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Richard Jury #10
Inspektor Jury geht übers Moor
Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso
477 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1989
371 people are currently reading
1051 people want to read
About the author
Martha Grimes
114 books1,454 followersMartha 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
May 24, 2022
Martha Grimes revealed in an introduction that topics seldom guide her books. I gather she normally casts about for premises. Musical inspiration for Richard Jury volume #10 interested me. “The Old Silent” contains anything but silent characters. As usual, there is a patchwork of connections and excursions. Fans love page time with Richard, Melrose, and company; critics think the escapades belong in two books. I loved the eccentricities and familiar humour of Martha’s heroes from page one!
A cockatoo peered out of livingroom foliage, a spider repaired its web in Richard’s office, and their office kitty, Cyril, boldly tinkled glass inside chief superintendent A.E. Racer’s wooden cabinet! A hotel guest loaned Melrose cassettes, who became determined to follow the vulgar saga of those songs. There Melrose was, around kids, with profanity in the earphones.... hilarious! The animal advocacy of children was an especially compassionate topic, as well as adopted parents who are closer than kin. I observed plot plausibility that could be improved but bestowed 5 stars for the first time since book #7.
The mystery is perplexing: a woman shot her ex-husband in public. Richard senses a secret that might redeem her. Brian Macalvie remembers the disappearance of their Son and helps Richard investigate an old link. The victim had worked in publicity, which ushers in the concert of a popular fictional band. The vibe in small clubs are fond memories for me too. I ran in local music circles and know my stuff.
I can’t help noting that Martha was born in 1931 and wrote that the principal child had an Elvis poster. Preteens in England of 1989 would have listened to Tears For Fears, Duran Duran, and an awesome assortment of pop and punk rock. I enjoyed looking up Lou Reed, who released an album that year.
A cockatoo peered out of livingroom foliage, a spider repaired its web in Richard’s office, and their office kitty, Cyril, boldly tinkled glass inside chief superintendent A.E. Racer’s wooden cabinet! A hotel guest loaned Melrose cassettes, who became determined to follow the vulgar saga of those songs. There Melrose was, around kids, with profanity in the earphones.... hilarious! The animal advocacy of children was an especially compassionate topic, as well as adopted parents who are closer than kin. I observed plot plausibility that could be improved but bestowed 5 stars for the first time since book #7.
The mystery is perplexing: a woman shot her ex-husband in public. Richard senses a secret that might redeem her. Brian Macalvie remembers the disappearance of their Son and helps Richard investigate an old link. The victim had worked in publicity, which ushers in the concert of a popular fictional band. The vibe in small clubs are fond memories for me too. I ran in local music circles and know my stuff.
I can’t help noting that Martha was born in 1931 and wrote that the principal child had an Elvis poster. Preteens in England of 1989 would have listened to Tears For Fears, Duran Duran, and an awesome assortment of pop and punk rock. I enjoyed looking up Lou Reed, who released an album that year.
January 15, 2019
There's a little bit of everything Ms Grimes does in this one.
First off, it's rather long. Second, it has all the 'regulars:' Agatha, Trueblood, Wiggins, Mcalvie, Superintendent Racer, Caroline, Fiona, the cat Cyril, Melrose Plant, and of course, Vivian, who's finally going off to marry her Italian count.
There's also the story and it begins like most of Ms. Grimes novels: something odd, strange, sinister or beguiling happens and wham! Richard Jury, the star of the series, is thick in the midst of it. In this one, he witnesses first hand, in a pub, the murder of a man by his wife.
After that the mystery also thickens, with connections back to an earlier event in the couple's life - the abduction of their eight-year-old son. (He was the woman's stepson.) This happened eight years ago; the boy was never found dead or alive; a key element in all of this is that ransom was demanded but never paid. Another young boy was also present at the time; he was later killed in London in a street accident. Wow, and that's just the start.
But here's the thing, unless you've read a book or two in this series you may well get lost. Characters are added in with little explanation of who they are. Scenes open up without any connection to what's been happening thus far, including one from the POV of a local sheep-herding dog. There's also an entire new cast of characters staying at a local hotel, and multiple references to people and events in the past, often poorly explained. Not to mention an entire band of musicians who talk a lot but seem to get nowhere. AND a little girl. (There's always a tough/smart little girl in Ms. Grimes' novels. It's almost a trademark of hers.)
So not my fav. Richard Jury novel, yet not an overly bad one. There are scenes thick with references to contemporary music (of the late 80's) as well as books, writers, etc. Also a lot of slang, though Richard and his sidekick, the earl-who-renounced-his-title, Melrose Plant - speak impeccably. Yet even they are often obtuse and in situations where a dictionary just won't help.
Three stars.
(Ms. Grimes' later books are much better.)
First off, it's rather long. Second, it has all the 'regulars:' Agatha, Trueblood, Wiggins, Mcalvie, Superintendent Racer, Caroline, Fiona, the cat Cyril, Melrose Plant, and of course, Vivian, who's finally going off to marry her Italian count.
There's also the story and it begins like most of Ms. Grimes novels: something odd, strange, sinister or beguiling happens and wham! Richard Jury, the star of the series, is thick in the midst of it. In this one, he witnesses first hand, in a pub, the murder of a man by his wife.
After that the mystery also thickens, with connections back to an earlier event in the couple's life - the abduction of their eight-year-old son. (He was the woman's stepson.) This happened eight years ago; the boy was never found dead or alive; a key element in all of this is that ransom was demanded but never paid. Another young boy was also present at the time; he was later killed in London in a street accident. Wow, and that's just the start.
But here's the thing, unless you've read a book or two in this series you may well get lost. Characters are added in with little explanation of who they are. Scenes open up without any connection to what's been happening thus far, including one from the POV of a local sheep-herding dog. There's also an entire new cast of characters staying at a local hotel, and multiple references to people and events in the past, often poorly explained. Not to mention an entire band of musicians who talk a lot but seem to get nowhere. AND a little girl. (There's always a tough/smart little girl in Ms. Grimes' novels. It's almost a trademark of hers.)
So not my fav. Richard Jury novel, yet not an overly bad one. There are scenes thick with references to contemporary music (of the late 80's) as well as books, writers, etc. Also a lot of slang, though Richard and his sidekick, the earl-who-renounced-his-title, Melrose Plant - speak impeccably. Yet even they are often obtuse and in situations where a dictionary just won't help.
