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Available
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Publication
Reinbek bei Hamburg : Rowohlt, 1992. Taschenbuch,
312 S.
Description
From the rough but colorful pub that provides the novel's title, to the snowboard Gothic estate nearby, the chilly English landscape has never held more atmosphere-or thwarted romance. And Jury will never have a more mysterious Christmas. Five Days Before Christmas - On his way to a brief holiday (he thinks) Jury meets a woman he could fall in love with. He meets her in a snow covered graveyard-not, he thinks, the best way to begin an attachment. Four Days Before Christmas - Jury meets Father Rourke, who draws for him the semiotic square-"a structure that might simplify thought," says the priest, but Jury's thoughts need more than symbols. Three Days Before Christmas - Melrose Plant, Jury's aristocratic and unofficial assistant, arrives at Spinney Abbey, now home to a well-known critic. Among the assembled snowbound guests he meets: Lady Assington, Beatrice Sleight, and the painter Edward Parmenger. When they all assemble in the dining room, Lady Assington announces, "I think we should have a murder.".… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Joycepa
5th in the Richard Jury series.
On his way to Newcastle to spend Christmas with his cousin and her family, Jury meets a somewhat mysterious woman, Helen Minton, in a graveyard. Definitely attracted, he returns to Washington Old Hall the next day to find Helen dead--murdered. Unofficially, he offers
Meanwhile, Melrose Plant, Aunt Agatha, and Vivian Rivington are on their way to Spinney Abbey in nearby Spinneyton in a blizzard. Forced to stop at a somewhat disreputable pub, The Jerusalem Inn, to await more reliable transportation to the Abbey where they are to partake in a weekend social gathering of artists and writers, they witness two of the Inn's favorite pastimes: brawling and snooker. In the latter, a teenage boy is sweeping all before him with the skill and aplomb of a professional. Once at the Abbey, Melrose is is astonished to find out that the boy is Tommy Whittaker, the 11th Marquess of Meares, a local estate--unbeknownst to his guardian, Lady Elizabeth St. Leger, a formidable old woman who has plans for the young marquess that do not include a career in snooker.
Naturally, no country weekend with a disparate group of guests is free from tensions, and being snowbound exacerbates the situation--to the point of murder. When the police are called in, both Jury and Plant are surprised to find each other on the scene; it turns out that Jury's murder case occurred within a short distance and under the same jurisdiction as that at Spinney Abbey. Naturally, both turn out to be connected.
Jerusalem Inn is one of the best of the series, with an excellent plot and some of the best of Grimes' early writing. There are several children in the plot, but the crucial one is Tommy Whittaker. However, he is the innocent victim of a lapse in editing: in an early section, his father is referred to as the 10th marquess while later on, his son is mentioned as the 10th marquess.
The climax is very good and well done, although one has to keep a somewhat careful track of the characters in order to understand one of the more interesting aspects of the plot. Grimes' wit is still subdued (although certainly not lacking) in this book, and her one-time only characters are not as interesting or as strong as in other books; Jerusalem Inn is far more of a plot-driven book than is usual for this series.
For those who understand snooker, the epilogue should be fun.
Grimesism:'Melrose had let out a long breath when he had finally escaped from the school's black-gowned, ivy-hung, crenelated-bell-towered, mullion-windowed atmosphere. He'd sooner be bricked in by poe than spend a term there."
Highly recomended.
On his way to Newcastle to spend Christmas with his cousin and her family, Jury meets a somewhat mysterious woman, Helen Minton, in a graveyard. Definitely attracted, he returns to Washington Old Hall the next day to find Helen dead--murdered. Unofficially, he offers
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his help to the Sunderland constabulary; later, he plays on Chief Superintendent Racer's weaknesses (of which there are many) and manages to get permission to enter the case officially along with Sgt. Wiggens.Meanwhile, Melrose Plant, Aunt Agatha, and Vivian Rivington are on their way to Spinney Abbey in nearby Spinneyton in a blizzard. Forced to stop at a somewhat disreputable pub, The Jerusalem Inn, to await more reliable transportation to the Abbey where they are to partake in a weekend social gathering of artists and writers, they witness two of the Inn's favorite pastimes: brawling and snooker. In the latter, a teenage boy is sweeping all before him with the skill and aplomb of a professional. Once at the Abbey, Melrose is is astonished to find out that the boy is Tommy Whittaker, the 11th Marquess of Meares, a local estate--unbeknownst to his guardian, Lady Elizabeth St. Leger, a formidable old woman who has plans for the young marquess that do not include a career in snooker.
Naturally, no country weekend with a disparate group of guests is free from tensions, and being snowbound exacerbates the situation--to the point of murder. When the police are called in, both Jury and Plant are surprised to find each other on the scene; it turns out that Jury's murder case occurred within a short distance and under the same jurisdiction as that at Spinney Abbey. Naturally, both turn out to be connected.
Jerusalem Inn is one of the best of the series, with an excellent plot and some of the best of Grimes' early writing. There are several children in the plot, but the crucial one is Tommy Whittaker. However, he is the innocent victim of a lapse in editing: in an early section, his father is referred to as the 10th marquess while later on, his son is mentioned as the 10th marquess.
The climax is very good and well done, although one has to keep a somewhat careful track of the characters in order to understand one of the more interesting aspects of the plot. Grimes' wit is still subdued (although certainly not lacking) in this book, and her one-time only characters are not as interesting or as strong as in other books; Jerusalem Inn is far more of a plot-driven book than is usual for this series.
