The Old Silent

By: Martha Grimes

Narrated by: Steve West

Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

In the tenth murderous case for Richard Jury, the New Scotland Yard superintendent witnesses a killing in a West Yorkshire inn called the Old Silent, while his highborn, amateur colleague, Melrose Plant wishes to he could perform one as he drives his impossible Aunt Agatha to the Old Swan in Harrogate.

Caught up in a triple murder, Jury would go to any lengths to help Nell Healey, the lovely widow of one of the victims. But Nell Healey remains silent as the Yorkshire moors, quiet as the grave, while the scope of the mystery widens.

©2013 Martha Grimes (P)2013 Simon & Schuster Audio

I love The Old Silent

Having read almost all of Martha Grimes Richard Jury stories, it is a real pleasure listening to them again and reminiscing about the plots. The old gang from Long Pid does not disapoint.

I'm going to nitpick, I admit it

I'm on my third read/listen through the entire series, I'm a fan, okay? And the combination of author and narrator here is one of the best I've found in more than 500 books in my library. Except... Steve West's rendition of American accents is just grating on my nerves. He somehow mixes Brooklyn and Deep South into one voice and then applies it in different proportions to two different characters... Argh. It's just wrong, very wrong.

Aside from that, these books are sublime.

One of the best!

Loved it, amazing performance as always, engaging caracthers. A lot of twists and turns

A great story!

This was my introduction to Martha Grimes Richard Jury Mysteries. I have always love British mysteries and this one did not disappoint. I realize this was not the first book of Richard Jury Mysteries but still enjoyed it. There are quite a lot of characters so I had to really pay close attention. Can’t wait to listen to all the others. Steve West is very talented so many characters and he is able to give them all a voice with their own accent. Bravo 👏🏻 to him and to Martha Grimes for her Richard Jury Mysteries.

Intriguing and sad; they are getting sadder!

Would you listen to The Old Silent again? Why?

Yes; because Martha Grimes is brilliant as is Steve West's delivery of her mysteries.

What other book might you compare The Old Silent to and why?

All of the other Richard Jury mysteries; the same characters are strung throughout in the most beguiling manner.

Have you listened to any of Steve West’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes; eleven other Richard Jury Mysteries. This one is just as unique and laden with unexpected turns.

If you could take any character from The Old Silent out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I would love to be friends with Melrose Plant--I want to date Richard Jury, CID; so a nice romantic dinner with Richard please!

Any additional comments?

This is yet another book, in the series, where poor Richard is drawn to a woman who is either unavailable or who dies soon after he starts-up a romance; the man is cursed!

Depression vs music

: british-detective, law-enforcement, music, muted-humor

While wrapped in depression, Jury witnesses a woman at the end of her own tether deliberately shoot her husband in a quiet pub. He becomes engaged in an unsolved mystery involving the woman, her husband, now dead, and Macalvie while deciding what to do with his life. Plant and Wiggins assist in working on her motivation, the unsolved mystery, and learning about the music scene, Vivian's ongoing Italian situation, and Plant discovers an American. Good show!
Steve West continues to be excellent

Brilliant

Martha Grimes is 92 years and I wonder if she realizes the happiness she still brings. Her work is genius and timeless.

DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I'm not sure. I don't know too many people who want to pay such rapt attention to a story. At least two times, I repeated segments believing I had missed something.

What did you like best about this story?

The little girl stole the show. What a delightful little pessimist!

What about Steve West’s performance did you like?

He did a good job with the voices.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Why did she kill him?

love all the characters! as usual.

on to the next book!! I so look forward to reading more about the life of Jury and Plant!

At tightly twisted tale

This multidimensional murder investigation by a a notoriously famous and supremely self analytical detective inspector