This is latest book in the series about Ruth Galloway, an archaeology professor at the University of North Norfolk. In this one, there are a few people that end up dead, and Ruth's ex is in charge of investigating the murders. The “Night Hawks” seem to be the ones that keep finding the bodies, and it seems like an odd coincidence that this group of amateur archaeologists keep stumbling upon corpses...

The pace moves along nicely in this book, and no time is wasted building up the characters. This might be because this is already book 13, and many readers are probably familiar with the cast and their relationships. I hadn't read any of the previous books, and while I wouldn't say that they are required to enjoy this story; it certainly seems like being aware of all of that history might add something to the book. I might go back and read some of the other books in the series.

Overall, I liked the author's writing style, and I thought she did a good job of making the plot sufficiently difficult to predict. At times I wasn't as invested in this one as some other mystery/thriller books, but I think the story was solid; and I can see how I might be more interested if I had read the other books. There also seemed to be at least one plot element not resolved or explained, but again maybe that was addressed in another book? As it stands I would give it about a 3.5 / 5

Continuing her Ruth Galloway series Elly Griffiths has set this murder mystery in North Norfolk with a whole different group of annoying people. OK, irritating people, a new hire in her department who is particularly aggravating, a body, a new excavation, a long time myth, Ruth, Nelson, Nelson’s wife in that ugly triangle, Cathbad and his partner Judy and off we go. Another great installment in the series which held my attention throughout.

Thank you NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for a copy

The Night Hawks is the 13th Dr. Ruth Galloway archaeology murder mystery by Elly Griffiths. Released 29th June 2021 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, it's 368 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

This is one of my "must read" series, so much so that although I am often allowed to access and review pre-release copies, I always buy my own physical copies to keep and revisit. There are only a couple other mystery series in that category for me. I like that Ruth is unapologetically intellectual, resourceful, and realistic. She's also loyal and fairly brave. 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.

The ensemble cast of returning characters are so well rounded and clearly written at this point that they seem to have internal lives of their own and are utterly believable. They speak, behave, and react in character and the dialogue and actions are believable and realistic. The writing and plotting are seamless and develop at a good pace. I never felt that the book was dragging or slow. The climax and denouement were mostly expected, but there were a few subtle twists which I definitely didn't see coming.

This is not really a standalone book. I adore the series and would recommend reading them more or less in order, especially since the books reference things which have happened in the previous books. 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.

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.

At the end of the last book in the Ruth Galloway series, [book:The Lantern Men|44148076], one could see that changes were coming - she was not satisfied with her move to Cambridge, her new job, or her relationship with Frank. And, sure enough, at the beginning of [book:The Night Hawks|51830272], she's back in Norfolk. She's now the head of the department, since Phil has retired, she's living in her remote and well loved cottage, and has resumed her "old" life.

A group called the Night Hawks prowls the beaches at night, looking for treasure and artifacts, when one night they find a body on the beach. At first, the police think he's an asylum seeker who accidentally drowned, but when they discover he's actually a local young man, their inquiries get more complicated. At the same time, there's a murder-suicide at nearby Black Dog Farm.

The mystery is an intriguing one, but most of all, as in the other books in this series, the ongoing character development is the best. Characters like Judy and Cathbad are continuing to develop and Cathbad, in particular, is becoming less of a caricature and more and more of an intriguing person. Even Clough makes an appearance in this one, although he has moved on to another police department.

The relationships are getting more complicated, and I can't wait for the next installment to find out how they develop!

In the 13th entry in the Ruth Galloway series, we find Ruth and her daughter Kate back in Norfolk. Ruth is now head of the department at the university, dealing with the perils of being in charge. This includes handling David Brown, her replacement as lecturer, who always seems to be in Ruth's business. As for Nelson, his boss Jo wants him to retire--something Nelson is firmly against. Instead, Nelson and team find a body washed up on shore, as well as a skeleton that Ruth believes may date to the Bronze Age. Thrown together again, Nelson and Ruth find themselves investigating a series of murders--all of which relate to a group of local metal detectorists, who keep finding the bodies, and the myth of the Black Shuck, a black dog who forewarns of death.

