unsolved kidnapping leads to more murder. another self contained girl

Als Richard Jury die schöne, schweigsame Frau zum ersten Mal sieht, erscheint sie ihm wie eine tragische Königinnen-Gestalt aus einem Shakespeare-Drama. Am selben Abend erschießt die Unbekannte in der Lounge eines vornehmen Country Hotels vor Jurys Augen ihren Mann. Der Fall scheint klar, jedenfalls für die örtliche Polizei. Doch Superintendent Jury macht sich auf die Suche nach dem Motiv und findet bald heraus, dass der Tote nicht der Ehrenmann war, den alle Welt in ihm sah.

british-detective, law-enforcement, music, muted-humor

While wrapped in depression, Jury witnesses a woman at the end of her own tether deliberately shoot her husband in a quiet pub. He becomes engaged in an unsolved mystery involving the woman, her husband, now dead, and Macalvie while deciding what to do with his life. Plant and Wiggins assist in working on her motivation, the unsolved mystery, and learning about the music scene, Vivian's ongoing Italian situation, and Plant discovers an American. Good show! ( )

Richard Jury witnesses Nell Healey shoot down her husband in cold blood and refuse to defend herself. Why? And why does this incident increase Richard's melancholia so much that he goes out on sick leave to solve the case? Melrose Plant, Jury's close friend, and Brian Macalvie, the detective superintendent who is never wrong get pulled into figuring out what did happen to Billy Healey and Toby Holt, 2 boys who were kidnapped 8 years before. As always, Martha Grimes depictions of children, their personalities and intelligence are delightful, in this case 12 year old Abby Cable. ( )

The book has silently rested among other books waiting for me to read. I had forgotten the delectable characters of the Inspector Jury series, and the wonderful names of the English pubs. Inspector Jury witnesses a cold-blooded murder, but he cannot walk away from the crime without attempting to save the shooter from the gallows. The story jumps back and forth among the various scenes and characters. Martha Grimes brings a richness of language into the story as the reader journeys into the world of music and family jealousy. Of course, Sergeant Higgins and his multitude of ailments and cures brings comic relief whenever the grisliness of murder invades. ( )