The Five Bells and Bladebone

Richard Jury #9

by Martha Grimes

When a dismembered corpse is found in the compartments of an antique secretaire a abattant, Marshall Trueblood, recipient of the precious piece of furniture, is the first to protest: "I bought the desk, not the body, send it back." Who would want to kill Simon Lean, the greedy nephew of the wealthy Lady Summerston? Leave it to Superintendent Richard Jury of Scotland Yard to suggest a connection to the murder of brassy Limehouse lady named Sadie Driver, found dead near Wapping Old Stairs...if that stone-cold body on the slipway is really Sadie. Not even her brother, Tommy, on a visit from Gravesend, can swear to it.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, British Literature, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Cozy Mystery

334 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Martha Grimes is an American author of detective fiction.

She was born May 2 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to D.W., a city solicitor, and to June, who owned the Mountain Lake Hotel in Western Maryland where Martha and her brother spent much of their childhood. Grimes earned her B.A. and M.A. at the University of Maryland. She has taught at the University of Iowa, Frostburg State University, and Montgomery College.

Grimes is best known for her series of novels featuring Richard Jury, an inspector with Scotland Yard, and his friend Melrose Plant, a British aristocrat who has given up his titles. Each of the Jury mysteries is named after a pub. Her page-turning, character-driven tales fall into the mystery subdivision of "cozies." In 1983, Grimes received the Nero Wolfe Award for best mystery of the year for The Anodyne Necklace.

The background to Hotel Paradise is drawn on the experiences she enjoyed spending summers at her mother's hotel in Mountain Lake Park, Maryland. One of the characters, Mr Britain, is drawn on Britten Leo Martin, Sr, who then ran Marti's Store which he owned with his father and brother. Martin's Store is accessible by a short walkway from Mountain Lake, the site of the former Hotel, which was torn down in 1967.

She splits her time between homes in Washington, D.C., and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I always look forward to reading Martha Grimes, and I was especially eager to shake off the taste of an inane mystery/romance I'd just finished. This 9th installment in the Richard Jury series started off really well. Jury is finally getting some vacation time, spending his holiday in Long Piddlington with his friend Melrose Plant. All of the usual characters are here, including Aunt Agatha who is suing Mr.Jurvis, the local butcher over an accident she caused. Of course his holiday plans are completely disrupted when a body tumbles out of an antique secretaire that antique dealer Marshall Trueblood is showing Jury and Plant. I thoroughly enjoyed about 2/3 of the book, but the last part fell apart. I had trouble keeping the facts straight, and I thought the ending was too convoluted. I ended up feeling very disappointed in my visit with Jury and company. I guess not all entries in the series can be great.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps this is just not a mystery one can read whilst reading 3 other books. The vast character list was confusing, and I confess that I was quite lost by the end of the book - too confused to care about the solution to the crime.

[Julie Durnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok, but way too many plotlines/characters going on. The map was nice but would have benefited more with a character listing instead.

[Teddi · Rating 4 out of 5]

100% better than the last 2 books. The flow was much smoother although the author is bit hard to follow if you don't take your time. I was very happy to see this one take place back in the original village with all the original characters.
I think one really must read this series in order to make sense of it all. These aren't books for skimmers or those used to the easy read cozys that prevail.

[Laurie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I got a bit lost about halfway through but kept reading hoping I get back on track. I did but I could have just as well stopped at that halfway point. Not very interesting or well crafted.

