The Chalk Pit cover art

The Chalk Pit

The Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries 9

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The Chalk Pit

By: Elly Griffiths
Narrated by: Jane McDowell
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About this listen

 'My favourite current crime series . . . a pleasure from start to finish' Val McDermid

Boiled human bones have been found in Norwich's web of underground tunnels. When forensic archaeologist Dr Ruth Galloway discovers the bones aren't as old as originally thought, it's time for DCI Nelson to launch a murder inquiry. What was initially just a medieval curiosity has taken a much more sinister nature...

Meanwhile, DS Judy Johnson is investigating the disappearance of a local rough sleeper. The only trace of her is the rumour that she's gone 'underground'. This might be a figure of speech, but with the discovery of the bones and the stories both Ruth and the police have heard of a vast community of rough sleepers living in the old chalk-mining tunnels under Norwich, the clues point in only one direction. Local academic Martin Kellerman knows all about the tunnels and their history - but can his assertions of cannibalism and ritual killing possibly be true?

As the weather gets hotter, tensions rise. A local woman goes missing and the police are under attack. Ruth and Nelson must unravel the dark secrets of The Underground and discover just what gruesome secrets lurk at its heart - before it claims another victim.

(P)2017 Quercus Editions Limited©2017 Elly Griffiths Amateur Sleuths Cosy Detective Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Fiction Exciting Heartfelt

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Critic reviews

The Chalk Pit is the most intriguing case written by the prolific Elly Griffiths to date. A five-star thriller
Griffiths has become a dab hand at plotting and cranking up the tension. The murders, and the muddled humanity of the characters, keep us turning the pages
Crime that doesn't sacrifice good writing and clever characterisation for the sake of the plot
Elly Griffiths writes ever-more ingenious detective stories with a powerful sense of place and a varied cast of sympathetic and unusual characters. Her heroine is a winner
Griffiths weaves superstition and myth into her crime novels, skilfully treading a line between credulity and modern methods of detection
Ruth Galloway is one of the most engaging characters in modern crime fiction (Kate Mosse)
Griffiths has mastered the art of combining bizarre plots with contemporary relationship issues beautifully
A spooky and gripping read
Proof that thrillers can increase the pulse rate while tackling more serious issues
Griffiths' great strength lies in her creation of a cast of returning characters that readers can and do care about
Excellent writing, excellent plotting, some utterly riveting detail and always a banging good story
Griffiths is a top drawer crime novelist, and Ruth Galloway is the most believable and likeable protagonist in modern crime fiction
Griffiths has become a dab hand at plotting and cranking up the tension. The murders, and the muddled humanity of the characters, keep us turning the pages
Crime that doesn't sacrifice good writing and clever characterisation for the sake of the plot (Sarra Manning)
All stars
Most relevant
Over the last few weeks I’ve romped through all nine of the Ruth Galloway novels and hope that the series will continue. Though ostensibly crime novels this is not the main appeal for me. It’s the interesting facts about forensic archaeology combined with believable characters. Most of the main ones are in all the novels. I’ve enjoyed following their lives over time and recommend listening in chronological order, not least, so that surprises are not spoiled and the outcomes of previous investigations revealed. Like most detective novels the crimes are contrived and complicated but the author has set these in a variety of interesting archeological settings. Ruth certainly has a more action-packed life than most University academics!

Some reviewers have felt that the narrator of the first three books is better than the later narrator, but I think both are excellent and give consistently recognisable voices to the characters that brings the dialogue to life.

Looking forward to the next part in the series

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This is my first Dr Ruth Galloway book & I wish I'd have listened in order as then I would have been aware of what must be the recurring established characters back stories. This was a slow burner but it kept my attention throughout. It's not a fast paced thriller but I enjoyed the mystery & it was different to the usual crime thrillers. The narration by Jane McDowell was good & she tackled the different accents & even the male characters well. I will certainly listen to others on the series.

Slow burner but...

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Very good with lots and of twists and turns. Always fun to listen to. Look forward to the next one.

EXCELLENT

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Another fantastic book. Once again it keeps your attention whilst depositing nuggets of information about history and archaeology. The descriptions of the landscapes amazing and if you love the area they are written in you can picture it

Twists and turns

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I had looked forward to the release of this book and it did not disappoint. It was as good as the other books in the series and the plot kept me engaged and involved from start to finish.

As good as ever

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