The Knowledge

By: Martha Grimes

Narrated by: Steve West

Length: 12 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's Summary

Robbie Parsons is one of London's finest, a black cab driver who knows the city by heart. In his backseat is a man with a gun in his hand - a man who brazenly committed a crime in front of the Artemis Club then jumped in and ordered Parsons to drive. As the criminal eventually escapes to Nairobi, Detective Superintendent Richard Jury comes across the case in the Saturday paper.

Two days previously, he had met and connected with one of the victims, a professor of astrophysics at Columbia and an expert gambler. Feeling personally affronted, Jury enlists Melrose Plant, Marshall Trueblood, and his whole gang of merry characters to contend with a case that involves Tanzanian gem mines, a closed Reno casino, and a pub that only London's black cabbies who have the knowledge can find.

With their signature wit, sly plotting, and gloriously offbeat characters, Martha Grimes's New York Times best-selling Richard Jury Mysteries are "utterly unlike anyone else's detective novels" (The Washington Post).

©2018 Martha Grimes (P)2018 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Drought over!

Martha is back in typical form. Love her characters and her writing. Jury, Plant and the old gang ride again!

The Knowledge

One of Martha Grimes best with the unexpected 'side trips' and lively discourse that add spice to the narrative.

One of the Best audible and readable books ever

I loved this book. My favorite book of the year. It is not perfect but it was so much fun going on the journey of the book that I wanted to share my experience. It has a wonderful cast of characters who live in these pages, presided over by Richard Jury, the ostensible protagonist, but who often take over the narrative in amusing and unforeseen ways. The idea of the knowledge as the secret lore of cabbies in London and who can find a pub called The Knowledge, founded by an ex-cabbie, at the unlisted heart of the labyrinth, is a conceit that works so well within the logic of the book, that I did not question it. I laughed out loud and heartily many times while listening and reading- ( I often buy the audible and reading version so I can switch off). Jury's friends, the people we meet along the way. I especially loved the children, enough said. I liked the book so much that I tried other Martha Grimes books- this was my first- but so far none of them are as enjoyable as this one, and in fact, I was disappointed because this was so good. I am a critical reader and do not give accolades but I thought this was a minor masterpiece. My taste is eccentric in film and books but I loved it.

a romp down memory lane

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

yes. it is puzzling, funny, sad and has memorable characters and a strong story line, but while i think it stands on its own, i also think it would be most appreciated by those who have followed the stories and characters over the years.

What did you like best about this story?

new adventures for old friends

What does Steve West bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

solid narrator but in my opinion the best narrators "disappear" in the narration and he seems to do just that. also, just as an editorial note on a pet peeve, he speaks English correctly. i don't think i heard a single word mis-pronounced, which is something I hear all too often, especially on books produced by audible (which this one is not).

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

many of them

Any additional comments?

I had the feeling that this might have been written as a "last book". While it could serve well in this capacity, I truly hope that I am wrong.

Richard Jury Mystery

I thought Steve West's audio performance was excellent. If you are a fan of Martha Grimes Richard Jury mystery you will enjoy the story even though it strains credulity. The story includes tracking down a murderer to Africa and the person doing the tracking is a child, so there is that. I started reading Martha Grimes books in 1992 and I really enjoyed the stories and found them literary and all the recurring characters entertaining. At times the endings in her books are oblique to the point of you wonder what in the sam hell happened. In this book you know what happened but you just can't believe it.

Jury

Loved this book. Story and narration is wonderful. Didn’t want it to end. I’m going to look for more of the same.

Fascinating!

series, murder, investigation, law-enforcement, England, Zambia ----

The usual characters are joined by an intelligence gathering organization of very smart street kids and an organization of London cabbies of a particular stripe. One of the young folk is particularly resourceful in following the suspect all the way to Nairobi where she and Melrose Plant run into each other without knowing that they are chasing the same villain. Most of the humor is rather sly but definitely there! Enjoyable!
I preordered the audio, and Steve West did a really fine job of audio interpretation.

maybe not the best, but still worth a listen

I've been a huge fan of the Richard Jury series since the beginning. This is an entertaining installment, but I don't think the story is one her best. I had to suspend my sense of disbelief once too often to give the story 4 or 5 stars. That said, I think it's still worth a listen and I am always entertained by what Jury's Long Piddleton friends get up to. Steve West's performance was excellent.

Annoying

I can't remember the last time I was unable to finish a book. I am one of those readers who continue on hoping for better. But this time, that annoying child made me so angry that I had to leave this book unfinished. Sad because I have enjoyed Ms. Grimes in the past and am a great lover of the exploits of Melrose Plant and his friends. My advice, skip this one.

a repeat listen

The most entertaining, insightful, and quirky book I have listened to since Son of The Circus. Each character is so individualistic and endearing, one doesn't want to say goodbye. This book did not need to end! A definite repeat listen, just to make sure you haven't missed a detail.

Popcorn listening

Possibly one of the most daft books I have ever heard but I had to listen to the end just to see what happened