The Outcast Dead

Every year a ceremony is held in Norwich for the bodies in the paupers’ graves: the service for the Outcast Dead. Forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway has a particular interest in this year’s proceedings. Her recent dig at Norwich Castle turned up the body of the notorious Mother Hook, who was hanged in 1867 for murdering five children. Now Ruth is the reluctant star of a TV special, working alongside the program’s alluring history expert, Dr. Frank Barker. Meanwhile, DCI Harry Nelson is immersed in the case of three children found dead in their home when another child is abducted. A kidnapper dubbed the Childminder claims responsibility, but is the Childminder behind the deaths too? The team must race to find out — and the stakes couldn’t be any higher when a child close to everyone involved goes missing.

ELLY GRIFFITH’s Ruth Galloway novels have been praised as “gripping” (Louise Penny), “highly atmospheric” (New York Times), and “must-reads for fans of crime fiction” (Associated Press). She is the winner of the 2010 Mary Higgins Clark Award.