The Case Has Altered

Richard Jury #14

by Martha Grimes

The Richard Jury Mysteries continues with this “richly textured story” (The New York Times Book Review) following Richard as he investigates a complicated double murder mystery.

The sun, smoking behind a haze of cloud, threw off a light of burnished pewter. Mysteriously lit, it was as if the watery, colorless land refused drabness, stood determinedly against dimishment. This is a landscape that can easily deceive, a landscape that volunteers nothing—much like the patrons of the only pub for miles around called The Case Has Altered.

The Lincolnshire fenlands are the right setting for Richard Jury’s latest case, a mystifying double murder. The body of one woman is found on the wash; another woman lies floating in a canal in Windy Fen. Both women are connected with Dorcas Reese, a servant; Verna Dunn, the louche ex-wife of the owner, Max Owen, a man with a passion for antiques. The case is only further complicated when the principal suspect turns out to be Jenny Kennington, a woman Jury has long loved. Will he be able to solve the case or is it hitting too close to home?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, British Literature, Detective

434 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 15, 1997

About the author

Martha Grimes is an American author of detective fiction.

She was born May 2 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to D.W., a city solicitor, and to June, who owned the Mountain Lake Hotel in Western Maryland where Martha and her brother spent much of their childhood. Grimes earned her B.A. and M.A. at the University of Maryland. She has taught at the University of Iowa, Frostburg State University, and Montgomery College.

Grimes is best known for her series of novels featuring Richard Jury, an inspector with Scotland Yard, and his friend Melrose Plant, a British aristocrat who has given up his titles. Each of the Jury mysteries is named after a pub. Her page-turning, character-driven tales fall into the mystery subdivision of "cozies." In 1983, Grimes received the Nero Wolfe Award for best mystery of the year for The Anodyne Necklace.

The background to Hotel Paradise is drawn on the experiences she enjoyed spending summers at her mother's hotel in Mountain Lake Park, Maryland. One of the characters, Mr Britain, is drawn on Britten Leo Martin, Sr, who then ran Marti's Store which he owned with his father and brother. Martin's Store is accessible by a short walkway from Mountain Lake, the site of the former Hotel, which was torn down in 1967.

She splits her time between homes in Washington, D.C., and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Reviews

[Maria Birnell · Rating 2 out of 5]

The solution to the murder mystery was interesting but it took a long time to get there. I didn't really understand Jury's relationship with Jenny and I didn't really care to. Zehl was the most interesting character. Did not feel at all invested in the other characters.

[K · Rating 1 out of 5]

My first impression as I got through the first few chapters: blah

A poor girl gets murdered, but that's not the problem. Murdered girls move the plot along and are often essential for setting up a good story. MY problem is that the author goes to great lengths to let you know this girl is ugly. She's ugly, she's fat, no man wants her, therefore she gives it up easy, and is a slut. Special mentioned features to let you know she's ugly: she's a redhead & has FRECKLES. The HORROR! It's not enough that the author describes her this way while she's alive, but when the detective sees her poor corpse, he can just TELL, even through the *bloating due to strangulation* and being dumped in water, that this girl is FAT AND UGLY. Well screw you, too.

By Ch 8: It feels as if I've tried to start watching a soap opera about 15 minutes into a single show. I don't know who all these people are, who's important, what their relationships are to one another, etc.
We've two women dead, one of whom happens to be friends with the main (?) character, the detective. (I can't really tell, as the majority of the book seems to be from the point of view from one of his friends, who may or may not be lecherous.) I'm 8 chapters in & the only thing the detective has really done is cook up some bizarre plan to have his friend masquerade as an antiquities appraiser in order to 'infiltrate' the house where the murders occurred. Oh, and do some arts & crafts...he honest to goodness spent several pages decorating a music box with little pieces of glass, for the friend who is (to me, very reasonably) a suspect in the murder. Up to this point, the most well-described character is the poor ugly girl who died in the first chapter.
All of this would be forgivable if the story was actually interesting, but I feel like I could skip entire chapters of this thing & it wouldn't make a difference. I've started skimming, trying to get to the "brilliant" parts that would lend this book to receiving reviews that use the words "dazzling," "masterful," and "talented writer."
Oh, and the other woman who was murdered? I found out more about her from reading the back of the book than I have in 8 chapters. Sometimes, this is understandable in a mystery book...the characters need to determine WHO has been murdered. But they don't. They know her name, who she is, and apparently she's even famous.

