Channelling sinister local lore into a psychological duel between the experienced detective and a vicious mass killer, The Lantern Men finds Griffiths at the top of her game.
Shortlisted for the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2021
Longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger 2020
Everything has changed for Dr Ruth Galloway.
She has a new job, home and partner, and is no longer North Norfolk police's resident forensic archaeologist. That is, until convicted murderer Ivor March offers to make DCI Nelson a deal. Nelson was always sure that March killed more women than he was charged with. Now March confirms this, and offers to show Nelson where the other bodies are buried - but only if Ruth will do the digging.
Curious, but wary, Ruth agrees. March tells Ruth that he killed four more women and that their bodies are buried near a village bordering the fens, said to be haunted by the Lantern Men, mysterious figures holding lights that lure travellers to their deaths.
Is Ivor March himself a lantern man, luring Ruth back to Norfolk? What is his plan, and why is she so crucial to it? And are the killings really over?
Publisher: Quercus Publishing
ISBN: 9781787477551
Number of pages: 400
Weight: 280 g
Dimensions: 198 x 128 x 32 mm
Like its predecessors, The Lantern Men has a great sense of place and an awareness of the remorseless passing of time. The climactic bicycle race across the fens, foregathering all the suspects, will take your breath away - The Times
As ever, creepy Norfolk folklore is skillfully blended with the ongoing saga of the personal lives of Ruth, her friends and colleagues (and now, their children). Warm, but never cloyingly cosy, this is the most lovable of current crime series - S Magazine, Sunday Express
Once again, Elly Griffiths delivers witty, insightful and brilliant storytelling as the redoubtable Dr Galloway burrows away to expose the Lantern Men's dark secrets - Daily Mirror
Elly Griffiths's great achievement in her Dr Ruth Galloway series has been to create an atmosphere as comforting as that of any traditional detective story and yet introduce to it credible crimes and lifelike characters with convincing preoccupations - Literary Review
A deftly plotted thriller, and most likeable entertainment - Irish Independent
The writing is excellent. It puts me in mind of the late, great Ruth Rendell ... the characterisation is perfect ... a cracker of a book - The Bookbag
I swear each book in this series gets better and better, no mean feat considering this is book number twelve in the Ruth Galloway series! I have to admit having been a little dismayed at the start to find that... More
Thank you to the publishers for this review copy.
Very much looking forward to meeting Elly in Waterstones Durham Saturday 15 February 2020.
Elly writes such excellent characters, brilliant plots that have you perched...
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I adore Elly Griffiths’ character driven Dr. Ruth Galloway series. A large part of the charm is getting to know these characters in great detail; finding out about their relationships, their children and how their... More
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