Audiobook Review of The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by: Elly Griffiths

Narrated by:  Jane McDowell

Length:  8 hrs and 26 mins 

Series: Ruth Galloway, Book 1

Format: Unabridged

Release Date:  09-22-09

Publisher:  AudioGO Ltd.

Program Type:  Audiobook

 

 

 

Within the misty saltmarsh along the North Sea, a pile bones is unearthed.  DI Nelson suspects they may be those of a young girl gone missing ten years ago. Nelson has never closed the case and has received cryptic disturbing letters over the years since her disappearance, taunting him about her whereabouts.  He enlists Professor Ruth Galloway, a forensic anthropologist to determine the sex and age of the bones, hoping to finally bring some closure to the little girl’s family.

Then, another little girl goes missing and fearing that the same killer is at work, he and Ruth team up to try to make sense of the grisly letters hoping it will lead them to the girl, before she is gone forever.

Living alone with only her cats as companions, Ruth becomes a focal point for the killer who fears her expert knowledge might lead DI Nelson to discovering just who he/she is.

The Crossing Places is the first in a series by Elly Griffiths, and was my first read by this author.  I was delighted to find a new series that I will surely read more of.  I found the third person style of storytelling refreshing and I was fascinated by tidbits of forensic anthropology thrown into the plot.   Ruth’s lack of self-esteem regarding her appearance is one that many of us can identify with and therefore makes her character seem all the more real.  The descriptions of the saltmarsh area are vivid and captivating making it easy to picture this unique environment that is the setting for the book.

Also a first for me was listening the narration of Jane McDowell who does an excellent using her voice to add to the distinctive flavor of the area and its inhabitants.  Her slower, smooth pace and smooth transition of characters makes this a great listen.  Although there are different dialects in some of the characters she makes them all sound quite natural.

Overall I would rate this book as 4 stars, which for me means that this was a very good book. I enjoyed it, perhaps even had a hard time "putting it down". I would recommend this book to others.