Book Review: The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths

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In this, the tenth book in the Ruth Galloway series we are transported to the Italian hills outside Rome, where Ruth has been asked by her ex-fling and fellow archaeologist, Dr Angelo Morelli, to consult on some bones.  Ruth, still rebounding from the events of the previous novel, The Chalk Pit, jumps at the chance to escape for a while. 






However, as expected things are not all as they seem.  The Dark Angel  seems to confront tragedy in all its many forms and is a poignant read. I loved the fact that we see Ruth and Nelson, her daughter's father, outside their comfort zones. The change in setting made a nice change from the windswept Norfolk sand marshes, yet brought with it a different kind of malevolence and despite the oppressive heat murder on the doorstep of this old fashioned Italian village brought a chill to my bones. 
One of the things I love most about reading a Ruth Galloway story, is the wealth of knowledge I acquire from my comfy armchair and The Dark Angel is no different.  The poignancy of a declining Italian hillside village, deserted by its youth and still conscious of the aftermath of fascism in World War two, this is educational as well as enjoyable. With deft strokes, Griffiths paints the picture of a declining village whilst taking into account current events such as the Syrian refugees' plight.  The characters are believable and the dual faceted plots playing out simultaneously in the UK and in Italy are fascinating.  Cathbad gets plenty of airtime in this one which is always a bonus for me. By the end of the book, I was in tears ... so be warned - have the tissues handy.  No spoilers though, so don't ask!