First
Sentence: At first he isn’t even scared.
Forensic
archeologist Ruth Galloway is shocked to learn that a friend
has died in a house fire. Thing take on an eerie quality when
she receives a letter from him, written days before he died.
He talks about an historic archeological discovery but also
that he’s afraid. With her daughter Katy and Druid friend
Cathbad, Kate heads north to Lancashire. What she doesn’t
plan on is that DCI Nelson, father to Katy, will also be there,
his former hometown, with his wife and family.
If a
completely compelling, albeit somewhat horrific, hook is what
captures your attention; you can’t do better than here.
Griffiths immediately draws you into the story and makes you
want to keep reading by making each chapter more intriguing
than the last. This is not a book you’ll put down.
Griffiths
is very good at creating complicated relationships wherein
you have sympathy for each of the characters involved. That
takes real skill, and she has it. She also introduces characters
very well and If you’ve read previous books, you become
reacquainted; if you’re new to the series, you never
feel lost wondering who they are and how they fit together.
Sadly, not all authors are good at this. There are the favorites,
of course; Ruth and Cathbad in particular. Children can be
awkward, yet Katy is neither precocious nor annoying, but
very realistic. One of the most appealing new characters is
Sandy, Nelson’s friend and fellow DCI.
The atmosphere and tension created are excellent. The history
related to the story is fascinating. I’ve always been
a fan of Griffiths’ ear for dialogue and her occasional
subtle humor.
A Dying Fall is a book which broad appeal as it works
on so many levels. It may just be my favorite or second favorite,
book in this series so far. What most pleases me is to know
that there will be more books coming.
Reviews
of other titles in this series
The
House at Sea's End
#3
A
Dying Fall #5
The
Outcast Dead
# 6
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