Dying Fall is the fifth book in the Ruth Galloway series by award-winning British author, Elly Griffiths. The audio version is narrated by Clare Corbett. The sad news that Dan Golding, a fellow archaeology student at UCL, has died in a house fire, is eerily followed by a letter from him. The man she hasn’t seen for over two decades tells her he had made an incredible find that he believes to be the bones of the legendary King Arthur, but also that certain disturbing elements at the university have made him afraid. When the Clayton Henry, the head of the History Department, and Dan’s boss at Pendle University in Lancashire, asks Ruth to come and give an opinion of the bones, she eventually decides to make it a vacation with Kate and a catch up with another fellow student. She also asks Nelson to check the circumstances of her friend’s death, and his old friend in Blackpool, DCI Sandy Macleod reveals that he has opened a murder investigation into this grisly death. Despite some rather threatening text messages trying to warn her off, Ruth reasons that she will keep Kate well away from anything happening at the University: Cathbad has come along to visit a druid friend and will care for his goddaughter while Ruth is busy. Nelson, having decided to vacation with Michelle in Blackpool, isn’t too pleased when he finds that Ruth has brought Katie into a potentially dangerous situation. The bones Ruth examines reveal a surprise, and she’s none too sure about the people who claim to be Dan’s friends. By the time she and Nelson have unravelled the various complex relationships, and looked into a neo-pagan group with links to white supremacists, the list of possible motives and perpetrators lengthens. In this instalment, there’s plenty of typical Blackpool activity, including an unexpected and somewhat awkward encounter on a beach between Ruth, Kate, Cathbad and Nelson’s extended family. Before matters are resolved, a dog is adopted, several women confess to an affair with Dan, and there’s a dramatic fairground incident in which Cathbad acts very heroically. As always, there are quite a few red herrings and distractors to keep the reader guessing, and the dialogue is often amusing. #6 of this addictive series, The Outcast Dead is eagerly anticipated. Page-turner crime fiction.

This series gets stronger; Elly's writing is up to date, easy and at times exhibiting wit and gentle humour that makes reading one of her books so much of a pleasure. Dying Fall relocates her main characters to in and around Lancashire rather than the usual sites of Norfolk. A clever plot brings a letter to Ruth for help from a university friend,Dan a recently deceased fellow archeologist who has made a monumental discovery that has left him scared. Was he murdered and if so why? It demands Ruth the central character to ignore danger and death threats in search of the truth. Her investigations are as thorough as her academic work on a dig and she is well supported by her friends in the Police force, Nelson and the alternative religious,tree-hugging type, Cathbad. Both seek to protect Kate, Ruth's daughter but will the killer use the child to stop Kate from discovering the truth? There is tension throughout the well written account of ancient ways, the lore of King Arthur and the blight of extremism. I love the realism in dialogue especially the words and actions of Kate the toddler who Ruth adores and who steals every scene. I was also struck by the importance of animals in this book and how relationships grow and develop. How we lose contact with older friends, the loss of their passing and how others perhaps see us, themes that are touched on in this book while still presenting itself as a real murder mystery. The menace of Pendle Hill towers over this story but rather than this bleak place being the frightening conclusion to this terrific novel a more mundane location is found where the familiar is perhaps more terrifying. Another satisfying read from an accomplished author.

I am a fan of the Ruth Galloway series of books by Elly Griffiths. I find the characters extremely colourful, especially Ruth who I really relate to when she compares herself to other women and has those thoughts in her head most middle aged women do who do not have the luck of a physically slim gene pool. The relationship between her and Nelson is so sweet and I hope one day that there is a happy ending for them. This particular story I think was the best so far of the series of books and I am now reading them all in succession. It was an excellent plot, kept you guessing all the way through and was so exciting towards the end with the worry of Kate disappearing, loved the references to Starsky and Hutch, The Sweeney etc! Loved it, an absolute pleasure to read. Thank you Elly Griffiths!

Dying Fall - another great book in the Ruth Galloway series which I thoroughly enjoyed. I love the believable character of Ruth Galloway, infact I love all the characters in the books. Elly Giffiths books have just the right amount of love and suspence for me, with the added bonus of archaeology thrown in. I just love these books and cannot wait for the next one!

Forensic archaeologist Dr Ruth Galloway receives a shocking phone call telling her that Dan Golding, an old university pal, has been killed in an arson attack on his home. He had been on the brink of revealing a massively important archaeological discovery that would have changed history forever. However, it would appear someone wanted him silenced. Ruth, alongside DCI Harry Nelson, feels compelled to investigate; putting her own life in danger. Dying Fall is the fifth book in this wonderful series. Once again Ruth and Nelson cross paths in their professional and personal lives. The archaeology/crime combination works extremely well and this, together with fantastic characterisation, draws me back to these books. The story was suspenseful, fast-paced and had the perfect balance between Ruth's private life and her work in forensic archaeology. I'm really looking forward to book six, The Outcast Dead.