Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway novels (*possible spoilers)

[Bloodybridget]

I've seen Elly Griffiths recommended on MN several times, so I picked up The Chalk Pit the other day. I do think she writes well, and am enjoying her dry humour, but baffled by logistics! The police officers are based in King's Lynn, but they're investigating incidents in Norwich, and seem to be travelling between the two locations in no time at all - which anyone who has spent time in North Norfolk, or even looked at a map, would know is impossible unless by helicopter. Example: two officers are in Norwich getting information, a colleague in KL police station wonders aloud "what's taking them so long" - well, it'll be the hour, minimum, each way on the A47, for a start!

Could it really be feasible that Norwich wouldn't have its own CID department to cover local cases? The author says she spends lots of holidays on the Norfolk coast so she must know how long it takes to get around.

@Bloodybridget

I have just ordered the two I haven't yet read from Abebooks. What on earth will I read after that?

You could try MC Beaton's amusing Agatha Raisin series set in Gloucestershire. Sadly Marion died in late 2019 but she left over 30 books in this one series alone. Or Alexander McCall Smith's uplifting No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series set in Botswana, with more than 20 in the series so far. That should keep you going for a bit!

Or there's the Ann Cleeves' more gritty series of 9 books set in Northumberland, starting with The Crow Trap. The TV series Vera is based on them. For something even grittier with a forensic science focus and set across the pond in Richmond, Virginia, there's Patricia Cornwell's Dr Kay Scarpetta series of 25 books, starting with Postmortem. Not forgetting good old Agatha Christie of course with over 60 books in her Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple series. That's about 150 books in total to keep you going if you like any of them.

@bloodybridget

You can try the 8 books mostly set in Sussex - #6 in the historical Brighton series is due out this month, and then there are 2 featuring 21st century detective Harbinder Kaur.

Her kids' series features Justice Jones, set in a boarding school - I'd be interested to know if anyone has tried them out on tween daughters or nieces

As well as her 9 Vera books, Ann Cleeves has written 8 set in Shetland, 2 so far of her newest series set in north Devon and a much older series I know nothing about - about 8 books I think

Denise Mina, Alex Morrow series - 5 books - her older books are excellent as well, and I have to catch up with the standalones - Glasgow
Ian Rankin, Rebus - 24? books
Peter Robinson, Alan Banks series - North Yorkshire - 25/26
Mark Billingham, Tom Thorne - north London - 17 books
Peter Lovesey, Peter Diamond - Bath - 18 books

Historical - Frances Brody, Kate Shackleton series 12 books

Hey thanks for the suggestions, @elkiedee, that's very kind of you. I have looked at RG's Sussex series and not fancied them, but I should actually try reading one. Ditto Ann Cleeves' Vera novels, but I love the Shetland ones. I read the first of new series she's doing set in Devon, but the second doesn't seem to be out yet.

Must look at Denise Mina too, I always forget her name when I'm in the library. Have been to Glasgow often, and it's nice to recognise settings.

Sorry, I think #2 in the Devon series is due out this month. I still occasionally read books in advance of publication as well as ones that have been out for a while, via Netgalley - a website that provides advance ebook copies to reviewers and bloggers as well as to people working in books. I've been shockingly bad at actually reviewing what I read but I do try to at least share recommendations and hope people will buy them.

I'd recommend the Bruno series by Martin Walker. Set in France they will make you want to cook and eat!

I finished The Crossing Places, sped through The Janus Stone like Nelson's driving and have started The House at Sea's End. I'd watch this as a TV series and Norfolk is so photogenic.

@SaltMarsh

I finished The Crossing Places, sped through The Janus Stone like Nelson's driving and have started The House at Sea's End. I'd watch this as a TV series and Norfolk is so photogenic.

I am two thirds through the latest one. Question to everyone, including Saltmarsh. If it were a T.V. series who would you cast as the main characters?

