Rating: 
Summary: an absorbing read
Review: To my great surprise, I rather enjoyed reading "The Last Blue." I had stopped reading the Richard Jury/Melrose Plant murder mysteries somewhere around "The Old Silent." The thing is, Martha Grimes's style of writing is both lyrical and incredibly sedate; sometimes, this style pays off in spades, and sometimes it doesn't. Added to that was my increasing frustration with the cast of supporting characters (Marshall Trueblood, Aunt Agatha, Vivianne Rivington, Carole-anne Palutski, et al) who frequently came in for more than their fair share of the novel at hand than was necessary, and who sometimes came rather close to kidnapping the novel completely! (I'll leave off completely my impatience over the manner in which both Jury and Plant conduct their romantic lives, nonexistence or otherwise.)"The Blue Last" has a lot going for it. An old friend of Jury's (also a fellow police officer) asks for Jury's help in investigating an event that took place during the early days of W.W.II. Alexandra Tynedale Herrick, the daughter of beer tycoon, Oliver Tynedale, was killed when the Blue Last was hit during an air raid. Also killed in the blast was her nanny's child, Erin. Miraculously, the nanny, Kitty Riordin had taken Alexandra's daughter, Maisie, with her for a walk, and so was spared. Now, the skeletons of a young woman and baby have been found in the remains of the Blue Last, and Jury's friend, DCI Mickey Haggerty, is sure that the remains are those of Alexandra and Maisie, and that more than 50 years ago, Kitty Riordin used the tragic deaths of Alexander and Maisie to put her own daughter, Erin, in Maisie's place. Haggerty is dying of cancer, and this need to prove that the current 'Maisie' is a fraud, is all consuming, and he turns to Jury for help. Saddened by the fact that Haggerty is dying, Jury agrees to help. The murder of Simon Croft, a prosperous broker, and the son of Oliver Tyndale's partner, gives the policemen a 'in' into the Tynedale household. What Jury finds is a strange setup in which the Crofts and the Tynedales seemed to have become one large extended family, and where the enigmatical nanny, Kitty Riordin, is still very much in evidence, though not much liked, and a 9 year old girl, Gemma, whom Oliver Tynedale suddenly brought home one day, and who bears an uncanny resemblance to the dead Alexandra. Why was Oliver Croft murdered? Did Kitty Rioridin replace the dead baby with her own, or is the current Maisie Tynedale the real Tynedale heiress? And who exactly is Gemma? These are the threads that weave this mystery novel together. And what a particularly absorbing mystery novel this was! Grimes did a wonderful job of sustaining the reader's interest as she delved deeper and deeper into the mystery at hand. And I particularly liked the manner in which she depicted the children in the novel. That I think is a real talent: to portray children so realistically. However, a couple of things prevented me from giving it a 5 star rating: the whole Plant-Trueblood Tuscany subplot -- lyrical and diverting though it was, this book would have seemed a lot tighter without that entire interlude; and the use of American colloquialism was a bit odd. And why, oh why do the same characters keep popping up when they have little or nothing to contribute to the mystery at hand (Trueblood, Rivington, Palutski...)? And most important of all: why didn't Jury really look into why Haggerty was so obsessed about discovering if Maisie was Maisie or Erin? On several occasion throughout the novel, he begins to wonder at Haggerty's obsession, but never runs with it. I found this attitude very undetective like, and perplexing. However, slow and sedate though the novel is, "The Blue Last" is a truly riveting and absorbing read. Before you even realize it, Grimes has drawn you into this strange world that the Crofts and the Tynedales inhabit, and into the events that took place more than 50 years ago. "The Blue Last" is a truly excellent read.
Rating: 
Summary: I'll Take The Unpopular Road
Review: I loved every minute reading this book. Her humor is, as always, brilliant! British humor sparkles once again! The ending might not be popular, but then again, sometimes life's like that too. Her twists and turns are classic mystery. For those who felt they were left dangling, you must read "The Grave Maurice". The story goes on.... I personally, have never been disappointed with her work.
