The Winds of Change Bestseller’s Choice
Product Description
Richard Jury embarks on the darkest investigation of his career when the dead body of a young London girl leads to the cold case of a missing girl in Launceston-an unsolved mystery that has haunted Police Officer Brian Macalvie for years…. More >>
The Winds of Change Bestseller’s Choice
Superintendent Richard Jury had thought nothing could be worse than his last case as he almost died (see THE BLUE LAST). However, looking down at the murdered little girl lying in the London streets makes him realize he was too optimistic.
At about the same time, Police Commander Brian Macalvie investigates the case of a Jane Doe found murdered in the gardens of Declan Scott’s estate. Three years ago Brian failed to resolve the abduction of Declan’s stepdaughter, four years old at the time Flora. Her mother Mary died not long afterward and Declan still mourns thoselosses.
The girl’s autopsy reveals the five year old had sexual activity. Richard talks with pedophile unit Chief DI Johnny Blakeley who says the victim was abused by a ring owned by financier Viktor Baumann. The other killing also connects to Viktor as Flora was his child and Mary his first wife. The three coppers work together to prove that Viktor is a murderer and pedophile ring owner. However, the dots fail to connect instead seem to twist away from the prime suspect.
The latest Richard Jury police procedural is an entertaining tale due to the usual crowd of eccentrics including a Plant on Scott’s estate that assists the Superintendent on his inquiries. The story line seems a bit convoluted as the three cases appear to tie together through the odious Baumann, but takes a long time to actually begin to fit as one coherent plot. Still Martha Grimes provides a fine entry in her wonderful long running series in which the jury of readers will appreciate the aptly named WINDS OF CHANGE.
Harriet Klausner
Rating: 4 / 5
Lots of us would like to keep our heads buried deep in the sand when it comes to pedophilia, but that’s not going to help anyone. Martha Grimes has matured along with her admirable creation, Richard Jury, who has to cope with the same sorts of losses and mistakes as the rest of humanity, and does so without trying to escape the emotional consequences. Jury is in transition in The Winds of Change. He has to confront not just the dregs of society as his job demands. He also must confront himself, sifting through his old habits, discarding some, and acting upon some of the principles that make him such a great cop. We’re not going to get anywhere by avoiding life’s ugly side, and Jury knows that in the depths of his soul. That’s part of what courage is.
Rating: 5 / 5
I’ve avoided the last few Richard Drury mysteries because Martha Grimes loves to finish on a depressing note and I haven’t been much in the mood for that recently — I think I’m getting soft. But, without doubt Grimes is one of the finest detective story writers working today, so it is inevitable that I would eventually put aside my finicky attitude and read another one. I chose the Winds of Charge to start off, and what a lucky choice it was.
The story starts with a child shot dead in a London street. The prose of this opening section, centered on the lonely body and Jury’s conversation with the pathologist is unnervingly poetic and even when Grimes returns to her normal writing style the images of this opening scene stay with you throughout as each character enters, plays their part and displays their own haunting wounds. The second murder is at the mansion of Angel Gate in Cornwall, Brian McAlvie’s territory, where a few years ago another child disappeared and her mother dies not long after. Now a nameless corpse follows and the two mysteries, the two unknown dead, seem related somehow.
Related in part by the dark shadow of a child abuser who, thanks to his wealth, has been able to operate just beyond the reach of Scotland Yard. Piece by piece, aided by Sergeant Wiggens, Jury assembles a story which yields glimpses of a tragedy that may very well surpass Jury’s own abilities to cope. This is a very dark tale indeed, and underneath the set piece humor of Wiggens’ strange health habits and Plant’s inept efforts at being a consulting gardener are the people who think that children are a commodity and that what they do to them is a form of love.
My hat is off to Grimes for managing to do all this without getting lost in unnerving, gritty details. There is a time for that, as Andrew Vachss has demonstrated, but Grimes chooses a more urban style that gets the point across without destroying the nerves of the reader. This is an altogether satisfying read, with some hints that there may be more to follow. If there is, I’ll be in line to read it.
Rating: 5 / 5
l just have to agree with the other nay-sayers about this overly long mystery. After a very good start, the novel progressed into what l can only describe as a few “non-sub-plots”, most of them tedious, boring and inconsequential. The prose also became sluggish, a chore to read, and most readers will be able to solve the main riddle far earlier than the folks from New Scotland Yard.
In defense of Ms. Grimes, a friend of mine in the industry claims that any blame – as l just described – is primarily the fault of either the writer’s Agent or editor. A good example would be the novel’s references to “Santa Fe sunsets” and “Las Vegas” gambling when, the story occurring in England, the refernces should have been to “Alpine sunsets” and “French Riviera” gambling.
Rating: 1 / 5
I have to come to the defense of Martha Grimes on this book in view of the many detractors. Having read all of her Richard Jury mysteries I was glad to see a new one after what seemed like a long time. Jury is , of course up to his usual dark gloomy, melancholy ruminations, but, that is to be expected. It is for the excellent plots and characterization of others in the story that keeps me coming back and in this book, Grimes has not let me down. Tho a little short on the Long Pid menagerie’s appearance (Plant excepted) her portrayal of the adult interactions with children is superb! Loved every line of it and as a Grandpa I can attest to it’s accuracy and entertainment value.
Though dark in subject matter the outcome was especially satisfying and Jury’s actions and “detecting” were again suberb. Contrary to some of Grime’s Jury novels, this one left me feeling satisfied at the end
Rating: 5 / 5