Three stars.
(Ms. Grimes' later books are much better.)
November 22, 2011
This is the best of the Grimes Jury/Plant novels. The charm of Plant (who plays a large role in this complex novel) is brought to its best in his friendship with the inimically drawn fiery child shepherdess he befriends at a country inn. This child may be the best of Grimes' transient characters. Her indomitable character and imagination, her fierce independence, and her scorn for most adults (which she lowers just barely for Plant, and later for Jury ) make us really care when circumstances place her in danger (from which, as usual, she ingeniously extricates herself long before the adults arrive). Yet Plant's charm is also brought into relief when a bratty boom-box listening child at the same inn is used as a foil to Plant's gentility-and as a severe (and losing) trial to Plant's patience. The little revenges Plant take against this brat and his obnoxious mother are quite fun. Further, the surprises inherent in Plant's character are brought out in his love affair with a leather and chain wearing motor cyclist.
The eccentricities of the delightfully vehement Macalvie are never better drawn, and never funnier. We gain a new sense of the hypochondriac Wiggins' true strengths and usefulness as Jury's sidekick. And the contest between Racer and the cat Cyril is at its best.
More than in most of the Jury novels, we care about the suspects and the victims. Yet, perhaps more importantly, this novel lifts Jury out of a timeless quaint England, and throws him thick into the English rock-and-roll scene-where most of the musicians are presented both as likeable and staggeringly talented.
I guessed most of the mystery by a about three-quarters of the way through the book, but it's final unfolding presented human details of past that were as riveting as the rest of the book.
By the way, if you don't read this novel, you won't know who the scorching rock guitarist Stan Keeler is in the next Grime's novel.
The eccentricities of the delightfully vehement Macalvie are never better drawn, and never funnier. We gain a new sense of the hypochondriac Wiggins' true strengths and usefulness as Jury's sidekick. And the contest between Racer and the cat Cyril is at its best.
More than in most of the Jury novels, we care about the suspects and the victims. Yet, perhaps more importantly, this novel lifts Jury out of a timeless quaint England, and throws him thick into the English rock-and-roll scene-where most of the musicians are presented both as likeable and staggeringly talented.
I guessed most of the mystery by a about three-quarters of the way through the book, but it's final unfolding presented human details of past that were as riveting as the rest of the book.
By the way, if you don't read this novel, you won't know who the scorching rock guitarist Stan Keeler is in the next Grime's novel.
August 6, 2020
Always good to catch up with Jury and the regular cast of friends. This book rambled somewhat and I thought the plot could have used some editing, but it was a good read and the way Grimes incorporates children in each book is amazing and makes this series special in my eyes!
October 7, 2009
As I read this book, I was reminded of a high school English teacher who always talked about "show, not tell" writing. This book was a great example of writing that showed the reader what was happening through well-written descriptions and dialogue, without just telling everything up front. This can be a very effective writing style, but you have to read carefully to catch everything that's going on. The point of view changes between characters frequently (even switching to dogs at one point), so I had to pay careful attention as I was reading. There are many interesting characters, but at times I had a hard time keeping them all straight and figuring out who was most important to the story. I think reading more of Martha Grimes' Richard Jury Mysteries would help alleviate some of the difficulties as I became more familiar with the regular characters. The language was rough in places (including the "f-word"), but I've been told that for British people, this cursing doesn't have the same meaning or tone that it does in America.
This was an intriguing mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I look forward to reading other books by Martha Grimes.
This was an intriguing mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I look forward to reading other books by Martha Grimes.
October 10, 2015
This is actually 2 1/2 stars rounded up. I think I'm going to quit reading this series, at least for a while.
I had high hopes for this installment of the Jury/Plant series, due to highly positive reviews I had read. I also really wanted something that would make me forget the previous book in the series that I had read (Help the Poor Struggler). Unfortunately, "The Old Silent" did not do that. The story revolves around the kidnapping of Billy Healey eight years earlier. The ransom was not paid and the boy was never found. The case had faded into obscurity until Nell Healey, Billy's stepmother, dramatically shoots her husband, Roger Healey, Billy's father, to death right in front of Richard Jury. Obviously, Roger Healey's death is linked to his son's disappearance, but how? Nell Healey isn't talking. Jury and Melrose Plant are back to investigating a modern-day crime that has links to one in the past, just like "Help the Poor Struggler."
I tried, but I just could not get interested in this book. Nell Healey was totally colorless and I never got a sense of her as a person. It was mostly just descriptions of her by other people. Jury annoyed me with his mooning over Ms Healey. He's such a picture of doom and gloom that I wonder anyone wants to be around him. Melrose Plant was a relief - until he started chasing after an American motorcylist who dresses in leather and writes novels (seriously?). I won't even comment on Macalvie, who comes across like as a parody of a 1940s gumshoe. I found myself speeding through the last 1/3 of the novel just so I could get it over with. I figured out what happened, which I have never done before in a Jury/Plant novel, and I really did not care. Like "Help the Poor Struggler," this one is definitely not a keeper.
I had high hopes for this installment of the Jury/Plant series, due to highly positive reviews I had read. I also really wanted something that would make me forget the previous book in the series that I had read (Help the Poor Struggler). Unfortunately, "The Old Silent" did not do that. The story revolves around the kidnapping of Billy Healey eight years earlier. The ransom was not paid and the boy was never found. The case had faded into obscurity until Nell Healey, Billy's stepmother, dramatically shoots her husband, Roger Healey, Billy's father, to death right in front of Richard Jury. Obviously, Roger Healey's death is linked to his son's disappearance, but how? Nell Healey isn't talking. Jury and Melrose Plant are back to investigating a modern-day crime that has links to one in the past, just like "Help the Poor Struggler."
I tried, but I just could not get interested in this book. Nell Healey was totally colorless and I never got a sense of her as a person. It was mostly just descriptions of her by other people. Jury annoyed me with his mooning over Ms Healey. He's such a picture of doom and gloom that I wonder anyone wants to be around him. Melrose Plant was a relief - until he started chasing after an American motorcylist who dresses in leather and writes novels (seriously?). I won't even comment on Macalvie, who comes across like as a parody of a 1940s gumshoe. I found myself speeding through the last 1/3 of the novel just so I could get it over with. I figured out what happened, which I have never done before in a Jury/Plant novel, and I really did not care. Like "Help the Poor Struggler," this one is definitely not a keeper.