[Rick Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Major characters:
Sadie Diver, a hairdresser
Timmy Diver, her brother, a tugboat hand
Ruby Firth, neighbor to Sadie, a decorator
Simon Lean, publisher's accountant
Hannah Lean, Simon's wife/widow
Eleanor, Lady Summerston; Hannah's grandmother
Joanna Lewes, romance author
Theo Wrenn Browne, bookseller
Diane Demorney, divorced four times, looking for husband #5

The series regulars:
Superintendent Richard Jury
Agatha, Lady Ardry - Richard's aunt
Melrose Plant
Vivian Rivington
Marshall Trueblood, antique dealer
Carol-anne Palutski, Richard's upstairs neighbor
Mrs. Wasserman, Richard's downstairs neighbor

Locale: London

Synopsis: Flamboyant antiques dealer Marshall Trueblood purchases a drop-front secretary desk from Lady Summerston. When it is opened, he is surprised to find the body of local Simon Lean stuffed inside. Simon's wife, Hannah Lean, is the only heir to her grandmother Lady Summerston's immense fortune. This hints at a possible motive - Simon was a known womanizer with various ongoing affairs: hairdresser Sadie Diver, romance writer Joanna Lewes, and flashy Diane Demorney. Perhaps Hannah did away with him to have the fortune all to herself?

However - Sadie Diver is almost immediately found dead herself, stabbed - with her body stashed in a boat moored beside a pub along the Thames. Evidence shows their deaths occurred within hours of each other. Sadie's brother, Timmy Diver, is called upon to identify the body - but claims it is not her.

Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this title, with all the regulars in appearance and some interesting one-timers.

This title gives insight into the book business, with seller/binder Theo Wrenn appearing, the womanizing victim Simon Lean being an accountant to a publisher, and especially author Joanna Lewes, who cranks out romances according to strict formulae provided by the publishers. It is amusing to watch her assemble these books according to recipe.

One thing that left me a bit puzzled was the somewhat vague ending. We have a dead woman, apparently by suicide, but is she character A or character B? An assumption must be made.

Please visit The Mystillery Blog and try The Mystillery Reading Challenges!

[C. (Comment, never msg). · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am Martha Grimes’s fan but do not love every oeuvre. I reflect favourites with an excitement that is distinguishable. I disbelieve in the feedback of people who give all of an author’s output high marks. Martha is prolific and some stories ended too bluntly to assimilate. “The Five Bells And Bladebone” takes some musing but is the clearest of the vague batch. Two volumes previously, “The Deer Leap” got five stars from me.

Reviews should skirt details and synopsises, supplying a canvas merely to explain what we like and dislike. Our value is in conveying what only we can tell everyone: what prompted our star rating. The only course with muddled plots is to present the characters. Skimming to where they appear is hard because this novel comprises a kaleidoscope of small scenes. The story juggles them so much, it was hard to find places to remind me of their names.

Simon Lean shared an opulent estate with his wife, Hannah and her Grandma. They seemed near divorce because he cheated. Hack romance novelist Diane Demorney, London interior decorator Ruby Firth, and hairdresser Sadie Diver were the latest. Sadie’s brother Tommy, arrived for a planned visit to find she had been murdered. What is more, she resembled Mrs. Lean so much, Tommy could hardly distinguish their photos. Richard Jury got involved because Hannah’s estate is near Melrose Plant, where Simon had been killed the same day.

Frequent scene flipping was a time for Martha to omit Richard’s silly neighbours and Melrose’s Aunt Agatha. I always love the kitty, Cyril, who was especially hysterical hiding behind a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. There were enough clues to reveal the solution, if you ponder them carefully afterwards. This volume is not among my favourites but it earned four stars from me.

[Nancy Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best of the series so far. Convoluted plot, as always, but not as difficult to follow as previous books. Very interesting characters as well.

[Patricia Burroughs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd already read this one, possibly more than once, but when I decided to listen to the audiobook I was ready to settle in for yet another splendidly read tale from Steve West, who has done all the Inspector Jury books I've listened to so far.

Thing is, I kept going to sleep while listening. Well, I would, since I plug in the earbuds when I go to bed. And the end doesn't make sense to me. I keep re-listening, and I'm still not quite sure i know what happened. I may have to reread it, to be sure.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful story as all Martha Grimes characters gather. Jury is in town and on hand as antiquarian Marshall Townsend receives a delivery of a piece of furniture -- only thing? There's a body in it.

