Customer Reviews

Horse You Came in on

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

Martha Grimes usually writes complex, thoughtful mysteries notable for their memorable characters and atmosphere; consequently, THE HORSE YOU CAME IN ON--which finds Jury and his friend Melrose Plant visiting Baltimore, Maryland to investigate a double homocide--will be a great disappointment her many fans.

The story is at once very slight and very, very convoluted, involving both an "art" novelist who is struggling to finish her latest work and a student who may or may not have forged a manuscript attributed to Edgar Allen Poe. After a certain point, Grimes also relies upon genealogy for a plot twist--and while I grant that she certainly knows a great deal about writing novels and is at least credible on the subject of Poe, her commentary on genealogy will not pass muster with even the mildest amateur genealogist. In the process we are also treated to chunks of the book the novelist is writing and chunks of the Poe story that may or may not be an elaborate hoax, and by the time the novel winds to its rather tedious conclusion we feel we have read everything except a novel by Martha Grimes. Which is a great pity indeed.

I was surprised to find that Grimes was willing to take her ensemble cast on the road and try her hand at mystery in America. Although Grimes is not always good at clearing up the loose ends that she begins, she is true to her characters. Her descriptions are vivid and accurate and her gang of do-gooders are delightfully consistent. Frankly I would be disappointed if some young lady didn't win the heart of confirmed bachelor Melrose Plant in each novel. Grimes entertains if only because her characters have a self-depracating sense of humour and a rollicking good time. I was thrilled on a trip to Baltimore, MD when I stumbled across the tavern "The Horse You Came In On." It was a piece of my world crossing Richard Jury's path.

I COULD NOT FINISH THIS BOOK. I HAVE GREATLY ENJOYED THE OTHER INSPECTOR JURY MYSTERIES AND WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED.. MY THEORY IS THAT THE FAULT LAY IN TRYING TO SET AN ENGLISH MYSTERY IN THE US. THE INTERIORITY AND SENSE OF PLACE THAT SO CHARACTERIZES ENGLISH MYSTERY DOES NOT WORK IN A SETTING LIKE THE US. FROM THAT
STEM ALL THE OTHER DIFFICULTIES WITH THIS BOOK-- FLOUNDERING AND LOST - BECAUSE THE CHARACTERS ARE NOT AT "HOME". AGATHA CHRISTIE COULD PULL IT OFF BUT WHEN POIROT WAS IN EGYPT, FOR INSTANCE, HE WAS SURROUNDED BY ENGLISHMEN WHO HAD IN EFFECT "BROUGHT' THEIR PORTABLE WC'S ( LIKE THE ENGLISH DID IN AFRICA) ON THEIR "SAFARIS". (sorry about the capitals - just noticed it)

I've read most of her books, but this one in a word is 'crap.'

On the back cover of my paperback, the Chicago Sun-Times calls this book 'a juicy stew of a plot.' The New York Times is even worse, calling it 'clever.' Excuse me? Who's paying these guys to say this? You would think after 100 or so years of reviewing, they could at least be honest.

I stopped at about page 169 after a complete mish-mash of bad character development: Plant engaging in fairy tales with pre-teen booksellers, some other forgettable character droning on about someone called 'Sweetie,' and the thing with Poe (??) - forget this one, it's even worse than 'Rainbow's End,' which was pretty sad in its own right (at least the Jury/Sante Fe side of the book) and move on to 'The Lamorna Wink' - now that's 'entrancing' (The Orlando Sentinel).

Martha Grimes' mysteries, all of them, stand in an ordered rank on my bedroom shelves. She's a writer whose stories are worth reading and then re-reading. The puzzle is nearly always interesting and satisfactorily worked out. But that's not the real delight of the novels, only the entertaining excuse for two other more compelling reasons to read her. First, there's her Pickwickian cast of characters. They're a collection of perpetually and ruefully unattached men and women of indeterminate early middle age, who meet in a variety of colorfully named pubs and solve murders with more or less tragicomic flair, while they repeatedly fail to resolve the mysteries of their own inner lives. Second, there's the speculative and philosophical line of thought that often crops up as a secondary theme. Grimes gives this metaphysical aspect full play as a depth and dimension of counterpoint to her vivid characters and solid plot lines. The Horse You Came In On plots an intriguing mystery, but it is about writing, and specifically about plot invention in writing. Let me count the ways--a purported diary from Italy; a minimalist novel; the plagiarized version of the minimalist novel; a holograph manuscript that may or may not have been penned by Edgar Allen Poe; a Russian romance tale made up on the spot to amuse a child; a fabricated family history; a book of poetry; a work in progress (whose writer, to maintain focus, chains herself to her Johns Hopkins University desk--and thereby hangs the crisis of the plot); a hobbyist's attempt at a Dashiell Hammett-style mystery. All these literary productions are embedded in Grimes' own marvelous inventions, carrying us from the Tate Gallery in London to Baltimore, to Philadelphia, to the village of Long Piddleton in Northhamptonshire--just to name the more important locations. It's not often that one encounters a writer who can present thoroughly serious thinking in the form of comedy and at the same time stay competently in the mystery genre. Her novels are pleasing at every level. Her first mystery in this series is called The Man with a Load of Mischief. Start there and enjoy the wandering, speculative, humane, whimsical series of stories. You won't be disappointed.

I would definitely agree with those reviewers who say that this is a much waker story than the others in Martha Grimes' wonderful Richard Jury series. However, there are some hysterically funny aspects to this novel,which transports Melrose Plant and company to Baltimore. Melrose, one of England's most sheltered men, learns about American football, street people, and homeless shelters in a series of incidents that are truly fun.

Having spent the last six years working two blocks from Cider Alley and Poe's grave, I found this book a very enjoyable read. I can imagine for some folks that this degree of familiarity does not apply, but I can say I've had a beer at the Horse You Came in On, and various other familiar stops that Plant visits with Hughie the hack.

I do feel that this particular edition of Richard Jury is not as satisfying or complex as some of the other mysteries and that the local color somewhat distracted from the plot. But, having said that, it was a good three hour light read that I did enjoy. Other novels Grimes of course rate much more highly with me, such as the The Blue Last, and The Grave Maurice.

As a devoted Martha Grimes fan, I can find something to like about every one of her books - with this one I relied on the tried and true characters of Jury, Plant, and Wiggins to pull me through the morass of plot twists, mediocre supporting characters, and the downright dismal portrayal of Baltimorians (can anyone possibly be that pathetic? I guess so.) One refreshing twist in this one - Richard Jury is nearly upbeat! It's often painful to follow him into the vat of depression that he absolutely must slog through in order to solve a case. Melrose is brilliant, as usual, and Wiggins is Wiggins. Gotta love him.

I've been a fan of Martha Grimes a long time and have read all of the Richard Jury series in order. I've loved every one that I've read until this one. It's very confusing (and also uninteresting)to me and I know the history of all the main charactors...anyone who reads this as their first time Grimes mystery will be very disappointed.... Start at the beginning of the series with "A Man With a Load of Mischief". This will catch your interest right away and get you hooked on the Richard Jury/Melrose Plant saga. Make sure to read all the Jury mysteries in order..the others are MUCH better than this one !

As others, I have read several other novels by Ms. Grimes and have enjoyed them very much. However, this one had me confused from the beginning. The plot made no sense even when the events were solved. In addition it continued to be confusing that the story kept going back to England for no apparent reason. Everyone is entitled to swing and miss now and then, hopefully this is an isolated case. In any event if this is the first Richard Jury mystery you have read and were disappointed, take another shot, I'm sure you will be happier with the result.