October 26, 2017
There's something missing from this one.
Although (as usual) I appreciated almost all of Grimes' characters, there was a disjointedness to the tale that prevented this installment from being truly entertaining.
The story skips back and forth between locales to allow for various interviews. Many of these seemed superfluous and therefore bewildering. I couldn't figure out just what Jury was hoping to discover.
The particular focus on music was also distracting. Being a novice myself about various musical styles and the "scene" in general, much of this felt like padding - and there was a lot of it.
Jury's obsession with yet another quiet, self-possessed woman drove home a pattern that's become tired and worn. Good Lord, can he find someone to moon over who is not a murder suspect?
Not that I'm going to stop reading...
Although (as usual) I appreciated almost all of Grimes' characters, there was a disjointedness to the tale that prevented this installment from being truly entertaining.
The story skips back and forth between locales to allow for various interviews. Many of these seemed superfluous and therefore bewildering. I couldn't figure out just what Jury was hoping to discover.
The particular focus on music was also distracting. Being a novice myself about various musical styles and the "scene" in general, much of this felt like padding - and there was a lot of it.
Jury's obsession with yet another quiet, self-possessed woman drove home a pattern that's become tired and worn. Good Lord, can he find someone to moon over who is not a murder suspect?
Not that I'm going to stop reading...
September 5, 2015
This one left me as burned out and confused as Jury himself.
There's a current murder, an old kidnapping, a lot about blues music, another murder, an attempted murder.
Vivian is apparently actually going to marry her Italian Prince.
Wiggins is coming into his own and not being just a hypochondriac joke.
There's a little girl who is fiercely fond of animals, and furious at everyone human.
And there's several elusive ethereal women.
Did it all come together in the end? Yes. Was it worth slogging through the previous 300 pages to have it wound up? I'm not sure.
There's a current murder, an old kidnapping, a lot about blues music, another murder, an attempted murder.
Vivian is apparently actually going to marry her Italian Prince.
Wiggins is coming into his own and not being just a hypochondriac joke.
There's a little girl who is fiercely fond of animals, and furious at everyone human.
And there's several elusive ethereal women.
Did it all come together in the end? Yes. Was it worth slogging through the previous 300 pages to have it wound up? I'm not sure.
June 25, 2017
Why do I like these novels so much? They're mildly misogynistic, often overly convoluted, and every book is longer than the last. The characters in each mystery are all starting to sound like the last: this book had a precocious, angry, animal-loving young girl that I swear was in an earlier Jury novel or two as well.
Doesn't matter. These are still the comfort read kick I'm on this year, apparently. Every time I'm stressed out I grab another one from the library.
Doesn't matter. These are still the comfort read kick I'm on this year, apparently. Every time I'm stressed out I grab another one from the library.
July 2, 2017
The book has silently rested among other books waiting for me to read. I had forgotten the delectable characters of the Inspector Jury series, and the wonderful names of the English pubs. Inspector Jury witnesses a cold-blooded murder, but he cannot walk away from the crime without attempting to save the shooter from the gallows. The story jumps back and forth among the various scenes and characters. Martha Grimes brings a richness of language into the story as the reader journeys into the world of music and family jealousy. Of course, Sergeant Higgins and his multitude of ailments and cures brings comic relief whenever the grisliness of murder invades.
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May 3, 2025Nie mam pojęcia, co się działo w tej książce
April 13, 2015
Continuing my reading trip through the Martha Grimes series featuring Superintendent Richard Jury of New Scotland Yard, I have arrived at the tenth entry, The Old Silent. So, I'm not quite to the halfway mark yet in a series that extends, to this point, twenty-three books.
The series has evolved quite a lot since its beginning. Sgt. Wiggins has become a more fully fleshed-out and sympathetic character. Brian Macalvie, the stubborn District Superintendent who never gives up on a case, sometimes returning to a years old crime to solve it and who, it seems, is never wrong, has become a returning character in these stories. And we've become more familiar with all the residents of the sleepy little village of Long Piddleton, especially amateur detective Melrose Plant. All in all, it is a good mix of interesting characters, enough to keep the reader involved and invested in the outcome.
In this book, we see Richard Jury somewhat at the end of his tether, exhausted and overworked. He's doing a bit of lollygagging and engaging in one of his favorite activities, observing a beautiful woman. The woman in question seems distracted and is unaware of his presence as he shadows her around the little village where they are. He follows her the the local pub, The Old Silent, and watches her meet a man there. They appear to argue and as the man turns to leave, the woman stands and shoots him dead. All of a sudden, Richard Jury has become a witness to murder. Or is it? Are there extenuating circumstances?
As Jury begins to look into the case, we learn of a crime that occurred eight years before, involving the disappearance of two young boys, one of whom was the son of the man killed and stepson of the woman who shot him. Jury suspects early on that the killing of the father is somehow related to the disappearance of the son.
It proved to be the case that one of the early investigators on the disappearance of the boys was a young Macalvie. He was soon booted off the case because he offended his superiors - something which he routinely does. But the case was never solved and, of course, he has never forgotten it nor given up on it. He soon becomes involved with Jury's investigation and at the same time the bones of a teenage boy and a dog are discovered buried in a disused area of the local cemetery. Macalvie is convinced that they are the bones of the missing son/stepson, even though the pathologist says the age of the bones is wrong. Silly pathologist! He should know not to argue with Macalvie.
The investigation proceeds on multiple fronts. Jury becomes involved - and intrigued - by a popular rock band, particularly a young guitarist/vocalist in the band, and a possible connection to the crime(s). This leads him and Sgt. Wiggins down some interesting pathways and we learn more about Wiggins' encyclopedic knowledge of music, one of his many surprising talents.
Melrose Plant becomes involved when he visits the village where the killing occurred, rescues a cat and takes it to the local vet where he sees the formidable Abby Cable, a young girl who has come there to pick up the dead body of her own cat. We suspect immediately that Abby is going to become central to this story and that Plant, who always seems to have the role of interacting with children and animals, is going to take the role of her guardian angel.
As always, Martha Grimes does a good job of developing the plot and leading the reader through her paces with her descriptions of characters and well-written dialogues. Still, in spite of the fact that she is pretty straightforward in telling the story, she manages to pull off a surprise at the end, even though she had given us an important clue and fair warning earlier in the book.
