(Note:It's a minor spoiler, but if you plan to read the book,might want to skip my last paragraph)I've always had a love-hate relationship with Martha Grimes.I love the Richard Jury series, and I have all of them.But, unlike the Women's Murder Club books or Stephanie Plum books,which I can read in a couple of days,Martha Grimes' books are, for me at least, much slower reads.That's why I'm six books behind!Part of it is the style - though American, her books read more like older British novels,and can sometimes become rather dense (or maybe it's me who is dense!),though not as thick as PD James,whose books I struggle to get through even more.Part of it is the detail - she includes so much detail, and draws her characters in such depth,that it's easy sometimes to get bogged down.HOWEVER -the detail and the characters are also one of the great strengths of these books.Reading this series, the reader feels that we really know these people,with all their eccentricities.Newcomers to the series may feel they've missed something,and I would recommend reading the series from the beginning.Even long time readers may find themselves forgetgting exactly who some of these people are, but the author gives enough detail that it's usually pretty easy to remember and reconnect sufficiently to enjoy the books. And the darkness of the crimesis balanced nicely by the humor of the interplay of the characters,the "Piddletonians."As for this book,others have pointed out that it's really more a Melrose Plant book,as Richard Jury doesn't show up until two-thirs of the way through.But Melrose is such an endearing character,and it's nice sometimes to see Holmes' Dr. Watson(which is the way I see Melrose) in the forefront,so this is not a major problem.As always, the characters are well drawn,new comers will enjoy them, and long time readers are treated to more information about these characters backgrounds.The mystery is also well crafted,with enough suspicion to go around.And complex though the plot may be,all the loose strengths come together at the end.All-in-all, I enjoyed this book.And I especially enjoyed the last line -"Macalvie took off his coat."I won't explain it here, but I found this line to be -Brilliant!! - and I believe readers will agree.
Okay, I randomly selected one of Martha Grimes's books to review. You'll understand what I mean when I tell you that I discovered her Richard Jury books two months ago and read all 20 or so of them. (I realize I'm behind the times, as Grimes was very popular in the 80s and 90s.) I find Martha Grimes both admirable and frustrating because she resists neat or even, in some cases, clear endings. So she'll have the murderer get caught, but one of the friendly innocents associated with the case will get brutally killed in the last chapter--collateral damage in terms of what is apparently Grimes's favorite philosophy: Life is not fair. Nor is it tidy, apparently. Often the book will deliberately end up without tying off all of the loose threads. Or the murderer will get away with it (in one case that I can think of). That said, I REALLY like the author's cast of characters, also her flair for description, particularly metaphors.
What do You think about The Lamorna Wink (2000)?
#16 in the Chief Inspector Richard Jury of New Scotland Yard CID mysteries. This is more a Melrose Plant and Division Commander Macalvie of the Cornwall police mystery since Jury doesn't appear until around 2/3's of the way through.Plant decides to vacation in Cornwall and takes a cottage for 3 months. He soon find himself in the middle of mysteries as the house he leases belongs to a family whose 2 children mysteriously drown 4 years ago. Shortly after settling in, a woman is found murdered and a young man who Plant has befriended, aunt disappears.
—George
To date this is one of my favorite books in this series. The book mostly focuses on Richard Jury's co-star, Melrose Plant, your quintessential country gentleman/amateur sleuth. One of Grimes' talents as an author is the ability to balance humor and tragedy. The mystery in part deals with the drowning deaths of two young children in Cornwall. When the reader discovers the truth behind their deaths it is absolutely devastating. Yet Grimes realizes that she can't simply end the book there and she deploys the beloved residents of Long Piddleton to lighten the mood. When you are at the point of tears in one chapter and laughing out loud a few chapters later, you know it must be a good book.
—Kt Thames
I really enjoyed this! Melrose is off to Cornwall for a few months where he is drawn to a house that seems to call to him. While in the area he meets an interesting young man whose aunt goes missing, couple that with a woman who's soon found murdered and a heartbreaking mystery associated with the house and she have the backbone of the book. The characters are fun and likable - the author is great at writing her mysteries with a British flair for telling the story. I was sure she had originated in England- though I did find it interesting the she mentioned Pikes Peak a number of times (not many people know where that is!). The only thing that bothered me was constantly mentioning in that someone with AIDS wasn't gay. Not really sure of the point of that. I look forward to reading more in the series.
—Karen Hufman
