Auch dieser Roman um Ruth Galloway hat mir wieder sehr gut gefallen. Es war wie immer ein schönes Gefühl, die vertrauten Figuren erneut zu treffen, auch wenn sich viel geändert hat - Ruth hat einen neuen Job, ist nach Cambridge gezogen und lebt dort mit Frank und Kate. Trotzdem wird sie in einen Fall von Nelson verwickelt und beginnt immer mehr, ihre privaten Entscheidung zu hinterfragen.

Der Fall selbst war ebenfalls spannend - der verurteilte Mörder Ivor March bietet Nelson einen Deal an - er gibt zu, zwei weitere Frauen ermordet zu haben, wie Nelson schon länger vermutet hatte. Er bietet ihm an, den Ort zu verraten, an dem die Leichen vergraben sind, vorausgesetzt, die Ausgrabungen werden nicht von Phil, sondern von Ruth geleitet. Ruth stimmt zögernd zu. Die Leichen sind auf einem Grundstück in der Nähe eines Sumpflandes vergraben, in dem die sogenannten Lantern Men bei Nacht Reisende mit dem Licht ihrer Laterne in den Tod locken sollen. Welchen Zusammenhang gibt es zu dem Mordfall? Und warum kommt es zu einem weiteren Mord, wo der mutmaßliche Mörder doch im Gefängnis sitzt?

Ich liebe diese Reihe und habe auch diesen Roman wieder sehr genossen. ( )

The Lantern Men is written by Elly Griffiths. It is Book #12 in the Dr. Ruth Galloway Mystery series.
“Ruth Galloway changed her life. She has a new job, home and partner and she is no longer north Norfolk’s resident forensic archeologist. That is, until convicted murderer Ivor March offers to make DCI Nelson a deal.”
A complex, fascinating addition to the series. The title is highly recommended.
5 Stars ***** ( )

Dr Ruth Galloway has taken a job at a Cambridge university and has been torn away from the salt marsh and the Norfolk coast. We begin at a countryside writing retreat where Ruth is finishing her latest book. So begins a mystery about a group of artists and women who have been murdered. As usual there is plenty of Norfolk weather. It is late spring, the end of the universtiy term and warm but the big finish involves a thunder storm. Not my favourite of the series but always good to meet these characters again. ( )

3.5 I'm completely invested in the characters in this series and always love the descriptions of Norfolk. I'm willing to suspend belief in my mystery reading but this one seemed improbable and could have used more of Ruth and her archaeology. I hope this is a detour and things get back on track. ( )

Dr. Ruth Galloway 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.

The first half of this story was a bit slow and repetitive but things got more interesting in the second half. Ruth agrees to work on the case even though it means spending time with DCI Nelson, who she still has feelings for. This seemed puzzling to me as her current boyfriend seems to be a good fit for her. There was a myth discussed about lantern men using a jack-o-lantern in the woods to lure people to their death. I thought there’d be a bit more that would relate to Halloween but there wasn’t. Just a so-so-read for me. ( )