The Lamorna Wink: A Richard Jury Mystery

Rating:
Summary: Too Horrible to Read for Fun
Review: Those were the words my husband used when I told him the plot of this mystery. I have really enjoyed Martha Grimes' novels, and was on my way to really enjoying this one when I got to the terrible center of the murder plot: the "snuff film" murders of two children, gruesomely and explicitly narrated at the end of the novel. While the dialogue of Melrose Plant and company was entertaining as always and many of the other characters well drawn, the novel was spoiled by the exceptionally gruesome premise of the murder of these children. The only non-family character that seems to be truly affected by the children's deaths is Brian Macalvie, while Melrose and his gang switch from the murder to sophmoric efforts to prevent the wedding of their friend Vivian...and I usually enjoy their banter. I have liked the Melrose Plant character well enough to not believe that he would be so cavalier about these murders. Finally, the death of one of the characters in the end seemed gratutitous, so the resolution that often makes murder mysteries of this type so enjoyable is just totally absent. The idea of "snuff films" is one that it seems the author should have researched a little more, as those types of murders exist mostly in urban ledgend as opposed to reality. So why dredge something that horrible up, especially when used against children?

Rating:
Summary: Too Horrible to Read for Fun
Review: Those were the words my husband used when I told him the plot of this mystery. I have really enjoyed Martha Grimes' novels, and was on my way to really enjoying this one when I got to the terrible center of the murder plot: the "snuff film" murders of two children, gruesomely and explicitly narrated at the end of the novel. While the dialogue of Melrose Plant and company was entertaining as always and many of the other characters well drawn, the novel was spoiled by the exceptionally gruesome premise of the murder of these children. The only non-family character that seems to be truly affected by the children's deaths is Brian Macalvie, while Melrose and his gang switch from the murder to sophmoric efforts to prevent the wedding of their friend Vivian...and I usually enjoy their banter. I have liked the Melrose Plant character well enough to not believe that he would be so cavalier about these murders. Finally, the death of one of the characters in the end seemed gratutitous, so the resolution that often makes murder mysteries of this type so enjoyable is just totally absent. The idea of "snuff films" is one that it seems the author should have researched a little more, as those types of murders exist mostly in urban ledgend as opposed to reality. So why dredge something that horrible up, especially when used against children?

Rating:
Summary: Who really wrote this book?
Review: What a disappointment! If you compare the writing style of this book and Stargazey to the older Martha Grimes, you begin to question which is the work of the author. The tight, witty dialogue is gone, and there is just the bare bones left of any kind of real relationship between Jury and Plant. The plot itself, which centers around child snuff films, is enough of a reason to skip reading it. If you must have this book to round out your collection, wait for the paperpack version. I wish I had.

Rating:
Summary: Plant me at his side any day!!
Review: Whenever I travel to the English countryside I, ridiculously enough, look at some of the people and wonder how much they are likened to the characters in a Richard Jury novel. How I would love to go to "Long Pid" and have a G&T with Viv-Viv, Marshall, Melrose and, of course, Richard Jury. They have become some of my most favored characters as Martha Grimes has a gift for making them seem so real. This time the former Lord Ardry gets to shine in the absence of his Scotland Yard friend, and he does it brilliantly. A Lord taking the time to chum with Johnny Wells is a bit hard to believe unless we know his background. This case has more twists than Chubby Checker, but Melrose is determined to stick in there, much to the chagrin of his obnoxious aunt. The sub-plots can take us down roads we weren't expecting, forgetting the most immediate crime(s). But Plant gets the job done swimmingly, and Jury's appearance is almost a formality at the end. Is this a hint that there might be a series of Melrose Plant novels coming up? All the characters interact so well I don't believe that Jury would be offended, more likely helpful in a governmental aspect in contrast to Plant's help in an aristocratic way. Don't miss this one...I can't wait to get to Cornwall and have tea and pastries soon!

Rating:
Summary: Disturbing last scene mars story.Has less Jury, more Plant.
Review: ~-~
I'm writing this review as a slightly disappointed, fanatic fan of the Superintendent Jury and Melrose Plant mystery series.
~One of my favorite features of Martha Grimes stories, has been the way in which her protagonists react to the people around them. The eccentric and mysterious women who fall in and out of Jury's life; as well as the colorful Long Piddleton cast of characters. ~~Maybe most of all I've enjoyed the way they interact with the children who appear in many stories as central characters, either with essential information, or in danger and need of protection, unwanted as it may be. Jury's skillful, and Plant's reluctant interviewing techniques are often highlights of the story.
~I have always relied on Grimes to preserve these kids and other "likeable" characters from harm, and she has done so.
In this book, I feel she doesn't quite keep to that unwritten promise. Don't worry I'm not giving anything away: right from the start the history of a tragedy appears. One of the central mysteries of this story is the tragic drowning death of two children from the cliffs outside their home.
~When the spotlight of the story sticks to the "current" mysteries in this seaside town, (the murder of a former servant, the inexplicable disappearance of a reliable local businesswoman), this is an entertaining and interesting Grimes story.
~Jury fans may be disappointed, but this story really belongs to Melrose and to Brian Macalvie, the local CID chief who is willing to drive himself into the ground in pursuit of justice.
~The resolution of all the mysteries seems a little far-fetched, but I would have been willing to suspend disbelief. The one part that disturbed me greatly was the dark and horrible solution to the death of the children.
~~~~ A good read for fans of Melrose and Jury, but those who love children may want to skip the last scene entirely- I believe it adds unnecessarily gruesome detail to an already dark and disturbing plot twist.