I love all of the Ruth books, but oh, this one was a particular favorite. It's creepy with the references to the Black Shuck filling you with an ominous sort of fear. There's the usual atmospheric feeling from a Ruth book, especially with Ruth returning to her beloved Norfolk--with the marshes, the sea, and the tides playing their own role in the story.

Griffiths writes with her typical charm and wit where you feel like you know Ruth, Nelson, and the whole gang. Clough shows up and Cathbad, our lovable druid and partner to Judy, Nelson's faithful DI, has a strong role. Everyone seems like an old friend at this point. The book is filled with Nelson and Ruth banter and plenty of tension between the two; it was excellent!

The mystery in this one is superb, as the bodies pile up and Nelson tries to figure out how the Night Hawks relate to his case, and why David Brown seems to follow Ruth everywhere. It kept me guessing, which is something I always appreciate! The Black Shuck myth adds a creepy element on top as well.

Overall, this is a lovely book with an captivating mystery and wonderful characters who are beloved. I'll be so sad when this series ends, but I'm loving it right now. This book will stand alone, but you'll fully appreciate the Ruth and Nelson nuances/dynamic if you read them all.

Always good to catch up with the characters in this series. Interesting story, great characters, and the setting is amazing as always. Looking forward to the next one in this series already.

Several years ago I spent a bit of reading time with Ella Griffiths and her protagonist Ruth Galloway. Dr. Galloway has returned in her 13th murder mystery entitled “The Night Hawks.” Dr. Galloway is a forensic archeologist working (again) in Norfolk, England and again gets involved in a contemporary murder case while simultaneously researching some newly-found bones.
The Night Hawks are a group of amateur detectorists walking around Norfolk at night with metal detectors searching for all-things interesting that may be under the ground. They find a body on the beach in North Norfolk and off we are on our latest suspenseful adventure. I enjoy these stories but wish the forensic archeology would be beefed up as a larger percentage of the narrative and reduce the amount of the on-going drama of the awkward love affairs between the main characters. Don’t get me wrong: the story is enjoyable but my personal tastes would lean more towards the CSI stuff than the romance stuff.
A solid read…and I am glad that NetGalley gave me the chance to reconnect with this series.

The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths is the 13th in the Ruth Galloway mystery series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, 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 (Kate) 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)
After two years, Ruth has left Cambridge, and Frank, behind.  She is  back in her home on the Saltmarsh, and now Head of Archaeology at the University of North Norfolk.  She has taken over Phil Trent's job when he decided to take an early retirement.

She has hired a new lecturer to take over her old post, and she isn't sure why David Brown annoys her so much.

Nelson calls her to the beach when a body is found by a group of local metal detectorists that call themselves the Night Hawks.  They have also uncovered some Bronze Age artifacts.   She isn't impressed with this group of amateur archaeologists, but David thinks they are wonderful.

Unfortunately, that will not be the first body that Ruth gets involved with, and when a murder-suicide turn up at a farmhouse which is supposedly haunted by a humongous black dog, Nelson wants Ruth to dig up the backyard.  That farmhouse will involve more death, and Ruth finds herself in danger.


My Opinions:
First, these books must be read in order so that you can appreciate the intricate dynamics of each character, and their relationship to the others. 

I am so happy that Ruth is back at her old university and the saltmarsh.

You can actually feel the tension every time Ruth and David interact.  It actually made me feel uncomfortable.  The relationship between Ruth and Nelson is again showing promise, and I alternate between hoping they will get together, and liking the status quo.  Since the birth of Nelson and Michelle's little boy,  Ruth has been somewhat cast aside, but things look like they may change yet again.  Although I am not a romance reader, these people have become family to me, and they all seem to be hurting.

The plot was definitely interesting, and the suspects many.  I love how the local legends always get wound through the stories.