The body is Simon Lean -- a known philanderer who is married to a Hannah, wealthy, laid back and apparently about to divorce him. Tracking down clues and trying to make connections, Jury comes up with little to lead him to the solution. But he continues to try and gradually, things begin to come together, maybe ...

[Lynne Tull · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommend that you set a block of time to read at least 100 pages. I didn't and kept forgetting how all of the characters tied to the story. One time I went back and read the first few pages. Ms. Grimes likes to write so the reader must stay engaged. Once she gets you trapped in the story, you have no other choice than to finish until the end. Then, at the end you must wrap it up yourself. Good Luck! Still recommending.

[Lizzytish · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great start with Agatha suing the butcher due to his fake pig colliding with her car. Also, when a secretary desk is opened, a body is hidden inside. ( I still can’t picture that!) A woman is killed in London, and yes! Surprise! The murders are connected! The ending left me confused. I guess only her hairdresser knows for sure.

[Spencer Arnold · Rating 3 out of 5]

I began this book right when I received it from the library, but only got about halfway through before not having the opportunity to wrap it up for several weeks (if not more than a month), so this may have affected the way I understood the book, but I found it all to be horribly confusing up until the last quarter of the book. That being said, still a decent book.

[Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things are pretty tangled up -- it is hard to know for whom to root!

[Gwen Testa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of Dorothy Sayers references!

[Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is my favorite in the series so far. Intriguing and engaging.

[Jjean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Jury is back in the original village with all the original characters - a few new ones - interesting mystery - characters were true to form if you have read the other books before this one - Jury goes all out to solve this murder - twist & turns - who is real, who is imitating.

[ShanDizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melrose adjusted his gold-rimmed spectacles and settled in for a session with the Times crossword. It was propped against his copy of Rimbaud, which in turn was positioned atop Polly Praed’s latest thriller, The Nine Barristers. The crossword was a little like a lettuce leaf he used to clear the palate between poetry and Polly. He was livening things up by inventing other words to fit the spaces.

...the only one who seemed concerned with Long Piddleton’s high and low society was Agatha herself. The lines she drew were constantly changing and shifting as she went about laying them out like someone making an ordnance map. Her line of demarcation was the Piddle River. When Diane Demorney, and then Theo Wrenn Brown, had come to the village, she was actually less concerned with the contents of the removal vans than with deciding whether they were on the right or the wrong side of the river.

Melrose said to Jury, “You can bet Agatha’s going to be groaning with pain until this is settled. Why do you think she’s staying off that foot of hers? Except for coming into the pub yesterday to check on your progress, she goes nowhere, and Long Piddleton is getting its first respite in some fifteen years. Would anything keep her from making her daily rounds but the threat of losing her small-claims case?” They had just crossed the Sidbury Road, which ended now where the High Street began. Melrose pointed with his stick to the butcher shop between Miss Crisp’s and the bicycle shop. “Let’s drop in. I can pick up the chops for Martha and see how poor Jurvis is keeping his sanity.”“So it’s between the pig, the bicycle, and the Austin. That it?”“Yes. The pig and the bicycle managed to move themselves to the edge of the pavement and assault the Austin.”

The kettle stood on the cooker where the constable had left it, and Jury went about heating the water. Mugs were in the last cupboard he opened; Burn had left out the sugar and tea. When the water was ready he heated the pot, tossed it out, put in the tea.

The room into which she led him was now an Arctic glare, where before it had been full of horsey stuff and paintings of driftwood and Cornwall-like coastlines. Yet it had been just as chilly looking
then as it was now, since there are some people who can suck the warmth out of anything.