I still haven't quite figured out WHEN this book seems to be set. They mention "the war" and when the detective gets upset at a girl, he's described as getting "shirty." Everything seems rather genteel, proper, and above-board, but the characters have all seemed to have slept around (hinted at) and the F word is used once. It's a bizarre amalgamation of styles & it grated on me.

Ugh. Perhaps the first few in the series were decent, *surely*, since the author has managed to milk this thing for (currently) 23 books...but this one was terrible.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m deep into my quest to read all of Martha Grimes books. As I read each I always read a few reviews by other readers to see where I’m heading. I’ve been struck by how many give only 1 or 2 stars for her books. I’m guessing that if you are only reading mysteries for the sake a really good mystery to solve these books may be ‘off in the weeds’ in most cases.
No matter how weak the mystery plot I just really enjoy Martha Grimes. She’s an amazing writer who has a true talent for writing about all things human. Some books make me laugh out loud, follow my husband around reading passages to him (to share the humor), others have haunted me for a day or two after reading them for the sadness of life. Yes some of the actual mysteries are better plotted and written than others but still immensely readable.
I guess the mystery has taken a second to the characters I’ve begun to thoroughly like. And each book tells me something else about them and how this motley crew have forged a bond. Im intrigued with wanting to know why in each story there is always a child and an animal written in. But not complaining: they are usually the most interesting and perceptive.
I’m going to be very sorry when there are no more to read. That’s why I’m spacing them out between other reads.
Perhaps it is because of those 1 or 2 ⭐️ ratings I have thoroughly enjoyed them. When you start reading with such low expectations you can be pleasantly surprised! Admittedly a few were a bit difficult to start but there were several where I realized if I had put the book down after a few chapters because it was slow I would have missed a really good book. It’s not always about the mystery.
Personally I think M. Grimes always deserves 5 ⭐️ She’s that good.

[Kyrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to like Richard Jury, I really do, but I don't. I don't dislike him either. Melrose Plant is quirkier, and less likeable, and yet has more appeal, especially in this tale. I felt as at sea about Richard and Jenny's relationship as they apparently did. The solution to the mystery was a long time coming, and was good, but it was a long slog to get there. The comic relief brought by Melrose's Aunt Agatha's lawsuit was the best part.

I keep reading this series and keep wondering why.

[Jaksen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this was a weighty heavy deep Richard Jury story. Lots of facets. Lots of characters. Intertwined storyline with a few subplots. And I liked it!

Dialogue-heavy, too. Descriptive. Chapters which feature Richard Jury, Chief Inspector Scotland Yard, and chapters which feature his good friend, Melore Plant. Melrose is super-wealthy, lives-in-a-manor in the picturesque, rural English countryside and has given up his title! (He could be Lord - an Earl! - which is rather high up, I think.) There's lots of walking talking thinking drinking assessing and messing about...

As to what happened to two very different women who were killed just two weeks apart. One, a wealthy, well-known, though difficult actress. The other a dumpy, dowdy maid-of-all-work. The first is shot and left on a beach; the second is strangled on a footpath near a pub known as 'The Case Has Altered, or just 'The Case.'

(Ms. Grimes' book titles in this series are all the names of pubs.)

