Near the conclusion of the debut novel in this series, “The Crossing Places,” forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway and DI Harry Nelson enjoy an emotional one-night stand after solving the mystery of discovered bones in the salt marsh in Norwich, England. In this second installment, we learn that Ruth is now three months pregnant, but that doesn’t prevent her from jumping into the trenches when a skeleton is uncovered during a dig at a development site. Are the bones ancient or more recent? Is it a murder case?
Juggling ancient Roman history, classical lore and modern science is the basics of a Ruth Galloway mystery, and “The Janus Stone” is no exception. Janus is the God with two heads, looking forward and backward, guardian of “the door.” And it is under the door to an old mansion, which served for a time as a home for children, that the bones are found. Whether they are the remains of a little girl who ran away with her brother years before, or is there some other explanation, remains the task of DI Nelson and his associates to discover, especially after Ruth confirms they are of modern, rather than ancient, origin. [Not a spoiler – this is revealed very early on.] Other mysteries arise, especially when Ruth’s life is threatened. Who is the perpetrator?
By combining ancient mythology with a plot involving family secrets, insanity, and two independent and interesting characters, the novel keeps the reader rapt in a flowing tale with multi-level subplots. Written with insight and humor, the book is recommended.