Melrose sighed. The man did not date meetings and events by the dull days of the week or Bank Holidays, but by first editions and endpapers. Melrose nodded and nearly yawned. The affectations of Theo Wrenn Browne always made him feel like sleeping where stood.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Letto in italiano con il titolo Morte sul Tamigi, traduzione di Grazia Maria Griffini. E questo è il problema. Abbiamo un cane “accovacciato sul focolare”, raro caso di cane flambé, una donna “sotto l’impressione di essere stata sconveniente”, come se fosse sotto un ombrello, un uomo che afferma che l’altro non “ riuscirebbe a sopportare una delle mie tendenze sessuali”(quante ne ha?) e domande tipo ”ma come le piace la mia ipotesi?” E ancora, “la mano stretta a pugno intorno al proprio berretto”, lo stesso nome del pub che da Bladebone diventa Backbone, il dolce junket che diventa il formaggio pugliese giuncata..... ed è tutto così il romanzo, quasi un piacevole gioco di nonsense, se non fosse un giallo di un’autrice anche brava! E la traduzione va di pari passo con la quarta di copertina che recita: “quando il corpo di Simon Lean, infedele marito di Sadie Diver.....” beh, chi lo ha letto ha capito la castroneria. 3 stelle a Martha, sulla fiducia, 0 al Giallo Mondadori che ha permesso di massacrare così un testo.

[Eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book better than the last several. It seem to be more linear. A body is found in a secretary desk purchased from a wealthy recluse by Miles Trueblood. The body is the husband of the granddaughter of the recluse. Then another body is found that of a young woman who bears a striking resemblance to the granddaughter of the wealthy recluse. It appears that husband and the look-alike came up with a plan to murder the wealthy granddaughter and the look-alike would take her place and would get all the money. But the granddaughter found out the plot and decided to put it to good use for herself. Unfortunately, Richard Jury figured this out and told the granddaughter he had discovered her plot and she killed herself.
Sad, but life goes on with Richard, Melrose, Miles, Viv-Viv, Aunt Agatha etc.

[Trudy Pomerantz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Martha Grimes novel that I have read - I picked it up second-hand while on holidays down in Chattanooga. As you can see by my 4-star rating, I did enjoy it though at times I found it a little confusing trying to keep track of all the different characters. This however was probably more a function of trying to read a series starting at #9 rather than back at the beginning. I would certainly consider reading more of these.

[Kyrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giving it 4 stars for sheer confusion as to who did it. I'm still not convinced I know which one did it.

For future reference, this one is the one with sweet teenage boy who plays Waltzing Matilda on his harmonica, the very confusing identities and where Aunt Agatha sues a butcher because she trips over a model of a pig.

And what is it with women named Agatha? I swear I dislike Plant's Aunt Agatha as much as I dislike Agatha Raisin!

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best of this series. The end is so convoluted that I'm still not sure who the real Hannah was. It was wrapped up so quickly and went back and forth too many times.

The greater part of this novel was, as usual, well constructed and well peopled. The characters are its strong point, but in this one, the mystery remained a mystery. I still don't know how Simon wound up in the desk--seems impossible to do, especially for a small woman. Still....

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually always really enjoy the Richard Jury Mysteries, but for some reason this one left me flat. The first 3/4 to 2/3 was excellent, but the ending was very anti-climactic. Hope #10 will be better.

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Martha Grimes book. See I am the Only Running Footman for a complete description of Martha Grimes books.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah yes. Ive come to regard these books as old friends. I love curling up with them at night, with a cup of coffee and my little dog on my lap and enjoying a good read.

[Dyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a bit of a convoluted plot twist and plenty of red herrings. I always like the exchanges between Jury and just about anybody else, and there are plenty of humorous spots. Some reviewers complained that we don't, definitely, know who the killer really is - it could be between two people. But maybe we aren't supposed to know. Do the police always figure things out? - I don't think so.

Scotland Yard Inspector, Richard July, travels to Long Piddleton for a little vacation to visit his good friend Melrose Plant. Of course, Chief Superintendent Racer calls just as he is heading out the door; but his neighbor, Carole-anne Palutski, deflects the call. What did Racer want? Jury can never really get away from his job, even on vacation. Local Long Piddleton antique dealer, Marshall Trueblood, is showing Jury and Plant an antique 18th century secretaire a abattant (roll-top desk) he has just acquired from wealthy Lady Summerton of Watermeadows estate when they discover a dead body inside. It turns out to be Simon Lean, the greedy and notoriously adulterous husband married to Hannah Lean, the granddaughter of Lady Summerston.

