Martha Grimes' RAINBOW'S END is part of her series about the cases of
Scotland Yard Superintendent Richard Jury.  This is the most recent of a
series that now includes at least 13 novels.  One of the unique aspects of
this series is that, while the stories take place mostly in England, Martha
Grimes is an American writer who lives in the US.  She has, however,
traveled in England and apparently has friends living there who do some
"research" for her.
Her last two novels, though, THE HORSE YOU CAME IN ON and RAINBOW'S END,
have brought Supt. Jury to the US for part of the story anyway--once to the
East Coast and in the latest, to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
I find her titles to be interesting--most, if not all of them refer to a pub
that one or more of the characters visit during the story.
One might consider reading HORSE YOU CAME IN ON before reading this novel as
there is a connection between the two.
Grimes' complete cast of characters returns in this one, including my
favorite--Aunt Agatha--and the various romances seem no closer to resolution
then before.  
Overall: a good story and well worth the time spent reading it.
Next: Caleb Carr's THE ALIENIST
Possible Spoiler for Martha Grimes' RAINBOW'S END
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RAINBOW'S END is the most unusual of her stories for several reasons.  One
is that nostalgia appears to be a significant theme in the story.  Many of
the pubs from previous stories are mentioned in the tale, and some of the
characters spend time thinking about past cases.  Several characters also
"take stock" of their lives--not quite a "mid-life crisis," but approaching
it anyway.
In addition, along with being the second of the "US" based tales, this story
can be seen in some ways as a continuation of the previous novel THE HORSE
YOU CAME IN ON.  A death had occurred in HORSE that was unconnected to the
mystery focused on in that work.  A woman with a history of heart trouble
had a favorite nephew who had been murdered.  She dies shortly afterward,
in London, apparently from heart disease, probably exacerbated by grief.
Also, there's no conceivable connection to her nephew's death.
That was the way it was left at the end of HORSE.  However, two other women
die in England later, and a tenuous, coincidental? connection is found among
the three.  Two of the women had lived in England, but were not acquainted.
Both had recently traveled to the US, and both had visited Santa Fe; the
third was an American who lived in Santa Fe, but was now on vacation in
England.
Hmmm, hope that makes sense.
Grimes also pays homage to several other mystery writers in this novel.
For example, Jury's hypochondriacal assistant, Sgt. Wiggins, ends up in the
hospital with a never disclosed ailment and is given a copy of Josephine
Tey's THE DAUGHTER OF TIME.  This inspires Wiggins to attempt to solve the
crime from his hospital bed and has his nurse doing research for him.
... The stupid argue; the talented talk; the wise are silent.
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