The Stargazey by Martha Grimes, 1998

 

About the author: This is #15 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

Major characters:

• Nancy Pastis, the victim in the herb garden
• Kate McBride, lookalike to Nancy Pastis
• Simeon Pitt, retired art critic
• the Fabricant family, art gallery owners
• Beatrice Slocum, artist
• Mona Dresser, retired actress
• Superintendent Richard Jury, of Scotland Yard
• Melrose Plant, a.k.a. Lord Ardry, his friend

Locale: London

Synopsis: Richard Jury is riding a double-decker bus early one evening and is enthralled with a stylish blonde woman wearing a sable coat. He sees her exit the bus, walk several blocks, reboard, and get off at the next stop. Jury, curious, also deboards and follows her as she turns into historical site Fulham Palace; at which point he turns around for home.

The next day, Jury hears a woman was found shot to death in the herb garden of Fulham Palace, and was  wearing a sable coat. Jury, fearful it was the woman he had seen, inquires to find the woman resembled the woman on the bus, but it was not her. The question is: how did the sable coat get from woman A to woman B? 

The dead woman is identified as Nancy Pastis. Jury tracks down the woman he had seen, who turns out to be Kate McBride. She is arrested on suspicion. Jury insists it was she on the bus, but she denies it.

The trail of the sable coat leads to the art gallery owned by the complicated Fabricant family,  and retired actress Mona Dresser, original owner of the coat.

Review: It was a bit confusing following which blonde-in-the-coat was which, but it did finally settle down to Nancy Pastis being the dead one and Kate McBride being the live one. I guessed the "secret" of  the white paintings right away, when it was stated the artist was painting on sandpaper mounted on the canvas! 

The episodes at the Cripps home is always fun, and a bit disgusting all at once. But that's where Bea Slocum lives, so we had to visit.

I'm beginning to think that every Jury novel has a 10-year-old girl who has a secret clue which only Melrose Plant can pry out. That's OK, every 10-year-old girl has been different except for her age.

The "usuals" only put in a brief appearance in the pub. Overall, an enjoyable read; although I did miss Aunt Agatha in this one. 

The Case Has Altered by Martha Grimes, 1997

 

About the author: This is #14 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

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

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 knowledge quite inadequate.

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

Rainbow's End by Martha Grimes, 1995

 

About the author: This is #13 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

Major characters:

• Angela Hope, American, who died at Old Sarum
• Mary Dark Hope, her 13-year old sister
• Helen Hawes, who died in Exeter Cathedral
• Frances "Fanny" Hamilton, who died at the Tate Gallery in the previous book (The Horse You Came In On)
• Delores "Dolly" Schell, Angela's cousin, a pharmacist
• Malcolm Corey, aspiring actor
• Nils Anders, a PhD
• Superintendent Richard Jury, of Scotland Yard
• Melrose Plant, his friend

Locale: London and New Mexico

Synopsis: The body of American tourist Angela Hope is found in the bottom of a pit at Old Sarum - an ancient Roman ruins site near Stonehenge. Then Helen Hawes dies, apparently of natural causes, while in Exeter Cathedral. While not known to each other, Commander Brian Macalvie notes both women had recently visited Santa Fe, New Mexico at the same time. He urges Superintendent Richard Jury to see if there is a connection - and there is. Jury is reminded of the death of Frances "Fanny" Hamilton at the Tate Gallery - and she had been to New Mexico as well. 

Jury travels to Santa Fe to follow up. One primary contacts is 13-year old Mary Dark Hope (Angela's younger sister) who leads an introverted life in the desert with her pet coyote.  The other is Malcolm Corey, painter and aspiring actor. He also finds Angela's cousin, pharmacist Delores "Dolly" Schell; and Nils Anders, a PhD at the mysterious Santa Fe Instutute.

There are several sub-plots: Jury's struggle to quit smoking, his attempts to locate his old flame Jenny Kennington; and Melrose's fascination with new arrival Miss Fludd.

Review: This book is much a sequel to The Horse You Came In On (Richard Jury #12), which should be read first; some of the characters and situations continue in this book.

This is a slow-paced book, the first half being in England, the second half in New Mexico. Although the action creeps along, I enjoyed following Melrose's methodical "investigations" on the England end as he extracts clues and tracks down Jenny Kennington.

The ending comes quite suddenly and with little lead-up, but with a satisfying conclusion.

