Book Review - The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

 

In The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths, forensic archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway is drawn into a chilling investigation when a child's bones are discovered near ancient sacred grounds, uncovering dark secrets buried in both the past and present. 

Ruth loves living in Saltmarsh, a remote area near Norfolk that was once sacred to the people of the Iron Age. The region is swampy and treacherous, with the sea capable of swallowing anyone who isn’t careful or who loses their way.

When Ruth isn’t teaching at a local college, she participates in archaeological digs in the area. So, when a child’s bones are discovered on a desolate beach near her home, Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson requests her help with the investigation.

Nelson believes the bones may belong to Lucy Downey, a little girl who went missing ten years ago and hasn’t been heard from since. He has been receiving taunting, cryptic letters about Lucy’s disappearance, filled with references to rituals, sacrifice, and religion. However, the bones turn out to be over two thousand years old and unrelated to Lucy’s case. Despite this, Ruth finds herself increasingly drawn to the mystery of Lucy’s disappearance and the unsettling letters. When another child goes missing, Ruth and Nelson are determined to find her before it’s too late.

I thought the book was an okay read. It had a few unexpected twists and turns—some of which I was able to guess, but not all. One aspect I didn’t like was how often the narrative commented on Ruth’s weight and appearance. When I converted her weight to pounds, it came out to about 170–175, which didn’t seem especially large. We aren’t told her height, but based on the way characters react to her and how she describes herself, I expected her to weigh significantly more—around 300 pounds or more. It was off-putting to constantly read about her and other characters putting her down about her weight.

Another issue I had was with the pacing and scene transitions. It was sometimes hard to tell when a scene ended, and how much time had passed between events. I was also surprised that some characters who committed crimes didn’t seem to face any real consequences. As far as I know, creating fake evidence and misleading the police is illegal.

Overall, I’d be open to reading more books by the author, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to do so. The book had a few standout moments, but there were also several confusing or frustrating parts that left me scratching my head.