A Dying Fall

One evening, archeologist, Ruth Galloway receives a call from a former university classmate.  She informs her that a friend of theirs from university has just died in a fire.  The following day, Ruth receives a letter from the dead man.  In the letter he informs Ruth that he has made a discovery related to the Raven King, but he is also afraid of something.  Ruth calls up her friend and the father of her daughter, DI Harry Nelson.

Nelson's friend in another police force has informed him that the death is suspicious and they have opened a murder inquiry.  Later Ruth receives a call from the university where her friend worked asking her to come and exam he bones that he discovered.  She then receives a text from an anonymous source suggesting that she will be sorry if she goes.

When Nelson travels to Blackpool, on a supposed holiday, his friend, Sandy Macleod informs him that they suspect white supremacists are behind the murder.  At the same time, Ruth travels to the university and is informed that the bones were found in a sarcophagus with a Latin inscription pointing to the possibility that they could be the bones of King Arthur.  Shortly after arriving, Ruth receives another threatening text.

Later, when she begins her examination of the bones, Ruth discovers that the lower jaw doesn't match the head.  A bit later Nelson attends a query with Macleod, at which time they find out that there is a right wing extremist group on campus called the White Hand.  Cathbad knows a bit about them.  When Ruth receives another threatening text, she calls Nelson, who immediately goes to her.

Will the evidence that Ruth discovers prove or disprove the King Arthur theory?  Will her evidence lead to the killer or will the police find the killer first?

Author Elly Griffiths has written a murder mystery with an interesting premise and several twists to the plot.  A good read.  I'm looking forward to the next in the series to find out what happens to the forensic archeologist, her daughter and her friends.