A couple of loose ends: The meaning of the mysterious number found in a notebook is not quite explained or resolved. Melrose finds a vending machine which produces calling/business cards and spends time producing an assortment, but they are never mentioned again. I expected him to create a false identity or something along that line. His search for the elusive "Miss Fludd" is dropped also.

 

The Horse You Came In On by Martha Grimes, 1993

 

About the author: This is #12 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

Major characters:

Ellen Taylor, college professor and author

Beverly Brown, her student

Patrick Muldare, college instructor

Vicki Salva, aspiring author

Frances Hamilton, who died in the art gallery

Philip Calvert, Frances Hamilton's nephew

John-Joy, who was blind/deaf

Locale: Baltimore, Maryland

Synopsis: Two deaths occur in London: homeless John-Joy, a man who is blind and deaf, is killed in an alley. Frances Hamilton is sitting on a bench in an art gallery and suddenly just falls over dead.

Inspector Richard Jury meets up with Lady Cray, an acquaintance from a previous book. She suggests he go to Baltimore to look into the death of Philip Calvert, who was Frances Hamilton's nephew. Melrose Plant goes along to see his old friend, professor Ellen Taylor. Along with Sgt. Wiggins they fly to Baltimore.

In Baltimore, the grave of native son Edgar Allan Poe has a mysterious visitor on his birthday each year. Ellen's student, Poe enthusiast Beverly Brown, had gone to observe and was murdered there. Brown had found an unpublished manuscript - possibly Poe's - which led to her death. Ellen now has the manuscript, and it contains Beverly's notation of initials J-J, P.C., and P.M. Jury speculates J-J is John-Joy, P.C. is Philip Calvert, and P.M. may be Ellen's fellow instructor Patrick Muldare. 

Jury and Plant try to find a connection between the three ... and quickly, as two of the three are now dead. 

Review:

This is not a standalone book - many of the characters appeared in earlier books. It got off to a slow start, a quarter of the way in the only action was the usual series characters sitting around in the Jack and Hammer recapping the series. 

Once Jury, Plant, and Wiggins get to Baltimore things get rolling as the Edgar Allan Poe story line develops. A particularly enjoyable interlude is when Melrose Plant visits an antique store and gets into a long discussion with a young girl, Jip, as he makes up a fanciful story as he goes along. It is recurring element that Jury has no ability to talk to young people, while Plant always does. 

I didn't think the series would survive a trip to USA but once they arrive it is business as usual. It is funny when Plant tries to pass himself off as a local in the Baltimore bar, The Horse You Came In On.

The Old Contemptibles by Martha Grimes, 1991

 

About the author: This is #11 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

Major characters:

• Jane Holdsworth, Jury's short-lived flame
• Madeline Galloway, Jane's sister
• Alex Holdsworth, Jane's 16-year old son
• Genevieve Holdsworth, Jane's stepmother
• Crabbe Holdsworth, Jane's father
• George Holdworth, Jane's uncle (Crabbe's brother)
• Adam Holdsworth, Jane's grandfather
• Francis Fellows, Crabbe's cousin
• Graham Holdsworth, Jane's deceased husband
• Virginia Holdsworth, Crabbe's deceased first wife
• Millie Thale, 11-year old kitchen worker
• Annie Thale, Millie's deceased mother
• Mrs. Callow, the cook
• Hawkes, the butler
• Detective Inspector Hanif Kamir
• Inspector Richard Jury
• Marshall Trueblood, antiques dealer
• Melrose Plant

Locale: England (mostly) and Italy (a little)

Synopsis: Inspector Richard Jury encounters an attractive widow, Jane Holdsworth, while browsing the flea market. This begins a rather torrid affair. Jane has a 16-year old son, Alex Holdsworth, attending private school but more interested in horse racing schemes. 

Jury's friend, Melrose Plant, and antiques dealer Marshall Trueblood have journeyed to Italy with a plan: to delay Vivian Rivington's marriage to The Count as long as possible, with an eye to getting her back to England and hooked up with Jury instead. Distressing word comes about Jury's new affair, and even that he has purchased an engagement ring.

No sooner has Jury obtained the ring and prepared to pop the question, when Jane is found dead by her son, Alex. The cause is apparently suicide by overdose of pills. Detective Inspector Hanif Kamir finds Jury a possible suspect and cautions him to not leave London.

