Customer Reviews

Dust

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(31)
1 star:		(22)

 

 

I'm not quite sure what Martha Grimes is up to with her last two books. I was thoroughly enjoying THE OLD WINE SHADES until I got to the end and still did not know "Who done it?"!!! She picks up part of that story in DUST, but there is still no resolution. She is quite an adept storyteller, but I have to say I am upset with her in her ploy to seemingly link each book to the next. DUST, the story of the murder of a young heir to a fortune, was quite entertaining until the end when, AGAIN, we were left up in the air. I have to admit that I really read Grimes these days to see what Cyril the cat is up to, but the books should really go back to her old formulas and at least give her readers some satisfaction at the end of each book. If you really love classic mysteries, go back and read her older books. They are much more satisfying!

This is the 21st book in the Richard Jury series, and I've been reading them for over twenty years and have always looked forward to the next one in the series. In the last two books Grimes seems to be trying to take the central character in a new direction. Other than Melrose Plant, all the usual characters are either missing or play minor roles in this book. There is a new emphasis on sex and less emphasis on tying up loose ends in the plot. Grimes earlier books in the Jury series were much better written, and were also much more enjoyable to read.

I had decided against reading this latest Richard Jury installment. While many of her later Richard Jury novels (and we won't include "The Old Wine Shades" here) have been largely decent reads in spite of certain factors (characters and subplots that hijack the novel even though they have precious little to do with the main plot), these later installments really pale in comparison to her earlier stellar work. And so I had decided not to bother about reading "Dust" especially when I had heard that Jury's main preoccupation here was about bedding the detective in charge of the case he's horned in on, Detective Inspector Lu Aguilar. But a weekend looming with nothing to read, made me breakdown and borrow the book. And in the end I'm glad that I did. True, there was the unfortunate Jury-Aguilar diversion, but for the most part, in spite of the slowish start, "Dust" turned out to be a decent read.

When young Benny Keegan discovers the dead body of a guest in the patio of one of the room's at Zetter's (a rather posh London hotel), his first thought, after ascertaining that the man is actually dead, is to call up his friend Richard Jury of New Scotland Yard. After all, as an underaged child working illegally at the hotel, Benny cannot afford to be caught in the middle of a murder investigation, and that's where Jury comes in -- to stand between the wheels of an official investigation and Benny. For Jury however, this investigation poses a whole set of different problems. To begin with there is the murder victim, Billy Maples, a rich young man, given to lavish spending, mood swings, and who was such an aficionado of Henry James' that he rented James' cottage in Rye from the National Trust. Why was Maples murdered? For gain, or for revenge? Satisfied with none of the many hypothesis floating around, Jury sends Melrose Plant (once again) under cover, to see if Melrose can uncover some dirt that would shed light on Billy's murder. More disturbingly, though, is Jury's attraction to Detective Lu Aguilar, especially since it is an attraction that seems to be getting in the way of the investigation...

There are several things to appreciate about "Dust" -- the lyrically beautiful descriptions of scenes for example, and the manner in which Martha Grimes has incorporated Henry James into the plot. Another thing I truly appreciated is that the side show characters (Agatha, Vivian, Trueblood and Carole-anne) were confined to a few paragraphs here and there. So no chance for them to steal the book. Though, I was dismayed that Harry Johnson turned up in "Dust." (I suppose it was futile of me to wish that this character would either fade into the woodwork or else just be killed off ?) The storyline was a rather good and intriguing one too, even though it did get off to a slowish start and really didn't pick up until Melrose Plant makes an appearance. Who would've thought that the day would come when Melrose Plant would liven things up?

However, there were things that were unsatisfying too. The poor editing for example; and the fact that the mystery subplot was never really properly developed to my satisfaction. Could this have been the reason why it lacked complexity and subtlety? On another note, I'm embarrassed to admit that the whole kindertransport bit confused me a little. How could Roderick have been part of this, given that he wasn't a Jewish child or from one of the occupied countries? And since the last trip was in 1940, before things began to look bad for the Germans, his father would have had little incentive to smuggle him out of Germany? Which leads me to my last gripe: the ending was really not very satisfying at all. Who pushed those girls of the raft/boat?

All in all, it wasn't as bad as I feared it might be, and in many ways I rather enjoyed "Dust." I'd rate "Dust" as a 3 1/2 star read -- more good bits than bad, and end with the fervent hope that the next Jury novel will be the one that will wholeheartedly satisfy.

