Customer Reviews

The Old Contemptibles

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

 

 

I'm pretty new to Grimes but of the three I've read this is the best. Read it, as someone else said, for the two elderly "contemptibles" (a pun, as the Old Contemptibles is, of course, the name of a pub) and for the delectable writing. I'm more interested in characters and writing than plots, but as far as I could tell "whodunnit" was not apparent until the last few chapters. In fact, this novel is a shining exception to my observation that mysteries usually lose all interest in the denouement. Once the knot is untied, the interest collapses. Here, Grimes keeps up the energy until the end. She is up there with Rendell and James as a mistress of the literary detective novel. How this American writer pulls off this wonderfully detailed English setting is a mystery in itself.

In most regards, this 11th volume in the Supt. Richard Jury mystery series is perhaps the best so far. Jury has gotten involved with Jane Holdsworth, a young woman he met at the Camden street market and after only a few weeks, he's seriously considering proposing marriage. Then she turns up dead on her sofa, an apparent suicide, and Jury is one of the suspects.The body was discovered by her 16-year-old son, Alex, who is something of a genius when it comes to scamming bookies and other gamblers. And Alex is convinced his mother must have been murdered. Because Jury is under suspicion, Melrose goes off to investigate the victim's family in the Lake District, and it's he who actually is the focus of most of the book, not Jury. Several other questionable deaths have been connected to the family is a short period of time. Alex's great-grandfather, Adam, who prefers to spend most of his time at a plush retirement home down the road rather than with his avaricious family, has his own thoughts about the various deaths. So does Lady Cray, Adam's astute and steely-eyed friend. And so, especially, does Milly, the Holdsworth family's twelve-year-old cook, whose mother was yet another suicide (or murder) tied to the Holdsworth family. There's a good deal of Grimes's wry humor here, and much better plotting than usual, but the author still has a penchant for killing off the villain at the end of the book instead of letting the law take its course. But there are still a few holes. For instance, who the devil paid for Jury's expensive attorney, if it wasn't Vivian?

The author seems to know where she is going with this story, but seems to drift about getting there. I had a hard time maintaining an interest. Part of the problem is the writing style, and references to some locations in England that I had a difficult time visualizing. Perhaps it needed a map. Part of the plot seems to revolve around possible gay relationships but, as Inspector Jury notes, does anyone in today's world really care.

The story starts out with characters from Long Piddleton who are off in Venice. The time period is about ten years after Jury made his first appearance. There is concern that a woman may marry the wrong person, and schemes are hatched to redirect the romance. Apparently you need to read a prequel to completely understand the situation.

The scene then shifts back to London with a plot involving the death of a woman Jury has just become acquainted with. From London, the plot shifts to an estate in a country village, and the various family members and associated individuals who are connected to the dead woman. A couple of previous deaths are brought into the plot.

Along the way, you get a description of driving on a bad road, which really has nothing to do with the plot, and a description of various characters at the Old Contemptibles, an Inn in the village, who don't really figure into the main plot (the author has a habit of putting various excess baggage into her stories).

It becomes a question of who has any advantage from the deaths that have occurred. It is a question of power, and the ending seemed a bit strange. The original plot reimerges briefly. Then some of the characters mete out their own form of justice, at which point the story ends.

I've tried to start this book about ten times before I got over the hump. This book has an interesting plot along with fascinating charachters but there are many parts where you snooze off and then it becomes rather fast paced again.

Also there are a few things in the story that are confusing. Why did the doctor kill Millie's mother? It says she did but I couldn't figure out a reason for why. Also the ending is quite far fetched compared to the rest of the book.

In #11 of the Jury-Plant mysteries, finds Jury a suspect himself! The delightfully droll British Mysteries - named after Brit Pubs - see this one taking place in the beautiful Lake District. Jury is considering marriage with a widow Jane Holdsworth. Things become complicated when son Alex finds Jane dead. At first it's deemed a suicide, but it becomes clear it was murder. Since Jury is a suspect, he sends Melrose Plant to the Lake District to suss out what he can about the Holdsworth family. The family is rich and eccentric, but four murders in one family is just a wee bit beyond the pale. The Holdsworth family is loaded with delightful, charming, if oddball characters, such as Alex, who is quite adapt at cheating at poker. Curry shines when doing 11-year-old Millie Thale (Melrose always has a soft spot for dotty children). Millie has a bond with Alex, since her mother died unexpected five years before.

Grimes once again brings such quirky characters to life with her witty prose and Curry takes those words and makes magic! A winning combination not to be missed.

This is the 11th book in the Richard Jury Series (although you could also say it's the 11th book in the Melrose Plant series, since Melrose, ex-earl, is Jury's partner in solving the crimes. This one takes place up in Lake District, where all the great British poets once lived. There is a family, the Holdsworth family, that seems to be plagued with too many accidents, too many suicides. Again, like in Jury mysteries of the past, Grimes gives us an extraordinary child. In fact, there are two such children, Alex and Millie, around whom the mystery circles. My favorite characters in this book is not the children but the two old coots--Adam Holdsworth and Lady Cray--living in Castle Howe retirement home. So, if you are in the mood for a good mystery, grab a cup of tea, a volume of Wordsworth, and this Jury mystery and have a great evening!

This book is a wonderful example of Martha Grimes' intelligence and creativity. A great addition to the Jury series.

This was a very interesting and good book with alot of

great mystery to it.

I've read every Richard Jury, and this one reaches near the top of my list. I couldn't put it down. Martha is wonderful, she keeps you guessing till the very end. By far my favorite author.

If you like Martha Grimes, you'll most likely find Jill McGowan just as delightful! I recommend checking out her first in a wonderful series, "Perfect Match"

Happy Reading!

Great read. Martha Grimes mysteries are well written and the characters in them fascinating. Terrific for English cozy mystery fans.