Alex does not buy the suicide theory. He leaves the area and heads to the Holdsworth family home to seek his favorite relative, his great-grandfather Adam Holdsworth - who splits his time between the family home and a nearby retirement home.

Jury, unable to leave London, suspects family involvement. He gets Melrose Plant to travel to the Holdsworth home and take a position ostensibly cataloging the family library, but in reality spying on them. Melrose befriends 11-year old Millie Thale, a worker in the family kitchen.

Review: There is a big cast - and they are all related - but I have sorted them out for you in the list above, which took some effort - as the relationships are only revealed piecemeal. (Ones highlighted in grey were deceased prior to the story.) 

This was a most enjoyable title in the Jury series, even though Aunt Agatha does not make an appearance. Jury and Jane started out strong and I was surprised at her sudden demise.

Efforts by Melrose Plant and flamboyant Marshall Trueblood to derail Vivian's wedding and redirect her to a more appropriate partner (Jury) are quite amusing. It makes me wonder if they will ever get together later in the series. 

The only weak point was the oversize space allotted to attempts to interpret Alex's dream - it didn't move the story along and didn't add much.

The Old Silent by Martha Grimes, 1989

 

About the author: This is #10 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

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

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. 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, and various random people.

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).

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!

(Spoiler follows, select text to reveal): Here's the big thing: We have two missing kids - Billy and Toby. It is never revealed exactly what happened to them. We also have two bodies to account for - is it them? Well, one might be Billy. Toby turns up alive at the end. So at least one of the bodies is someone else, but we never find out what happened to Billy, nor who the bodies really are.

The Five Bells and Bladebone by Martha Grimes (1987)

 

About the author: This is #9 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

Major characters:

• Sadie Diver, a hairdresser
• Timmy Diver, her brother, a tugboat hand
• Ruby Firth, neighbor to Sadie, a decorator
• Simon Lean, publisher's accountant
• Hannah Lean, Simon's wife/widow
• Eleanor, Lady Summerston; Hannah's grandmother
• Joanna Lewes, romance author
• Theo Wrenn Browne, bookseller
• Diane Demorney, divorced four times, looking for husband #5

The regulars:

• Superintendent Richard Jury
• Agatha, Lady Ardry - Richard's aunt
• Melrose Plant
• Vivian Rivington
• Marshall Trueblood, antique dealer
• Carol-anne Palutski, Richard's upstairs neighbor
• Mrs. Wasserman, Richard's downstairs neighbor

Locale: London

Synopsis: Flamboyant antiques dealer Marshall Trueblood purchases a drop-front secretary desk from Lady Summerston. When it is opened, he is surprised to find the body of local Simon Lean stuffed inside. Simon's wife, Hannah Lean, is the only heir to her grandmother Lady Summerston's immense fortune. This hints at a possible motive - Simon was a known womanizer with various ongoing affairs: hairdresser Sadie Diver, romance writer Joanna Lewes, and flashy Diane Demorney. Perhaps Hannah did away with him to have the fortune all to herself?

However - Sadie Diver is almost immediately found dead herself, stabbed - with her body stashed in a boat moored beside a pub along the Thames. Evidence shows their deaths occurred within hours of each other. Sadie's brother, Timmy Diver, is called upon to identify the body - but claims it is not her.

Review:

I thoroughly enjoyed this title, with all the regulars in appearance and some interesting one-timers. 

This title gives insight into the book business, with seller/binder Theo Wrenn appearing, the womanizing victim Simon Lean being an accountant to a publisher, and especially author Joanna Lewes, who cranks out romances according to strict formulae provided by the publishers. It is amusing to watch her assemble these books according to recipe. 

One thing that left me a bit puzzled was the somewhat vague ending. We have a dead woman, apparently by suicide, but is she character A or character B? An assumption must be made. 

I Am the Only Running Footman by Martha Grimes (1986)

 

About the author: This is #8 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

Major characters:

Sheila Broome (victim #1)
Ivy Childess (victim #2)
David Marr (Ivy's boyfriend)

Marion Winslow (David's sister)

Hugh Winslow (Marion's husband)

Edward "Ned" Winslow, their son 

Lucinda St. Clair, neighbor to the Winslows

Supt. Richard Jury
Det. Sgt. Alfred Wiggins
Chief Supt. A. E. Racer
Division Commander Brian Macalvie
Melrose Plant

Synopsis: Supt. Richard Jury is called to the scene of a murder - of Ivy Childess, found outside the I Am The Only Running Footman pub, stangled with her own scarf. Det. Sgt. Alfred Wiggins recalls another murder - 10 months previous, Sheila Broome was found in the woods of Devon strangled with her own scarf.