I have read everyone of Martha Grimes' Jury mysteries, including the awful Old Wine Shades. I used to look forward to reading a new Jury mystery. Old Wine Shades almost did me in, but Dust definitely is the nail in the coffin, What a mess! What happened? Is every new book just going to be an unresolved continuation of the prior book? I cannot imagine what a new reader would make of this mess.

I have been a Martha Grimes fan since "The Man With a Load of Mischief". May I suggest that Ms. Grimes reread that title, "The Old Fox Deceiv'd", "The Five Bells of Bladebone", or even "The Stargazey"? She seems to have lost her sense of humor. While the storyline makes for a reasonably good mystery, readers expecting her usual mix of humor and mystery will be disappointed in "Dust". I found the sex gratuitous, and totally out of character for Inspector Jury. Not that he is a sexless protagonist, but I sense that Ms. Grimes is getting bored with Jury, Plant, Trueblood et al. She tried to kill Jury off once and apparently couldn't bring herself to do it. Maybe it's time she moved on to someone else. The charm of the "pub mysteries" has always been the wonderful blend of humor, wry observation and mix of wonderfully off-beat characters coupled with a good old-fashioned murder mystery. I was sorry to see this title succumb to cheap thrills.

I'll try to write about some of my problems with this book without giving too much away. I've been cooling toward Grimes for some time--I would probably be very happy if I never encountered Aunt Agatha again--but this one really did it for me, although I still rather enjoy Melrose Plant. Actually, I tried reading one of her non-mysteries, and it was truly the only book I can remember not finishing in the last decade or so.
The same things that bothered other people bothered me in Dust, although I did think it was clearly implied who the person was who pushed the sisters out of the lifeboat. The furniture-breaking sex was just silly. What completely muddled me was all the children being shipped around--there was a Kindertransport which was to take Jewish children to safety, one of whom was Kurt Brunner's brother, and another group of German children, among whom was Roderick, who were sent to England for "safekeeping," not to mention the ship taking English children to Canada. The first two seemed to get confused in the telling, and certainly did in my mind. And one thing that really didn't make sense to me was why Mrs. Jessup, who had hated Germans since the war, would resent Kurt Brunner -- he was Jewish, and his parents died in Auschwitz! I'm not sure Grimes cares anymore if things make sense, as long as people keep buying and reading. Glad I got my copy from the library.

I have read all the Richard Jury mysteries by Martha Grimes. In reading this book, I had a hard time plowing through all the irrelevant sex (isn't he too old for that?) and then I was brought up short at the end still asking, "Who dunnit?" I do not have a clue, but I do have a resolution that I will not waste my money on Grimes again.

I have been a devoted reader of Martha Grimes - the Richard Jury series as well as her other novels. She is an excellent writer and in reading her best works one becomes completely drawn into the worlds she creates.

Dust, however, allows only a few fleeting moments into the familiar world of her earlier Richard Jury mysteries. The plot is potentially interesting but quickly becomes so fettered with sub-plots, meanderings and gratuitous sex that the reader soon is underwhelmed. I felt an ongoing hunger throughout the book for the OLD Richard Jury and his coharts. The ending is atrocious - almost an insult to the reader who has persevered
to the bitter end.

If I didn't know better I would swear that Martha Grimes didn't even write this book. I have been a lifelong fan of all of Martha Grimes books, especially Richard Jury novels. But this book wasn't a mystery it was a mass of unresolved confusion. Not resolving issues is not Martha Grimes style. ( except maybe Old Wine Shades)Someone without any writing/editing talent is reaking havoc with her work. The sex scenes were frivolous and so "unJury" what did they really have to do with the story? When I got to the end of the book I thought some pages had been ripped out....I just couldn't believe that it ended.

I have read all but "The Old Wine Shades" and have usually been pleased with Richard Jury and Friends. Some of the themes seemed repetitive with the young girls being so mature, etc. But "Dust" is a whole new feeling and I don't like it. The plot is confusing and unsatisfying in conclusion. Her obsession with Henry James is pedantic and on reading about James, I found the following quote: "In his later work he begins to explore the interesting possibilities of 'unreliable narrators' - that is, people telling stories who may not know or reveal the whole truth". Is this where she is going?
Won't buy another of her books and have cancelled "The Old Wine Shades".
Good luck. Who did push the girls over the side of the raft?