Rating:
Summary: Proof that Grimes is More than a Mystery Writer
Review: I will admit up front that I am not a hard-core mystery reader. I read them in between other projects for a bit of respite. My first choice for mysteries is Grimes because from her very first book, her clues were buried below the surface of rich characterization and commentary on life. I absolutely adore her and her characters. Well, I will say that she forces her metaphors a bit and she definitely dwells in a land of depression, precocious children and adults who aren't tied to desk jobs...but, who's perfect?
Lately, however, I sense that Grimes has been getting restless. I'm sure she loves Jury and Plant and all, but she definitely hasn't been willing on cookie-cutter formulas for her success. In this one, she opens up with the SAME chapter that I just read in 'The Man With a Load of Mischief' (her first novel). Later on she quips (though Polly Praed I believe) that you can turn in the same old stuff to publishers and they'll never notice. Her sharp, even cynical characters already show her tendency to see through the superfluous. However, here you can just see her restlessness with her own success. For those who don't know, this particular story is involved with solving 3 mysteries to start with:
- Is the woman calling herself Maisie Tyndale the true heir to the Tyndale fortune, or was the true Maisie killed along with her mother back in a backing in WWII? If it isn't Maisie, did the nanny slip her own infant daughter into Maisie's place?
- Who killed Simon Croft? Was it someone in the closer-than-kin Tyndale family who is threatened by his research of WWII for his book?
- Is Trueblood's panel a Massachio? (No, honestly, this takes quite a bit of time.) As usual, Grimes raises alot of red herrings and other mysteries before winding down to a close. But in her surprise ending she asks of the audience the same questions that she's been asking of her characters throughout the book. It's enough to drive a mystery fan nuts but also to leave you awed by Grimes' nerve. While everyone who loves her would love for her to keep cranking out the Jury-and-Plant song-and-dance routine, Grimes does no such thing...
Rating: 
Summary: Almost Good Richard Jury Novel
Review: "The Blue Last" is almost good, flawed by impossibly intelligent children, a dog who talks to himself, and forays into the art world that seem to have little application. There are errors here--for example, it is Henry V who speaks of "we few, . . . we band of brothers," not Henry IV. That small editorial error may be the objective correlative of what is wrong with this book. It seems hurried. Ms. Grimes seems to be growing weary of Jury and his friends. The book reveals her weariness. But is Ms. Grimes wrong to try to satisfy those of us who clamor for more of Jury when she is tired of him? The reader yearns for Jury because he had once been original, engaging, surrounded by delightful Dickensesque characters who did not need to mean anything. The weariness in this Jury makes us scrutinize those characters who float by and comment on the silliness of the human condition, seeking for them to add meaning to the novel. This is not a bad book. There are aspects of Jury's character that are beautifully and subtly developed. The story develops well, with many clues to the mystery imbedded into the interactions of the characters. The settings evoke an atmosphere that draws the reader into it. Avid Jury fans will be engaged throughout the book and enraged by the ending.
Rating: 
Summary: The Blue Last
Review: I have never personally read a Martha Grimes novel before reading The Blue Last. It was an interesting mystery filled with details. For some that may be excellent but for me I did not enjoy this novel as much as I had hoped to. I felt that the author cluttered the point up with unrelated issues. On the other hand the author did well with keeping you guessing up to the end. I also enjoyed how Martha in this story takes us back to the past and the bombing of WWII. That was a terrible time in history and is filled with memories that the main character Jury wishes to forget. It is a great theme in the novel that you can not escape the past and that it often holds glues to the present.