The Broome murder, being in Devon, fell under the jurisdiction of Division Commander Brian Macalvie. Macalvie and Jury cooperate in trying to find a connection between the two girls. A connection - though slim - is found. Ivy's somewhat-boyfriend David Marr is a brother to Marion Winslow, and the Winslow family seems to hold some secrets - beginning at the time when Hugh and Marion's young daughter, Phoebe, ran out into the street and was killed by a driver.

Review: It will be helpful if you are familiar with Hoagy Carmichael's song, Stardust. The chapter titles are taken from the song (subtle, that), and the 'Starrdust' shop featured late in the book has that theme as well. 

This is one of the more enjoyable Jurys I have read thus far. The little affair with Susan Bredon-Hunt at the beginning doesn't add much except add the obligatory bed scene. 

It took a bit of sketching out relationships to try to understand the Winslows and the St. Clairs as they are only introduced bit by bit. Suffice to say this sums it up:

Hugh and Marion Winslow had two children: Phoebe (killed in an accident) and Edward "Ned". Marion's brother is David Marr, somewhat-boyfriend to victim Ivy Childess; and the main suspect in her murder.

St. John and Sybil St. Clair are neighbors to the Winslows. They have three children: Lucinda, Davinity, and Pearl.

Vivian Rivington, Aunt Agatha, Fiona Clingmore, and Cyril the cat only make brief cameos, too bad - they are always enjoyable.

The Starrdust shop is a fun place, and Sgt. Wiggins gets right into it and manages to extract some information at the same time. 

My paperback edition has a broken hand mirror on the cover - not sure why - no hand mirrors figure in the story.

The Deer Leap by Martha Grimes (1985)

 

This is Richard Jury #6.

Major characters:

• Una Quick, whose last act was a very long phone call
• Dr. Farnsworth, the village doctor
• Polly Praed, a mystery writer
• Carrie Fleet, 15-year old animal champion
• Baroness Regina de la Norte, Carrie's mother-figure
• Sebastian Grimsdale, trophy-hunter owner of the Gun Lodge
• --- Donaldson, huntsman for Grimsdale
• Amanda Crowley, mother of two troublemaker boys
• Dr. Paul Fleming, veterinarian
• John MacBride, owver of The Deer Leap
• Sally MacBride, his sexy but claustrophobic wife
• Naehle Meara, Sally's 9-year old niece

Locale: Ashdown Dean, England

Synopsis: Una Quick is sad after her dog, Pepper, dies from poison. Mystery writer Polly Praid is waiting for Una to finish up her phone call in a phone booth, and when she pushes on the door, Una falls out - dead. The doctor states it was heart failure.

Other cats and dogs have been disappearing in town, much to the concern of animal rescuer Carrie Fleet, who takes care of a number of strays and orphan animals at the home of Baroness Regina de la Norte, where she lives. Rumors of abductions by a local research lab abound. Carrie's nemesis is Sebastian Grimsdale, owner of the Gun Lodge, and a big trophy hunter.

Carrie interrupts two boys - sons of Amanda Crowley - in the process of abusing a cat, which she rescues.

The other lodge in town is The Deer Leap, run by John MacBride and his sexy but claustrophic wife Sally MacBride. Sally is discovered dead after being locked in a small playhouse behind the inn.

Superintendent Richard Jury investigates the two deaths, and also looks into an apparent extortion scheme to get money from Baroness Regina, over something in Carrie's past which is unknown. Jury puts Melrose Plant at Gun Lodge to spy on Grimsdale to pick up local gossip - while he is there, hunstman Donaldson (rumored to have an affair with Sally MacBride) is mauled and killed by Grimsdale's own dogs. Now Jury has three deaths on his plate.

Review:

This is a dark one, with intentional injuries to children and animals. Sensitive animal lovers may want to pass on it due to descriptions of injured animals and descriptions of research lab animals.

• Likes: Saucy secretary Fiona Clingmore is always fun as she flirts with Jury (Did Ian Fleming come up with that name?) Cyril the office cat is always enjoyable as he puts cat-hater Racer in his place. Mrs. Wasserman lightens up and even ventures out of her apartment to hoist a few at the pub.
  
