Elly Griffiths' "Ruth Galloway Mysteries"

A few weeks ago I reviewed the first two books that I had read in the new British murder mystery series created and written by Elly Griffiths: The Crossing Places and The Janus Stone.  I impatiently waited to get my hands on book #3 from the Vancouver Public Library and my reserve came up much quicker than I thought.  I  have finished reading it and found it just as absorbing as the first two.  It is a delight to get involved in the lives of so many characters on a continuing basis.

The third book is "House at Sea's End", and it continues with the adventures of Dr. Ruth Galloway, a forensic archaeologist, who is called to assist in police cases which involve the discovery of human bones, and to work closely with DCI Harry Nelson, the investigating officer.

This book is set in a remote area of the Norfolk coast - the town of Broughton set on a cliff at the sea's edge, that is being eroded by the ocean and wind.  Elly Griffiths gives us the following picture on her website of an ocean side cliff that inspired Broughton Sea's End:

At the beginning of the story, bodies are found wedged into a deep recess in the cliff.  Forensic testing subsequently done by Dr. Galloway reveals quite a bit of information about them.  Secrets about the activities of the Home Guard during WWII are revealed through detective work, uniting Dr. Galloway and DCI Nelson yet again in solving the mystery.  An engrossing read.

Boxing Week Sales with Neil

I took my husband Neil shopping during the Boxing Week sales, looking for a new blazer for him.  This was under protest as he said his current blazer was "just fine" but of course it is worn out and shabby.  Trust wives to know this.

So off we went to the Bay, first Oakridge, where they didn't have his size in the chosen blazer by Nautica - he wanted the blazer with the snazzy buttons.  Knowing that the Bay would have more selection at the bigger, downtown Vancouver store,  I enticed Neil to shop the next day at the downtown Bay by promising him a fun day - visiting the Vancouver Art Gallery, lunch, and then touring through the lobby of the beautiful Hotel Vancouver all decorated for the season.  This was all on the recommendation of my friend Jenny of Pearson Report.  It made for a delightful day.

Fortunately we were in luck and found his new blazer in the correct size very quickly at the downtown Bay.  Couldn't persuade him to continue shopping so off we went for a quick bit to eat and then to the Vancouver Art Gallery, where they are featuring an exhibit called "Shore, Forest and Beyond, from the Michael Audain Collection".  The exhibit is on until January 29, 2012 and I recommend it.

This exhibit features carved First Nations masks, original art by Emily Carr, some painting by members of the Group of Seven, and several magnificent pieces by E. J. Hughes.

The Emily Carr paintings on display were mainly much brighter and colourful, than those Emily Carr paintings I have seen before - which were dark, deep in the forest.  But you can see from the following picture (from the VGA website), called War Canoes, Alert Bay 1912, what I mean - lots of colour, and brightness:

 

There are no pictures of the E.J. Hughes paintings which were included in the exhibit on the VAG website, but there is a wonderful website for E.J. Hughes Gallery in Duncan, BC:  www.ejhughes.ca.  I am certainly going to visit it the next time we are going by Duncan on Vancouver Island.  Here is an example of his work, copied from E.J. Hughes Gallery website.  This print is available for purchase for $2,500.

Nanaimo Harbour as it looked in 1948 with the CPR Princess Boats/Ferries

 

After the VAG, we walked across to the Hotel Vancouver lobby were we took in the special decorations for the season.  Here are pictures taken in the lobby:

Candy Cane House

Close up of the window in the Candy Cane House - lots of candy canes and candies.

Then we walked over to the lobby of the Sutton Place Hotel to take in their special Christmas trees:

This one has peacock's on it.

Close up of the peacock feathers.

A tree decorated to celebrate music.

So a shopping expedition made into a fun day!

Nephew Chris in New Brunswick

Our nephew, Chris, decided to stay in New Brunswick over the Christmas break instead of flying home to Vancouver.  He is living in Fredericton for a year, taking the UNB teacher's certificate program.  He already has his Master's Degree in Math & Chemistry and decided he would like to become a high school teacher.  Being in Fredericton, a smaller town than Vancouver, appealed to him and his love of the outdoors.

Over the  Christmas break he is visiting his friends in Hartland, New Brunswick, home of the longest covered bridge in the world!

Anyway, Chris sent us this picture of himself petting a deer outside his friend's home:

As you can see, they had a white Christmas.

Visiting Santa Claus/ Woodward's Christmas Windows

Walking through the malls lately, you cannot escape the Santa Claus photo stations, with the lineups of parents and their young children, eyes all aglow in the wonder of telling Santa Claus what they want for Christmas.

Here are a couple of related old family photos:

The above picture is of Santa and me when I was about 4 years old.  Note the doll!  It would have been taken at Woodwards' downtown as my mother used to take me downtown on the interurban tram line from Burnaby to downtown which had a station near our home in the Collingwood & Joyce Streets area.

The above painting is by Brian Croft and features the interurban trams plus the Woodwards Christmas windows.  Visit his website to see more wonderful paintings feauturing historic items from Vancouver's history:  www.briancroft.com

Woodwards Christmas Window

The Downtown Woodwards Store

The above picture is Santa, my younger sister, Linda, and me taken probably Christmas 1953 when Linda was about 2 1/2 years old.  Linda looks terrified!  Note my scabbed knee, socks falling down, and scuffy shoes!

New British Murder Mysteries

I enjoy reading British murder mysteries such as those by P.D. James and Elizabeth George but have read most of their books so I keep looking for new authors to enthral me.  Suggestions are welcome!

The Vancouver Sun a few months ago featured a book review on the second book by author, Elly Griffiths, called "The Janus Stone".  The review made it clear that it would be best to read the first book "The Crossing Places" before continuing with the second.  The author is branding each of these books as "A Ruth Galloway Mystery".

"The Crossing Places" introduces you to Dr. Ruth Galloway, a middle aged, single woman living in a secluded cottage located near seaside marshland in Norfolk.  Dr. Galloway is a forensic archaeologist who teaches at the local university.  The story starts with her being called upon by DCI Harry Nelson to analyze human remains found on the marshland which he thinks are those of a child, Lucy Downey, who went missing 10 years prior.  These bones turn out to be centuries old, but then another child goes missing and the investigative tale begins.  I found the plot absorbing, but not so complex with overlapping stories as to be confusing.

I then read the second book, "The Janus Stone", also featuring Dr. Galloway and DCI Nelson, with their relationship getting more complex.  Again, they investigate situations where bones are recovered from ancient archaeological sites.  I recommend this one as well.

The third book in the series "The House at Sea's End" has been published and I have reserved it at VPL.  Can hardly wait to read it.