The Outcast Dead written by Elly Griffiths is Book #6 in the Dr. Ruth Galloway Mystery series.
Dr. Ruth Galloway is a forensic archeologist working at Norfolk University and also as a liaison with the Police in forensic archeological matters.
While working with students at a nearby ‘Dig’, Ruth uncovers the bones of what might be a notorious Victorian child murderess and baby snatcher known as ‘The Childminder’.
This is a very atmospheric mystery - the Norfolk area is front and center in this story.
The characters, the very realistic interplay between characters and university and police, the locations and subject matter - all leave me quite keen on this series. I also pick up lots of historical, cultural and archeological information along the way.
I couldn’t be happier. ***** ( )

While this is not my favourite book of the series, it still is one of the really good ones. I enjoyed both the historical case and the contemporary case. Both have to do with the abduction of children, but the connection does not seem forced. Judy and Cathbad appear quite a lot in this story and this is another plus for me because I enjoy reading about them. There are also a couple of new characters and the development of Ruth's private story line takes a turn that I support and that makes the story more exciting.
Reading a book of this series always feels like coming home and meeting friends, which is why these books are real comfort reads to me despite the dark and sinister cases! ( )

This episode has Ruth unearthing the body of a notorious Victorian murderer. Mother Hook was convicted of murdering children in her care and selling their bodies to men looking to sell the corpses to medical schools. This discovery excites her boss who is always looking for ways to gain funding and publicity for the archaeology department.

Soon Ruth finds herself appearing in a television show title Women Who Kill which wants to focus on Mother Hook. While the presenter is determined to vilify the woman, Ruth and the show's historian who happens to be an attractive American scholar are more inclined to want to prove that she was wrongly portrayed.

Meanwhile, Nelson is also involved in cases involving children. The first is the case of a woman who has had her three children all die in her care in infancy. While some of his officers especially Judy view her as the victim of unimaginable tragedy, Nelson wonders whether the deaths were caused by the woman.

Nelson is also involved in two kidnappings. The first resolves with a happy ending when the child is returned to her parents unharmed. The second involves the kidnapping of the one-year-old son of one of his officers. Judy is the one who was so sure that the first mother could not have been responsible because she knows how much she loves her own baby.

I liked the way the two plot threads intertwined. I also liked learning more about characters who are regulars in this series. Cathbad's and Judy's relationship looks like it reaches some resolution whereas Ruth and Nelson's in still to be determined.

Fans of the series will enjoy this latest episode. New readers will find intriguing mysteries and characters to care about. ( )

Really enjoyed reading this book. I have read all the Ruth Galloway books and each has been a treat. The plus side with this one I worked out who the child abductor was. I suppose I will have to wait until 2015 for the next in this series ( )

If you are an anxious parent with a baby then this probably isn't the detective novel for you as there are a number of incidents in the past and present involving young children. Otherwise, this was another enjoyable read from Elly Griffiths. We once again meet Ruth, the forensic archaelogist and DCI Nelson. A TV crew come along to film a dig Ruth is involved in that has found the bones to a woman who was hanged for killing a baby. An infant is found dead and then a child goes missing. Elly Griffiths manages to make this a jolly read, despite the subject matter and there is plenty of interesting history and local Norfolk colour. ( )