There's the usual roundup of witnesses: wealthy landowners, an artist, a blind fellow, his young niece. (Ms. Grimes loves to throw in the smart young girl who sees and knows 'stuff.') There are pub scenes and an entirely amusing side-plot in which Melrose's fussy, elderly aunt wants to sue another elderly woman for having 'pots' and other antiques outside her shop in the nearby village. It seems that the Aunt - Aunt Ada - was frightened by the shop owner's little dog, put her foot in a chamber pot, fell and twisted her ankle. The nerve!

So you have to sit through two trials - trial of a woman accused of killing the two women. Trial of a shop-keeper who might lose her shop to Melrose's annoying aunt.

And another twist: the woman accused of murdering the actress - and the maid - is a woman poor Richard Jury has been panting over for several books now. Love? Or just lust. Anyhow, his interest in helping this woman is how he gets involved...

Frantic in places. Slow but pleasant in others. I really liked this one.

Four stars.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would call this a good, not a great read. Two women, completely different from each other, are murdered on the wild and watery Lincolnshire fen, a great setting. An unlikely third woman, a friend of Scotland Yard's Richard Jury is accused, and the race is on to prove her guilt or innocence. This is my first Martha Grimes, and I can see that the development of quirky characters and their interactions with each other both in the present and in the past, are important. In this book, this sort of thing, along with some pretty funny comic relief compliments of the bumblings of Plant and Trueblood, are what hold the lengthy plot together. Of particular interest to me was the attention to the fact that people hear things differently. A simple phrase can mean something entirely different to you than it might to me, and that can influence a jury, a judge, and can determine the outcome of a trial. Something to think about when a life is in the balance. I liked the ending when the murder cases are finally solved. It describes complex and unexpected behavior, and the sadness of motivation. All the clues are there, and someone with a better detective mind than mine may well have been able to figure it out. This is not a book in which you find out a bunch of important info at the end, making it impossible for one to have tried to puzzle it out along the way. Very frustrating. There are flashes of poetic description too, which I also enjoy.

[Karol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this one, maybe one of my favorites in the series so far.

Sometimes the book seems to move at a slow pace, and at times I have trouble sorting out who's who in Ms. Grimes' novels. But after having read the books in order, it seems I enjoy each one a bit more than the one before. Character development is great. And I much prefer how the mysteries get solved in this series to the standard, formulaic mysteries. (Formula being: wrong person is arrested, the truth then comes to light, and the person solving the mystery becomes a target in imminent danger until someone comes to the rescue).

Some reasons I like Martha Grimes? Part is mood-setting, another part character development, and another part unexpected humor. I plan to keep reading this series. Not tired of it yet!

[Marian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm obsessed with Martha G. and her Jury friends. This was another great one, haunting.

[Jennifer Nash · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really, really boring book. Half the book was told from Melrose's point of view, which would have been okay except for the fact that Melrose was just as boring as Jury. Both the main characters spent way too much time in their own heads thinking about their feelings about past cases and experiences. The author gives almost no details about these past cases.

Also don't like the fact that the author keeps bringing up that the murdered maid was ugly. Her ugliness was mentioned dozen's of times. Also not fair to constantly describe Dorcas (the maid) as slutty when Verna (the other murder victim) and Jenny (the alleged murderer) were just as slutty as she was. Perhaps the author thinks that pretty people shouldn't be described as slutty even if the act slutty.

The only reason I finished the book was to find out how Aunt Ada's trial went and what was going to happen to Zel. The Aunt Ada side story and the trial portion of the book were the only interesting parts of the story.

The characters were for the most part bland, boring and unlikable. Only really liked Parker, Zel, Apted (the barrister) and Charley (the solicitor).

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent Richard Jury mystery with a large role for Melrose Plant as they work together to solve a dual murder case using their powers of observation and thinking out of the box. If you are not familiar with these mysteries, I strongly encourage you to read one. Good reading with a bit of humor!

