The Janus Stone, by Elly Griffiths (first published 2010), second book in Griffiths' Ruth Galloway mystery series. These are the book's opening lines:
1st June, Festival of Carna
The house is waiting. It knows. When I sacrificed yesterday, the entrails were black. Everything is turned to night. Outside it is spring but in the house there is a coldness, a pall of despair that covers everything.
The house is waiting. It knows. When I sacrificed yesterday, the entrails were black. Everything is turned to night. Outside it is spring but in the house there is a coldness, a pall of despair that covers everything.
About the Book:
Forensics expert Ruth Galloway is called in to investigate when builders, demolishing a large old house in Norwich to make way for a new development, uncover the skeleton of a child — minus the skull — beneath a doorway. Is it some ritual sacrifice or just plain straightforward murder? DCI Harry Nelson must find out.
The house was once a children's home. Nelson meets the Catholic priest who used to run the home. He tells him that two children did go missing forty years before — a boy and a girl. They were never found.
When carbon dating proves that the child's bones predate the children's home, Ruth is drawn more deeply into the case. But as spring turns to summer it becomes clear that someone is trying very hard to put her off the scent by frightening her half to death… (GoodReads)
Initial Thoughts:
Sacrificed? Well that's certainly not the perkiest beginning, is it? But it did get my attention — right away I'm wondering exactly what's going on and also when it's going on.
I picked this one up because I needed a book with a word starting with "J" in the title; and this one has been on my TBR list for quite a while. Of course, once again I've started a series without reading the first book in the series, and I have a feeling that might be a problem this time. But we'll see....
For now, happy reading, everyone! And have a lovely weekend.
Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Friday. As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc. It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.
I have loved this author's books, but have only read a couple. I thought I had read this one, but can find no evidence of that on Amazon or Goodreads. LOL.
ReplyDeleteBut it does sound so familiar. Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.
I don't think I could read this book. Even the little blurb made me feel afraid. Ha! My Friday Quotes from The Great Alone
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