The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths - 3 stars

[annapi]

Archeologist Ruth Galloway is enlisted by Detective Harry Nelson to identify the bones of a child they have found. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the bones are from the Iron Age, not those of the missing child he is trying to find, but Ruth continues to help the police in the case.

I thought the pace of this book started out awfully slowly. I realize a lot of it was setting the background of the protagonist, but it still seemed to meander too long for me. When Ruth gets into the investigation, it starts to pick up and proceeds nicely until the excitement of the final showdown.

First books of a series are for me usually disappointing, and I thought this had several plot holes here and there with the red herrings thrown into the reader's path. My original guess for the villain turned out to be wrong, but my second was right. Still, I was rather unsatisfied with the explanations for the motives of the characters' actions, which were on the weak side it seemed to me, but I can understand how it served the author to weave it the way she did. I will continue with the series as I think it will get better, and I like the protagonists enough to be curious about how they will develop.

[Jgrace]

I loved the setting of this book. But I really didn't care for Ruth. I guess I want my amateur detectives to be likable characters. Quirky is ok, but I want them to be likable. Ruth does have an interesting job and the settings of the later books look interesting. Someday, I might read another one.

[annapi]

I was fascinated by the setting. I found Ruth likeable enough, and even the gruff Nelson grew on me. I am curious about what direction their relationship will take.