The Janus Stone

A gruesome discovery at an old children's home lays bare terrible secret's from Norwich's past in the second gripping mystery for Dr Ruth Galloway.

'The setting is enticingly atmospheric . . . a really intelligent murder story' Independent

Dr Ruth Galloway's forensic skills are called upon when builders, demolishing an old house in Norwich, uncover the bones of a child - minus the skull - beneath a doorway. Is it some ritual sacrifice or just plain straightforward murder? Ruth links up with DCI Harry Nelson to investigate.

The house was once a children's home. Nelson traces the Catholic priest who used to run the place. He tells him that two children did go missing forty years before - a boy and a girl. They were never found.

When carbon dating proves that the child's bones predate the home and relate to a time when the house was privately owned, Ruth is drawn ever more deeply into the case. But as spring turns into summer it becomes clear that someone is desperate to put her off the scent by frightening her to death...

“The setting is enticingly atmospheric . I closed the book wanting to know more . . . as well as feeling the satisfaction that a really intelligent murder story can give - IndependentGriffiths's dryly humorous writing and the appeal of the two main characters make these books such a treat - Guardian Bone-chilling stuff - The TimesThe tension never fails and it builds to a fantastically gripping climax - EurocrimeAn enthralling page-turner that delights in complex characters - Kirkus ReviewsGriffiths nimbly weaves the mythological aspects of her story . . . with the complicated life of her feisty heroine - Publishers Weekly”

The setting is enticingly atmospheric. I closed the book wanting to know more . . . as well as feeling the satisfaction that a really intelligent murder story can give - Independent

Griffiths's dryly humorous writing and the appeal of the two main characters make these books such a treat - Guardian

Bone-chilling stuff - The Times

The tension never fails and it builds to a fantastically gripping climax - Eurocrime

An enthralling page-turner that delights in complex characters - Kirkus Reviews

Griffiths nimbly weaves the mythological aspects of her story . . . with the complicated life of her feisty heroine - Publishers Weekly

Elly Griffiths is the bestselling author of the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries and the Brighton Mysteries. She has won the CWA Dagger in the Library, has been shortlisted five times for the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger for The Lantern Men. Her new series featuring Detective Harbinder Kaur began with The Stranger Diaries, which was a Richard and Judy book club pick and won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in the USA. It was followed by The Postscript Murders, shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and Bleeding Heart Yard. Elly has two grown-up children and lives near Brighton with her archaeologist husband.

A gruesome discovery at an old children's home lays bare terrible secret's from Norwich's past in the second gripping mystery for Dr Ruth Galloway. 'The setting is enticingly atmospheric . . . a really intelligent murder story' Independent Dr Ruth Galloway's forensic skills are called upon when builders, demolishing an old house in Norwich, uncover the bones of a child - minus the skull - beneath a doorway. Is it some ritual sacrifice or just plain straightforward murder? Ruth links up with DCI Harry Nelson to investigate. The house was once a children's home. Nelson traces the Catholic priest who used to run the place. He tells him that two children did go missing forty years before - a boy and a girl. They were never found. When carbon dating proves that the child's bones predate the home and relate to a time when the house was privately owned, Ruth is drawn ever more deeply into the case. But as spring turns into summer it becomes clear that someone is desperate to put her off the scent by frightening her to death...

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