Rating: 
Summary: The last disappointment
Review: I'm a diehard reader of English-based mystery series, and I loved the early Jury novels. I stopped reading when the silly Long Pidd subplots and characters got so much attention. This was my last try with this one. The plot has real potential, but the pacing was lazy and careless.The Trueblood sections went nowhere, and seem to exist to prove the author's sensitivity to beauty. Melrose's involvement seem forced and implausible. The whole effort is blurry and unfocused. Maybe the author is tired of her characters. Carol Ann is now marginal, outdated, a one dimensional character, who does little to advance our understanding of Jury. At the "shocking" end I should have cared. I was only annoyed that I had wasted time.
Rating: 
Summary: My judgement on Jury is a 10
Review: This was an absorbing novel full of intresting characters. The story moves along at a swift pace. I like how all the pieces dangle before you but you're not sure where to place them for a while. Richard Jury is a believable character and the story's historical context fascinating. My only complaint was the last three pages. I am only sure of the ending because I know that there is another Richard Jury book soon to be released.
Rating: 
Summary: Sadly Disappointing
Review: Having read all of Martha Grimes' previous Jury novels, I was disappointed with this one. Oddly enough, the typo's and timeline issues were less irritating than the rambling storyline and disjointed ending. I have to agree with other reviewers who feel as though Ms. Grimes let them down somehow. Although she doesn't "owe" us anything, per se, it would seem only fair to either end the series with quality, or continue it. As an aside, Ms. Grimes stated in an interview that she was taken aback by the criticism she had recieved from her fans concerning the ending: that we should know better than to assume Jury was "killed off". My question to that statement has always been "WHY should we know better?". Readers depend on authors to provide them answers to outstanding questions. Frustration toward her reader's reaction seemed a bit odd and extreme. Although a bit disillusioned, I will still preorder the new book and wait for it impatiently. Even a less than satisfying Jury mystery is better than most.
Rating: 
Summary: Blue, at last
Review: I was a fan of Martha Grimes, but gave up after her last few books, which I didn't enjoy. Since I do like the Richard Jury novels, I decide to give this one a try. The mystery was a good one, although the bit about Melrose and Trueblood traipsing through Italy had nothing to do with the main plot--just a diversion and change of pace, but I can't see the point. The ending is a true disappointment, and I found myself skimming through the book after reading the last page trying to see if I had missed something. I really hate it when the endings of books are ambiguous. Martha, please don't toy with us!
Rating:
Summary: Irritating
Review: I got to the end of this book and felt like I only had the first half of the book--where is the rest of the book? The part that ties things together? Other reviewers are right: The story doesn't hold together; subplots are left dangling; and the trip to Italy seems to be there simply for filler. Some of what Grimes does seems almost mean-spirited. For example, after building up the reader's interest in the mystery of Gemma's origins--and building up compassion for such a sturdy little girl--the book simply leaves us still wondering. Who the heck is she? Will she be all right? Leaving us worried about Jury is also simply mean. (We assume he'll somehow be okay despite the horrible ending since he's a central player, but nonetheless, the ending was rotten.) In short, the book lacks a real ending--making it an unsatisfactory read. Grimes may think she's building up interest for her next book, but this is a cheesy way to do it.
Rating:
Summary: Too many unanswered questions...
Review: I am a great fan of the Richard Jury series but this one was very disappointing. There were too many unanswered questions, characters thrown in that were never explained, main characters suddenly acting out of character and an ambiguous ending (which I won't go into in case you want to read this) that was annoying. One last complaint - if this book is taking place in the present day, then Richard Jury and the other children born during WWII would be in their 60's. Is Richard Jury - the heart throb detective - sopposed to be 65? Is the middle-aged woman who is the baby in question 62. How old is her mother? Eighty? If you are a Richard Jury fan you will probably want to read this book but be prepared to be disappointed. Too much atmosphere - not enough plot.
Rating:
Summary: Did I Miss Something?
Review: How can the person described as the illigimate daughter be in her 40s? Wouldn't she at least be in her 60s? Who is Gemma? Besides being a horrible ending, nothing is explained that makes any sense. Please help me, I must not understood or my book was missing pages.
Rating: 
Summary: Why so negative?
Review: I cannot understand all theegative reviews...this was a GOOD story and kept me enthralled. I liked the bit abput Melrose Plant and the journey to Italy...you know, you could have actually learned something about art and Italy. After all, this is a story, not The Great American Novel, or War and Peace! Lighten up and enjoy a good read.
Rating:
Summary: A major disappointment
Review: I have always loved Martha Grimes' Richard Jury mysteries even though the snail's pace at which her characters' personalities and relationships develop has always been extremely frustrating. The 'Blue Last' did not live up to Ms. Grimes' previous efforts, however. The original premise was great - the possibility that the child accepted as Oliver Tynedale's granddaughter might be an impostor - and the historical background was wonderful. But the way it was done didn't make sense. Why would Oliver Tynedale (who was supposed to be so intelligent) and the rest of the Tynedales and Crofts ever accept that the baby was Alexandra's? What nanny would leave her own daughter with her employer while taking the employer's daughter out for a walk? In any day and age it is unbelievable. It doesn't help that the situations the recurring characters get into (Plant, in particular) are becoming less and less believable. Melrose Plant gets hired as an gardener when he knows nothing about gardening. Then in the middle of a work day he sits down for a relaxed discussion with his employer about Renaissance Art. Ms. Grimes' efforts to make that sound plausible, "It was the art enthusiast in him; he'd have had Snowball and Sparky in here if they'd shown the least inclination towards Italian Renaissance Art" and Plant's rationalization of Tynedale's lack of suspicion, don't ring true. They merely come across as a desperate way to give Plant a reason to be in a place he has absolutely no reason to be. The loose ends in the book were also a major irritant. To name a few: Who is Gemma? Did Kitty and Erin just get away with it? Why, if Micky Haggerty made up the story about the paranoia, did the florists and Mrs. MacLeish back him up? What about Jury's cousin? The dialogue about her children who are both grown up but still living at home - they went to a birthday party their father was to collect them from but they decided "to go clubbing with the others" and one of them has an 18-month old at home - is ridiculous. Even though situations like that may happen in real life, in the book it came off sounding totally implausible. Even if the rest of the book had been perfect, it would have been spoiled by the ending. In the past whenever a new Grimes' book came out, I would snatch it off the shelf. I am sure I will buy the next one just to see what happens but I will definitely not be in such a hurry.
Rating:
Summary: why the complaints?
Review: I am flabbergasted at the hostile reviews from readers! The book
bordered on eruidite. EXCUSE Ms. Grimes for interjecting some history, some scenery that did not include the inside of a pub.
Heaven forbid she should be allowed to be extravagant in sub-plots. This is a writer who is getting better with each book, and in The Blue Last has shown her abilitiy once more to see the world through the eyes of the old, the young, the rich, the poor, the dying, the vivacious and yes, even the eyes of a dog.
(Of course, if RJ does not promptly rebound in the next book, I am with you all 100%)
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