Another fast read, and I can't wait for the next one.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths is the thirteenth book in her Ruth Galloway Mystery series. I always wonder when a series gets up into the teens is, does it still work, or is it simply a tired re-hash? I am delighted to say that, yes, this book works very well, and I devoured it in less than a day, which given my attention span lately, is nothing short of miraculous. Ruth is back in Norfolk and is now heading her old department at the University when she called out to a crime scene because ancient artifacts were found close to the body. DCI Nelson and his crew are investigating and soon discover that a recent murder/suicide has links to the first body. I enjoyed this book immensely and highly recommend this book and the other books in the series. #TheNightHawks #EllyGriffiths #RuthGallowayMystery #MysterySuspenseBooks #mysteryseries #HoughtonMifflinHarcourt #bookstagram #bookstagrammer

I love a classic mystery and Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway books are among the best! The Night Hawks is #13 and I have read and loved each one. Often I'm impatient to wait until a new book comes out in the US so I order it from the UK. The Night Hawks is a fascinating look into Ruth's world. Amateur archeologists come across Bronze Age artifacts along with a body and she is drawn into another police investigation. All the characters in this series are like old friends that I've known for years. Ruth is a brilliant archeologist but struggles with her personal life.....a life that continues to include DI Harry Nelson, the father of her now 10 year old daughter (how did she grow up so fast?). Their relationship is frustrating to say the least.
What really draws me to these books (besides a top notch mystery and totally engaging characters) is the sense of place. I have never been to England, never seen the salt marshes that surround Ruth's home, but thanks to Ms Griffiths' descriptions I can smell and taste them in the air around me.
Thank you Elly Griffiths for another virtual trip to England and thoroughly engaging ìstory.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy reading series books - following along with character's lives and settling in to catch up with old friends. Elly Griffiths' Dr. Ruth Galloway series is one of my absolute favorites. The latest (#13) is The Night Hawks.
Ruth is a forensic archaeologist in the beautiful Norfolk area in England. She's head of her department at the University and often consults with the police on cases.

I really enjoy Ruth. I think it's because she isn't a 'cookie-cutter' protagonist. She is a single mother looking at her fifties. She's shy and reticent about accepting praise. She is highly intelligent, empathetic and tolerant. Griffiths has not endowed her with super sleuth abilities, rather she comes off as an actual person - unabashedly and happily herself. Her only worry is making sure her daughter Kate is happy as well. There's a large cast of supporting characters, including the local DCI Harry Nelson and a number of other well drawn, engaging players. The relationship between Nelson and Ruth is complicated and is one of the most intriguing storylines. My favorite after Ruth is Cathbad, a self proclaimed Druid. He's enigmatic and he seems to see and recognize things that the others don't. A wonderful little sense of the mystical is woven throughout this series.

The setting is also a large part of the books. Griffith's descriptions have had me exploring Norfolk online. I think I would enjoy living in her little cottage in the Saltmarsh, 'where the sea and the sky meet.'

The Night Hawks are a detectorist group who come upon a body - one recent and one very old. I am fascinated by the items that are found in the ground in Norfolk - the historical element of the books is quite informative and interesting. The mystery in each and every book is well plotted. This latest had me guessing to the end - I was quite surprised by the whodunit.

This series is so good on so many levels. But it is the characters that are the main draw for me. Griffiths always leaves the door open with a little teaser for the next book. For those that have read previous entries - it's a cliff hanger!

I highly, highly recommend this character driven mystery series. You could certainly read this book as a stand alone, but do yourself a favor and start with the first book, The Crossing Places.

