Rainbow's End (Richard Jury Mysteries Book 13)

I've recently been somewhat disappointed by the books that I've read in this series - a series that I have, on the whole, found very enjoyable. So, it makes me happy to report that I found Rainbow's End to be quite entertaining. Perhaps the summer heat has addled my brain, but I liked it very much.This book is the thirteenth in the long (and continuing) Inspector Jury series. As in the last book, The Horse You Came In On, we find Jury being persuaded to take a trip to the United States to follow up on potential clues regarding the death of an American who died at Old Sarum in England. The woman was a silversmith from Santa Fe, who created amazing works in silver and turquoise. Her death at first seems to have been from natural causes or an accident, but District Commander Brian Macalvie doesn't think so.From our previous acquaintance with Macalvie, we know that he's NEVER wrong. His instincts regarding murder are unassailable, and so when he suspects that the supposed natural deaths of three women in three different locations in England are somehow related, Superintendent Jury knows better than to dismiss his theories out of hand.The investigation reveals that the two other women who died had visited Santa Fe in recent months before their deaths and they could have met the Santa Fe silversmith who died. On this somewhat tenuous lead, Jury finds himself winging his way to New Mexico to follow up on Macalvie's instinctive suspicions.Meanwhile, back in England, Sgt. Wiggins is in hospital with a mysterious malady related to an electrical experiment and Melrose Plant is assigned to look in on him and to undertake certain inquiries related to the case, as well as a personal inquiry on behalf of his friend, Jury.While he's laid up, Wiggins is brought books to read, among them Josephine Tey's The Daughter of Time in which her detective solves a historical crime while flat on his back in a hospital bed. Inspired, Wiggins decides to try his hand at researching issues related to the three women's deaths in hopes of helping to solve the mystery.In Santa Fe, Jury seeks out people who knew the dead woman, including the cousin who had gone to England to identify the body. As he talks to these people, he builds an image of a woman who was impractical and rather other-worldly, maybe a bit lazy - totally unlike the 13-year-old sister she left behind.The sister, Mary Dark Hope, is one of Martha Grimes' typical precocious and quirky children characters. She is completely down-to-earth, practical, and self-sufficient, and, of course, she has a pet. In her case, the pet is a coyote that she raised from a pup. She tells everybody he is part German Shepherd, but nobody is fooled.The investigation proceeds apace, involving many of our favorite characters from previous books. and slowly all the threads begin to connect, leading to a pretty exciting conclusion.I was quite taken with Grimes's descriptions of Santa Fe and its crowded restaurants and craft shops along Canyon Road, as well as its people who devote themselves to serving the tourists who flock there. It all sounded spot on to me, an accurate depiction of the Santa Fe and the New Mexico that I remember from visits. She was particularly good at describing the desert and the quality of light that draws so many artists and would-be artists to the area.All in all, this was a satisfying read. I'm glad to find Grimes on track once more.

Very entertaining series.

It is unfortunate that some of the reviews were so negative because Grimes wrote this more for the characterization and wove in previous plots and people. The real Melrose is revealed as a man who comes face to face with life outside his aristocratic bubble and changing times. He is a generous man but still set in his ways. This novel also brings out his search for the right woman and how he undermines Jury knowing full well money will buy anything.How fall down funny is Carol-Anne giving psychic advice to a woman and her control over the flat where they all live. Grimes bringing back some new and wonderful characters from earlier novels and making them part of the landscape refreshes the staleness of Plants aunt. I laughed out loud with the "he does gags" for a living.They may not call them sweet shops anymore but they are still candy stores and we still have them today. I thought it was a nice nostalgic term.Macalvie is more human and the mouse trap and Wiggins is priceless. If you are a Jury fan be prepared to enjoy and learn more about these people. Seeing them work independent of each other helps flesh out more of their personalities and allows the advancement of the plot.

I'm a big fan of Martha Grimes and this is a good mystery. However, there are chapters in this book that could easily have been pared down to a few paragraphs. A good editor would have pared down the rambling passages. (And if the Cripses--enough already.) That said, I enjoyed the book. So, buy it, read it, and feel free to skip the excessively long bits of exposition.

I liked this book, though, the 'gut instincts' or psychic abilities (though never mentioned) are pretty evident, in pulling very random bits and pieces together to create the book. As long as you can suspend belief, and enjoy the characters, its a good read.

The character of Mary is well developed and appealing. The trip to America by Jury is nicely described and informational if anyone has never seen the Southwest (which I haven't) states. There are several parts of the book which are quite boring. This is not usually true of Grimes's books, especially her early ones.

3 women die of the same cause in 3 different settings. One is American, 2 British- to solve the case someone will have to go to New Mexico for answers and to make things more complicated the woman Jury cares about -. Lady Jenny Kennington- has gone missing. How to solve these deaths & the disappearance? Wiggins goes into hospital for a stay, Macalvie sleuths the home front, Plant is set on Lady Kennington's trail and Jury goes to New Mexico to meet the American victim's 13-year-old sister and her buddy, a coyote.

Love the Richard Jury series but this one had way too much filler and nonsense. Have to admit I skipped over a lot of uninteresting and unimportant verbal fluff. The meandering thoughts of Melrose were too much to take. I’m on to the next one now; hopefully it will be a bit more entertaining.

A really enjoyable read. Wish I could get marth A grime s as audio at reasonable price.

Ich wollte es zuerst nicht kaufen, da ich nur Krimis lese, die in England spielen, bin aber froh, dass ich es tat. Ich liebe Grimes, und ob England oder USA sie schreibt in unnachahmlicher Manier spannend und humorvoll zugleich. Plot und Protagonisten super, ihr Englisch leict zu verstehen.

Great book. All of her books are great.

First class !!!!