Martha Grimes

Martha Grimes (born 2 May 1931) is a prolific American mystery novelist, known for her series featuring the resourceful Detective Superintendent Richard Jury. Born in Pittsburgh, Grimes moved to England in 1958. Her debut novel, "The Man with a Load of Mischief," was published in 1981 and introduced Jury, a Scotland Yard detective grappling with personal demons while solving intricate mysteries in a quaint English village. Over the years, Grimes has written more than 40 Jury novels, including "The Dirty Duck" (1988), "Help the Poor Struggler" (1995), and "The Man in the Red Coat" (2019). She has also published stand-alone thrillers and non-fiction works. Grimes has received numerous accolades for her writing, including the Nero Wolfe Award, the Agatha Award, and the Macavity Award. Her novels are praised for their well-crafted plots, atmospheric settings, and introspective characters.