This series has been pretty consistently good throughout and this particular entry certainly continues to uphold that standard. I wouldn't say it is one of her best, but it does rank pretty highly and makes me eager to read number eleven to find out just where these characters are going.
The series has evolved quite a lot since its beginning. Sgt. Wiggins has become a more fully fleshed-out and sympathetic character. Brian Macalvie, the stubborn District Superintendent who never gives up on a case, sometimes returning to a years old crime to solve it and who, it seems, is never wrong, has become a returning character in these stories. And we've become more familiar with all the residents of the sleepy little village of Long Piddleton, especially amateur detective Melrose Plant. All in all, it is a good mix of interesting characters, enough to keep the reader involved and invested in the outcome.
In this book, we see Richard Jury somewhat at the end of his tether, exhausted and overworked. He's doing a bit of lollygagging and engaging in one of his favorite activities, observing a beautiful woman. The woman in question seems distracted and is unaware of his presence as he shadows her around the little village where they are. He follows her the the local pub, The Old Silent, and watches her meet a man there. They appear to argue and as the man turns to leave, the woman stands and shoots him dead. All of a sudden, Richard Jury has become a witness to murder. Or is it? Are there extenuating circumstances?
As Jury begins to look into the case, we learn of a crime that occurred eight years before, involving the disappearance of two young boys, one of whom was the son of the man killed and stepson of the woman who shot him. Jury suspects early on that the killing of the father is somehow related to the disappearance of the son.
It proved to be the case that one of the early investigators on the disappearance of the boys was a young Macalvie. He was soon booted off the case because he offended his superiors - something which he routinely does. But the case was never solved and, of course, he has never forgotten it nor given up on it. He soon becomes involved with Jury's investigation and at the same time the bones of a teenage boy and a dog are discovered buried in a disused area of the local cemetery. Macalvie is convinced that they are the bones of the missing son/stepson, even though the pathologist says the age of the bones is wrong. Silly pathologist! He should know not to argue with Macalvie.
The investigation proceeds on multiple fronts. Jury becomes involved - and intrigued - by a popular rock band, particularly a young guitarist/vocalist in the band, and a possible connection to the crime(s). This leads him and Sgt. Wiggins down some interesting pathways and we learn more about Wiggins' encyclopedic knowledge of music, one of his many surprising talents.
Melrose Plant becomes involved when he visits the village where the killing occurred, rescues a cat and takes it to the local vet where he sees the formidable Abby Cable, a young girl who has come there to pick up the dead body of her own cat. We suspect immediately that Abby is going to become central to this story and that Plant, who always seems to have the role of interacting with children and animals, is going to take the role of her guardian angel.
As always, Martha Grimes does a good job of developing the plot and leading the reader through her paces with her descriptions of characters and well-written dialogues. Still, in spite of the fact that she is pretty straightforward in telling the story, she manages to pull off a surprise at the end, even though she had given us an important clue and fair warning earlier in the book.
This series has been pretty consistently good throughout and this particular entry certainly continues to uphold that standard. I wouldn't say it is one of her best, but it does rank pretty highly and makes me eager to read number eleven to find out just where these characters are going.
October 7, 2019
Here's what the story is about - “You know Nell Healey actually shot her husband,” said Melrose. “It’s not a question of innocence or guilt.”
“It’s a question of motive.” [replied Jury]
“But do you honestly think knowing that will save her?” Melrose frowned.
“Yes.”
Melrose took out his cigar case. “Sounds to me as if she doesn’t want to be saved. What if she feels so guilty about not paying the ransom for this boy that she no longer cares what happens to her?”
There were many hilarious moments (though I didn't like that the f-word was dotted throughout-8 times). I laughed out loud when I read this bit - Melrose’s thirst to see Teddy again in Harrogate had been considerably slaked by his having seen her in York. He had agreed, finally, to play chauffeur and drive Agatha there; it would be worth it just to give the Georgian tea service a brief rest...Mentally, he gave himself a pat on the back. He’d won! Two hundred miles and he hadn’t uttered a word. Such grim determination would have earned him a knighthood had he not already thrown away an earldom! Four hours, and she’d elicited no response from him no matter how much needling, how much baiting. Melrose imagined what the poor bears must have suffered before bear-baiting was made illegal, chained to stumps and set upon by dogs. “Teddy! Teddy, dear!” Hell’s bells! he thought. He’d been mentally basking in the Italian sun when he should have been making his getaway. Now he was stuck, that was all there was to it, as Agatha trumpeted by him toward the table where sat the single lady. He was, after all, a gentleman, and could hardly walk out without saying hello . . . Or could he? Not walk out, of course, but continue his vow of silence? If he could manage to keep his mouth shut for two hundred miles, surely he could play the game for another half hour. He checked his watch as he walked toward the two women. One-half hour, chair to door, the acid test. Could he make a comparative stranger believe that he’d actually taken part in their exchange without saying anything? As they greeted each other, kissing air, and then sat gabbling away, Melrose wondered both how he was to order tea without opening his mouth (here came the waiter) and if this was the same woman whom they’d visited in York. Checking his watch, he raised his time-frame to forty-five minutes, all told, which left, as of now, thirty-one minutes in which he intended to make them believe he had talked when he hadn’t. The Times crossword in under fifteen minutes seemed dull by comparison. When he thought about it further, he realized actors could do this very thing: Bogart only needed to narrow his lips, Cagney to grit his teeth, Gielgud to raise his eyebrows, and Gable— hell, did anyone remember a word he’d ever said except “I don’t give a damn?” Of course not. Thus for thirty-one minutes, two cups of tea, one finger of anchovy toast, Melrose grinned, grimaced, touched, sat back and forth, laughed soundlessly, leaned close, leaned back, slapped his leg, crooked his elbow, looked intent. He had become, in half an hour, a brilliant conversationalist.
This warranted a guffaw - “Wiggins. How did you manage to get past Stan Keeler’s landlady?”
“I more or less collapsed in her hallway.”
Jury frowned. “What was the matter?”
“I pretended I was ill.”
...saw a youngish woman with a haircut that looked done by a lawn mower on burnt grass hitting a cold-drink machine. Her face looked as parched as her hair, as if this mirage of a machine was the only thing that would keep her from dying of thirst.
