Add into this the mysterious foreigner - who happens to be tall and handsome - and odd - and you have pretty much collected all of the characters you would expect to see on a BBC drama.

I bought this partially because it is based in Norfolk where I live and partially because reviews suggested that it was a gritty and gripping crime book. Not surprising then that when the opportunity arises to renew her acquaintance with Max, she embraces it fully! The story opens just before Halloween, whilst much of the investigation takes place all the way up until Christmas so makes for a perfect wintery read. We revisit old characters and meet some new ones, and the complicated lives and relationships continue to unfold.As well as the museum there is the Smith wing in the hospital and the Smith Art Collection at the castle. Whilst slowly coming to terms with motherhood and the lack of sleep, Ruth is never less than certain that having a child was what she always wanted but, rest assured, her usual dry humour is in fine fettle throughout. A Room Full of Bones is a pleasing read, perhaps tending more to the 'cosy' style of crime fiction than earlier instalments in the series, but is certainly exciting and with a more satisfying crime and detection element this time round as the plot is more clever and more robust. Lord Smith's love of the natural world is shown in his magnificent collection of animals and birds, most of which he shot and stuffed himself. The mysteries are wonderful and I never manage to work out the solution, but it is really the characters that are the icing on the cake.

A Room Full of Bones has several mysteries running through it increasing Nelson's workload - that of the dead curator; another unexpected death; and an influx of cheap cocaine into the area.I am thinking about creating a new shelf for the Galloway series - "coronavirus escapes," which will include anything I have read since March 2020 that helps me avoid the present reality. On this occasion the mystery revolves around a family-run racing stables, and its connection to the discovery of a body at a local museum. You're not good at suspense anyway, you might as well have written that Ruth spent hours squinting at the skeleton like serious professionals do and then came up with the answer.