- ISBN13: 9780670021604
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
The inimitable Richard Jury returns in a thrilling tale of mystery, madness, and mistaken identity
Three months have passed since Richard Jury was left bereft and guilt- ridden after his lover’s tragic auto accident, and he is now more wary than ever. He is deeply suspicious when requested on a case far out of his jurisdiction in an outlying village where a young woman has been murdered behind the local pub. The only witness is the establishment’s b… More >>
The Black Cat: A Richard Jury Mystery
Jury is less than pleased to be assigned a case outside his district – a case that’s already making the tabloid headlines. A beautiful young woman working as an escort is found murdered outside a pub called The Black Cat. Two more `escort’ murders, this time in London, follow and Jury struggles to make a connection between the crimes.
I liked the premise and the set-up of the story. Unfortunately, after that it was pretty much downhill for me.
Early on in the book I was dismayed to find myself back at `The Old Wine Shades’. Yep, Harry Johnson figures prominently in this book. Back again to those boring, circuitous conversations between Jury and Harry. Countless references to the murder that Jury is convinced Harry committed. I disliked `The Old Wine Shades’ so much that I’ve blessedly forgotten the storyline and the author’s efforts to remind me in this book weren’t very successful. I don’t share the author’s affection for Harry’s character but it seems she’s determined to make him a recurring character in this series.
Nothing about the story flowed gracefully. There’s a scene with Melrose and Jury in Long Piddleton that seemed like an afterthought; an awkward effort to acknowledge the series `regulars’. A couple chapters dedicated to an animal rescue. A silly and distracting chapter detailing the telepathic communication between Harry’s dog, Mungo, and a kidnapped cat. Overall it felt choppy and disjointed.
On the plus side, this entry brings back Jury as we’ve come to know him over the years – melancholy, introspective and intelligent. Melrose makes only a minor appearance, but a scene that takes place at his club, Boring’s, is very entertaining.
What can I say? If you’ve read the whole series (and I have), you’ll probably read this one too. If you liked the last two entries in the series you’ll probably enjoy this more than I did. If you are new to the series then please don’t judge it by this lackluster entry. Start at the beginning – Ms Grimes has written some great books, this just isn’t one of them
Rating: 3 / 5
I would follow Richard Jury and Melrose Plant anywhere they want to go, so I approach a new book in this series with delighted anticipation. I’ve never been disappointed and The Black Cat is no exception. Long time Jury readers will not be confused by the shorthand banter and whimsical asides we’ve come to appreciate. Jury’s poetic melancholy is still in place; you can feel how profoundly weary he is, and no wonder. Obsession can knock the stuffing out of a person, and his love affair and subsequent tragedy with Lu has worn Jury down to an exposed nerve. Obsession runs through this mystery like the Thames through London, whether it involves sex, shoes, mothers, rescuing victims, or a festering grudge against an old nemesis with telepathic pets. The whodunit part is tricky enough to satisfy, and although we don’t spend much time with our friends in Long Piddleton, it’s reassuring to know Melrose Plant is still living with one foot in a Great Britain that no longer exists (if it ever did). Long time fans will find much to love in this latest Jury, and hopefully new readers will want to go back through 22 books to see where it all began. Note: I was disappointed not to have a Kindle version as well, but am pretty sure Martha Grimes has no control over what her publisher chooses to do. If books don’t sell because of bad Amazon reviews given in protest it’s ultimately the author who is hurt most.
Rating: 5 / 5
If I hadn’t read other books by Martha Grimes I might have rated this three stars. But I know how good she can be and this one just doesn’t meet her usual standard. Most of the regular characters are there–Richard Jury, Melrose Plant, Carol-anne and the gang in Long Piddleton — but it doesn’t jell. I found I didn’t care about the murder victims and had trouble telling them apart. The requisite cute girl wasn’t very cute, the usual dogs and cats talked (yes, really) and, most important, the mystery wasn’t interesting. I don’t usually identify the villain in mysteries, but this one stood out from the very beginning so I found myself irritated that Jury couldn’t see whodunit.
In short, a really disappointing outing for Martha Grimes and Richard Jury.
Rating: 2 / 5
After reading the reviews that had been posted, I expected to be bitterly disappointed, but decided what the heck. I already had the book, might as well read it. I enjoyed it. It may not have been Ms. Grimes’ best effort, but it had the melancholy Jury mystique, Carol-Anne’s piquancy, the crazy-making Wiggins, and, well, I’ve had a crush on Melrose for years. And it had one of those convoluted crimes I didn’t figure out immediately. Somehow, the sentient animals didn’t bother me, even though I dislike the animal mysteries that have become popular.
Rating: 4 / 5
I stopped buying Martha Grimes Jury series a few books ago and I’m very glad I got this one at the library.
What happened to these books? I’ve read the series from the beginning and used to look forward to each new book, but no more.
The story line could have been improved and the whole “wall of shoes” seemed forced and silly, as if the author has watched too many episodes of SATC.
I agree with other reviewers that the Harry Johnson character should be put to rest. His conversations with Jury are boring and pointless and I don’t understand the author’s insistence in keeping the character around, especially when the cast of regular characters, especially Melrose Plant, are so much more entertaining.
One thing I noticed in this book was the lack of police procedure, which seems almost laughable. Since the murder victims depended on their mobiles for contact with their respecitive services, why was no mobile ever found or even looked for? I would think that would be the first thing the police would look for in order to find the phone numbers of their contacts and therefore point them in the right direction. Apparently, Ms. Grimes is too caught up in the boring us with Harry to actually put some thought into the storyline.
Unfortunately, I doubt that there will ever be a return to the quality of the first books.
Rating: 1 / 5
Someone please help me understand….why did Harry switch the cats? Was he somehow involved, or just screwing with Jury? There seems to be no explanation, unless I slept through it, although that’s a definite possibility. Not Grimes’ best effort.