Since Jury is in Long Piddleton, he is expected, as an inspector for Scotland Yard, to take over the investigation from the local police who happen to resent him because of this. There seem to be a plethora of suspects. During his investigation Jury discovers a clue which has him traveling back to London to visit a pub called the Five Bells and Bladebone. There he learns about Simon Lean's liaison with a disreputable woman named Sadie Diver. Sadie could have helped solve the case but she was found dead and buried under a tarp is a rowboat tied up on the banks of the Thames near Wapping Old Stairs. Her 16 year old brother, Tommy Diver, has just come to town to visit her; but he can't positively identify the body because he hasn't seen her for some time. Something is off about her looks! She also looks suspiciously like Hannah Lean. Therein lies a conundrum. Who is the dead woman? Tommy's claim to fame is that he plays Waltzing Matilda slowly on the harmonica. Jury takes him under his wing for awhile as the investigation continues.

Several of the suspects include: Joanna Lewes, a writer of formulaic trashy romance novels; Diane Demorney who also had plenty of love affairs including Simon Lean, needed money, believes in excess, and who's lack of conscience was scandalous; Theo Wrenn Browne; the long-suffering wife Hannah Lean who was about to ask for a divorce from Simon who wanted her inheritance; Sadie Diver who, maybe, hatched a scheme with Simon to get that inheritance, Ruby Firth who befriends Tommy and lived across the street from Sadie; among a few. The usual characters and friends of Melrose Plant and Jury just glide through the book at one point or another and have a very minor role to play.

Subplots include:
- Plant's Aunt Agatha, Lady Ardry, is suing the local butcher, Mr. Jurvis, because her car ran over the curb and grazed a plaster pig sitting on the sidewalk which fell over on the rear wheel of a bicycle leaning against the shop which fell on Agatha's car. Thus, it was the unmanned bicycle's and the pig's fault (inert objects!) and not Agatha's that they collided with her car. She is suing for damages!

- Theo Wrenn Browne, who owns the new local bookstore called Wrenn's Nest has a particular dislike for Marshall Trueblood because of Trueblood's sexual persuasion. Browne's latest acquisition is a very old and valuable book that should have been with a set of old books that Trueblood bought with the desk from Lady Summerston. He does something to the book so he can disguise it which is a no-no for a valuable book and devalues it.

There are no small children in this plot which is a trademark in previous books. Only one little girl who wants to buy a book in the Wrenn's Nest bookstore. The closest there is is Tommy, dead Sadie's brother, who is 16 and befriends several people including Lady Summerston. This is a series well worth reading.

[Penelope · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE FIVE BELLS AND BLADEBONE by Martha Grimes

Between 3 and 3.5 Stars.
(1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= Yes, IT WAS PRETTY GOOD; 4= I liked it a lot; 5= A favorite, it was great!)

THE FIVE BELLS was a reread for me as I first read it soon after its original publishing years ago. As in previous novels in this series, Ms Grimes returns with strong secondary characters from earlier titles. I was unsure of the exact suspect until the very end - I had narrowed it down to two possibilities. Plenty of red herrings and new information kept me guessing which is always a plus. Thankfully, Grimes didn’t leave the ending hanging unfinished as she did in her previous novel - that was frustrating. FIVE BELLS reads quickly with a fair amount of action and I recommend it to readers who enjoy classic mysteries, particularly English ones.

