The Locked Room cover art

The Locked Room

The Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries 14

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The Locked Room

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

 Ruth Galloway and DCI Nelson are on the hunt for a murderer when Covid rears its ugly head. But can they find the killer despite lockdown?

'GALLOWAY NOW SEEMS AS REAL AS MARPLE AND MORSE' The Times

'SET IN DIVINE NORTH NORFOLK. INTENSELY ATMOSPHERIC AND GREAT' India Knight

Ruth is in London clearing out her mother's belongings when she makes a surprising discovery: a photograph of her Norfolk cottage taken before Ruth lived there. Her mother always hated the cottage, so why does she have a picture of the place? The only clue is written on the back of the photo: Dawn, 1963.

Ruth returns to Norfolk determined to solve the mystery, but then Covid rears its ugly head. Ruth and her daughter are locked down in their cottage, attempting to continue with work and home-schooling. Happily, the house next door is rented by a nice woman called Zoe, who they become friendly with while standing on their doorsteps clapping for carers.

Nelson, meanwhile, is investigating a series of deaths of women that may or may not be suicide. When he links the deaths to an archaeological discovery, he breaks curfew to visit the cottage where he finds Ruth chatting to her neighbour whom he remembers as a carer who was once tried for murdering her employer.

Only then her name wasn't Zoe. It was dawn.

(P) 2022 Quercus Editions Limited©2022 Elly Griffiths Crime Fiction Detective Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Suspense Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths Women's Fiction

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Critic reviews

Lockdown provides a brilliant opportunity for Griffiths, bringing fresh drama into her characters' lives and she makes the most of it
Where other Covid-themed mysteries have felt uninspired, this entry in Elly Griffiths' brilliant Ruth Galloway series is an intelligent and gripping recreation of those first weeks of lockdown in 2020
A terrific story that allows Galloway and Nelson to get closer than they have been for years
Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series combines imaginative plotting, cleverly located in deepest Norfolk, with the everyday dramas of her cast of regular characters . . . This is Griffiths on top form
A classic English mystery from one of the leading authors in the field, charming from start to finish
Fans of gripping, clever thrillers will love this book
Brilliantly plotted with complex mysteries to keep you turning the pages, there is also an intriguing cliff-hanger
A mystery treat
A sheer reading pleasure
Brilliant, as ever
All stars
Most relevant
Plenty of twists and turns Great addition to the series Real people with their real problems both in police and general public Well thought out plot

Continues high standard in series

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This is my favourite Ruth Gallawway book so far, and I have read them all! With Cathbad, Nelson, and Ruth all in danger, and Ruth has a new relative. Riveting stuff. Very well narrated.

Ruth Gallaway at her best

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I absolutely loved every minute of this book. This is my favourite crime fiction series and I'd say that this book actually topped all of the others in the series. The characters are so well written that I care about them as if they are my old friends and I laughed, cried and everything in-between while listening to this. Great storyline, real issues discussed and fabulous narration. Highly recommended.

My favourite book of this fabulous series !

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I love the dry sense of humour that easily makes up for the usual criticism of so many serious crimes in a small community. Jane McDonald's narration is superb.

I do hope that there are more Ruth Galloway stories to come.

Another great story wonderfully narrated

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I have read/listened to all this series and enjoyed them immensely. I love the tangled emotional threads between Nelson, wife and Ruth which tug at the heart strings always with pathos and sometimes gentle humour. The atmospheric setting in Tombland and essence of spirituality embodied in Cathbad brings a lovely sense of comfort. It brought back the harsh reality of covid restrictions in those early days and Cathbad's ordeal and subsequent recovery for me embodied the roller coaster of emotions we witnessed throughout. Loved the book

Best Ruth Galloway yet

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