The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths

published 2021





And here it is, the latest entry in the series that has cheered up Jan or Feb for so many years now. The Night Hawks is the 13th in Elly Griffiths’ Dr Ruth Galloway series: each one has been a wonderful, involving, engrossing crime story – and also has taken us along in the lives of, first, Ruth, archaeologist and academic extraordinaire, and Harry Nelson, (‘no-one in Norfolk, apart from his wife, calls Nelson ‘Harry’’) the policeman who finds her cases to solve (well, sometimes she finds them for herself). And then also their circle of friends and colleagues and connections: Cathbad and Judy, and Katy, and Phil and Shona, Michelle and the daughters, and a welcome return of Cloughy.

And there’s a new addition: David Brown, a new lecturer working with – or for? – Ruth and SUCH a recognizable type – incredibly annoying and pushy, but somehow getting away with it.

The plot concerns metal detectorists who call themselves the Night Hawks, who have stumbled across a body on a North Norfolk beach.

‘They’re not archaeologists’ says Ruth. ‘They’re amateurs who charge around looking for treasure. They’ve no idea how to excavate or how to read the context. They just dive in and dig up whatever looks shiny.’

‘Wow’ says David. ‘Elitism is alive and well and living in Norfolk.’

As well as the present-day body, a hoard of metal implements turns up, and then an older body, something more in Ruth’s line. And so the investigation is off – the two teams carefully look at what is going on with the two different bodies and plots.

It turns out that Cathbad – resident druid – sometimes goes out with the Night Hawks:

‘He says that they’re genuine questing souls’ says Judy.

Nelson thinks ‘Questing souls indeed. He never knows quite what Judy, his best and most rational officer, makes of her partner’s beliefs. She certainly manages to say this sort of thing with a straight face.’

One of the (many) things I love about this series is that although there is no doubt at all that Ruth is protagonist and heroine and key character, with Nelson a close runner-up, Griffiths is able to get into the heads and thoughts and words of all her characters, and makes them all equally funny and convincing and interesting.



The long relationship between Ruth and Nelson could sound cliched, but it is not: it is done with incredible sensitivity and conviction. Ruth is not some putupon mistress who yearns for her married lover; Nelson is not some cheating husband or neglectful dad. They are all, including Michelle, people with imperfections trying to make the best of a difficult situation. Mind you, that’s not to say that we’re not all waiting each time to find out where Elly Griffiths will take the plotline next – my own fear is that she ever settles it for good then she will stop writing the series, which would be AWFUL, so I am (mostly) happy with the long-term lack of resolution.

[The only consolation if she ended the story would be that Griffiths also writes the Brighton series, the Justice series for Young Adults, and now has started up a third, featuring Detective Harbinder Kaur - you can find posts on some of these if you click on the Griffiths tag below]

It's a complicated plot, with the extremely sinister Black Dog Farm at the centre of it, and a family with more secrets, violence and hatred than even your usual crime book. It is tense and involving and, as always, very funny at times.



I always end up quoting from the books a lot:

She can never remember people’s names [at the schoolgate] and, when she can, she worries that it’s because she’s recently arrested them.

And:

‘All the family are fishermen. Except my uncle. He’s the black sheep.’

‘What does he do?’ says Nelson.

‘He’s a policeman.’

If you've never read these books - lucky you. You've got such a series of treats ahead of you...  

A year ago when I covered the previous Ruth book, I discovered what a rich source Pinterest was for great archaeologist looks, so am sharing some more with you now… you can look back at the earlier post for more.

Comments

  1. Elly Griffiths is one of those authors who just doesn't disappoint, at least for me. I have to admit, I would like some resolution to the Harry/Ruth situation. But I agree with you that Griffiths handles it better than just about any author would. And this particular plot sounds fascinating. One of the things I like best about this series, though, is the cast of characters, so it's great to know that some of my 'friends' are back in this one. Glad you liked it so well, Moira, although I can't say I'm surprised.

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    1. Yes, to me Griffiths has the perfect combination of great series characters and relationships, and also excellent plotting, and different situations in every book. Long may she continue to write!