  
• Dislikes: No appearance by Melrose's posturing Aunt Agatha. Melrose is also called upon to do something quite out of character to protect Jury. High body count (6). Messy shoot-em-up ending.

This title has a number of things which seem out of place in the Jury series. I was surprised at Jury's romantic interlude in the puzzle maze (isn't he on duty?) and by Melrose Plant's unexpected overreaction and use of a weapon to take out someone.

Note: Readers may be unfamiliar (as I was) with Carrie's activity of "unstopping earths". I found that earth-stopping meant "the act of blocking a fox's earth (burrow) while it is absent, so it is forced to stay above ground" as an illegal act to keep a fox active in a hunt. Thus, unstopping earths is cleaning out the burrows so the fox hax a chance to escape the hunters.

Help the Poor Struggler by Martha Grimes (1985)

 

About the author: This is #7 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

Synopsis: A series of four child murders has Scotland Yard anxious for a solution. Division Commander Brian Macalvie is after Superintendent Richard Jury to get it solved now. The four murders all have slim connections to the wealthy widower Robert Ashcroft. Ashcroft has been caring for his niece, ten year old Lady Jessica Mary Allan-Ashcroft (as she prefers to call herself) after the death of her parents. Ashcroft had been in Australia previously with his brother Jimmy. Jury suspects something is amiss and is concerned that Jessica could be next. 

Jury looks at three mysteries:

1. Is Richard Jury really Richard, or his brother Jimmy? Jessica is the sole heiress to his fortune, and none of the current house staff knew Richard prior to his time in Australia.
2. Is Molly Singer, the woman who found one of the bodies, really Molly Singer - or is she Mary Mulvanney, who has a long time grudge against Brian Macalvie?
3. Who has the motive for the killings? Is it someone in the Ashcroft orbit, or could it be Sam Waterhouse, recently released from Dartmoor and hanging around?

Review: This one was quite somber for the first half with the series of child murders. I was looking for something lighter with a lot of Melrose Plant / Aunt Agatha repartée, but Melrose does not appear until halfway through, and Aunt Agatha only mentioned briefly.

The character of Division Commander Brian Macalvie was a puzzle, he started out being take-charge-nasty to everyone but then chums up to Jury in a rather abrupt change.

As always, I enjoyed the Scotland Yard office scenes with Chief Superintendent Racer, saucy tease Fiona Clingmore, and Cyril the cat.

Jerusalem Inn by Martha Grimes (1988)

 

About the author: This is #5 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

Major characters:

• Helen Minton, a building tour guide
• Robin "Robbie" Lyte
• Frederick Parmenger, a painter
• Grace Seaingham
• Elizabeth, Lady St. Leger
• Beatrice Slight, a writer
• William MacQuade, a writer
• Tommy Whittaker, a snooker/oboe/piano player
• Richard Jury
• Melrose Plant
• Aunt Agatha, Melrose's aunt
• Vivian Rivington

Synopsis: Richard Jury is en route to his cousin's for the Christmas holidays, more out of a feeling of obligation than desire. He stops in the village of Washington and while wandering around encounters a young woman, Helen Minton, in the churchyard cemetery. She is studying some gravestones and making notes. She feels faint upon standing, and Jury is concerned and offers to escort her home. They have a visit and drinks; and set up a dinner date upon his return. 

Jury continues to his cousin's place, and stops in Washington again on the return. He finds the authorities present at Old Hall, a historic site in which Helen was a tour guide. She had been found dead in the upstairs bedroom, a vial of pills at hand. The autopsy finds poison.

Melrose Plant winds up snowed in at Spinney Abbey mansion with a lot of writers, artists, critics, titled persons, and of course, his Aunt Agatha (Lady Ardry). One of the writers, Beatrice Slight, is found dead outside while wearing Grace Seaingham's stole. Was Beatrice the intended victim, or was it mistaken identity? Melrose finds an interesting young companion, Tommy Whittaker, who likes to sneak out to the local pub, The Jerusalem Inn, to play snooker.

Richard Jury arrives, looking for Frederick Parmenger, who was a cousin to Helen Minton. Parmenger is at the mansion to paint a portrait of Grace Seaingham. He is found to be the only person present who knew both victims, and Jury looks for a connection and motive. 