Rating:
Summary: Screen memory
Review: The Blue Last is the name of a pub subject to bombing during World War II. The mother of a young baby died. There is a mystery as to whether a young nursemaid substituted her child for the deceased baby who would inherit a considerable fortune. Richard Jury lost his own parents during the war and does not like to think of such things. Mickey Haggerty, a police officer, presents the case to Jury for solution. Mickey is afflicted with a fast-acting cancer. He feels that he lacks the time to puzzle out the answers. Simon Croft is writing a memoir of World War II. He has connections to the owners of The Blue Last. Jury of Scotland Yard and Mickey of the municipal police force jointly investigate his murder. It was made to look like a burglary, but the scratches came from inside the house. Richard Jury meets Gemma, a ward, nine years old. She believes she has been the subject of a homicide attempt. The child, Benny, who runs a delivery service, knows her. Jury questions Benny about Gemma Trimm. He says she is sort of invisible. People do not notice her. Perhaps she is making up things to attract attention. Melrose Plant and Marshall Trueblood travel to Italy to try to authenticate a possible Masaccio painting Trueblood has acquired. Jury decides not to participate in their proposed trip to Florence. Benny, the child delivery person, lives under the bridge. The number of orphaned persons in this work is astounding. Jury has an opportunity to interview Simon Croft's sister. He ascertains from her she does not care for Kitty Riordan, the nursemaid or for Maisie, the child who grew up after the demolition of the pub by bombing. Melrose Plant, having returned from italy, goes undercover as a gardener at the lodge. It is believed that the death of Simon Croft is the result of an inside job. Jury and Plant consider Gemma Trimm. It is unlikely that there are two cases of hidden identity in the household. The history of Bletchley Park and the Enigma code are involved in the solution to this mystery. There is a surprise ending I will not disclose. The tale is rich and diverse. There are at least three plot strands, each of which standing alone would make compelling reading.
Rating:
Summary: Middle of the Richard Jury Pack In Quality
Review: I've read about a dozen of the Richard Jury series by Martha Grimes. I'd place this about the middle of the pack. The proposition - unearthed body from a bombed-out WW2 pub may reveal an impersonation - is ingenious in its own way. Without giving anything away, this one relies on a least-suspected-villain type of plot, which was handled relatively well. Martha Grimes does rely too much on coincidences in her plots, but this is hardly the worst offender IMHO. I'd rate it OK for Grimes fans, but look elsewhere for your first Grimes book, i.e. The Man With A Load Of Mischief.
Rating:
Summary: entices you to read her next book
Review: I think the ending in this book is where most of the lower reviews come in to play. We have one mystery answered but there are too many other unanswered questions that just beg us to go get her next book to find out the answers. Overall, I really liked the book, and I am already searching to see if she has written a follow up. If she has then it was a great book, if not then it left you hanging and frustrated. Jury is asked by a friend who is also a police officer, but who doesn't have long to live, if he would help investigate a mystery that happened years ago during World War II. Two woman were in a pub and each have a baby with them. One of the women go outside to take a walk with the other mother's baby (so she says) and while she is gone, the pub gets bombed and the people inside are killed, including the woman's baby and the mother of the baby she is taking a stroll with. His friend knows the family, which is extremely wealthy, and he thinks that the woman is lying about which baby died so that her baby will be raised as Maisie Tyndale, who will inherit a large amount of the Tyndale fortune some day. He asks Jury to investigate and, of course, because they are friends, Jury agrees. A Mr. Croft, who is a close friend of the Tyndales, is killed shortly after that and all of his manuscripts, computer, and notes on a book he was writing is stolen. Other characters are, Gemma (a ward of Oliver Tyndale and one of his favorites) and Benny (a boy living off the streets with a dog) and of course you have the other characters that are usually involved in her Richard Jury mysteries. The book kept my interest all the way to the end, but it didn't answer all my questions. If there is not a sequel, then there really needs to be one. I am going to check and see as soon as I finish this review. :)
Rating: 
Summary: The Blues Last
Review: There are too many "out of character" characters and situations in this book. The most implausible in my mind is Miss Heron, a woman who had headed up an unwed mothers' home since 1939. This woman who has seen countless babies born and given to grateful adoptive parents, actually says: "It's emotionally devastating." (giving a child up for adoption) "Frankly, I favor abortion." UNREAL!
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I am a big fan of the Richard Jury mysteries, but this one left me disappointed. There were numerous mistakes that did not make sense, and there were parts (such as the Florence trip) which seemed to have nothing to do with the plot. I kept waiting for there to be some tie-in to all the art history, and....nothing. The ending was awful! Too much left unanswered and too many loose ends not explained. Although I enjoyed it while I was reading it, once I got to the end I thought my copy was missing pages or something. I felt cheated by the ending and the lack of editing in this book. I caught several mistakes, so a good editor should have found them and corrected them. I also agree with several other reviewers that the timeline on this series needs to be looked at. In this book, there is talk of the Millenium Wheel, so it's not too far in the past. Jury must be pushing 60 (or past it) if he was a small boy during WWII. Well, at least I only paid about $.$$ for it on closeout....
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