Griffiths, Elly. The Crossing Places

Archaeologist Ruth Galloway lives in a small cottage on the edge of the great Saltmarsh in England’s remote Norfolk region.  Her quiet life is disrupted when Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson asks Ruth to help identify remains discovered in the Saltmarsh.  Harry Nelson hopes that they are the remains of a young girl who went missing a decade previously; he is disappointed and relieved when they turn out to date to the Iron Age. But Ruth quickly becomes invested in the case, assisting Harry by giving her professional opinion of a series of letters sent, presumably by the killer, which make frequent reference to the Iron and Bronze Age artifacts found on the Saltmarsh, including a submerged causeway and a wooden henge.  When another young girl goes missing, everyone fears the two cases are connected and Harry and Ruth must decipher the culprit’s strange clues before more children fall victim.

Interesting characters, a stunning backdrop in the Saltmarsh, and the unusual archaeological angle make this a mystery sure to appeal to readers looking for something a little less violent and more character-driven.  This is the first in a series featuring Ruth Galloway.