I enjoy Martha Grimes' mysteries up to a point. I get tired of hearing about the same large group of people who live in the same little village, along with all of their quirks (her regular cast of characters). It's just too much and too cute. I like it when Richard Jury does most of the work, with a little help from friend Melrose Plant. I don't like "cozy" mysteries, and these often get into that category.This one does involve a number of villagers peripherally. Not a whole lot, fortunately. More than I'd like, of course.The story is a bit different. Jury is on light duty following a heroic action that put him in hot water. Thus he finds his way into a wine bar - wine pub - and meets another patron, Harry Johnson. Johnson chooses to tall Jury a story that "has no end". The basic story is about a married woman, who, with her young son and dog, visit two houses in the country, because she is interested in buying property there. Some time during that afternoon the three of them disappear. But then, months later, the dog returns.Johnson is stuck on the dog returning, and it certainly is a point of interest for Jury. Jury has not identified himself as a representative of Scotland Yard, and he, after listening to the ever-expanding tale night after night, decides to do a little investigating on his own. If only to decide if Johnson is "having him on". He meets the realtor, talks to the people in the first house, visits the second house, where he meets a little girl who sneaks in sometimes from a neighboring location, and even visits a psychiatric clinic, where the woman's husband has voluntarily signed on. The story seems odd but the elements are starting to look like they are true.With a little more digging, Jury, with help from Plant, goes farther, investigating the owner of the second property, who lives in Italy. He even does some reading, into Quantum theory and superstrong theory, given that this is a field of interest for Johnson as well as for Hugh, the husband of the missing woman. Harry suggests that Hugh thinks that his wife and son stepped into another dimension. All intrigue until a body is found. Then the local police are involved, but they are happy to include Jury, who couldn't let it go anyway. A curious puzzle with an interesting ending that made me wonder.
Quantum Mechanics, space time continuum, the superstring theory and character conversations involving Godel’s incompleteness theorem , parallel universes and Niels Bohr’s theory of complementarity------all seem to figure in several modern day mysteries. Each has been explored and explained in novels such as British author Robert Goddard’s Out of the Sun and The Oxford Murders by Argentine author Guillermo Martinez. Now, American author Margaret Grimes weighs in with The Old Wine Shades, a book that relies heavily on some of the above referenced subject matter. Each author, regardless of nationality, has chosen the UK as the “scene of the crime”, and each has approached their respective tales from a different angle. In her effort to keep her readers engaged, Ms. Grimes has resorted to everything from scientific theory to a dog who enjoys making disparaging observations about humans while playing games of one-upsmanship with a cat…….an admittedly amusing device that somehow seems out of place in this forum and might be more at home in something written by Lilian Jackson Braun. (Perhaps, Ms. Grimes was going for opposite ends of the spectrum with this one…….vacillating between the cerebral and the ridiculous.)Favorite Grimes protagonist, Richard Jury is approached by a man in a wine bar who relates a story about the disappearance nine months earlier of a woman, her son and their dog, Mungo. He concludes this introduction to the mystery with the statement “The dog came back”. Ms. Grimes has imbued Mungo with extraordinary intelligence and an analytical thought process that most humans would envy, however, had Mungo been as intelligent as the book makes him out to be, he would have refused to make an appearance (even a cameo) in this far-fetched fairytale. Like Jury, I was immediately drawn in by the tale but sadly my interest waned as I was overwhelmed by the scientific babble, the red herrings and the stories’ less than satisfying resolution (or should I say lack of resolution). The story itself is so convoluted, it deserves only one star, but gets an extra half star for Mungo’s “cat & kitten” game.
What do You think about The Old Wine Shades (2007)?
Truly enjoying revisiting this series, even though this is a "new" book to me and not one I read before. Scotland Yard detective, Richard Jury just takes advantage of and really, abuses his friend, former "peer" Melrose Plant. Plant inherited his peerage from his father, but gave his titles up (but not his inherited wealth - he may act like a dilettante, but he's not dumb; by no stretch of the imagination). However, to help his friend, Jury, out, he often trots it the titles out again, when they are useful in the investigation. Plant doesn't really resort to his titles here (as he didn't in the last book), but again, seemingly grudgingly, he agrees to impersonate the latest "professional" Jury needs to infiltrate and further his investigation. There is an extended family in this book (including an engaging Lab who is given short shrift lately) that has me engrossed and engaged. However, I think its the Jury/Plant friendship and their fairly complicated interplay and sometimes battle (all in mock anger, but true friendship underneath) that has really sucked me into this series. Both have had their flirtations and dalliances along the way - but maybe strategically, the author has never let either really get involved fully with a woman. It may detract from such a strong, companionable and supporting friendship they have forged. Not sure this is the case, but that's what I'm thinking - at least for now. Closing in on the end. I'm going to miss looking forward to the next book in the series.
—Barbara
Loved your critique, Sharon - what you wrote was exactly how I felt! This was my first Martha Grimes novel and I loved it so much that I then read book #1 to get to know the wonderfully quirky characters better. And I will continue on... As you said, not only are they good mysteries, but I learn from them! They're smart!
—Sharonm
The dog came back...Why did the dog come back? How is it the key to the solution?Richard Jury is pulled in by a tale told him by Harry Johnson while they are enjoying drinks at the Old Wine Shades wine bar. Over a series of meetings the story is spun out little by little. Is it real or is it just a tale?Jury does find out that the characters are real and there is truth to the tale. The trouble is proving it and solving why it happened.It will pull you along. You will want to find out what happens next. Marthat Grimes plays with your mind once again.
—Chazzi
