know where the author gets all these great plots from. And each book is just as fresh as the last. And interesting too - well, that rather goes with the topics and the archaeology and spiritual nature of the characters. I always have to be careful when I start a new book by this author and make sure I have cleared the decks as I know that once I go in, I'm there for the duration. This book was no exception and I pretty much read start to finish in a day.
Yes there's a bit of personal stuff to complement the crimes - Ruth's dad plays a bigger part herein - and there's the usual Ruth-Nelson-Michelle triangle to contend with. But joy of joys we also get to reconnect with an old friend who I have to admit I've missed. DODI indeed!
All in all a cracking addition to an already well established and favourite series. Roll on next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Another treat I kept for the holidays. Reading books from a series can be comforting and Elly Griffiths knows how to combine a good mystery with interesting characters and a developing back story. The setting also contributes a lot to the atmosphere. Ruth Galloway is one of those characters who changes a lot over time but still stays faithful to herself. Best to read the series in order, but it can also be enjoyed separately.

I am a big fan of this series and this latest instalment didn’t disappoint. All the old characters appear and we have another enthralling mystery on our hands. What I like about this series is although it is crime fiction, it’s as much about the characters and their lives as it is about the crime in question. This particular book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger in that respect (no spoilers). If you haven’t read Ruth Galloway before I suggest you start right at the beginning to get the most out of the series. Even if you’ve never read crime before, you might love this series as an introduction to the genre because it is not gory. Either way, I highly recommend this book and this series!

It was lovely to be back in the world of one of my favourite literary heroine’s, the archaeologist and academic Ruth Galloway. I always feel at home in this space Elly Griffiths has created, with an evocative feeling of Norfolk at its centre. She presents the wide skies, marshlands and seascapes and their flora and fauna so clearly I feel like I know it. Yet there’s always that sprinkling of the mystical, the pagan, and the long buried beliefs of a Norfolk long ago. This mix of the earthy, real and scientific as opposed to the mystery and magic is something also echoed in her characters: the craggy, straightforward, Nelson; the Druid Cathbad with his cloak, sayings and pronouncements; Ruth somewhere in-between - appreciating the science and procedure of her work, but not fully dismissing the beliefs and mysticism that surrounds the burials she visits and excavates.

The Night Hawks of the title are a local metal detecting group, who stumble upon a burial site out on the marshes towards the sea. Ruth has been here before, excavating a ‘henge site’ with her then professor, Eric - a man whose conflict between mysticism and science still hangs over this place. The group finds a hoard of Bronze Age weapons, but nearby they also find a body. Nelson thinks it might be an asylum seeker, desperately trying to cross the channel in tiny boats and fallen overboard. He rings Ruth anyway, because he knows she’ll be able to date the weapon find and know if there’s any link. The body turns out to be a local boy, Jem Taylor, who has just been released from prison and has a distinctive tattoo of a snake on his neck. Cathbad suggests this may be a nod to the local legend of the Norfolk Serpent. This could be an accidental drowning, but a second body suggests murder. There are no real clues to who might have wanted Jem dead.

The second case Nelson is called to investigate is that of a couple who seem to have died in a murder-suicide at a local farm. Black Dog Farm is linked to another local legend, that of the Black Shuck, a large black ghostly dog that is said to appear to people before they die. Nelson is sceptical of course, but since the suicide note ends with the ominous ‘he’s buried in the garden’ he asks Ruth to excavate. Ruth has already had a strange encounter with a large animal on a country lane, so her mind starts whirring when she finds large animal bones. Maybe Cathbad has more wisdom than they give him credit for. As Nelson and Judy talk to the couple’s children and Ruth thinks about the farm, it seems clear that there’s something very wrong about Black Dog Farm, something that might signal serious danger for all concerned.

I never stop talking about how much I love Ruth Galloway and here she’s back to herself after a period of time living with her partner Frank in Cambridge. Norfolk is in Ruth’s bones it seems. She and Kate seem to belong in the small cottage that looks out to the coastline, with their cat. Ruth seems to be still recovering and I love how Griffiths writes Ruth’s inner thoughts as she contemplates the choice she made: to be true to her love for someone unavailable, leaving her alone at times. As we’re all a bit battered by love and relationships as we hit our forties, I found her contemplation of loneliness within and without relationships truthful and moving. What I love most about this character is her authenticity. She doesn’t dumb down her intelligence, she doesn’t change her style and when absorbed in a really mucky dig can be decorated with mud from head to foot but doesn’t care. She is resigned to live on the fringes of Nelson’s life and knows his loyalty must be with his wife Michelle, but this case is a tricky one and may bring them close to danger once again. If one of of their lives is at risk, what will happen to those loyalties?