“It’s a question of motive.” [replied Jury]
“But do you honestly think knowing that will save her?” Melrose frowned.
“Yes.”
Melrose took out his cigar case. “Sounds to me as if she doesn’t want to be saved. What if she feels so guilty about not paying the ransom for this boy that she no longer cares what happens to her?”
There were many hilarious moments (though I didn't like that the f-word was dotted throughout-8 times). I laughed out loud when I read this bit - Melrose’s thirst to see Teddy again in Harrogate had been considerably slaked by his having seen her in York. He had agreed, finally, to play chauffeur and drive Agatha there; it would be worth it just to give the Georgian tea service a brief rest...Mentally, he gave himself a pat on the back. He’d won! Two hundred miles and he hadn’t uttered a word. Such grim determination would have earned him a knighthood had he not already thrown away an earldom! Four hours, and she’d elicited no response from him no matter how much needling, how much baiting. Melrose imagined what the poor bears must have suffered before bear-baiting was made illegal, chained to stumps and set upon by dogs. “Teddy! Teddy, dear!” Hell’s bells! he thought. He’d been mentally basking in the Italian sun when he should have been making his getaway. Now he was stuck, that was all there was to it, as Agatha trumpeted by him toward the table where sat the single lady. He was, after all, a gentleman, and could hardly walk out without saying hello . . . Or could he? Not walk out, of course, but continue his vow of silence? If he could manage to keep his mouth shut for two hundred miles, surely he could play the game for another half hour. He checked his watch as he walked toward the two women. One-half hour, chair to door, the acid test. Could he make a comparative stranger believe that he’d actually taken part in their exchange without saying anything? As they greeted each other, kissing air, and then sat gabbling away, Melrose wondered both how he was to order tea without opening his mouth (here came the waiter) and if this was the same woman whom they’d visited in York. Checking his watch, he raised his time-frame to forty-five minutes, all told, which left, as of now, thirty-one minutes in which he intended to make them believe he had talked when he hadn’t. The Times crossword in under fifteen minutes seemed dull by comparison. When he thought about it further, he realized actors could do this very thing: Bogart only needed to narrow his lips, Cagney to grit his teeth, Gielgud to raise his eyebrows, and Gable— hell, did anyone remember a word he’d ever said except “I don’t give a damn?” Of course not. Thus for thirty-one minutes, two cups of tea, one finger of anchovy toast, Melrose grinned, grimaced, touched, sat back and forth, laughed soundlessly, leaned close, leaned back, slapped his leg, crooked his elbow, looked intent. He had become, in half an hour, a brilliant conversationalist.
This warranted a guffaw - “Wiggins. How did you manage to get past Stan Keeler’s landlady?”
“I more or less collapsed in her hallway.”
Jury frowned. “What was the matter?”
“I pretended I was ill.”
...saw a youngish woman with a haircut that looked done by a lawn mower on burnt grass hitting a cold-drink machine. Her face looked as parched as her hair, as if this mirage of a machine was the only thing that would keep her from dying of thirst.
May 24, 2018
This is probably my least favorite Richard Jury book to date. I usually like this series, but it took several attempts to get through this novel. I think it was the fact that the point of view changed so frequently and apart from Melrose's moments and to a lesser extent Wiggins, none of the characters that make the series interesting (Carol Anne, Mrs. W, Fiona, Vivian, Agatha, Trueblood) played much of a role in this book. The style of mystery was also not one that I really like (focusing on why a person committed a murder instead of who committed a murder). Also, the Vivian/Melrose love triangle has stretched on for too long. I'm kind of ready for them to wrap that up. The one good thing about this book for me is that I usually look Melrose as a character and it was kind of interesting to see him play a larger role in the novel. I'm hoping that this was just a minor misstep and her books go back to normal.
April 7, 2018
So many names-some seem just thrown in for kicks and grins. Who are these people? Why should I care? Sorry, Miss Grimes this is not your best. And the yammering story line! Blah blah blah. If you read the Richard Jury series, this is definitely one to skip. 2 1/2 stars only because I like the main characters. And because I like the main characters, I will read the next one.
July 27, 2022
Major characters:
Roger Healey, arts/music critic
Nell Citrine Healey, his wife
Billy Healey, their son
Toby Hoyt, Bill's friend
Charles Citrine, Nell's father
Irene "Rena" Citrine, Nells' aunt (Charles' sister)
Martin Smart, publisher
Mavis Crewes, editor of Travelure, a Smart publication
Charlie Raine, heart-throb musician
Morpeth Duckworth, American musician
Ann Delholme - not sure who she is
The regulars:
Superintendent Richard Jury
Divisional Commander Brian Macalvie
Melrose Plant
Vivian Rivington
Marshall Trueblood, antique dealer
Carol-anne Palutski, Richard's upstairs neighbor
Mrs. Wasserman, Richard's downstairs neighbor
Synopsis:
Superintendent Richard Jury is having some time off and idly watching an attractive woman, Nell Healey, visiting shops and museums. Jury stops in the Old Silent Pub and is surprised when she comes in and meets briefly with a man - they have words, she pulls out a gun and shoots him dead right in front of Jury.
The victim turns out to be her husband, arts critic Roger Healey. The authorities respond under the supervision of Divisional Commander Brian Macalvie. The Healeys are known to him: eight years earlier, their young son, Billy Healey, and his friend, Toby Holt, were kidnapped and never seen again after the family refused to pay the ransom demand.
The rest of the book concerns sheep, rock musicians, dogs, cats, motorcycles, guitars, various random people, and lots of filler.
Review: This one started out strong but I lost interest about halfway, after a few side plots I had trouble following.
The good:
I enjoyed the obligatory scene of Racer, Fiona Clingmore, and the cat Cyril. I also enjoyed the accounts of Vivian Rivington as she prepared to go to Italy (this is the tenth book in the series, and she is still preparing). Brian Macalvie is is a much better character than previously.
The not-so-good:
I had trouble relating two side stories (1. Melrose and his long visit to the little girls who live in a sheep barn, and 2. the long accounts of Charlie Raine and his band) to the main plot (the kidnapping of the boys and the murder of Roger Healey. They did not seem relevant.
Grimes starts off many side stories cold, without the reader being introduced to the situation or the characters. One long passage had me mystified until I finally caught on it was a stream-0f-consciousness account by a sheepdog as he was herding sheep!
