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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
I've been, along with Mom, culling out very old mystery series and rereading before donating. I'm beginning to think I should skip the rereading point. Either the first three attempts at this were just bad luck or you really can't go home again, I'm not sure which. I do like Richard Jury. This one however is barely a 2.5 stars. It was dull and the ending awful.
Two murders little more than a year apart, two women strangled with their scarves, are the cases connected or mere murders of convenience, Jury, Macalvie and Wiggans have to look at the Devon and London murders and decide that very thing.
Honestly outside of just doing a series of interviews, there isn't much investigating in this. When I read this back in college in the 80's, I probably liked it but now not so much since literally nothing much happens for three hundred pages (and naturally being published in 1986, it predates DNA and that sort of forensics). Worse, I haven't read or see a Richard Jury mystery in ages. I totally forgot Melrose Plant was his friend but figured he had to be. This book is broken into parts and part two is nothing but Melrose for ninety pages and I was totally lost/bored by that.
While the motive for the killings was interesting, there could have been a lot of trimming of this to make it move better. I don't want to spoil the ending but it was just plain awful, exactly the sort of ending I hate in a mystery so that was disappointing as well.
Two murders little more than a year apart, two women strangled with their scarves, are the cases connected or mere murders of convenience, Jury, Macalvie and Wiggans have to look at the Devon and London murders and decide that very thing.
Honestly outside of just doing a series of interviews, there isn't much investigating in this. When I read this back in college in the 80's, I probably liked it but now not so much since literally nothing much happens for three hundred pages (and naturally being published in 1986, it predates DNA and that sort of forensics). Worse, I haven't read or see a Richard Jury mystery in ages. I totally forgot Melrose Plant was his friend but figured he had to be. This book is broken into parts and part two is nothing but Melrose for ninety pages and I was totally lost/bored by that.
While the motive for the killings was interesting, there could have been a lot of trimming of this to make it move better. I don't want to spoil the ending but it was just plain awful, exactly the sort of ending I hate in a mystery so that was disappointing as well.
I'm confused. This novel and the last ended so abruptly, as in killer revealed on the second-to-last page. I actually am not sure what happened. I don't remember the previous Jury novels being like this. Bah. Still love the series and the characters. Will continue on.
Again, it just cut off. I wanted more of the characters. More.of the Warboyses. I am beginning to feel like I am reading Polly Praed novels.
I must be getting old; it was difficult for me to keep the people organized in my mind. Brother? No, nephew! But the nephew hangs out in the bar while the niece would have been 10? Huh?
Anyway...
Anyway...
I love the Richard Jury series with its host of playful, witty, charming men and some snotty characters but this one didn't live up to the usual standard which makes it such a good series. I frankly got lost in it. Listening to Steve West is always such a treat and it's a shame this book didn't do his performance justice.
I intend to read the next one in the series because I so love Jury, Melrose, Wiggins, Macalvie, and even the cat Cyril. Not to mention dear aunt Agatha that everyone loves to hate. Well, I dearly hope it won't be as disappointing as this one nor end on some kind of a limbo that leaves you wondering if you're still reading the same book or got its last pages got cut-out.
I intend to read the next one in the series because I so love Jury, Melrose, Wiggins, Macalvie, and even the cat Cyril. Not to mention dear aunt Agatha that everyone loves to hate. Well, I dearly hope it won't be as disappointing as this one nor end on some kind of a limbo that leaves you wondering if you're still reading the same book or got its last pages got cut-out.
Three stars because Jury, Plant, Wiggins, McCalvie and Cyril the cat are in it.
Otherwise, I’d give it two stars. When I came to the end, I thought, huh? I need some explanation of the ending and of the mental state of the guilty person. Was it mental illness, vengeance—I’m not clear on the motive. There was a hint or two of who it could be, which I did catch along the way, but I still don’t know, based on how the final chapter was written, if the motive was vengeance or madness. Not going to look back for it.
Otherwise, I’d give it two stars. When I came to the end, I thought, huh? I need some explanation of the ending and of the mental state of the guilty person. Was it mental illness, vengeance—I’m not clear on the motive. There was a hint or two of who it could be, which I did catch along the way, but I still don’t know, based on how the final chapter was written, if the motive was vengeance or madness. Not going to look back for it.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was one of the best of the Richard Jury series that I've read so far. I don't know why I'm so addicted to reading these. I'm usually not like that with mysteries- but these are just so well-written!
mysterious
Gemächlich erzählte Handlung mit den typischen Undurchsichtigkeiten, aber ohne genug humoristische Garnitur durch Long Piddleton und seine Bewohner.