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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best of the Jury/Plant novels, May 12 2004
This is the best of the Grimes Jury/Plant novels. The charm of Plant (who plays a large role in this complex novel) is brought to its best in his friendship with the inimically drawn fiery child shepherdess he befriends at a country inn. This child may be the best of Grimes' transient characters. Her indomitable character and imagination, her fierce independence, and her scorn for most adults (which she lowers just barely for Plant, and later for Jury ) make us really care when circumstances place her in danger (from which, as usual, she ingeniously extricates herself long before the adults arrive). Yet Plant's charm is also brought into relief when a bratty boom-box listening child at the same inn is used as a foil to Plant's gentility-and as a severe (and losing) trial to Plant's patience. The little revenges Plant take against this brat and his obnoxious mother are quite fun. Further, the surprises inherent in Plant's character are brought out in his love affair with a leather and chain wearing motor cyclist. The eccentricities of the delightfully vehement Macalvie are never better drawn, and never funnier. We gain a new sense of the hypochondriac Wiggins' true strengths and usefulness as Jury's sidekick. And the contest between Racer and the cat Cyril is at its best. More than in most of the Jury novels, we care about the suspects and the victims. Yet, perhaps more importantly, this novel lifts Jury out of a timeless quaint England, and throws him thick into the English rock-and-roll scene-where most of the musicians are presented both as likeable and staggeringly talented. I guessed most of the mystery by a about three-quarters of the way through the book, but it's final unfolding presented human details of past that were as riveting as the rest of the book. By the way, if you don't read this novel, you won't know who the scorching rock guitarist Stan Keeler is in the next Grime's novel.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Full of wit, charm...and even a murder..., Jan 8 2004
One of the reviewers mentioned that this might not be the best place to start in the Jury series. This is probably true. I had read 5, 6, maybe 7 of her books before I got to this one. And that windup was great as I became absorbed into her characters, her tone, her plots, the atmosphere she creates.For those who don't know Grimes, I think she is one of the true literary geniuses of our day. Her books really aren't about the murder mystery itself. Yes, that is the plotline that moves the story along, but neither I or she is overly worried with simply lining up the clues to solve the mystery. Rather, in each of her works, she displays before your eyes an English scene complete with its own set of quirkey characters - some old ones & always some news ones. And through the circumstances she sets up in each novel, she makes a commentary on life & people as they respond to the various situations into which they are thrown. In this way, Grimes reminds me of Agatha Christie...one of the great murder mystery writers. I think Christie was more concerned with observing human nature & working it out on script than she was with the actual murder. And the dry, ironic humor Grimes employs is similar to that of Christie itself. If you are interested in such stories, Grimes is a fabulous writer to get hooked on. If you have read several of Grimes' works & you have enjoyed them, then I think you are in for a treat with this one. I don't think that her wit has ever been better. Her comedic timing and various storylines - all with a somber plotline of murders setting the tone - kept me very entertained:
- Plant is at his all-time best as he deal with children, animals, a tough NY woman, and his old aunt Agatha.
- Jury retains his smooth charm & competency all while hob-nobbing with an eclectic group that includes a hot band, band reviewers, the genteel class and eccentric old folks.
- Malcavie is all that you hope of him as he pulls over speeders on his way to crime scenes and continues to listen to Wiggens (of all people!)
- The little girl in the book, Abby, is one of the coolest kids ever to appear in a murder mystery. I will admit that I was thrown off a bit by the dogs' monologues. It took me awhile to figure out what was going on there. But I was glad Grimes was still trying new things. So, there it is. Another great work from Grimes!
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Long, elaborate, and complex, Feb 28 2002
This is a complex and challenging novel. Richard Jury, depressed at the start of the novel, finds himself engrossed in the diffiult circumstances of Nell Healy, who murders her husband in a pub lounge, while Jury watches. As Jury attempts to discover why Nell would have done this, and how it ties in to the tragic kidnapping of her step-son ten years before, he is drawn into different eccentric groups of people--an ill-assorted group living in a b& b near Haworth, home of the Brontes and the dark world of alternative rock and roll performers. This musical mileiu is definitely new to Jury--although it turns out to be familiar territory for Seargent Wiggins!The different worlds of this book do not completely fit together. There is sometimes an odd disjunction between the parts of this novel,and I agree somewhat with one reviewer who says that she doesn't understand the role that Melrose Plant plays here, other than to add his usual gentle comic charm, and to interact with many of the eccentric. Despite some of this, this is also a moving and emotionally successful novel. The literary and musical allusions have deep meaning and are releent not just to the progression of the plot but also to the ongoing growth of the characters in this series.
I credit Martha Grimes with taking chances with this novel.
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