The Man with a Load of Mischief by Martha Grimes (Richard Jury Mysteries Book 1)

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I borrowed the Kindle version of this book from my local library through the Libby app, which I highly recommend! Libby lets you browse your library's shelves, borrow a book, and then read it either on your mobile device or it will give you a pass-through code to your Amazon account, which lets you "borrow" the Kindle version.

This is book 1 in a very long-lived series written by Martha Grimes.

Synopsis

A body is found in the wine cellar of a pub in the sleepy northern village of Long Piddleton. At the Man with a Load of Mischief, a victim was garroted and pushed head-first into a barrel. Then another body is found hanging from the mechanical clock structure above another pub, the Jack and Hammer! What exactly is going on in rural northern England and its pubs? Inspector Richard Jury of Scotland Yard is sent to investigate, along with his hypochondriac sergeant, Wiggins. Bodies and snow both start to pile up and time starts to run out for them to find the killer before he or she gets away scot-free.

My Thoughts

Martha Grimes's Richard Jury series is basically my raison d'être when it comes to mystery reading. Along with Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle, Grimes was one of the very first mystery authors I got into as a kid. This book was published in 1981, and I think I probably read it (the first time) sometime between '83–'85 after I found it in a library. I realize during this pandemic, however, that local bookstores are suffering for business, so I ordered two of the later books in the series (#s 23 and 24) from my local Mystery Lover's Bookshop, and while waiting for the books to arrive, I decided to re-read the very first book, just to remind myself how it all began. Grimes writes lovely characters. From the poetry-loving Jury, to the not-snobbish, not-a-Lord, Melrose Plant, to pastel-Sobranie-smoking antiques dealer, Marshall Trueblood, to the ever imperious and annoying Aunt Agatha — every single one of the recurring characters is memorable. I also like the idea of naming each book after a pub. England's pubs often do have very interesting names and local characters within them, and Grimes is a master of creating settings that you can almost travel to in your mind's eye as you read. You'll like this if you like a really traditional British detective novel with a touch of cozy in it. (These were written before the "cozy craze," as I call it, and for all I know, Grimes is responsible for starting it. At least I like to think so.) I know I have later books waiting for me, but I might just start re-reading them all in order! Guess we'll see!

Get the Book

You can find The Man with a Load of Mischief in various formats on Amazon. You can (at the time of this writing) also read it for free via a Kindle Unlimited subscription. Inquire with your local bookstore or library about availability in those venues.

Deadly Games by Sally Rigby (Book 1 in Cavendish & Walker series)

Following links on this page may result in my earning a small fee from affiliates. 

I happened upon Sally Rigby's Cavendish and Walker series by chance in a marketing email or something—I can't remember where. I signed up for her email list and answered her call for advanced readers, so this book was provided to me for free in exchange for my review.

The first in Rigby's Cavendish & Walker series, this is an excellent psychological police procedural set in the fictional UK city of Lenchester and features a great team of female leads and supporting characters. 

Synopsis

Someone is targeting young women near the university campus, and DCI Whitney Walker is on the case. 

Dr. George Cavendish teaches forensic psychology at the university and offers her services to profile the killer...much to Walker's annoyance. To her, good old-fashioned policing will get the job done! Not some academic from the university, and not her Oxford-educated, fast-track boss, Jamieson, with whom Whitney isn't really enamored. 

Whitney better watch out she doesn't screw this case up! Her job is already on the line, and the case is tricky. Can she trust Cavendish to help her profile the killer and bring them in? Or will this collaboration be a waste of everyone's time?

My Thoughts

I could NOT put this book down. I enjoyed watching Whitney and George butt heads as they team up to work the case. The stakes are higher than anyone realized, and the gripping mystery kept me guessing right till the very end! 

Note: Those with any sensitivities to murder scenes may want to tread carefully here. I consider myself to be semi-sensitive to these things, and while I didn't find it to be excessive, there were a couple of scenes that made me skim a bit rather than dwell any details.

I also like the cover art on this series of books: they're a bit dark and gritty, but it's still easy to see details. Like most readers, I'm sure, I am drawn to books by their covers.

All in all, this is a great start to the series and as you will see in future reviews, the following books are just as good, if not better!

Get the Book

You can find Deadly Games at Amazon in paperback or Kindle editions. Inquire with your local bookstore or library about availability in those venues.