In book nine, Elly Griffiths set up a wicked scenario. Ruth thought she might finally get her man. But then his pretty wife announced that she was pregnant, and DCI Nelson, being the man that he is, chose to support his family. While they’re awaiting the arrival of this new baby—and wondering who the father really is—Ruth gets a call from an old Italian lover and a working holiday offer in a mountain village in Italy. Dr. Angelo Morelli is a handsome archaeologist with a TV show, so of course, there are bones. And then, another murder.
Ruth takes along Kate, who is now a precocious six-year-old; as well as, her friend Shona and little Louis. The town is a shrine of historical drama and hidden secrets. It takes an earthquake to wrench Harry away from Michelle, but he comes to ensure his daughter and her mother (I’m still not sure he loves Ruth) are all right.
Ruth and Harry’s relationship doesn’t do much of anything in this book—it’s stuck and quite boring. Even if the baby doesn’t turn out to be Harry’s, I don’t see him marrying Ruth. There are no real sparks or sizzles, just dying embers. The Italian backdrop is intriguing though, the history interesting, and the writing cozy as always. This is a good bedtime reading book.
