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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
What a fun novel! I can't believe I haven't read this series before. With a deft turn of phrase and wonderful character descriptions, Martha Grimes pulls you into the world of Chief Detective Inspector Richard Jury, a single man happy with his station-- well, content at least.
He's called out to a small village to help figure out why strangers in town are being murdered in strange fashions (e.g. strangled and then pushed into a beer vat.)
He's called out to a small village to help figure out why strangers in town are being murdered in strange fashions (e.g. strangled and then pushed into a beer vat.)
I read a Martha Grimes mystery years ago and loved it. My father-in-law gave me another recently, and I loved it, which resparked my interest in her books. She's an American, but Grimes writes an excellent classic British mystery.
This is the first in the series of Richard Jury mysteries. We are introduced to all the main characters that will reappear in the further books - Melrose Plant, his aristocratic sidekick; Wiggins, his hypochondriacal sergeant; Marshall Trueblood, the gay antiques dealer; Vivian Rivington, the woman both Jury and Plant are interested in; Chief Racer, Jury's horrible boss; Mrs. Wasserman, his paranoid downstairs neighbor; Fiona Clingmore, Racer's beautiful but aging secretary; Cyril, the obtuse cat; and Melrose's obnoxious Aunt Agatha.
Two bizarre and public murders calls Richard Jury of Scotland Yard to Northhamptonshire (Northants), where he meets Melrose and Marshall. Long Piddleton, the town in question, will continue to be a player in all future books.
I won't get into details of plot; suffice to say that the Jury mysteries rank right up there with P.D. James and Agatha Christie. Why are all these fabulous mystery writers women???
This is the first in the series of Richard Jury mysteries. We are introduced to all the main characters that will reappear in the further books - Melrose Plant, his aristocratic sidekick; Wiggins, his hypochondriacal sergeant; Marshall Trueblood, the gay antiques dealer; Vivian Rivington, the woman both Jury and Plant are interested in; Chief Racer, Jury's horrible boss; Mrs. Wasserman, his paranoid downstairs neighbor; Fiona Clingmore, Racer's beautiful but aging secretary; Cyril, the obtuse cat; and Melrose's obnoxious Aunt Agatha.
Two bizarre and public murders calls Richard Jury of Scotland Yard to Northhamptonshire (Northants), where he meets Melrose and Marshall. Long Piddleton, the town in question, will continue to be a player in all future books.
I won't get into details of plot; suffice to say that the Jury mysteries rank right up there with P.D. James and Agatha Christie. Why are all these fabulous mystery writers women???
Book #10 read in 2005
This is my first experience with Martha Grimes and CI Richard Jury. I admit that this book was a little slow going at first, and I almost put it down. I'm glad I didn't though because the quirky characters and funny dialogue made me really enjoy the book. This is one of the first books of late that has had me guessing up until the very end. I can't wait to visit CI Jury again!
This is my first experience with Martha Grimes and CI Richard Jury. I admit that this book was a little slow going at first, and I almost put it down. I'm glad I didn't though because the quirky characters and funny dialogue made me really enjoy the book. This is one of the first books of late that has had me guessing up until the very end. I can't wait to visit CI Jury again!
It was fine, but not amazing. I kept having to look back to remember who all of the characters were.
Good old style crime story. Not too much blabbering and a good amount of dead bodies. The woman will be read more.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Solid introduction to a mystery series. Written in the early 80's but a fairly timeless English village cozy setting. Looking forward to reading more.
#popsugar challenge 2020/ a series with more than 20 books in it
#popsugar challenge 2020/ a series with more than 20 books in it
Evidentemente no tengo mejor idea que practicar francés con semejante libro. Hubo momentos donde siento que me perdí muchas cosas interesantes, pero aun así, la historia fue muy interesante y los personajes grandiosos. Espero seguir con la saga.
It's hard to believe I've never read a Richard Jury mystery. But, this is my first, but won't be my last. I loved it.
This the first book in the series. Jury is with Scotland Yard. He gets called into a small village after two murders have been committed. Jury makes friends with Melrose Plant, who is a big help in the investigation. I presume Plant will work with Jury again someday.
Grimes sets up a great, keeps you guessing, who done it. The author has a great sense of humor as well. I loved the banter between Plant. and his Aunt Agatha.
Martha Grimes is American, but writes British mysteries right up there with the heavy hitters.
A+
This the first book in the series. Jury is with Scotland Yard. He gets called into a small village after two murders have been committed. Jury makes friends with Melrose Plant, who is a big help in the investigation. I presume Plant will work with Jury again someday.
Grimes sets up a great, keeps you guessing, who done it. The author has a great sense of humor as well. I loved the banter between Plant. and his Aunt Agatha.
Martha Grimes is American, but writes British mysteries right up there with the heavy hitters.
A+
I'm not sure what to think about this. The reviews were almost universal raves, but my reaction was the opposite.
I found this to be very slow-paced. I was bored with this town and its people from the first page [or rather word, as I had this as an audiobook from my library]. There was just nothing about this book that engaged me or drew me in.
I got through a bit more than an hour of listening to the full 8 hour audiobook, and I really wasn't into this story at all. So I'm moving on.
I found this to be very slow-paced. I was bored with this town and its people from the first page [or rather word, as I had this as an audiobook from my library]. There was just nothing about this book that engaged me or drew me in.
I got through a bit more than an hour of listening to the full 8 hour audiobook, and I really wasn't into this story at all. So I'm moving on.