The Old Wine Shades by Martha Grimes (2006, Hardcover)

I have just finished this terrific mystery by Martha Grimes and wanted to review it to give it a justly earned 5. Richard Jury finds himself in a wine bar, drowning a few sorrows and being spun a tale. The tale is riveting, and I did not want the book to end, though I didn't like the ending. I suspect Martha Grimes may finish the story in a more satisfactory manner in a future book, but the characters are as well done as she has produced so far, and often terribly funny. This book holds something for everyone, I believe, from those fascinated by string theory and quantum mechanics to those who love wine, to those who adore their pets and think that they know a great deal more than animals are credited with knowing. Read this new book my Martha Grimes and, in the words of Hercule Poirot, you will have to use your little grey cells quite a bit, but whether you know string theory from string beans or not (to paraphrase a bit) you will come away feeling that you haven't just read the equivalent of eating junk food. A challenging and well written read. Kudos to Grimes!