Richard Jury
Encyclopedia
Richard Jury is a fictional Scotland Yard
detective who stars in a series of mystery
novels written by Martha Grimes
.
Initially a chief inspector
, later a superintendent
, Jury is invariably assisted in his cases by Melrose Plant
, a British aristocrat who has given up his titles, and his hypochondriacal but dependable sergeant, Alfred Wiggins. Many of the novels include Divisional Commander Brian Macalvie of the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
. In addition there is a recurring ensemble of background characters.
), he lived briefly with his uncle's family but the uncle also died and Jury spent most of his childhood in an unpleasant group home. Although he is handsome, kind and attractive to women, he is unlucky in love (spectacularly so—one of novels involves the death of a woman with whom he has a sudden, passionate affair). His good looks and the ease with which he wins the hearts of women and children arouse envy in his wealthy and cultured friend, Plant, but neither of them is successful in romantic relationships.
, 1941-1942, but the Germans targeted London with V1
s and V2
s as late as March, 1945. The books are set in the present day, and Jury gives his age as 43 in The Dirty Duck, which was published in 1984, so he must have been born in 1940 or 1941. In "Dust" (published in 2007) he was not 62, however, as Ms. Grimes long ago opted to keep him (and Plant) under 50 by slowing down the fictional time between cases.
flat, personnel at his New Scotland Yard office, and friends of Plant in the Northamptonshire
village of Long Piddleton.
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
detective who stars in a series of mystery
Detective fiction
Detective fiction is a sub-genre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator , either professional or amateur, investigates a crime, often murder.-In ancient literature:...
novels written by Martha Grimes
Martha Grimes
Martha Grimes is an American author of detective fiction.She was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to William Dermit Grimes, Pittsburgh's city solicitor, and to June Dunnington, who owned the Mountain Lake Hotel in Western Maryland where Martha and her brother spent much of their childhood. Grimes...
.
Initially a chief inspector
Chief inspector
Chief inspector is a rank used in police forces which follow the British model. In countries outside Britain, it is sometimes referred to as chief inspector of police .-Australia:...
, later a superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
, Jury is invariably assisted in his cases by Melrose Plant
Melrose Plant
Melrose Plant is a fictional character in Martha Grimes' series of Richard Jury mystery novels. Superintendent Richard Jury is a Scotland Yard detective who frequently calls on Plant to assist him, unofficially, in his cases....
, a British aristocrat who has given up his titles, and his hypochondriacal but dependable sergeant, Alfred Wiggins. Many of the novels include Divisional Commander Brian Macalvie of the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
Devon and Cornwall Police, formerly Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Devon and Cornwall in England and the unitary authorities of Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly....
. In addition there is a recurring ensemble of background characters.
Description
Jury is melancholic and moody. He was orphaned as a young child in the Second World War (his father, an RAF pilot, was lost in combat, his mother died in the German bombing of LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
), he lived briefly with his uncle's family but the uncle also died and Jury spent most of his childhood in an unpleasant group home. Although he is handsome, kind and attractive to women, he is unlucky in love (spectacularly so—one of novels involves the death of a woman with whom he has a sudden, passionate affair). His good looks and the ease with which he wins the hearts of women and children arouse envy in his wealthy and cultured friend, Plant, but neither of them is successful in romantic relationships.
Age
Jury was five years old when his mother died in "the last German bombing of London". The heaviest bombardment of London occurred during the BlitzThe Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
, 1941-1942, but the Germans targeted London with V1
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
s and V2
V-2 rocket
The V-2 rocket , technical name Aggregat-4 , was a ballistic missile that was developed at the beginning of the Second World War in Germany, specifically targeted at London and later Antwerp. The liquid-propellant rocket was the world's first long-range combat-ballistic missile and first known...
s as late as March, 1945. The books are set in the present day, and Jury gives his age as 43 in The Dirty Duck, which was published in 1984, so he must have been born in 1940 or 1941. In "Dust" (published in 2007) he was not 62, however, as Ms. Grimes long ago opted to keep him (and Plant) under 50 by slowing down the fictional time between cases.
