The Ghost Fields is Book #7 in the Dr. Ruth Galloway series written by Elly Griffiths.
The discovery of a downed WWII plane with a body inside leads Ruth and DCI Nelson to uncover a wealthy family’s secrets.
This title does such an excellent job of weaving together history, archeology, culture and (of course) mystery and murder.
The Acknowledgements is an especially pertinent part of the book. The author gives a lot of background for this particularly atmospheric area of Britain. Even the title is is mesmerizing.
An excellent title in an excellent mystery series. ***** ( )

To me, the seventh book of the Ruth Galloway series is a bit weaker than the previous entries. It took me a lot of time to really get into the story and some aspects just seemed too incredible to me (including the end which is totally far-fetched). And once again, my pet peeve: Ruth getting into a totally dangerous situation although it is obvious that she risks her life by doing so. Moreover, after a promising development in the last book when I thought that finally the Ruth/Nelson storyline would take a turn, everything is stuck again! I just want to shake Ruth!
So altogether this is not my favorite book, but I still enjoyed reading it because the characters feel like friends to me and as always, I love the descriptions of the Norfolk landscape and how the author creates a special atmosphere using this natural world, believable characters and historical facts. ( )

When a digger clearing land for a new bunch of luxury beach homes discovers a buried airplane with the pilot still on board, both DCI Nelson and Forensic Anthropologist Ruth Galloway are called in.

Ruth is quick to note that things aren't as they appear. Besides the fact that the condition of the remains isn't right, there is a gunshot wound in the body's temple. Nelson isn't sure that a death that occurred during the Second World War is a high priority, but he sends samples for DNA testing to identify the body.

Once the identity comes back indicating that the DNA matches that of the prominent Blackstock family, the case gets more interesting. Fred Blackstock was supposed to have died over the sea with his body lost at sea. How did this tail gunner wind up in the cockpit of a plane buried in a chalk pit?

The investigation raises a bunch of questions and the Blackstocks aren't all that forthcoming. Some of them are eager when a US television company wants to do a program about American flyers in Britain during WWII and wants to include Fred Blackstock's story since he moved to the US but came back to fight for Britain. Of course, the TV company includes Frank - the historian with whom Ruth had a brief relationship in an earlier book in the series which adds some romantic complications in Ruth's life.

Then another body is found. This one was eaten by pigs on Chaz Blackstock's farm leaving only a few bones and teeth. DNA indicates that he too is related to the Blackstocks and research finds that he is the son of the long-lost oldest brother who disappeared shortly after WWII.

Along with the mystery, there are some romantic complications. Ruth and Nelson share a five-year-old Kate but have an undefined relationship. He's married to Michelle who seems to be working her way into a relationship with one of Nelson's subordinates. Then there is Clough, another of Nelson's subordinates, who falls in love with the Blackstock daughter who is set to inherit the estate.

This was another entertaining and intriguing episode in the Ruth Galloway series. The romantic complications were as much of the plot and as interesting as the mystery. ( )

I really enjoy this series. Another good read ( )

Ruth Galloway