[Rick Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Major characters:
Max Owen, master of Fengate
Grace Owen, his wife
Jack Price, their nephew; a sculptor
Verna Dunn, Max's first wife, an actress, victim #1
Dorcas Reese, the Owens' maid, victim #2
Lady Jennifer Kennington, Verna;'s cousin and the prime suspect in her death
Annie Suggins, the Owens' cook
Burt Suggins, the Owen's handyman, husband of Annie
Major Linus Parker, the Owens' neighbor
Peter Emery, Parker's groundskeeper
Zel, Emery;s 10-year old niece
Inspector Arthur Bannen, Lincolnshire police
Superintendent Richard Jury, of Scotland Yard
Melrose Plant, his friend and fake antiques appraiser

Locale: the Lincolnshire Fens

Synopsis: Inspector Arthur Bannen of the Lincolnshire police has two murders on his hands. The first was Verna Dunn, actress, who was shot while visiting her ex-husband Max Owen. She was last seen alive arguing with her cousin, Lady Jennifer Kennington. The second was the Owen's maid and cook's assistant, young Dorcas Reese; found floating in the waters of the nearby visitor's center for the Lincolnshire fens.

Superintendent Richard Jury is interested as widowed Lady Kennington is a friend of his (and possible love interest). Lady Kennington is the prime suspect in Verna's death. Jury gets friend Melrose Plant to visit the Owens in the guise of an antiques appraiser, of which Plant knows nothing - but is coached by antique dealer Marshall Trueblood.

Melrose circulates among the locals, and his most promising lead is Zel, a 10-year old girl who seems to know more than she reveals. She is the niece of Peter Emery, the blind groundskeeper for the Owen's neighbor, Major Linus Parker.

Review: This is one of the best Jury novels thus far. The two deaths have occurred just prior to the story, and the tension builds throughout. The murderer was a complete mystery to me - although Grimes plays strictly fair with the reader. The actual reveal only occurs in the final pages which left me wondering how could I not have seen it?

The characters are quite believable, and as usual, there is a young girl (Zel) who has a starring role. The only dud character is Lady Jenny Kennington herself, who has minimal involvement and is usually offstage. She is a cardboard cutout propped up here and there when needed.

There is a lot of comic relief in two subplots:

1. Aunt Agatha taking local Ada Crisp to court over a chamber pot incident. We get to see two parallel court cases progress in alternating chapters: Lady Kennington for murder (serious), and Ada Crisp for leaving a chamber pot on the sidewalk where Aunt Agatha would step in it (amusing). We get to see flamboyant Marshall Trueblood in a new role, as an amateur defense attorney.

2. Melrose Plant gets talked into pretending to be an antiques appraiser in order to infiltrate the Owen household. He gets a crash course in antiques from Marshall Trueblood, and the fun begins when he enters the house and finds his new knowledge woefully inadequate.

As usual, reading the series in order is recommended, as various past incidents, like Dorcas Reese, are always floating to the surface.

For additional reviews indexed by author, please visit The Mystillery Blog and try The Mystillery Reading Challenges!

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read most of the books in this "Richard Jury" series, and I really like them. The storylines are fairly usual murder mystery type of plots, but the characters are great. They are all unique and funny, and the books don't take themselves too seriously. Plus, the books are a neat little glimpse of English life.

[Susanne Beyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Früher habe ich diese Reihe mit Begeisterung gelesen. Heute finde ich sie, trotz aller Sympathie für die beliebten Figuren, entsetzlich langatmig. Allein die Frage, ob das zweite Opfer nun scheinschwanger war oder nicht und warum, wird x-mal in wechselnder Besetzung diskutiert, ohne dass eine Antwort auch nur möglich wäre. Mühsam und leider ohne einen Hauch von Spannung. Die Übersetzung wirkt mittlerweile auch angestaubt und stellenweise sehr bemüht ("Fluppen"???).