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  2. I love the Ruth Galloway series, and am sad to learn that The Night Hawks won't be available in Canada until June. I've read the author's Brighton novels, but don't find the characters in that series as believable or engaging. My one quibble is that after twelve books, I am beginning to find the "will they, won't they" trope mildly annoying.

    Side note: my son is an archaeologist, and would probably comment that the blonde in the photo looks much too stylish (and clean) to be believable. :)

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    1. I do enjoy all her books, but Ruth has a special place in my heart, and I want resolution, but I also want the books to continue.
      Oh yes, that is definitely a fashion mag's view of an archaeologist!

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  3. At the end of the last one, I was sorry for poor Kate, and felt that Ruth shouldn't have moved in with her new bloke and let Kate get used to him if she wasn't going to stick with him. She seemed entirely oblivious to what it would mean for Kate who had got attached to him. Though I do enjoy the books a lot,
    I have had enough of the 'will they/want they' set-up and want to tell Ruth to get a grip.

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    1. I too am conflicted about the Ruth & Harry relationship. I like them both a lot, but I just don't go for the repeated "slipping." (And how does Ruth keep attracting those other, very eligible men, only to keep dumping them?--They take it so we!!, too!) I know such things get messy in real life, but these books aren't real life. I really dislike the ancient "two women, one man" trope,.even (or maybe especially) when they're all so likable. I know I'll keep enjoying the books, but without much sympathy for the hopeless romance.

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    2. I love your firm views both of you! A credit to Elly Griffiths that the characters are real enough to provoke such strong thoughts. I give her a pass myself, but I can quite see why you feel that way - I have felt that way about other fictional characters.
      And I like that Ruth can attract men - I get tired of the heroines who never meet or keep potential partners.
      Although I absolutely loved the scenario in a crime story I read recently which starts with a woman going out on a date, it doesn't go well, and the next day both of them are horrified to find that she is the investigating officer, he is the suspect husband of a murdered wife. It was such a great setup, I was surprised no-one had (to my recollection) done it before.

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  4. I've heard very good things about Elly Griffiths from a couple of other readers, so it's great to see that you're a fan of this series too. Do the books need to be read in order or could they work as standalones? I'm just wondering about a suitable entry point for someone who might not want to commit to a long series...

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    1. I think you would like these Jacqui. This series is the gold standard for those who love Ruth and Elly, but a great starting point for you would be The Postscript Murders (with a theme of books and booklovers) or The Stranger Diaries (Victorian ghost stories) - they have a character in common, and may be the start of a series, but both would be standalones. I love the combination of literary themes and murder, and I think you would too.

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  5. I am glad to see you still enjoying this series. As long as I intend to continue reading them, I don't read reviews on the series, because a big part of it is not (just) the mystery but what's going to happen with the relationships.

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    1. Yes very true. You are very firm-minded, I always mean to hold back on reading reviews - and it is very sensible - but end up glimpsing a few sentences, and finding out too much...

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  6. You have to acknowledge, however, that the elegant archeologist look would not survive on Ruth! Her clothes are definitely on the frumpy side, as I recall.

    I love this series and can't wait for this new book. In a world full of beautiful, put-together heroines, I like that Ruth is heavy, untidy, disorganized (except in her work) and still manages to attract multiple men! If only it were so easy!

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    1. She's great isn't she? Both very real, and also a role model, a difficult combination to get right.

      With the previous Ruth book I discovered the world of glamorized archaeologist clothes and images, and use them for these books because they couldn't be further from her and her look. And most of them deeply impractical. I really enjoy sifting through Pinterest pages with these unlikely upmarket outfits - unsuited to mud.

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  7. I can't wait for this book, but the suspense in the Nelson/Ruth relationship is always a nail-biter. Will it be resolved ever? Or will we be asking at book 25? Frankly, I would have stayed with Frank, a stable buy and good with Kate. But, that's me. And the readers would have lost interest, as we all seem to like the cliff-hangers.

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    1. It's a real dilemma isn't it? For Ruth, and for us as we ponder what she should do, and for Elly G presumably as she works out which way to take the plot next. I enjoy them so much, I just like the suspense, but you can see (above) some readers have more critical views on Ruth's behaviour.

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  8. Ok 2021 I'll give her a go. I found a couple in October, time to man up and read!

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