We have only a minimal pub scene, which is too bad. The pub scenes are the best elements of these stories. And no appearance by Aunt Agatha!
Roger Healey, arts/music critic
Nell Citrine Healey, his wife
Billy Healey, their son
Toby Hoyt, Bill's friend
Charles Citrine, Nell's father
Irene "Rena" Citrine, Nells' aunt (Charles' sister)
Martin Smart, publisher
Mavis Crewes, editor of Travelure, a Smart publication
Charlie Raine, heart-throb musician
Morpeth Duckworth, American musician
Ann Delholme - not sure who she is
The regulars:
Superintendent Richard Jury
Divisional Commander Brian Macalvie
Melrose Plant
Vivian Rivington
Marshall Trueblood, antique dealer
Carol-anne Palutski, Richard's upstairs neighbor
Mrs. Wasserman, Richard's downstairs neighbor
Synopsis:
Superintendent Richard Jury is having some time off and idly watching an attractive woman, Nell Healey, visiting shops and museums. Jury stops in the Old Silent Pub and is surprised when she comes in and meets briefly with a man - they have words, she pulls out a gun and shoots him dead right in front of Jury.
The victim turns out to be her husband, arts critic Roger Healey. The authorities respond under the supervision of Divisional Commander Brian Macalvie. The Healeys are known to him: eight years earlier, their young son, Billy Healey, and his friend, Toby Holt, were kidnapped and never seen again after the family refused to pay the ransom demand.
The rest of the book concerns sheep, rock musicians, dogs, cats, motorcycles, guitars, various random people, and lots of filler.
Review: This one started out strong but I lost interest about halfway, after a few side plots I had trouble following.
The good:
I enjoyed the obligatory scene of Racer, Fiona Clingmore, and the cat Cyril. I also enjoyed the accounts of Vivian Rivington as she prepared to go to Italy (this is the tenth book in the series, and she is still preparing). Brian Macalvie is is a much better character than previously.
The not-so-good:
I had trouble relating two side stories (1. Melrose and his long visit to the little girls who live in a sheep barn, and 2. the long accounts of Charlie Raine and his band) to the main plot (the kidnapping of the boys and the murder of Roger Healey. They did not seem relevant.
Grimes starts off many side stories cold, without the reader being introduced to the situation or the characters. One long passage had me mystified until I finally caught on it was a stream-0f-consciousness account by a sheepdog as he was herding sheep!
We have only a minimal pub scene, which is too bad. The pub scenes are the best elements of these stories. And no appearance by Aunt Agatha!
October 2, 2024
I somehow missed #10 (this one) and read #11 before it but no matter. I have been listening the series on and off over the years but think I am just tired of them. I always seem to get to a point where I get distracted or something doesn't quite make sense not seeing it written so you're not exactly sure who's speaking or who is who and I'm just got getting that much enjoyment out of them anymore. To be fair, much of it is my own inattention, but there's something a bit muddled about the stories that helps me to repeatedly fall into the trap. I would really have to listen to it again and while there are great moments and great characters it seems like a chore. The regular characters are entertaining and we love to hate Aunt Agatha, but can someone tell me why Melrose hasn't told her off, or put her in her place yet? If someone keeps eating all your food while complaining about it, interfering in your life and pinching your things all while being rude to your staff, at someone point you have enough especially they're not holding the purse strings have any control over you. Is it just not upsetting a family member or general English sensibility? Or is it just not wanting to rock the boat? Either way, we love to hate Aunt Agatha as she is so unfailingly rude and Melrose gives her deference due to her age, like a nephew does, but her greed knows no bounds and she makes a royal problem of herself that I would think would trump the duty of deference to one's elders. But that's family, I guess; you put up with all likes of behavior as they are those who you're stuck with. There were too many characters in this one for me to keep on top of and I got confused by who was who. I am getting a bit daft I suppose, but there were at least one or two characters we could have dispensed with and lost nothing. They're good stories and not at all obvious like some series, but it is just not where my head is at these days I guess.
January 16, 2022
So if you read the first in a series, then jump along to #10, you lose a lot. The beloved secondary characters seem to be inserted for no reason other than ‘fan favourite’… so the eccentric rich friend gets an entire chapter (two?three?) just traipsing around the countryside, feeling bored and hand wringing about his unrequited marrying another man. Related to the plot? No. He and the hero have lunch. I guess if I had read the other 9 books, I would be delighted to read more about these secondary characters, but they were a distraction. And there are enough new characters for the mystery, that keeping them all straight seems just too much work. Plus I don’t have enough time in to commiserate with our hero’s burnout. A lot of flashbacks to childhood and general apathy. Meh. DNF.
April 30, 2021
Although the author uses vivid descriptions, character development, and a touch of humor to advance the plot, this book has a convoluted one with plenty of irrelevant and unrelated vignettes that have nothing to do with the central plot thread. There are, at times, a busy and embellished style of writing that distracted me and had me putting the book aside for awhile. Also, I had to keep a dictionary handy for such words as etiolated, quotidianal, cruck, boskin, charabanc, execrable, anodynes, epicene, sententious, demode, apotheosis, brasserie, etc. - some of which I couldn't find. Which is to say, that the story line didn't easily flow, but seemed to be wandering around or disjointed. There was a plethora of characters; and sometimes, characters were inserted from out of nowhere. One time I was reading and became lost until I realized that I was reading a sheep herding dog's POV.
The story begins with Inspector Richard Jury of New Scotland Yard experiencing a bout of malaise, depression, and tiredness. After a non-productive trip to the Leeds headquarters, he is driving back to London; and being too tired to continue on, he stops in Haworth to spend the night. When he spots a woman in a museum, he becomes fascinated with her and follows her around. She appears distracted and doesn't notice him following her. When he becomes ashamed by realizing that he is a voyeur, an intruder, an invader of her privacy; he retreats to a pub called The Old Silent for dinner. The woman happens to be there too reading a book of poetry. She meets a man, they argue; and when he starts to leave, she shoots him. Jury has just become a witness to murder. He ponders why she did it and takes an interest even though it's not his case to investigate.
