For an Elly Griffiths reader, the attraction can begin with an investigator you would happily follow anywhere. Her books range from forensic archaeology and historical mysteries to a detective who travels through time. Her 2026 crime-festival visits offered both a shared conversation and an audience-question session.
Quick facts
Best known for
The Dr Ruth Galloway mysteries and Ali Dawson mysteries
Genre or subject
Crime fiction, historical mysteries and time-travel detective stories
Elly Griffiths is the crime-writing name of Domenica de Rosa. Before becoming a novelist she worked in publishing, including children’s editorial work at HarperCollins, and published fiction under her own name. Her detective writing has since grown in several directions, with new series opening fresh doors for returning readers.
Ruth Galloway is a forensic archaeologist. The Brighton Mysteries, Harbinder Kaur investigations and Ali Dawson books give Griffiths other places, periods and voices to explore. Fans can stay with a much-loved character or follow the writer into a different kind of mystery without treating either choice as a duty.
The Ali Dawson stories combine police investigation with time travel. The Killing Time appeared in 2026, followed by the novella The Case of the Christmas Card on 8 October 2026. The shorter festive mystery is the latest publication highlighted here. Its scale makes a different reading experience from settling in with a full-length investigation.
Where to start with their books
The Crossing Places
A discovery on the north Norfolk salt marshes brings a forensic archaeologist into the investigation of a missing child. This opening Ruth Galloway novel is a direct route into the combination of bones, landscape and detective work that draws readers to her.
The Stranger Diaries
An English teacher’s colleague is murdered, with a line from a Gothic story left beside the body. Try this if the pull of literature, secrecy and an unsettling school setting interests you as much as the investigation itself.
The Zig Zag Girl
In post-war Brighton, a murder recalls a stage illusion and brings a detective back into contact with a magician from his wartime past. It opens the Brighton Mysteries, a choice for readers who like theatre, period detail and a crime rooted in old friendships.
Festival appearances
For tickets, use the host festival’s official box office. Confirm the date, venue and access details before paying.
At Bloody Scotland’s Golden Lion on 19 September, she joined Ellery Lloyd for Time After Time. That paired conversation provided a second way to spend time with the writing: listening to an exchange between authors within a festival devoted to crime.
Where to see them next
No 2027 appearances announced yet. Check the festival guides for programme dates.
Plan your trip
If an audience-question session appeals, write down one short question about the writing before setting off. Leave out a culprit’s identity or a final twist: a room of crime readers is likely to include people at different stages of the books.
For a shared trip, swap reading recommendations with your companion before choosing other sessions. You might follow different Griffiths detectives but still enjoy the same crime-festival day. Allow a gap to find the next venue and talk over what you have heard; the guides below help with the wider stay.
The 2026 programmes featured Elly Griffiths at Bloody Scotland, Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival; follow those guides for event information and practical visit details.
Which Griffiths series should I begin with?
The reading suggestions above offer three different starting points. Pick the setting and kind of mystery that makes you want to turn the page. You can meet her writing through one investigator without committing to every other series before attending a festival.
Can I go without preparing a question?
Use the festival links on Elly Griffiths’s profile for the event’s own ticket and audience guidance.
How do I book a Griffiths event?
Use the festival’s official box office and choose the conversation that appeals to you. A pass may have separate reservation rules. If hearing support, step-free access or a companion place matters to your visit, ask about that booking before paying.
How can I find her next festival date?
Use the festival links on Elly Griffiths’s profile for the event’s own ticket and audience guidance.