[Lizzytish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yawn. Jury is still struggling with not smoking, still n a quandary about a relationship and what it is, Plant’s aunt is suing again, and oh yes, there are a couple of murders. There was a little different take with this book as the author presented the suspect being on trial. My favorite part was the lawsuit by Agatha and Trueblood as the lawyer!

[Jill H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Jury and Melrose Plant are on the case again. In this adventure, two women are killed in the isolated fens but there does not seem to be any connection between them. Everyone is stumped, but then Lady Jenny Kennington, a friend of Melrose and Jury is arrested and brought to trial for the murders, on pretty vague evidence. Jury, who has a romantic interest in Jenny, is convinced she is innocent although she has lied to the police on several occasions. When the case is finally solved, the reader still has no idea why she lied in the first place. I found Jenny a rather unlikeable character and didn't understand Jury's attraction to her.

As a side story, Melrose's nasty Aunt Agatha is bringing suit against Ada Crisp, who owns a second hand store in Long Piddlington and declares that she tripped over a "chamber pot" on the sidewalk and was attacked by Miss Crisp's tiny dog. Marshall Trueblood the flamboyant antiques dealer decides to act as legal counsel for Miss Crisp......its a lot of fun and turns out exactly how you hoped it would.

Another good series entry by Martha Grimes and a good read.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked this much better than last few. Set in the Fen(s) of Lincolnshire, most of which have been drained, but in the Wyndham Fen, drained and then refilled for National Trust example of the old watery fens, floats the body of Dorcas Reese, an unattractive servant girl at Fengate and the Case Has Altered pub, just two weeks after the murder of Verna Dunn, the ex wife of the antique loving and happily remarried owner of Fengate. Richard Jury is pulled in by his need to try to rescue the local DCI's prime suspect, Lady Jenny Kennington, who has fascinated him over the ten years of their wiil'o'the wisp non-relationship. Melrose plant is pulled in undercover as an antiques appraiser, while his disreputable, conniving aunt Agatha is suing poor second hand shop
Owner Ada Crisp, whose space unctuous book store owner, Theo Wrenn Browne wishes to expand into. Lots of niggling little herrings to round up, net and deal with. Well done. Poor Jury and Plant both mourn over their lack of success with women.

[Chana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read this book twice and certain images stayed with me despite the years and all the books read between. The "cold ladies" are unique, and the descriptions of the fens made me nostalgic for them although I've never seen them. I enjoyed the dialogue between the characters and it seems like these characters must be real in this world somewhere, maybe just because I like them so much. That said, I really disliked the ending. It was hard to see anyone guilty, disappointing even, because there were so few of them and they were all likable. The only one I didn't particularly like was the suspect who wasn't guilty. I hadn't remembered the ending from the first reading, probably because I didn't like it in the first place.

[Dona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this series and read them one after the other.

Marth Grimes is a master of words, weaving intricate story lines with unusual characters and a sense of humor that I found uproariously funny at times. Some of the humor was so subtle that it is possible people without the ability to pick up on subtle humor might not catch on.

Occasionally throughout the books, the repetitive personal love interests got tiresome from the lack of growth of the characters. But the strength of the rest of the story(s) made the tiresome aspects irrelevant.

These books are definitely worth the time and cost to read. Thoroughly enjoyable and I am HOPING that there are more in the series to come.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give the one a 4.5 . This is an excellent book! The plot is great, with some side plots as well involving Agatha and another injury claim. There are not too many characters this time. I could follow the plot and after a point I could not stop reading until I finished! I also enjoyed some of the humor with Melrose as an 'appraiser'. So, far this is the best book in the series. The only item that is disappointing is the relationship between Richard Jury and Jenny Kennington. I don't understand it at all.

[Claudia Brogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this. i love martha grimes. even when ---for no earth-shattering reason except holidays and life and its busy-ness---reading the book extends over a span of a few weeks. i was in no particular hurry. reading martha grimes takes me away to a good mental place. i breathe easier ...and i get intrigued.

