The Chalk Pit Synopsis
Winner of the CWA Dagger in the Library Award Praise for Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series "Gripping." —Louise Penny | "Highly atmospheric." —New York Times Book Review "Remarkable, delightful." —Associated Press | "Must-reads." —Deborah Crombie "Wonderfully rich . . . A great series." —Guardian | "Smart, down-to-earth, and completely believable." —Mercury News Far below Norwich is a maze of old mining tunnels.
When Ruth Galloway is called to examine a set of human remains in one of them, she notices the bones are almost translucent, a sign they were boiled soon after death. Once more, she's at the helm of a murder investigation. Meanwhile, DCI Nelson is looking for a homeless woman who he hears has gone "underground." Could she have disappeared into the labyrinth?
And if so, is she connected to the body Ruth found? As Ruth and Nelson investigate the tunnels, they hear rumors of secret societies, cannibalism, and ritual killings. And when a dead body is found with a map of what seems to be the full maze, they realize their hunt for the killer has only just begun—and that more bodies may be underfoot.
About This Edition
Elly Griffiths Press Reviews
'I refuse to apologise for being in love with Dr Ruth Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson . . one of my favourite current crime series ...a pleasure from start to finish' Val McDermid
'The Chalk Pit is the most intriguing case written by the prolific Elly Griffiths to date. A five-star thriller' Daily Express
'Griffiths has become a dab hand at plotting and cranking up the tension. The murders, and the muddled humanity of the characters, keep us turning the pages' Independent
'Crime that doesn't sacrifice good writing and clever characterisation for the sake of the plot' Red Magazine
'Elly Griffiths writes ever-more ingenious detective stories with a powerful sense of place and a varied cast of sympathetic and unusual characters. Her heroine is a winner' The Times
'Griffiths weaves superstition and myth into her crime novels, skilfully treading a line between credulity and modern methods of detection' Sunday Times
'Ruth Galloway is one of the most engaging characters in modern crime fiction' -- Kate Mosse
'A well-written, eerie thriller' Sun
'Excellent writing, excellent plotting, some utterly riveting detail and always a banging good story' Liz Loves Books
'Griffiths is a top drawer crime novelist, and Ruth Galloway is the most believable and likeable protagonist in modern crime fiction' Crimesquad
About Elly Griffiths
Elly Griffiths is a multi-award-winning author and a No 1 bestseller. She has written twenty-six crime novels for adults; four for children, and a volume of short stories. Her books for adults include the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries, the Brighton Mysteries and the Detective Harbinder Kaur series.
Elly’s many accolades include the CWA Dagger in the Library, the Edgar Award and the Fingerprint Award for Crime Novel of the Year, as well as being shortlisted multiple times for the Theakston’s Award. The Frozen People is the first in a new series starring Ali Dawson, a time-travelling detective.
Elly has two grown-up children and lives near Brighton with her archaeologist husband and their cat, Pip.
Below is a Q & A with this author.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could take one crime novel, one DVD boxset and one character from a crime novel, who/what would you take?
This is the sort of question I spend a lot of time debating when I should be working! My desert island book is usually The Mating Season by PG Wodehouse as I think that would cheer me up (unlike Ruth I don’t like solitude). But crime novel? It would have to be The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. DVD boxset would be The Office (US version) and the character would be Charles Paris from Simon Brett’s novels as at least we’d have a laugh – and a drink.
Photo Credit: Sara Reeve
Who would you invite to your dream dinner party and what would be on the menu?
I’d invite Clive Stafford-Smith, Marcus Brigstocke, Bruce Springsteen, Germaine Greer and Jilly Cooper. We’d eat Italian food ideally cooked by my late Nonna (it is a dream after all).
What is your favourite line from a film/TV series/book?
It’s a few lines but Flora Poste’s telegram in Cold Comfort Farm. ‘Worst fears realised darling. Seth and Reuben too. Send gumboots.’
If you could write a book with any other crime or thriller writer, who would you choose and why?
I’d have great fun with Lesley Thomson, David Harrison (Tom Bale), Jim Kelly or Alison Bruce. Alison, Jim and I have talked about our fictional detectives meeting as our books are all set in the Cambridge/King’s Lynn area. They’d probably all hate each other too which would make for a fun read.
Who is your favourite onscreen detective?
I really like Jackson Brodie (Jason Isaacs) but my favourite is probably still David Suchet as Poirot.
If your book was being made into a film or a TV series, who would you want to play the lead character?
Ruth Jones or Eva Myles. She’d have to become Welsh but it would be worth it.
What crime novel do you wish you had written?
The Woman in White.
What’s the scariest place you’ve visited for inspiration?
The prison chapel in Lincoln Castle.
You are master of cluedo and have any name, weapon and room at your disposal, whodunit and what happened?
It would have to be the Reverend Green as I do like a theological thriller. Reverend Green (who’s a woman) in the library with the bible.
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