This was a great addition to the Galloway series and has all the ingredients I enjoy: a potentially sinister group of men, the appearance of a mystical creature, the mix of hard science, history and pagan ritual. All my favourite characters are present - I’m always intrigued with the attraction between Judy and Cathbad. There are new people too. There’s a new man in Ruth’s department at the university, a researcher whose very keen to take charge of the Bronze Age site and seems to be everywhere they turn on this case. Could he be a threat to Ruth’s settled life, her accord with Nelson, her academic prowess or something even more sinister. I found myself suspicious of him throughout. I was recently having a chat on Twitter, including Elly Griffiths and we discussed casting for a potential TV series ( come on BBC what are you waiting for?). Ruth Jones seemed to be the choice for Ruth, David Tennant for Cathbad and either Debra Stephenson or Leanne Best as Michelle. Nobody had a good idea for Nelson. We all agreed he needed to be older, a bit craggy but somehow attractive, with a twinkle in the eye. I’m putting forward either David Morrissey or Phillip Glenister - both would have the necessary Northern bluntness I think. Till then I’ll wait patiently for the next instalment, when I expect big changes for my favourite archaeologist.

This will appear on my blog close to publication day and will then appear on social media, as well as the usual review sites.

This is the latest in Elly Griffiths’ series with forensic archaeologist, Dr. Ruth Galloway. Even though it is part of a series it can easily be read as a stand-alone.

Ruth has taken a new job as Head of Department as her previous boss, Phil has retired. She finds the transition difficult. Then, a body is washed up on Cley beach being found by The Night Hawks who are a group of metal detectorists who operate mainly at night. As well as this they unearth old bones so Ruth is called to investigate the origins of the bones and artifacts.

DCI Harry Nelson, father to Ruth’s daughter, Kate, arrives to investigate the body washed up by the tide. Nelson, married to Michele has a complicated relationship with Ruth.

Two more bodies turn up at Black Dog Farm (named after a Norfolk Legend). Initially these appear to be murder followed by suicide. As always with this author’s excellent storylines all is not as it seems.

Brilliantly written and cleverly plotted with numerous twists and turns throughout.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Quercus Books and Elly Griffiths for my ARC of The Night Hawks in return for my honest review.

Another storming read and highly recommended.

This is the first Ruth Galloway novel I have read and it certainly will not be the last!

The characters are genuine and have great depth and have great interaction with each other.There is enough back story to be able to enjoy this book without having read previous novels in the series.

Night hawks are a group of metal detectorists who enjoy detecting at night .They find a body on a beach and that’s where the story begins , to add to this a shooting takes place at a farm house where two people are left dead is it a murder suicide?
The relationship between Ruth and Nelson is intrinsic , not only the personal one but also the professional one too. I found the story fast paced and had twists and turns that kept me reading chapter after chapter. I did not expect the final twist at all.

Highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for this Arc copy.

What a treat! Ruth is back in Norfolk with her daughter Kate and yet another ancient body makes an appearance on a nearby beach close to another more recent body washed up by the tide. Nelson is in charge of the investigation bringing Ruth in to help. The usual mix of ancient rituals, mythical ghost dogs and suspicions all add to the story along with a metal detectorists group called the Night Hawks who seem to be mixed up in every crime scene Nelson and his team are called to.
A great yarn with well loved characters all make up an excellent read. Highly recommended!

Another fabulous story about featuring Dr Ruth Galloway. Loved the plot and the character development. The storyline is a gripping as ever and really catapults the reader into Norfolk and into the lives of all the characters. Such a welcome read at these times.

This is the first Elly Griffiths novel I’ve read and won’t be the last, there’s clearly a great mix of established characters not just forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson but the university staff and police staff too. I did feel I was on a bit of a back foot where some elements of character history were concerned however it didn’t stop me enjoying the general story and appreciating the camaraderie between characters. This is very solidly written with a strong storyline and plenty of twists and action and no shortage of potential suspects. The Norfolk mythology was interesting and added to the feel of the location which has some very atmospheric areas. I’m definitely intrigued as to how the character elements of this continue and will be looking out fit the next book as well as some of the previous ones.