[Araych · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Jury #14, in which Jury and Melrose Plant investigate the apparently unrelated murders of 2 women. I've read most of this series and I think this is one of the best, interesting mystery plot and typical witty English dialogue. Really liked it, 4 stars.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a book to read in order of the series. Knowledge of characters and events from previous books builds the humor and friction. Grimes doesn't waste time rehashing history or describing personalities, so this isn't a stand-alone.

[Kwoomac]

A British murder mystery starring Scotland Yard's Inspector Richard Jury. Also, his good friend Melrose Plant(my fave). Well written story with great characters.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite character was the young girl Zel, an orphan living with her blind uncle.

[Penelope · Rating 3 out of 5]

MY RATING GUIDE: 3.5 Stars. A mostly enjoyable read. I plan to read the next book in the series.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/cute; 3.5= I ENJOYED THIS; 4= I liked it a lot; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).

THE CASE HAS ALTERED was a reread for me. I read it originally soon after it was published in 1995. I’ve enjoyed certain titles more than others; TCHA fell in-between. I figured out the mystery before the half-point but kept reading to confirm my suspicions and because the series characters are entertaining.

THE CASE HAS ALTERED ~
MMC Scotland Yard Superintendent Richard Jury is called out to Lincolnshire when it becomes evident that Lady Jennifer (Jenny) Kennington, one of Jury’s lady friends, has become the main suspect in 2 local murders which occurred while she was visiting the area. The scene of both murders occurred in remote areas - one body was discovered along a debris ladened Wash near a river running into the ocean; the other murder occurred along a boardwalk inside “fens country,” a swamp-filled national park area. Unfortunately Jenny, the suspect, had contact with both women in the days and hours before their deaths. Although the murders occurred outside Jury’s jurisdiction, he delicately investigates the murders. Furthermore, fearing Jenny’s defense, Jury sends Melrose Plant in undercover as an antiques enthusiast hoping to gain information that might clear Jenny from the charges of murder.

Quote ~
> “A trial has nothing to do with Truth and everything to do with Argument.”
(The true and sad state of our judicial system).

Comments regarding THE CASE HAS ALTERED (and the Richard Jury Mysteries in general) ~
1) The Richard Jury mysteries are character driven. Superintendent Jury is a intelligent detective - educated, intuitive, compassionate, observant, thoughtful with a talent and gift for detection. He is blessed in his friendships but cursed with his boss and his female relationships.
2) The RJ Mystery series involves a full cast of characters that feature (more or less) in each book - Jury’s wealthy and ambivalent friend, former earl Melrose Plant; Plant’s assorted friends and acquaintances in Long Piddleton; Jury’s sarcastic and pompous Scotland Yard superior, Chief Superintendent Racer; Racer’s flirtatious secretary, Fiona Cligmore; the sneaky Scotland Yard CID “office” cat, Cyrus; Jury’s loyal, efficient, insightful and hypochondriac assistant Detective Sargent Higgin’s; Superintendent Jury’s London flat WWII survivor and PTSD inflicted Jewish downstairs neighbor, Mrs Wasserman and Jury’s sexy and spontaneous, young upstairs-flat neighbor, Carole-anne Palutski. And more.
3) IMO, the Superintendent Richard Jury novels sit somewhere between Contemporary British Mysteries and Grisly Thrillers - depending on the particular title. A few have been quite dark. TCHA read quickly and I found it interesting, but overall I thought the tone reflected weariness, duty and loyalty without much joy or contentment to balance it (which is the consistent tone throughout this series). I would never consider these Cozy reads.
4) The Richard Jury mysteries aren’t generally filled with angst but they certainly don’t end with HEAs either - Richard Jury’s life is simply too complicated and the tone too somber. I continue reading the series mainly because I enjoy the well developed and friendly personal relationships between the series’ characters.
5) THE CASE HAS ALTERED can be read as a stand-alone title but - because of the many personal relationships which weave throughout the series and the sub-plots which pop up but are not solved until several books later - for the most enjoyment, I recommend beginning with book #1 and reading the series in order.
6) The Richard Jury Mysteries remind me somewhat of a contemporary period, somber version of Dorothy Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries, Ngaio Marsh’s Inspector Roderick Alleyn series or Margery Allingham’s Campion Mysteries (3 series I also enjoy). The Grimes’ series being, IMO, both more realistic and less “light and enjoyable” overall.
7) I feel the content of THE CASE HAS ALTERED (1995) has held up rather well over time (about 25yrs ago).
8) There are a few light moments, with secondary characters, in TCHA but I wish there were more. This series generally leaves me with a book-hangover.
9) YMMV.

