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Mystery · 2020 · R

The Lantern Men

by Elly Griffiths

A killer claims more victims. Ruth takes a new job. The Norfolk fens have their own darkness.

Convicted murderer Amyas March offers to make DCI Nelson a deal. Nelson was always sure that March killed more women than he was charged with, and March offers to show Nelson where the other bodies are buried-- but only if Ruth Galloway will do the digging. When she warily agrees, March tells her that four more bodies are buried near a village bordering the fens. The area is said to be haunted by the Lantern Men, mysterious figures holding lights that lure travellers to their deaths. What is his plan in luring Ruth back to Norfolk? And are the killings really over? -- adapted from jacket

For17+GenreMysteryLength326 pagesRead time~8.5 hours

This analysis was generated by AI from publicly available reader reviews, literary criticism, and book discussions. It has not been verified by a BookLens community reviewer and may contain errors. Be the first to verify →

Content snapshot

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What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.

Violence

A lot

A serial killer claiming more victims from prison; the investigation involves excavating murder sites; psychological manipulation

Language

Some

Some strong language

Sexual Content

Barely any

Mild romantic content; Ruth's personal situation shifts significantly

Substance Use

Barely any

Mild content

Emotional Intensity

A lot

The specific danger of working with a killer who has made himself necessary; the folklore of the fens as a meditation on the dangers of following a light in the darkness

What this book is about

Convicted murderer Ivor March makes a deal: he will reveal the locations of more bodies — but only if Ruth Galloway is the archaeologist. Ruth, who has taken a new position at Cambridge, returns to Norfolk and begins excavating sites March names. The case is complicated by Ruth's new colleague and by the Norfolk fens themselves, where the Lantern Men of local folklore are said to lure travelers to their deaths. Elly Griffiths's eleventh Ruth Galloway mystery is the most folklore-rich of the series, and the tension between March's intelligence and Ruth's determination to use him without being used by him drives the book.

Notes for sensitive readers

Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.

eleventh of the Ruth Galloway series

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