Recurring characters
Recurring characters in the series include his neighbors in his IslingtonIslington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
flat, personnel at his New Scotland Yard office, and friends of Plant in the Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
village of Long Piddleton.
Islington neighbors
- Mrs. Wassermann, resident of the "garden" (basement) flat, a Holocaust survivor who depends on Jury to reassure her that she is safe. (Jury lives in the flat above Mrs. Wasserman.)
- Stan Keeler, a jazz/blues guitarist living in the flat above Jury, often away from home.
- Carole-Anne Palutski, a very attractive young woman with copper-colored hair. Carole-Anne lives in the top flat, above Stan, and looks after both Stan's and Jury's flats when they are absent, as well as Stan's dog, Stone. Jury's feelings for her are paternal, but occasionally conflicted, as evidenced by a rather long and warm Christmas kiss. Carole-Anne has humorously proprietary romantic feelings for Jury.
- Stone, Stan Keeler's good-natured caramel colored Labrador. Carol-Anne takes care of Stone most of the time when Stan Keeler is away from home
New Scotland Yard
- Detective Sergeant Alfred Wiggins.
- Chief SuperintendentChief SuperintendentChief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the British model.- United Kingdom :In the British police, a chief superintendent is senior to a superintendent and junior to an assistant chief constable .The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief...
Racer, Jury's pompous and irascible superior. - Cyril, a highly intelligent cat who haunts Racer's office.
- Fiona Clingmore, Racer's secretary and Jury's ally, along with Cyril, in exacerbating Racer.
Long Piddleton
- Melrose PlantMelrose PlantMelrose Plant is a fictional character in Martha Grimes' series of Richard Jury mystery novels. Superintendent Richard Jury is a Scotland Yard detective who frequently calls on Plant to assist him, unofficially, in his cases....
, once Lord Ardry, the Earl of Caverness. His ancestral home is called Ardry End. - Ruthven and Martha, husband and wife, manservant and housekeeper, respectively, at Ardry End for many years.
- "Lady" Agatha Ardry, Plant's intrusive aunt and bane of his existence.
- Marshall Trueblood, an antiques dealer, of flamboyant dress and manner, but possibly that is an affectation for customers who "expect" that behavior.
- Diane DeMorney, single, wealthy and attractive, but only a friend to Jury and Plant. She knows nothing about astrology, but writes one for the local paper. She has porcelain skin and black hair, always perfectly coiffed and dressed in combinations of black and white.
- Vivian Rivington, a love interest for Jury, but she is (somewhat secretly) in love with Plant. She was for years engaged to an Italian count.
- Dick Scroggs, publican, owner of the Jack and Hammer, where Plant and other denizens of Long Piddleton gather.
- Mrs. Withersby, charwoman at the Jack and Hammer, who spends most of her time sleeping by the fire and cadging drinks from the regulars.
- Trevor Sly, owner of the Blue Parrot, a less-frequented pub.
- Theo Wrenn Browne, pompous owner of the local bookstore, disliked by Plant, frequent ally of Agatha.
- Ada Crisp, a mild local shopkeeper, frequent adversary to Browne's hopes of expanding his store.
Elsewhere
- Polly Praed, a mystery writer with violet eyes. Melrose Plant has a long-standing crush on her, and she, in turn, is infatuated with Jury.
- Sarah Malloy, Jury's cousin. At one point she was his only living relative, but she is deceased in later titles. She lived in NewcastleNewcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
with her husband, Brendan, and four children. - Ashley and "White Ellie" Cripps, an unconventional London family with lots of children. White Ellie is so named because she is as large (and, her husband thinks, as useless) as the proverbial white elephant.
- Bea Slocum, lives with the Crippses and is Melrose Plant's elusive love interest. Helped Jury and Plant solve the mystery of a stolen painting. Bea is a talented painter and her portrait of Melrose showcases both her talent and his elusiveness.
- Ellen Taylor, a New York writer who lives in Baltimore, and another elusive love interest of Melrose Plant. Jury, Plant, and Wiggins came to Baltimore to solve the mysterious death of a young woman.
- Jenny Kennington, Jury's elusive love interest, and later, Plant's. Jury helped her recover a stolen necklace and later helped clear her of a murder she didn't commit.