Vertigo 42

A Richard Jury Mystery

By: Martha Grimes

Narrated by: Steve West

The inimitable Richard Jury returns in the latest in the bestselling mystery series: “Martha Grimes has written a whodunit with terrific characters and a grand plot mixed with her unique droll wit. Vertigo 42 is one smart mystery!” (Susan Isaacs, bestselling author of Goldberg Variations)

Richard Jury is meeting Tom Williamson at Vertigo 42, a bar on the forty-second floor of an office building in London’s financial district. Despite inconclusive evidence, Tom is convinced his wife, Tess, was murdered seventeen years ago. The inspector in charge of the case was sure Tess’s death was accidental—a direct result of vertigo—but the official police inquiry is still an open verdict and Jury agrees to re-examine the case.

Jury learns that a nine-year-old girl fell to her death five years before Tess at the same place in Devon where Tess died, at a small house party. Jury seeks out the five surviving party guests, who are now adults, hoping they can shed light on this bizarre coincidence. Ultimately, four deaths—two in the past, two that occur on the pages of this intricate, compelling novel—keep Richard Jury and his sidekick Sergeant Wiggins running from their homes in Islington to the countryside in Devon and to London as they try to figure out if the deaths were accidental or not. And if they are connected.

Witty, well-written, with literary references from Thomas Hardy to Yeats, Vertigo 42 is a pitch perfect, page-turning novel from a mystery writer at the top of her game.

A lovrly English thriller

With time and people and even a dog with a clue
A charming mystery solved by the eminent Richard jury

The best

This is the best mystery series in my collection. The narrator is incomparable. Not to be missed

Very confusing keeping track of some characters toward the end

Some books are difficult on audio due to similarity of names or a lot of popping around in location. This is one of those. Unusually like Richard Jury stories but I still cannot figure out why I e of the characters was killed.

Grimes is great

A book-length series of perfectly timed and executed vignettes, featuring the familiar chapters and dry humor, as Jury solves another crime.
Narration was perfection.

Misadventure and Death

If you could sum up Vertigo 42 in three words, what would they be?

Death, Heartbreak, Revenge

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love Carol Ann. She plays dumb but is very clever. This book is so dark she helps provide some comic relief. Love her interactions with Jury.

Which character – as performed by Steve West – was your favorite?

Jury as always.

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

He is still heartbroken and wants answers.

Any additional comments?

I hope this is not the last Jury book. I really look forward to them.