Review: This is the fourth Jury I have read, I found it rather ho-hum overall. It started out well with the budding relationship between Jury and Helen Minton, and I was sorry to find her become a victim. The long discussions of the privileged class at Spinney Abbey was wearing. Getting Melrose Plant and Jury to find each other by accident was a bit of a stretch; as well as the eventual connection between the two victims. The explanation was a bit too long and involved and I did check out without trying to understand the various relationships involved. In short, too many characters. I stopped noting them down at 17.

Vivian Rivington, Jury's unrequited love, appears as well. Her engagement to the Italian count appears to be on the rocks (Jury hopes), but nothing more progresses - being saved for future books no doubt.

Tommy Whittaker is a great character, and I enjoyed reading about him. I did skim the play-by-play descriptions of his snooker games, not being familiar with it.

I enjoyed the conversations between Plant and his butler Ruthven, especially as Plant tries to get Ruthven to loosen up and be a friend. 

Aunt Agatha was in good form, and the descriptions of her cheating at bridge while trying to impress her other players was quite funny.

Also see this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block.

The Dirty Duck by Martha Grimes (1984)

 

About the author: This is #4 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

Major characters:

The Honeysuckle Tour group:

• James Farraday Sr.
• Amelia Blue Farraday, his southern belle wife
• Honey Belle Farraday, their 17 year old daughter
• Penny Farraday, their 15 year old daughter
• Jimmy (James Jr.) Farraday, their wandering 9-year old son
• Gwendolyn Bracegirdle
• Lady Violet Dew, titled but earthy
• Cyclamen Dew, her niece
• George Cholmondelay, a legend in his own mind
• Harvey Schoenberg, a nerdy computer enthusiast 
• Valentine Honeycutt, the tour leader

And...

• Jonathan Schoenberg. Harvey's brother 
• Superintendent Richard Jury
• Sergeant Lasko, Stratford police
• Melrose Plant
• Agatha Audry, Melrose's aunt
• Vivian Rivington, Jury's old flame
• Jenny Kennington, Jury's new flame?

Locale: Stratford, England

Synopsis: The Honeysuckle Tour group has descended upon Stratford to take in the Shakespearean atmosphere. First problem, 9-year old Jimmy Farraday wanders off somewhere and cannot be found. This is not too alarming, it seems he does this all the time; so after a couple of days(!) the family appeals the authorities for help. 

Sergeant Lasko of the Stratford police asks Richard Jury speak to the Farradays unofficially to reassure them everything is being done to find Jimmy. 

Meanwhile, one of the tour group, Gwendolyn Bracegirdle, goes for a walk at night and is found dead the next day. Beside the body is a program from As You Like It with a bit of obscure handwritten verse on it. In an effort to identify the poem, Jury consults with tour group member and computer nerd Harvey Schoenberg who is researching Elizabethan history, to no avail. Melrose Plant goes to the library and after a brief inquiry identifies the poem.

Additional deaths follow, each with a bit of the poem left with the body.

The story cuts away periodically to Jimmy, who is being held captive in a tower along with a cat.

Review: The murderer leaving bits of a poem with the body sure sounds Agatha Christie!

At first, it was unclear to me whether the accounts of Jimmy being held in the tower were real or just an account of Jimmy's imagination. (It turns out they are real). The Jimmy story line runs along totally independent of the tour group murders, although it does connect up at the end.

Lady Violet Dew seems too coarse to be believable (reading Hustler?)

A good read although it does delve into Elizabethan history a bit much.

The Anodyne Necklace by Martha Grimes (1983)

 

fictiondb.com

About the author: This is #3 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

Major characters:

• Sir Miles Bodenheim, titled, and damn proud of it
• Sylvia Bodenheim, his wife, and damn proud of it
• Derek Bodenheim, their son, and damn proud of it
• Julia Bodenheim, their daughter, the only normal one
• Augusta Craigie, cat collector
• Ernestine Craigie, bird watcher
• Emily Louise Perk, age 10, going on 30
• Polly Praed, mystery writer
• Mary O'Brien, pub owner
• Katie O'Brien, her violin-playing daughter
• Cora Binns, the first victim
• Freddie Mainwaring, estate agent
• Ramona Wey, Mainwaring's Other Woman
• Supt. Richard Jury
• Melrose Plant
• Sgt. Wiggins
• Peter Gere, constable

Locale: Littlebourne village, near London

Synopsis: In the village of Littlebourne there is a swampy section, Horndean Wood, which is home to lots of birds - attracting the Royal Bird Watchers, led by Ernestine Craigie. One day she finds, not a bird, but a body of a young woman - later identified as Cora Binns of London. The body has had the fingers separated from the left hand.

