“What do you want?” – Mom, Vincent, loads of others…

Martha Grimes has perfected the art of the mystery. I could walk past her characters in the street, have a conversation, reach some understandings. Melrose Plant would win the Oscar for Best Supporting Role if they gave them out for novels. I adore him.

And Jury – Jury makes me think. When someone in Grimes’ latest novel, Dust, asks Jury what he wants most out of life, his response is “Solace.”

“Remember that great film with Bette Davis, All About Eve? There’s a scene after the scheming Eve steals Margo’s role through trickery and then gets this magnificent review. Margo is of course effing and blinding all over the place. And crying. Her director rushes into her house, puts his arms around her, and says, ‘I ran all the way.’” Jury smiled. “That’s what I want."

She just sat there looking at him and saying nothing.

"Life is just too bloody hard. You lose too many things. ‘I ran all the way.’” Jury smiled bleakly. “Solace.”