The woman's name is Nell Healey, and the man she murdered was her husband, Roger Healey. Jury discovers that 8 years previously the couple's child (her step-son) and his best friend were kidnapped. A 5 million ransom was asked for Billy Healey and Toby Holt, but the ransom was never paid and the children never seen again. Is the murder related to the disappearance of the boys? It turns out that a young investigator, Brian Macalvie, was on the case which was never solved because it was taken away from him. Jury convinces Chief Superintendent Racer that he is burned out and needs sick leave. Of course, he takes his sick leave in West Yorkshire and contacts now Divisional Commander Macalvie and they work the case together. Then a boy and a small dog are discovered buried in a little used part of a cemetery. Macalvie is convinced it's the son, but a well-known pathologist says the bones give a different age to the child. When it becomes known that Roger Healey was a music critic and columnist, the story takes Jury into the realm of popular jazz, rock, and blues bands, including one called Sirocco, looking at suspects. Look for Stan Keeler who, I read, appears in the next book. Sergeant Alfred Wiggins, the hypochondriac, will surprise the reader with his knowledge of the music industry as his character is fleshed out.
In the meantime, Melrose Plant takes his Aunt Agatha on a trip to Harrogate to visit her friend Teddy. He can't find a room at the local inns so must rent one from a large rooming house, which used to be a farm in Haworth, called Weavers Hall. He ends up rescuing a cat which he takes to a vet and meets the proverbial child (one in each book of this series) named Abby Cable. She is a ferocious formidable young girl who loves animals but not people. He nicknames her "The Fury". Her aunt happens to own the rooming house where Plant is staying. There is also an insolent, bratty boy with loud boombox named Malcolm and his turquoise wearing mother who are staying at the inn. Jury uses intuition and insight in solving the earlier mystery by looking at a Magritte painting called "Empire of Light" hung in a barn where Abby prefers to live, by reading an anthology of American poetry that has been heavily annotated by Nell, and by listening to lyrics by Charlie Raine of the rock band Sirocco.
Subplots include:
- Vivian Rivington is preparing for her wedding to Count Franco Giopinno and will depart for Venice soon. No one wants her to go.
- Melrose Plant takes a liking to Ellen Taylor who wears black leather, wears mulltiple chains, writes novels, and rides a motorcycle. She's an American with a loud voice, a hard accent, and is staying at the same rooming house as Melrose.
- Ann Denholme is Abby's aunt and owns Weavers Hall. She is later found murdered and buried under the snow on the moor. What will happen to Abby and will somebody try to kill her also?
I was disappointed that the ending never revealed what happened to Nell. I will keep reading the series tho.
The story begins with Inspector Richard Jury of New Scotland Yard experiencing a bout of malaise, depression, and tiredness. After a non-productive trip to the Leeds headquarters, he is driving back to London; and being too tired to continue on, he stops in Haworth to spend the night. When he spots a woman in a museum, he becomes fascinated with her and follows her around. She appears distracted and doesn't notice him following her. When he becomes ashamed by realizing that he is a voyeur, an intruder, an invader of her privacy; he retreats to a pub called The Old Silent for dinner. The woman happens to be there too reading a book of poetry. She meets a man, they argue; and when he starts to leave, she shoots him. Jury has just become a witness to murder. He ponders why she did it and takes an interest even though it's not his case to investigate.
The woman's name is Nell Healey, and the man she murdered was her husband, Roger Healey. Jury discovers that 8 years previously the couple's child (her step-son) and his best friend were kidnapped. A 5 million ransom was asked for Billy Healey and Toby Holt, but the ransom was never paid and the children never seen again. Is the murder related to the disappearance of the boys? It turns out that a young investigator, Brian Macalvie, was on the case which was never solved because it was taken away from him. Jury convinces Chief Superintendent Racer that he is burned out and needs sick leave. Of course, he takes his sick leave in West Yorkshire and contacts now Divisional Commander Macalvie and they work the case together. Then a boy and a small dog are discovered buried in a little used part of a cemetery. Macalvie is convinced it's the son, but a well-known pathologist says the bones give a different age to the child. When it becomes known that Roger Healey was a music critic and columnist, the story takes Jury into the realm of popular jazz, rock, and blues bands, including one called Sirocco, looking at suspects. Look for Stan Keeler who, I read, appears in the next book. Sergeant Alfred Wiggins, the hypochondriac, will surprise the reader with his knowledge of the music industry as his character is fleshed out.
In the meantime, Melrose Plant takes his Aunt Agatha on a trip to Harrogate to visit her friend Teddy. He can't find a room at the local inns so must rent one from a large rooming house, which used to be a farm in Haworth, called Weavers Hall. He ends up rescuing a cat which he takes to a vet and meets the proverbial child (one in each book of this series) named Abby Cable. She is a ferocious formidable young girl who loves animals but not people. He nicknames her "The Fury". Her aunt happens to own the rooming house where Plant is staying. There is also an insolent, bratty boy with loud boombox named Malcolm and his turquoise wearing mother who are staying at the inn. Jury uses intuition and insight in solving the earlier mystery by looking at a Magritte painting called "Empire of Light" hung in a barn where Abby prefers to live, by reading an anthology of American poetry that has been heavily annotated by Nell, and by listening to lyrics by Charlie Raine of the rock band Sirocco.
Subplots include:
- Vivian Rivington is preparing for her wedding to Count Franco Giopinno and will depart for Venice soon. No one wants her to go.
- Melrose Plant takes a liking to Ellen Taylor who wears black leather, wears mulltiple chains, writes novels, and rides a motorcycle. She's an American with a loud voice, a hard accent, and is staying at the same rooming house as Melrose.
- Ann Denholme is Abby's aunt and owns Weavers Hall. She is later found murdered and buried under the snow on the moor. What will happen to Abby and will somebody try to kill her also?
I was disappointed that the ending never revealed what happened to Nell. I will keep reading the series tho.
December 7, 2025
Another great twist to the tale
August 26, 2024
After having read a few of these, I assumed I’d get lost in all the characters, tangents, hard-to-grasp intuitions. I did.
This one had some intense scenes that I didn’t expect—the chapter from the sheep dog’s pov, the concert at the story’s climax, Plant’s feelings for the American writer on her BMW motorcycle.
So, getting lost I took in stride. I do chores around the house, drive to here and there, write GOTV postcards to people in Texas and elsewhere while I listen to the story.
This one actually had a satisfying if bittersweet ending and didn’t just stop as have some others. Grimes could have gone even further—with the outcome for the woman who shot her husband and another plausible wrap-up that I can’t share as I’d spoil things.
