Customer Reviews

Help the Poor Struggler

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The tiny hamlet of Clerihew Marsh is the site of the murder of Rose Mulvanney. Her five year old daughter calls the operator to summon assistance. Wiggins and Richard Jury are interested in another matter years later in Dorchester. The victim is Simon Riley, son of a butcher. It is wondered if Davey White in Wynchcoombe is somehow connected to the incident of Simon Riley. The second boy has been placed in a church. His grandfather and guardian is vicar there.

Help the Poor Struggler is, not surprisingly in a book from the Richard Jury series, a pub. Molly Singer wears off the rack Oxfam clothes. She will not speak to the police. The latest victim is Angela Thorne. She is wrapped in a cape belonging to Molly Singer. It seems that Molly Singer is Mary Mulvanney, a daughter of the years-ago murder victim.

It is pleasant to read a Richard Jury mystery because he appears complete with ensemble players. Half-way through this book Melrose Plant turns up at the Jack and Hammer along with the Long Piddleton antiques dealer, Marshall Trueblood. Jessica Ashcroft, a child and Jury's candidate for next victim, is all ready to service Plant's Rolls Royce which fails just outside the wall of the Ashcroft manor house. She claims to know about cars and welcomes him into the premises which is the plan as conceived by Plant and Jury.

Chief Superintendent Racer is concerned over the nonsolution of the cases. As Jury continues his investigation he surmises that the cases are connected since the sites, Princeton, Clerihew Marsh, and Wynchcoombe are equidistant from each other and from Ascroft Manor. Simon's stepmother has an Ashcroft connection it is ascertained. The vicar of Wynchcoombe is related too.

The story is well-plotted. This is a lovely book. The character of the child, Jessica Ashcroft, is just right.

This is an Onyx 2005 reprint of a 1985 novel. It is a little on the dark side, and a change of pace from the author's early novels in the Jury/Plant series. No side excursions into Long Piddleton, or side issues about flashers. Perhaps the author was developing a more serious side. You do need to read some of the earlier novels to understand the Jury and Plant characters.

The story starts with a prelude about a murder where the wrong man is convicted. The only witness, the victim's 5-year old daughter, is left catatonic and unable to point out the killer. The wrong man is convicted of the crime and sent off to prison, simply because he was infatuated with the victim.

Now it is 20 years later. A serial killer is murdering children in the same geographic area as the earlier murder. It appears to be the work of a psychopath. The police are attempting to link the killings and various suspects show up on the scene - the man, just released from prison, who was convicted of the earlier murder; an agoraphobic photographer who seems a bit mysterious; and various relatives who might inherit money if Lady Jessica, a 10-year old heiress, should happen to die.

Events and police work bring the story to some surprising conclusions. The novel is split into 28 chapters.

Help the Poor Struggler, by Martha Grimes, is the 6th book in this excellent series. The book introduces us to the moody and blunt Brian Macalvie. Macalvie will become a recurring character in the series, appearing in some of the books to follow. This novel features a mystery involving a serial killer of children in the mysterious Dartmoor (famous for the Sherlock Holmes adventure The Hound of Baskervilles). This is a very strong entry in this compelling series. Macalvie, a local constable, is haunted by a previous case that seems to be related to this series of killings. Jury enlists the aid of Melrose Plant and soon the sleuthing is underway. A really solid read and an important book in the series.

For those of you new to the series, I would recommend reading them in order for the best reading experience; however, they are also fun as stand alone novels.

Here is the series in order:

The Man with a Load of Mischief
The Old Fox Deceived
The Anodyne Necklace
The Dirty Duck
Jerusalem Inn
Help the Poor Struggler
The Deer Leap
I am the only Running Footman
The Five Bells and Bladebone
The Old Silent
The Old Contemptibles
The Horse You Came In on
Rainbow's End
The Case has Altered
The Stargazey
The Lamorna Wink
The Blue Last
The Grave Maurice
The Winds of Change
The Old Wine Shades
Dust

I am only just discovering Martha Grimes' Richard Jury/Melrose Plant mystery series, having read nine of them this year, so I'm coming late to this 1995 pub. But I have to take a moment and rave about it. The subtle and complex plotting is brilliant, with no unfair disclosures (well, perhaps one little one: how DID "Selfless Sara" manage to get hired into the Ashcroft household?) but lots of delicious twists and turns. Some later titles are loosely written and self-indulgent (she has become too big for an editor to tighten up), but this one is a page-turner throughout. That three seemingly random murders of innocent children are connected, and even tied to the murder of two other girls' mother 20 years earlier? Yes, and you'll be delighted to discover how.

Brian Macalvie is one of the important supporting characters of Martha Grimes' Richard Jury novels. Macalvie wrestles with some of the same demons Jury does (for instance, an apparent inability to have a satisfying relationship and a dogged need to resolve cases that are rife with complexity). Naturally, the two men initially drive each other rather crazy. Here it is Melrose Plant who is able to be the bridge between them, appreciated by both of them, serving to center and calm both of them.

This is a complicated story about how revenge can become the abiding force in a life, and, conversely, how deciding to care aobut someone else can make even the most damaged person capable of strength and greatness.

All of Martha Grimes' Richard Jury novels have had me captivated; her main character is somewhat mysterious but not overstated, and the supporting cast are just quirky enough to catch the eye without being blown out of proportion. You have to have a certain taste for british landscape and atmosphere, but if you do, these books are great. I can't pick one I like best, so I am just reviewing this one because I think they are all equally good! Lots of small cultural references fill out her books to make the world in which they are set realistic.

Initially, I chose to read this mystery because I was in the mood for a good mystery and it was one of the shorter ones on my bookshelf; but as I got into it I found the author does a really nice job of telling a story. I'd recommend the book, especially as a read at bedtime.

This is my favorite Richard Jury book. I certainly loved the character of Lady Jessica; but this book also introduces Brian Macalvie, an important character in the series.

Love the Richard Jury Series. They are easy, entertaining reads without all of the sexual overtones found in a lot of American mysteries.

Alot of mysteries feature cats.

This one features cars...and a dog named Henry.

Master mystery writer Martha Grimes weaves a spooky tale in "Help the Poor Struggler", which begins with a grim murder of a woman named Rose Mulvanney. Rose is discovered by her 5 year old daughter Teresa. Then the story jumps forward 20 years later into a mystery surrounding a spree of child killings. Scotland Yard's Richard Jury quickly determines a young heiress, Lady Jessica Allen-Ashcroft is the next target, or perhaps better put, THE target. Lady Jessica is an orphan, heiress to a huge English manor house and four million pounds. She lives with her Uncle Robert, who adores cars.
So does Lady Jessica.
So she buys him nine...Well, actually eight. The mini Cooper is hers.

Suddenly Jury's friend, Melrose Plant (former earl) appears at Ashcroft manor in his white Ghost Rider. Now he and Jury must quickly discover the identify of the child killer before Lady Jessica is the next victim. And suddently this case becomes connected with the cold case file on Rose Mulvanney.

Grimes is brilliant in weaving her story line, in developing characters you adore (such as Lady Jessica and Melrose's horrible Aunt Agatha) [Martha Grimes, if you are reading this, could Aunt Agatha be your next victim in your next Richard Jury book?] There is suspence, humor, and deep emotion in this wonderful mystery. Don't miss it!