A favourite series draws to a close

Elly Griffiths has written crime books in a couple of different series. Her post-war series set in Brighton features magicians and the stage (see a review here). She has recently started writing puzzling crime books featuring a female detective with an Indian heritage (see a review here). She is, however, known best for her books which feature Ruth Galloway, an archaeologist, and DCI Nelson, a police officer in exile from his home in Liverpool and hating most of Norfolk where he lives (see a review here).

The Last Remains is the fifteenth and, allegedly the last, book in the Ruth Galloway series and it’s very much one for the fan rather than the new reader. The author finalises some of the story arcs which have been ongoing for a number of books and she also refers to or features characters from previous volumes.

It is post-Covid and a skeleton has been uncovered. Ruth is called in to date it but it is discovered that the remains are of a young student who disappeared some years ago following a dig and Ruth’s friend Cathbad is one of the suspects. Then Cathbad disappears. Ruth and her daughter Kate become involved and find themselves in danger.

Nelson is considering retirement or what he might do in the future and his wife has left him. Ruth receives an unexpected declaration of love and is coping with the possible closure of Ruth’s university department and assessing other job offers. Cathbad is still suffering from Long Covid and is unsure about his own mental health.

 Those who have followed this series from the start will want to know what happens to the on/off relationship between Ruth and Nelson and I promise that this book finally (or at least for now) resolves the issues. This is a very satisfying book for a fan of the series and an excellent crime novel too.