I've often thought they'd make good TV dramas, but I'm sure the wrong people would be cast and it would ruin them. That said, I'm not really sure who would be right 😆

I always imagined that Ruth lived either near Holme next the sea because of seahenge or at Ongar Hill. I got lost at Ongar Hill once and it was exactly how I imagined where Ruth would live.

I love the Ruth Galloway books, the sense of place is the best thing , then the characters/ relationships - the plot comes at the bottom for me, although if it is too stupid it does throw me out.
I do like the Brighton ones too, but am a bit pedantic about some of the things people say and do which doesn't seem to fit with the era - the policeman coming home to his small rented flat/ boarding house and having a shower for example, I wasn't convinced showers were a thing then, especially in boarding houses/ rented flats/ whatever.
I have just read Nicci French's Frieda Klein series which I feel has a similar vibe, with a professional, single, slightly prickly woman (well quite a lot prickly in Frieda's case) implausibly getting involved in murder after murder given their job is nothing to do with the police, and dancing round relationships. There is an attempt at tying those books to geography, they are all based around one of London's "hidden" rivers, but I am not sure that really works they do seem shoehorned in at times.

Hmmm. I think casting is a very difficult one and so it's possibly a good thing it's not my job! I'd certainly like to see some unknowns or relative unknowns and not the usual faces. Good actors, possibly with their roots firmly in theatre. I think if you get the right Ruth, everyone else will fall into place. Not an unknown at all, but a departure from her usual work - I'd like to suggest the multi-faceted, seriously talented, very human and highly relatable Samantha Morton. There, I've stuck my neck out. Anyone else?

I am on a Facebook group that discusses this (with tedious regularity). Lots of people favour Caroline Quentin for Ruth. (NOOOOO) Or Ruth Jones.

My favourite suggestion (and only one that I have though "yep, maybe" is Katy Wix.

Caroline quintin is surely too old to play someone who gets pregnant /has a small baby. She must be in her 50s?

She's over 60 now.

Sam is in her 40s. Just saying.

@CovidCorvid

Caroline quintin is surely too old to play someone who gets pregnant /has a small baby. She must be in her 50s?

Yes. Exactly.

Spiral, I have read 4 of the 5 Brighton ones, I think, owned only one and have now given it to a charity shop, but I am sure I wrote at the side of a page, because she had mentioned something 50s but it wasn't quite right. This is a useless post in a way because I can't remember the details but I am happy to hear about someone being 'a bit pedantic'.

The increasing betrayal of Nelson's wife in the books has been uncomfortable to read - it seems worse in the second and third books than the initial act in the first.

@SaltMarsh

The increasing betrayal of Nelson's wife in the books has been uncomfortable to read - it seems worse in the second and third books than the initial act in the first.

She gets her own back with Tim though.

Of course I now want to ask if that means she finds out about the baby, but don't tell me that or any more, @FuzzyPuffling !

To the poster upthread who said that The Thursday Murder Club was crap, I couldn't agree more.

I've read all the Ruth Galloway books and mostly enjoyed them. Ruth and Nelson's appalling communication skills are slightly frustrating, but I love the imagery of the Norfolk coast. We spent a few days there at the beginning of summer this year and I'd love to go back in the winter to experience it again.

I love the Ruth Galloway books (except The Janus Stone, too upsetting) although there is considerable suspension of disbelief required - how likely is it all these horrible crimes would take place in this peaceful area of Norfolk? The same could be said of a lot of detective series though to be fair! What makes it work for me is how engaging the characters are, and the sense of place.

@SaltMarsh

Of course I now want to ask if that means she finds out about the baby, but don't tell me that or any more, *@FuzzyPuffling* !

My lips are sealed!

Thanks, @FuzzyPuffling - it's my own fault for reading the thread in the first place so early on in starting to read the series! I hadn't heard of the books until we were in the area and I happened upon the first. Now they seem to be getting me back gently into reading regularly - something I haven't done for some years after allowing life to get in the way of usually being something of a book worm.