For those who understand snooker, the epilogue should be fun.
Grimesism:'Melrose had let out a long breath when he had finally escaped from the school's black-gowned, ivy-hung, crenelated-bell-towered, mullion-windowed atmosphere. He'd sooner be bricked in by poe than spend a term there."
Highly recomended.
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LibraryThing member chrisalgeo
Try to read the first one first as the main character developes a deeper personality over time.
LibraryThing member Darla
If I'm not mistaken, this is the 18th in the series of Richard Jury mysteries. In this story, Jury meets a beautiful woman in a graveyard, but when he goes back to meet her the next day, she's dead. Investigating on his own leads him to a snowed-in house party attended by none other than Melrose
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Plant and his Aunt Agatha, and yet another dead woman and one being slowly poisoned. There's also the usual precocious little girl, and a brief visit of the usual stereotypical Americans. Show Less
LibraryThing member cfk
I have enjoyed each of the books in this series, but I found Jerusalem Inn to be the absolute best! The characters, as always, are well drawn, but it is the twists and turns of the plot which make it such an excellent read.
LibraryThing member scot2
I've read a few Martha Grimes books and have enjoyed all of them. Jerusalem Inn is a whodunit without blood and gore. I honestly did not work out the perpetrator early in the book. It takes a while to realise there is a connection between the dead women and even longer to work out what that
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connection is. It is a relaxing read with amusing, likeable characters. I will read more of Superintendent Jury. Show Less
LibraryThing member anglophile65
LOVE Martha Grimes! She is a huge step up in writing style and finesse than all the Cozy Mysteries that I've been reading. I will begin reading all of hers.
LibraryThing member CatsandCherryPie
This is the second Inspector Jury book I have read and thoroughly enjoyed it. Looking forward to reading more in the series.
LibraryThing member phoenixcomet
5 books in and still consistently excellent. The elements of the stories are always the same - New Scotland Yard Superintendent Richard Jury finds himself in the English countryside enmeshed in an unseemly murder. Melrose Plant somehow always ends up in the vicinity of the crime and brings his
This time, Richard meets Helen Minton, and hits it off with her only to find her dead the next time he sees her. Why? The secret lies in the outskirts of Newcastle upon Tyne in Skinneyton at the Jerusalem Inn.
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knowledge of the British peerage and pompousness to help solve the crime. There are always children present that Jury connects with. This time, Richard meets Helen Minton, and hits it off with her only to find her dead the next time he sees her. Why? The secret lies in the outskirts of Newcastle upon Tyne in Skinneyton at the Jerusalem Inn.
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LibraryThing member jetangen4571
murder-investigation, friendship, family-dynamics, law-enforcement
Verrry interesting, but strange, verrry strange. The coincidences pile up and so do the bodies. It's one of those books where you keep asking yourself: What are the odds? Well, the characters certainly are, as well as the venue.
Steve West does a fine job of tongue in cheek narration.
Verrry interesting, but strange, verrry strange. The coincidences pile up and so do the bodies. It's one of those books where you keep asking yourself: What are the odds? Well, the characters certainly are, as well as the venue.
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Many things are more than a little far fetched, but then again it is fiction. Steve West does a fine job of tongue in cheek narration.
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LibraryThing member ChazziFrazz
Christmas time and Superintendent Richard Jury finds himself in Newcastle; a cold, white, snowy, dreary place.
Jury meets Helen Minton in the local cemetery. She is doing some research on one of the local families. Jury finds himself attracted in her. Unfortunately, the next time he sees her, she is
Melrose Plant is also in the area, staying at the home of an acquaintance, along with a houseful of critics, artists and the idle rich. And yes, Aunt Agatha has also managed an invite. When one of the guests is discovered dead in the snow, it begins to look like murder has arrived.
Jury believes there is a connection between the two deaths, but can’t seem to find the thread. His visits to the nearby pub, Jerusalem Inn, hold some secrets that are tied to the murders and possibly some older ones.
Little by little, Jury untangles the threads with the help of is unofficial assistant, Melrose Plant and Plant’s knowledge of the aristocratic world. Among those tangled threads are some secrets that are better left hidden.
Jury meets Helen Minton in the local cemetery. She is doing some research on one of the local families. Jury finds himself attracted in her. Unfortunately, the next time he sees her, she is
Show More
dead.Melrose Plant is also in the area, staying at the home of an acquaintance, along with a houseful of critics, artists and the idle rich. And yes, Aunt Agatha has also managed an invite. When one of the guests is discovered dead in the snow, it begins to look like murder has arrived.
Jury believes there is a connection between the two deaths, but can’t seem to find the thread. His visits to the nearby pub, Jerusalem Inn, hold some secrets that are tied to the murders and possibly some older ones.
Little by little, Jury untangles the threads with the help of is unofficial assistant, Melrose Plant and Plant’s knowledge of the aristocratic world. Among those tangled threads are some secrets that are better left hidden.
Show Less
LibraryThing member LeslieHolm
Easier than some to figure out, yet her marvelous characters make it a pleasure to read as always.
Ed. 2021: I'd forgotten but this was the start (for me) of the depression books. Because of it, Jury is one of my least favorite detectives, while Melrose Plant reigns supreme as my literary crush.
Ed. 2021: I'd forgotten but this was the start (for me) of the depression books. Because of it, Jury is one of my least favorite detectives, while Melrose Plant reigns supreme as my literary crush.
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1984
Physical description
312 p.; 19 cm
ISBN
349912257X / 9783499122576