READER CAUTIONS - Not recommended to YA readers or to readers who prefer Clean fiction.
PROFANITY - Yes. Strong language is used on a few occasions.
VIOLENCE - This is a murder mystery with 2 deaths which occurred before the story begins. Not graphic or dark in description.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - Yes. Occurs briefly off-scene.

[Stephen Lee]

My first Grimes book (I think); really like it,gripping, ripping yarn. Bit of a slog keeping all the people straight, but worth it. Found myself going back to check on who's who, what's what, a few times; unusual and not fun, but also a sign of a suspenseful plot that one wants to follow and conquer.
It took me awhile to find one big problem in the plot, though: the garroting murder of the poor fat ugly girl was so obviously the work of a strong man (most stranglings,especially by a garrote of some kind, is hardly done by women. Like all murders in the U.S., for example, men commit about nine of ten. Garrotting is rare in general; largely it's a very difficult thing to do, taking lots of power and time and is messy, with the victim often doing extreme things.... It's simply not believable that any veteran cop would have figured that the female suspect,a slight woman, could have even physically accomplished such a murder of the young, strapping girl. And no good defense attorney would have failed to make it clear that the prosecution's basic theory was more than a little improbable. I see no reason for choosing that form of murder in this otherwise delightful and believable crime mystery; there's no good explanation why such a technique was used, especially when there were guns all over, and clubs....
A famous garroting scene The Godfather gives some idea of what it would take to do it to a big strong guy; but probably is not very believable or realistic. . .. such a big guy probably would have pulled his own hand through the knife stabbing it to the bar, in such a panic;; and would have put up much more of a fight;; it takes quite some time to kill someone by throttling them ... a more realistic account is in Kevin Weeks book about the Boston bad guy Whitey Bulger: After long long minutes and several tries to kill a former confederate roped to a chair by strangling him with a noose/rope, and not being able to squeeze the life out despite horrible torturous maneuvers lasting 15 or 30 minutes, by Whitey and Weeks, Whitey finall asks the poor guy, do you want a couple to the head; and the guy thankfully nods yes, please... and they just shoot him in the head...... we learn about how relentless the life force is by learning how terrible and difficult it can be to kill someone with your hands. . . . .
Two other niggle-like remarks: she talks of someone "breaking open" a .22 cal. rifle, as a certain shotguns (often double-barrelled ones, side by side or over-under); I don't think there are such rifles. in .22 cal;; if so, it's really rare.... some big elephant rifles break open that way, I Think;;; more the old style ones.....

and she has someone wondering if these draft horses are Quarter Horses. . . . I don't believe there are many Quarter Horses in the UK, and while they can be pretty muscled compared to Thoroubreds, they don't really compete with draft breeds such as Shires, Percherons or Clydesdales, or Belgians, all of which are common in the UK.
I see some other comments wondering if Ms Grimes should have more copy editing; maybe someone reading for such faux pas.
But again, love this book and will seek out more of the Jury books..... Thank you again, Martha Grimes. . . ..

