What do You think about The Winds Of Change (2005)?
Having Plant serve as a gardener in this novel and in The Blue Last resembles mock allegory because of his incompetence. In this novel, the early suggestion to name the goat "Agoat" in the naming game made me laugh. In The Grave Maurice, however, naming the family of horse breeders and jockeys "Ryder" seemed silly rather than provocative or funny.
—Heidi Babcock
I was surprised to discover this Martha Grimes book on my shelf that I hadn't read. I am a big fan of her "pub" series. Although Grimes has the strolling style of a British mystery writer, I found this one to be well worth the stroll with all the usual wonderful characters but mostly Jury and Melrose. The way she organized her book with subtitles was a bit fascinating to me. And I discovered why in the very last chapter, guaranteed to fill your room with laughter. No cheating though or you won't understand the irony at the end.
—Mary
Serendipity. Synchronicity. I recently read the biography of Emily Dickinson and Thomas Wentworth Higgenson, and now both turn up in a murder mystery. Whoever thinks mysteries are low rent is totally wrong. Grimes is always good and this is one of her best. Jury is involved in solving the killing of a five-year old girl who was also raped. Running in tandem with this death is the death of Jury's cousin, the last of his family with whom he can share memories of his youth. The theme of death is bleak, especially because Grimes does children so well. Jury and Melrose Plant work side by side to track down the murder of a woman who is also tied to the disappearance of another child, a child who happens to be the daughter of the man who supports the use of young girls as sexual toys. All the strands come together satisfactorily though a few frayed edges are left for the mind to tinker with.
—Beth
