The Locked Room
the thrilling Sunday Times number one bestseller
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4.3 • 107 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
**THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**
Forensic archaeologist Dr Ruth Galloway and DCI Harry 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
'INTENSELY ATMOSPHERIC AND GREAT' India Knight
Forensic archaeologist Dr 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.
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PRAISE FOR THE LOCKED ROOM
'Intelligent and gripping' Daily Express
'A terrific story' The Times
'This is Griffiths on top form' Mail on Sunday
'Charming from start to finish' Irish Independent
A Sunday Times bestseller w/c 07/02/2022
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The Covid pandemic provides the backdrop for Edgar winner Griffiths's meandering 14th mystery featuring forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway (after 2021's The Night Hawks), set during the first few months of 2020. Ruth is asked to examine a skeleton found at the site of a medieval cemetery near Norwich Cathedral. Meanwhile, her on-again, off-again lover, Norfolk Det. Chief Insp. Harry Nelson, is looking into the death of a part-time librarian. All signs point to the middle-aged woman's suicide, but Nelson isn't convinced of this, "because who puts a Weight Watchers' chicken and lemon risotto in the microwave if they're planning to kill themselves"? His investigation turns up the names of other local women—all seemingly happy churchgoers—who have recently died by suicide. Ruth eventually joins Nelson in the search for a connecting thread between the victims, which touches on such personal matters as relationship breakups, rapprochements, family reunions, loved ones in hospital with Covid, lonely lockdowns, and Zoom meetings. A surfeit of detail about the impact of the pandemic slows the crime solving. Established fans will best appreciate this one.
Customer Reviews
Worth the wait!
Thank you Elly for delivering this soul-nourishing update on the lives of Ruth, Kate, Nelson, Judy and Cathbad. It was great to see that Clough got a look-in too; I miss him and wish that he’d return for good.
Including the pandemic in the plot made me feel even closer to everyone (I hesitate to use the word ‘characters’, because after reading all of your work I can honestly say that they seem like real people to me). After the cliffhanger ending I’m now going to be waiting (im)patiently for the next book! x