[Kelsey Hanson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have finished reading this book in the year of our lord 2021 and it was originally published in 1997. It does seem like there has been a lot of cultural shifts since this was written. There's many parts of this book that seem mean-spirited and cruel and not in the obvious a-murder-was-committed sort of way. The way the book treats Dorcas both in life and death really bothered me. Dorcas is pretty much dismissed and not especially mourned largely because she is physically unattractive (according to the other characters) and sexually promiscuous. Before being killed, she spends most of her time being slut-shamed or just described as annoying to the point where no one seems to care about her after she dies. If this book was offering some sort of commentary on the tendency for society dismissive women who do not measure up to damn near impossible beauty standards, I wouldn't be so upset. However, it feels like the reader is not supposed to sympathize with Dorcas but find her insecurities and people pleasing pathetic. Something about this just rubbed me the wrong way through the whole story. There's also some plot points that are getting a bit repetitive, a precocious girl aiding in the mystery somehow, Jury falling in love with a beautiful yet emotionally unavailable woman, Agatha being...well... Agatha. Some of it worked, the mystery itself was a little bland compared to previous novels but still engaging enough and as unrealistic as it is to have Trueblood serving as an expert lawyer, it was entertaining to see him do courtyard drama. Overall, there was something not totally tangible about this story that made me feel pretty depressed and maybe it's just the novel showing its age.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had this secondhand book on my shelf for ages, got around to it, and I'm sorry I kept it so long.
An ageing senior police officer in England involves himself in a case of two murders - in the fenland of an area where he has no authority. To do this, he asks a rich friend, who has no qualifications as an investigator, to go in to someone's home on false pretences and appraise their antiques - he has no fine arts qualifications - and ask them about the murders. I am sure nobody ever heard of casing the joint, nobody would be in the least suspicious and nobody would ever see through this bumbling man who tells them the opposite to the view of the auction house rep.

The author is American, as clearly shown by many Americanisms. On one page, someone smokes a stogie, while the rich interloper doesn't know if two working horses are quarterhorses or drey horses. Nobody in England might ever have seen a quarter horse at this point. They are an American breed. The interloper would most likely know that the horses were draught horses (not drey) and likely the breed, as there are only a few native to Britain and he'd have seen and heard of them around his family estate.

We get descriptions of the fenland, and a reclamation project, but not enough about the birds and other wildlife. Very little police procedural work.
This is an unbiased review.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Famous older actress, Vera Dunn, killed, then they housemaid Dorcas killed two weeks later. Lady Jennifer Kennington suspected. Jury and Plant ride to the rescue. Both in love with her and neither sure of her. Plus Aunt Agatha after a marketer in town, expecting Plant to help.

So Melrose goes undercover to find what he can at the estate Vera Dunn was staying. Jenny and Vera were cousins with bad blood between them. Dorcas was housemaid — ugly but believed she was pregnant.

In the end it was blind buy, Peter Emery, because Vera Dunn blinded him then he killed Dorcas.

Ada Crisp gets off from Agatha’s suit. Jury has sex with Jenny but not love. Melrose interested in Flora from next door.

I guessed murderer of Dorcas early on. So much inside Knowledge needed. It would be annoying if you haven’t read a Jury mystery in a while. She always tries to put Plant with a dog and a small child.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm 14 books into this series and just realized the main reason I keep returning -- I enjoy the narrator of the audiobooks. His voice relaxes my brain and removes the chaos of the day. He is very consistent with the distinctive character voices as well. Kudos to Steve West. Honestly, if I was reading the print books I would have stopped after book one or two.

This book has a decent, twisty plot and a fun sub-plot. As usual the location descriptions are great and some of the characters are interesting.

My big complaint with this series overall is that the female characters are often portrayed as shallow, listless, or just background props to offend. For example, this book kept describing one of the female victims as ugly, on and on about how unattractive she was and how no guy would want to be with her. It was unnecessary and took me out of the story.

But - I'll continue with the series because I'm addicted to the audiobook narrator's voice.