It's always cause for celebration when a new Elly Griffiths novel comes out! The Night Hawks is the lucky thirteenth instalment in Griffiths' archaeologically-themed Dr. Ruth Galloway series, and is just as gripping as her legion of fans have come to expect.
A group of "Night Hawks", amateur but registered metal detectorists, come across the body of a young man, while searching for coins in the dunes of the Blakeney National Nature Reserve.
Dr. Ruth Galloway has returned from teaching at Cambridge University to head up the archaeology department at the University of North Norfolk, her former boss Phil Trent having retired. She's called in by D.C.I. Harry Nelson to consult when an apparently Bronze-age skeleton is unearthed, together with a hoard of ancient weapons, not far from the current crime scene. Within days, a police officer who was a first responder at Blakeney Head has died suddenly and an apparent murder-suicide occurs at a Norfolk farmhouse, two of the "Night Hawks" again happening on the scene. How are the deaths connected, or is the presence of the same witnesses purely coincidental?
Elly Griffiths' plotting is of a superlative standard, as usual. The Night Hawks has a complex, multi-layered plot with many seemingly separate narrative threads, all drawn cleverly together for a thrilling and satisfying conclusion. There's plenty of archaeological material for Ruth to get her trowel into, and additional themes of medical ethics, dysfunctional families and local legend.
The main character, Dr. Ruth Galloway, is well-developed and three-dimensional, balancing the challenges of single parenthood with a demanding career. In many ways, she's pleased to be back in familiar territory at UNN, albeit in a management role, with all that entails. She, 11-year-old Kate and their cat, Flint, are all pleased to be living back at their Saltmarsh cottage. However, a new colleague is antagonising her and her relationship with D.C.I. Nelson, who's also Kate's father, continues to be somewhat prickly.
The wonderful Cathbad, Ruth's multi-talented druid / intuitive friend, plays an important supporting role throughout The Night Hawks, his personality leaping off the page in every scene in which he appears. He continues to be one of my favourite characters in the series.
While The Night Hawks would be an engrossing read as a standalone, reading as a continuation of the series is especially rewarding, given the wonderful cast of recurring characters and their evolving relationships.
I'd highly recommended this title to all readers who enjoy intelligent character-based mysteries and psychological dramas. An interest in matters archaeological is not essential, but for those who are interested in the field, this series is a real treat!
My thanks to the author, Elly Griffiths, publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this title.

This was a great addition to the Ruth Galloway series. The mystery was good and I enjoyed the story about the characters as well. I finished in one day, I just couldn’t put it down.

The plot of this book was great - body found AND ancient skeleton found with artifacts from the Bronze Age. It had some good twists and turns and mostly kept my interest. But there were so many characters and I had a terrible time keeping track of them. When I found out this is the 13th in a series, I realized why. Readers have been with many of these characters for 12 previous books and probably have no trouble remembering who is who. I was at a disadvantage. As a story, this stood by itself, but I think had I had all the background knowledge I would have liked it more. 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

4.58 stars

The Night Hawks is the newest installment in the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths. Ruth is an archeologist, professor and freelances with the police as a forensic archeologist. In The Night Hawks, we find her navigating two cases whose bodies were discovered by detectorists, investigating bronze age artifacts unearthed at the first crime scene, and working with a new University of North Norfolk hire, lecturer David Brown.

I really enjoyed this book; Even though this is the 13th book in the series, it the first one I read. I was pleasantly surprised to feel "welcomed" by the characters. I got a clear sense of who they are and didn't feel lost or rushed to get situated. But I won't lie, I wish I had followed the characters from the beginning. I felt like I had missed out on something special. I was jealous of those who have been following Galloway since her debut. So jealous, in fact, that I purchased all the books in the series and I plan to read them all before the 14th book comes out!

The characters are so endearing, flawed, and so very human. I loved observing the interaction of characters who have been together a while and new characters trying to find their place in these established dynamics. What I loved the most in the book, though, was the terrific use of local legends in building an atmosphere that was tense, engaging, addicting, and hella creepy at times.

The Night Hawks can be read on its own, and I highly recommend you do, but if you can. Read the series in order because the characters are fantastic, and I bet each of their arcs through the novels will be wonderful to witness.

I guess I found my next series to binge!

Disclaimer: I first read it as an ARC. In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Elly Griffiths, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of The Night Hawks.

I feel like I can always count on Elly Griffiths and her heroine Ruth Galloway for a solid read. Most of the books are relatively formulaic, but I find that comforting, and the cast of characters introduced in each new story is always fantastic, in my opinion. In this one, Ruth - newly made Head of Archaeology and University of North Norfolk - gets called in by Nelson on a case that centers the Night Hawks, a group of metal detectorists with a shared interest in archaeology. The Night Hawks come across the body of a twenty-something guy during one of their night explorations, and they also find a big pile of Bronze age weaponry and what appears to be a human skeleton. Ruth determines that the bones are Bronze age as well (she seems to have really good luck finding significant old bones). Soon after, a couple is found dead in their home, from what looks like an incredibly brutal murder-suicide, and that death is called in by some Night Hawks as well. Lots of good red herrings, as usual, and Elly Griffiths really just nails the spooky atmospheric isolated location thing every time. Also, lots of Cathbad in this one, and I love that guy.