FIVE BELLS can be read as a stand-alone title but I believe the appearance of secondary characters such as Superintendent Jury’s “titled” personal friend Melrose Plant; Plant’s assorted friends, neighbors, and acquaintances in Long Piddleton; Jury’s sarcastic and pompous Scotland Yard superior, Chief Superintendent Racer; Racer’s flirtatious secretary, Fiona Cligmore; the sneaky Scotland Yard CID “office” cat, Cyrus; Jury’s faithful, precise and hypochondriac assistant Detective Sargent Higgin’s; Jury’s sexy and spontaneous upstairs neighbor,
Carole-anne, and Superintendent Jury’s London flat PTSD inflicted Jewish neighbor and WWII survivor, Mrs Wasserman are more fully enjoyed when their backstories are understood and the books are read in order. FIVE BELLS AND BLADEBONE begins with Superintendent Jury being called off his very rare holiday to work on a case which has occurred near Long Piddleton - his selected town for rest and respite.

READER CAUTIONS*-
SEXUAL SITUATIONS- None.
PROFANITY - None, I believe.
VIOLENCE - FIVE BELLS is a murder mystery so people have been killed. Rather than described in a graphic manner the deaths are mostly investigated after the fact. Therefore I do not consider FIVE BELLS a dark, grisly, or graphic mystery.
*Whether adult or YA audience, I leave discretion to the reader.

[Anonymous Pickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

My introduction to Martha Grimes’s detective series centering on inspector Richard Jury and his sidekick, the aristocratic Melrose Plant, The Five Bells and Bladebone had some charming qualities, but in the end I found the novel to be unsatisfactory.

As can be the case with many books, the first half of the book was actually very well-written and entertaining. During this section of the book, Grimes takes her time to establish the setting of Long Piddleton and the majority of the cast of characters. These two aspects of the novel are Grimes’s greatest strengths as a writer because the setting of Long Piddleton felt exceptionally well-lived in, and most of the characters were very memorable despite there being so many. Moreover, also in the first half of the book, Grimes establishes the mystery that Richard Jury is set to solve; initially, the circumstance of the murder is intriguing, and the reader is eager to discover more about the case.

Unfortunately, while the initial mystery may have been captivating, the solution at the end of the novel was convoluted and disappointing, and this is largely because the author kept the ending vague. As with most whodunits, the reader is engaged with the mystery for most of the novel in the hope of seeing the full picture by the end; in The Five Bells and Bladebone, Grimes does not offer the reader this luxury, causing the reader to feel let down.

In the end, this failure in the form of plot was a major dent in my enjoyment of the novel, but there were other facets of the book that won’t yet let me write off this series in the future. Between the excellent characters and setting, the cozy atmosphere, and the humorous dialogue, I predict that I will eventually find myself coming back to join Jury and Plant in another quirky mystery.

[C.C. Yager · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this mystery novel. This was Grimes at her best, I think. She writes with humor, wonderful prose, and lots of red herrings. A couple of times I laughed out loud.

Det. Superintendent Richard Jury is on holiday, visiting his friend Melrose Plant in a village outside of London for several days. When they visit Plant's friend, Marshall Trueblood, who owns an antiques shop, they arrive in time to see him take delivery of a rolltop desk he'd purchased from Lady Summerston of Watermeadows, an estate not far from the village. When the desk is opened, they find to their shock and horror the dead body of Lady Summerston's grandson-in-law. This discovery sends Jury on an investigation of the murder. Who wanted Simon Lean dead? Who stood to benefit from his death? The suspects begin to come out of the shadows, including Simon's wife, Hannah, and the case becomes complicated by the discovery of a young woman murdered in east London, in Limehouse. Are the two murders connected somehow?

Grimes takes the reader expertly through Jury's investigative process and thinking so that I realized about 3/4 of the way where it was all heading. This was a clever murder that apparently backfired in unexpected ways. Grimes maintained the tension and suspense, keeping the pace steady, and provided interesting characters whether or not they were suspects. Melrose Plant and his aunt had little to do in this mystery, although his friends did provide some comic relief. Grimes focused on Jury and the investigation.

I would recommend this novel to mystery readers who love complicated murder mysteries and who also like to laugh. I've found Grimes can be uneven with her mystery books, but I do think this is one of her best.