annieb123's Review of The Old Success (Richard Jury, #5) (Richard Jury Mystery, #25)

by Martha Grimes

In The Old Success, the twenty-fifth mystery in the bestselling Richard Jury series by MWA Grand Master Martha Grimes, an unlikely trio of detectives teams up to solve three puzzling murders that span three counties across England.

When the body of a French woman washes up on a wild inlet off the Cornish coast, Brian Macalvie, divisional commander with the Devon-Cornwall police is called in. Who could have killed this beautiful tourist, the only visible footprints nearby belonging to the two little girls who found her?

While Macalvie stands in the Scilly Islands, inspector Richard Jury-twenty miles away on Land's End--is at The Old Success pub, sharing a drink with the legendary former CID detective Tom Brownell, a man renowned for solving every case he undertook. Except one.

In the days following the mysterious slaying of the Parisian tourist, two other murders take place: first, a man is shot on a Northhamptonshire estate, then a holy duster turns up murdered at Exeter Cathedral in Devon. Macalvie, Jury and Bronwell set out to discover whether these three killings, though very different in execution, are connected. Written with Grimes's signature wit, sly plotting, and gloriously offbeat characters, The Old Success is prime fare from "one of the most fascinating mystery writers today" (Houston Chronicle).

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Old Success is the 25th (!!!) Jury mystery by Martha Grimes. Released 5th Nov 2019 by Grove Atlantic on their Grove Atlantic Monthly imprint, it's 243 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

I keep coming back to this series again and again for the superlative writing, the story arc, the setting, the smart (and zany) characters, and just the palpable friendship between the main characters. There's a lot of humor here as well as a lot of love.

The regulars make their appearances and help to solve the (multiple) murder(s). As such, sometimes it feels like a cast of thousands, and without prior familiarity with the series, I would imagine it would be quite a lot to keep track of. The author is also adept at weaving together multiple disparate plot threads which seem absolutely uncoordinated and unconnected and it's only in hindsight that the reader sees how skillfully they're intertwined.

There is, as always, a generous portion of slightly ridiculous humor. This time, Melrose (the former Lord Ardry) has rented a completely fabricated nephew cousin something twice removed. His Aunt (by marriage) Agatha who has her avaricious eyes firmly fixed on Ardry End (the ancestral home) is emphatically not pleased by the aspect of a newfound heir for the Earldom and wealth. Add horse racing, lots of murder, genteel tea and whisky, and stir gently.

The language is clean, the writing is masterful, the plot is involved and intricate and requires some concentration to keep straight. It probably doesn't work very well as a standalone; but for fans of the series, it's like a warm hug from a good friend.

Five stars. This was one of the better entries in the series.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Old Success (Richard Jury, #5) (Richard Jury Mystery, #25)

by Martha Grimes

Reviewed by annieb123 on Nov 8, 2019

Reading updates