The Case Has Altered (Richard Jury Mysteries Book 14)

When it comes to light summer reading, perfect for sweltering days spent in air-conditioned comfort in one's favorite chair, it's hard to beat one of Martha Grimes' Richard Jury mysteries. She's up to her usual standard in The Case Has Altered although there were one or two things that annoyed me. But I'll get to those in a moment.In this fourteenth entry in the series, the mystery involves the murder of two women. One was a guest at a country home of local gentry in the isolated fens. She was the ex-wife of the owner of the estate and a thoroughly self-centered and evil person who was disliked by everyone who knew her. Plenty of possible suspects for her murder.The second victim, killed a few days after the first, was a barmaid at the pub called "The Case Has Altered" who also worked part time in the kitchen and as a sometimes maid at the estate. She seemed to be a thoroughly inoffensive person, one who would go unnoticed in a crowd, and there doesn't seem to be any obvious motive for her to have been killed.It turns out that another guest at the estate at the time that the ex-wife was killed was Lady Jennifer Kennington, whom Richard Jury has long carried a torch for, but, being Richard Jury, he's never mentioned it to the object of his affection. Through a convoluted set of circumstances, Lady Kennington becomes the prime suspect in the murders. Superintendent Jury and his friend Melrose Plant begin their independent investigation to try to clear her.Things do not go well with the investigation. They are unable to come up with any other plausible suspects and eventually Jenny is arrested for the murders. Her situation is not enhanced by the fact that she withholds information from the police. She keeps secrets even when it isn't necessary. However, the evidence against her is purely circumstantial and at the hearing, the judge decides there is not enough reason to hold her.The investigation continues.Meanwhile, back in Long Piddleton, Melrose's obnoxious Aunt Agatha is pursuing her own case against a local shop owner. She claims to have been attacked by the owner's tiny dog, causing her to trip over the shop's sidewalk display and injure her ankle. She is suing the owner who has no money and who will be bankrupted if she loses.Since she has no money for a solicitor, the flamboyant local antiques dealer, Marshall Trueblood, takes on her case and represents her at the trial. The trial itself is a hoot and it turns out exactly as any reader in her right mind - and heart - would want it to.The murder case, too, is eventually resolved, although it is never really clear why Jenny is so secretive. She could have saved herself and everyone else an awful lot of trouble if she had just told the whole truth to begin with. In fact, I find Jenny to be an extremely unlikable character. I think it's time Jury moved on from his infatuation with her.The character of Lady Jenny Kennington was one of the things that annoyed me about this story. The other was the author's description of the second murder victim - the barmaid/cook's assistant/maid. Every time her name is mentioned, Grimes goes into excruciating detail about how the woman was ugly. She was not attractive to men and so the only way she could ever get one was by falling into bed with them. Which she did. Because she was unattractive and tried to make up for it by being willing. Willing to do anything.Over and over the author drives home just how plain the woman was. Her plainness did, it is true, have something to do with the resolution of the case, but she didn't have to beat her readers over the head with it in every chapter. Once or twice would have been more than enough. P.D. James would have made the point in one.

I love Melrose, Jury, Carol-Anne, Trueblood, and tether characters added prior to this novel. However, either Grimes editor was asleep at the job or Grimes herself didn't have enough time to finish this book without thorough revision. First off there were so many areas that were brought up and really implausible. For example, Plant shows up at the Owen estate in a van with the table. But he leaves there in his Rolls. what??!!?? Why question Zell's name and never follow through?Lady Jennifer hasn't been visible in ten years and Jury all of a sudden loves her unquestionably trusting her character. Her story to him was full of holes and he felt empathy for her??? Who in their right mind invites a man (Plant) to stay in their home based on a phone conversation with Trueblood?? How stupid were these people when Plant is questioning them about the murders? None of this was believable in the least!I do love Plants experiences with dogs and little children though especially the ways dogs react to him. The line about him asking if the dog thought he was his dentist was clever. One more thing Plant including Bea on his list of women was ridiculous. Perhaps a refresher on who Miss Fludd was to him would have helpedI also figured out the murders half way through But I will continence reading the other novels.

Grimes is one of the few contemporary mystery writers who has not surrendered to the plague of illiteracy that has brought down the genre. You wouldn't call this mystery "literature," but it's all that it needs to be, with a genuine puzzle.

If you are not acquainted with Martha Grimes character, Richard Jury and love a good mystery...best get thefirst one and read it. A Man With a Load of Mischief ! Also it is set in England, mostly London and I like readingabout London, its various areas as well. Very good books.

Another good read. This one's not as good as the others, and a lightly sketched character, who quickly crosses through a couple of other books makes a bigger appearance, to be blamed and quickly destroy yet another relationship for the main character. I have to keep asking, what does she have against women. Even the cartoonish neighbors.

I've read all of the Richard Jury novels and for the past 14 months or so I've been rereading them. I think I've overdone it, because usually I love the books in this series. I got impatient with this one, but I don't think it was about the book. I did enjoy the resolution of the Ardry vs Crisp affair, which gives us a chance to learn something more about Marshall Trueblood. I wouldn't recommend reading this book as an introduction to the series, but I do recommend it.

All good stories-very entertaining

Yea !! great prices and fast delivery !!

The condition is ok as promised, and it arrived more or less at the estimated time, so all is Well ☺️

First Class !!!

Excellent read. As usual, good character development and just enough twists to keep you wondering.