The Grave Maurice by Martha Grimes (2003, Paperback, Reprint)

This is the 18th installment in the Martha Grimes Richard Jury mystery series, and a great read just like all 17 before it. Richard Jury is recovering from serious injury sustained from his last adventure in The Blue Last, and learns about a beautiful teen's bizarre abduction. Jury solves the mystery amid a backdrop of the racing world, in a bizarre story involving fraud, murder, and revenge. Grimes always tells an engaging tale, with wit, humor, style, and grace, and this is no exception. The events unfolding are a little darker than Grimes usually ventures, but if you are going to read about police work you have to expect to see the ugly underbelly of criminal society. This is a riveting read and as always, there is no need to have read any of the other books in the series to enjoy it. I find that Grimes' storytelling grows richer and more complex with each novel, and her characters and attention to detail shine through and make each installment in this series a gem in its own right. Highly recommended!