In the thirteenth of the Ruth Galloway series, the Night Hawks, a group of metal detectorists, are searching for buried treasure when they find a body on the beach in North Norfolk. At first Nelson thinks that the dead man might be an asylum seeker but he turns out to be a local boy, Jem Taylor, recently released from prison. Ruth is more interested in the treasure, a hoard of Bronze Age weapons. Nelson at first thinks that Taylor's death is accidental drowning, but a second death suggests murder.

Nelson is called to an apparent murder-suicide of a couple at the isolated Black Dog Farm. Local legend talks of the Black Shuck, a spectral hound that appears to people before they die. Nelson ignores this, even when the owner's suicide note includes the line, 'He's buried in the garden.' Ruth excavates and finds the body of a giant dog. All roads lead back to this farm in the middle of nowhere, but the place spells serious danger for anyone who goes near.

Although not the strongest entry in this series, I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but more for the personal lives than for the mystery. Nelson's boss is pressuring him to retire, but he just doesn't want to do that. His and Ruth's relationship keeps getting more complicated (his jealousy of other men is becoming more apparent in each book). Other characters (Judy, Cathbad, Kate, Michelle, Tanya) are just as important plus maybe two more have been added to the mix.

Recommended.

As the 13th book in the Ruth Galloway series, you might think that the story might be getting stale, but The Night Hawks is anything but stale. There is a new mythological creature, the Black Shuck, to learn about. There is a group of metal detector/treasure hunting enthusiasts that find more than they are looking for one night on the beach. Ruth is now head of the archeology department at the university in Norfolk. Nelson is set on dying in the saddle as it were, although Jo is trying to get him to retire.
The mystery is intricate and involves not one but four dead bodies by the end. There are plenty of suspicious characters including David Brown, the new lecturer Ruth hired.
Ruth and Nelson both spend some time looking back and being nostalgic. It kind of makes me want to go back and read the first book again.
There is so much I love about the Ruth Galloway series. It is more traditional mystery with police procedural rising to the fore. Ruth seems to get dragged along for the ride most the time. She is not really doing any sleuthing but is generally involved when the solution is found.
I think there is enough backstory and introduction that someone could read this book without having read any of the others in the series.

The Night Hawks is another solid installment in Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series. Like previous books, she introduces intriguing new characters--this time in the form of Ruth's freshly hired faculty member David Brown, an obnoxious colleague who seems like he could be making a play at frienship or more-ship, but may also have nefarious intent. But the real meat of the story is in the interworkings of the familiar cast and their involvement in a murder-suicide at local Black Dog Farm.

Griffiths reliably hits the sweet spot between attention to the science and not so much detail that I (a forensic archaeologist) get annoyed or distracted by critiquing the degree of realism. The way the modern forensic cases weave in with the fascinating prehistory of the area is always one of my favorite parts of these stories, and though it seems like she should have run out of interesting facets of Ruth's home stomping grounds, it still delivers on those grounds.

The main characters' personal lives proceed at a snail's pace in these books, but I enjoyed every peek into Judy and Cathbad's lives, watching Kate grow, and . . . that cliffhanger ending! #NoSpoilers but I closed the book already needing the next installment!!

In The Night Hawks, we find Ruth Galloway has returned to her cottage by the marshes at seaside and is now head of her department at UNN, having succeeded her predecessor Phil who decided to retire. She’s back home where her friends are; her daughter Kate is now ten. Life is moving on.

As the new school session gets underway, Ruth receives a phone call from Nelson requesting she come to a death scene on the coast. A local group, the Night Hawks, amateur detectors of archeological remains (all done very above board, of course), had discovered a possible hoard along with a newly dead body. Ruth is to deal with the potential Bronze Age hoard while the police deal with the death. Soon there will be more death to deal with as well as some odd behavior by a new work associate at the university, some of the Night Hawks and a spectral black dog tied to local legends.

In a plot that becomes increasingly complex as the field of suspects opens up, as does the field of motives, the relationships of core characters remain as important as ever. This is another great entry in the Ruth Galloway series.

Once again, I recommend you begin this series earlier in the books since relationships between characters is very important. If possible, begin at the start which will give you a great group of books ahead of you.

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