The Old Fox Deceiv'd by Martha Grimes Narrator: Steve West
Series: Richard Jury #2
Published by Simon & Schuster Audio on April 30, 2013 (first published 1982)
Source: Purchased
Genres: Mystery
Length: 9 hrs 44 mins
Pages: 310
Format: Audiobook
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It is a chilly and foggy Twelfth Night, wild with North Sea wind, when a bizarre murder disturbs the outward piece of Rackmoor, a tiny Yorkshire fishing village with a past that proves a tangled maze of unrequited loves, unrevenged wrongs, and even undiscovered murders.
Inspector Jury finds no easy answers in his investigation—not even the identity of the victim, a beautiful young woman. Was she Gemma Temple, an impostor, or was she really Dillys March, Colonel Titus Crael’s long-lost ward, returning after eight years to the Colonel’s country seat and to a share of his fortune? And who was her murderer?
The Old Fox Deceiv’d is the second in Richard Jury series, but can definitely be read as a stand-alone. This time around, Jury is sent to Rackmoor to investigate the killing of a woman whose identity is in question. If she really is the prodigal ward returned, old jealousies, angers, and future inheritance money all come into play.
Jury is patient and thorough. As expected, he is focused on solving the mystery, but his soft side does come out once in a while. I was happy that Melrose Plant was back in this one. He is again Jury’s sidekick, providing a sounding board and doing a bit of his own investigating. The townspeople and those at the house are an interesting bunch, from the broke artist to the child living more or less on his own with his dog.
The situation at Rackmoor is complicated and full of emotions and secrets. The plot has some surprises and the major clue was missed until late in the mystery. This one was not as “fun” as the first – it was missing some of the banter and amusing moments, but it’s a solid mystery and cleverly plotted.
About Martha Grimes
Martha Grimes (born May 2, 1931) is an American writer of detective fiction. She is best known for a series featuring Richard Jury, a Scotland Yard inspector.