The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

Dr Ruth Galloway is a professor of forensic archaeology at the University of North Norfolk. DCI Harry Nelson asks her to look at some bones found near Saltmarsh to figure out how old they are. Ten years ago, a young girl named Lucy Downey disappeared and the case has haunted Nelson ever since. He has even been receiving letters from the possible killer over the years. When Ruth carbon dates the bones as being from the Iron Age, Nelson is disappointed, as he thought he could finally bring Lucy's parents some closure. Ruth, single and nearing 40, is happy with her life and the isolation of her cottage near the Saltmarsh with her two cats. After meeting Nelson, however, she finds him in her thoughts even though he's married. When a girl named Scarlet Henderson goes missing and one of Ruth's cat is killed and left on her doorstep, Ruth and Nelson find themselves drawn together to catch a killer. The Crossing Places is the debut of a new series that has a great sense of place and an interesting main character in Ruth. I thoroughly enjoyed it. For readers who like Erin Hart, Gail Bowen, Julia Spencer-Fleming, and the Loretta Lawson mysteries by Joan Smith.