At the same time, a 16 year old girl from Littlebourne, Katie O'Brien, is busking in the London subway with her violin, and hit from behind; leaving her in a coma.

Superintendent Richard Jury comes in to assist constable Peter Gere. The two incidents have a few curious connections, leading back to a year-old burglary of an emerald necklace from a local estate. Jury and his friend Melrose Plant make the acquaintance of 10 year old Emily Louise Perk, who knows all and sees all. A prime intelligence source is The Anodyne Necklace Pub, owned by Katie's mother Mary O'Brien. The locals gather for a long running role-playing game, Wizards and Warlords.

Review: I am working my way through the series, and in this #3 Melrose Plant and Richard Jury are complementary in their ability to ferret out information - Melrose uses his (formerly) titled experience to deal with the high-and-mighty while Jury sits in the pub with the locals. Melrose also knows how to deal with the other end of the spectrum (the Cripps family).

10-year old Emily Louise Perk is a star character, and has Jury and Plant eating out of her hand as she "sells" them information bit by bit.

The parsimonious Bodenheim family is amusing in their grasping onto every pence of their peerage, the exact opposite of the dirty, cringeworthy, but generous slum-living Cripps family.

The Wizards and Warlords game story line shows the influence of the game of the (1983) time, Dungeons and Dragons. (What did people DO before video games? Play Dungeons and Dragons).

Aunt Agatha only makes a brief cameo at the beginning, which was OK, I can only take her in small quantities.

My favorite sentence: "There was a knocking, like doom, at the door."

The Old Fox Deceiv'd by Martha Grimes (1982)

 

This is #2 of 25 books featuring Richard Jury. See this Wikipedia article for biography and list of the 25 Richard Jury books. Click this Martha Grimes label to see all my reviews of this series.

Major characters:

• The deceased: either Gemma Temple or Dillys March
• Colonel Titus Crael
• Julian Craeal, his idler son
• Olice Manning, housekeeper to the Craels
• Adrian Rees, a painter
• Kitty Meecham, the Irish bartender
• Lily Siddons, seamstress, former 'cook's girl' 
• Bertie Makepeace, a 12 year old on his own
• Percy Blythe, eccentric roof thatcher
• Richard Jury
• Melrose Plant
• Sgt. Wiggins

Locale: Rackmoor, England, a coastal fishing village

Synopsis: Rackmoor is an isolated fishing village clinging to some steep cliffs. It feaures two pubs (The Old Fox Deceiv'd and The Bell), a church, and not much else.  A woman has arrived in town claiming to be Dillys March, a long lost ward of wealthy Col. Titus Crael; and potential heir. Titus' son, Julian Crael, doesn't want anyone to share his future inheritence, and claims she is an imposter. There is some evidence - she seems to have a real identity of Gemma Temple of London; and some believe she has been coached to impersonate Dillys March. 

Titus Crael hosts an annual Twelfth Night (eve of Epiphany) costume party. Gemma/Dillys lacks a costume, and borrows a mummer's costume from Lily Siddons. On her way to the party, she is stabbed to death as she ascends the steep Angel Steps. Lily claims that she was the intended victim, and the murderer mistook Gemma/Dillys as her, due to the costume.

Richard Jury and Wiggins arrive to investigate, and meet up with Melrose Plant. They find there is a history of tragic, accidental deaths in the village - Col. Crael's wife and other son, Lily Siddons' mother, etc.)

Review: Oh, this book just screams for a street map of Rackmoor. I tried to follow the layout in my head - no go - tried sketching it out, usually I can do that, but no. All those tiny streets and who lives where?

The setting of the foggy fishing village is well described, and seems very realistic and similar to those here in Maine.

I had been advised to read this series in order, and I see why. The characters from Book #1 are here and some more arrive. Aunt Agatha makes a short appearance.

An amusing episode is when Melrose Plant attempts to interview a prostitute, but she thinks he is a customer and continues to undress despite all his efforts to stop her. 

Bertie Makepeace is a fun 12-year old, running the household on his own, and perfectly. Percy Blythe is an amusing old roof thatcher who ignores Plant but opens up wide to Jury.

I am glad my challenger friends turned me on to this series!