As a non-literate person—or at least one who was never good at deciphering poems and other allusions, those bits were lost on me. I tend to overdo literary analysis, so now I don’t bother. An enjoyable read.
This one had some intense scenes that I didn’t expect—the chapter from the sheep dog’s pov, the concert at the story’s climax, Plant’s feelings for the American writer on her BMW motorcycle.
So, getting lost I took in stride. I do chores around the house, drive to here and there, write GOTV postcards to people in Texas and elsewhere while I listen to the story.
This one actually had a satisfying if bittersweet ending and didn’t just stop as have some others. Grimes could have gone even further—with the outcome for the woman who shot her husband and another plausible wrap-up that I can’t share as I’d spoil things.
As a non-literate person—or at least one who was never good at deciphering poems and other allusions, those bits were lost on me. I tend to overdo literary analysis, so now I don’t bother. An enjoyable read.
August 30, 2018
Finally!
I have been a pseudo fan of the Richard Jury series for months as I've read a dozen or so & not always in order. Many have set my teeth on edge because the author seemed to have had amazing leaps of deduction that have left the reader way behind. Plots don't have to be exactly spelled out, but it helps to have a logical conclusion. With all the children and animals in the stories, I do not want them to be done away with. Switching the narrative briefly to the dog's viewpoint tho' was a stretch, since it took a minute to figure that out. All in all this was an extremely satisfying conclusion when all was explained by having the characters do so. I'd been thinking the editor of Martha Grimes books didn't read them. Stories need a beginning, middle and the important part- a conclusion. This one met all the criteria.
I have been a pseudo fan of the Richard Jury series for months as I've read a dozen or so & not always in order. Many have set my teeth on edge because the author seemed to have had amazing leaps of deduction that have left the reader way behind. Plots don't have to be exactly spelled out, but it helps to have a logical conclusion. With all the children and animals in the stories, I do not want them to be done away with. Switching the narrative briefly to the dog's viewpoint tho' was a stretch, since it took a minute to figure that out. All in all this was an extremely satisfying conclusion when all was explained by having the characters do so. I'd been thinking the editor of Martha Grimes books didn't read them. Stories need a beginning, middle and the important part- a conclusion. This one met all the criteria.
February 15, 2008
This book was so horrible that I felt like destroying it, not shelving it, when I finished. The plot is poorly cobbled together. There are too many characters, and many of them are as thinly written as cartoons. This woman is a competent writer for sure; it's not that her prose was awful. But the book had no soul, tried to be clever- but was simply irritating. Awful.
Finally, I thought I'd read that the author's an American. If that's true, I'm befuddled, because she seems to have an odd grasp of American English. When her characters are supposedly speaking American English, they just sound idiotic, like your grandma trying to be cool.
Finally, I thought I'd read that the author's an American. If that's true, I'm befuddled, because she seems to have an odd grasp of American English. When her characters are supposedly speaking American English, they just sound idiotic, like your grandma trying to be cool.
December 10, 2016
I like the Richard Jury books but I have to be in the mood. They wander a LOT and the plot isn't thick. This one also has a lot of descriptions of settings, which I can usually appreciate...but I did find myself skimming some pages in this book for that reason. I have had a head cold so I'm wondering if my inability to follow the story was due to writing or my own fuzzy brain. Lol I found it hard to keep up with all the (new) characters and where everybody was and why they were there, so I kinda lost interest about halfway through. BUT I do love the old familiar characters, who were sprinkled throughout, and all in all that is comfort enough to keep me returning.
July 6, 2018
My goodness...way too much information. It seems like this is the story of 'The Life and Times of Melrose Plant'. Richard Jury and the mystery seemed to be an after thought. All of the characters do tie together in some manner, but all of the information about sheep, music, and shooting were a little too much. I skipped through most of it. There is one character that is a writer. She is bemoaning the fact that her editor wants her to write in a way that will sell books. She wants to write as she always has. I am wondering if this character is Ms. Grimes. If so, she needs to go back to the way she was writing before this book. Still recommending.
September 6, 2022
2.5 stars. This took me way over a month to read and put me in the worst reading slump. The story was so confusing and full of characters that didn't seem to have any purpose, so many unnecessary sub plots were drawn out longer and longer. Halfway through the book the whole music storyline began and I still have no idea how that happened or why and it made me forget the actual plot that had been happening so far. It felt like reading three separate books and none of them were all that great to begin with. I so appreciate that all plot points were brought together in the end, but I found the way it was done too short and too convoluted at the same time. Definitely not my fave.
April 19, 2013
This is the weakest in the series so far. I'm hoping this is a one off and the next will be back up to par, or I may be done with this series. The little girl taking care of the animals in the barn was too reminiscent of a similar plot line a few books back (and that one was better written). Overall the plot was weak and I found the ending very hard to reconcile. It was just too much. And the few paragraphs suddenly told from the point of view of the dog was over the top. It took me too long to finish this one; it just wasn't that interesting.
June 26, 2016
My county's library system doesn't have all the books in this series, so I had to miss several of Jury's mysteries leading up to this particular one. As a result, there were a few references to characters that I wasn't clued in on. I enjoyed the setting and atmosphere a lot - it seemed perfect for cozy mysteries! Can't say I understood the relationship and/or attraction that Melrose experiences in this book, and his newfound (I think; having missed several books, maybe it's only new to me) interest in rock music felt a bit off, too. Otherwise, this book was a decent read.
January 19, 2012
I realize that this book is part of a series and I started on book 10, but... The story was disjointed, jumping with no seeming connection between story lines and characters. I also found it difficult to identify with any of the characters, though I did manage to finish the book.
I love good mysteries, particularly English mysteries - I cannot recommend this one. Unfortunately this has turned me off from reading any other Martha Grimes novels.
I love good mysteries, particularly English mysteries - I cannot recommend this one. Unfortunately this has turned me off from reading any other Martha Grimes novels.
March 15, 2015
I had read this book before, so I knew that eventually, the diverse plot elements would come together. However, it still seems that Grimes gets carried away with showing off her mastery of British idiom and culture. And her endings always have to be inconclusive. It is striking that this volume is so much more complex than her previous book. Did she get a second wind? With all the annoyances, she's still heads above the majority of writers in the mystery genre.
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