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Ruth Rendell - Recommendations please

34 replies

FormerlySpeckledyHen · 27/07/2022 16:53

Thank you :)

Also on Audible please.

OP posts:
Movinghouseatlast · 28/07/2022 14:41

I have loved everything! A Fatal Inversion is my favourite.

Barbara Vine was not her real name, Barbara was her middle name and Vine was a great grandmother.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 28/07/2022 14:34

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 28/07/2022 13:23

Was just popping on to say ‘A dark adapted eye’ the80s

I loved it.

Oh yes, me too.

MattoMatto · 28/07/2022 13:29

I like the non-Wexford psychological thrillers written under her own name. Very similar to Patricia Highsmith in how you get completely pulled into the mindsets of obsessive characters as the tension ratchets up. The Bridesmaid and Live Flesh are the best of these, but she wrote quite a few. Barbara Vine novels are good too - also psychological thrillers but have more of a focus on the relationships between people and buried secrets, whereas the RR thrillers are more about what happens when someone who has lost touch with reality finally goes too far. My favourite Vine is A Fatal Inversion, and I loved Grasshopper too. Both great, intricate plots.

If you like short stories with a twist, RR wrote some fantastic ones. There are a couple of collections.

I wasn’t keen on her later work - I think her peak was in the 90s.

the80sweregreat · 28/07/2022 13:28

I didn't mind the Wexford books.
I'm
Just bad at remembering titles.
She was a great writer , but some of the plots could be a bit slow sometimes. She was good at describing characters and events that seemed real if that makes sense ? She was aware of social divisions.

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 28/07/2022 13:23

Was just popping on to say ‘A dark adapted eye’ the80s

I loved it.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 28/07/2022 13:16

I never liked the Wexford books but I loved her writing as Barbara Vine, I think my favourite was A Fatal Inversion.

Thanks OP, I've not read any for years, I might download something and start again.

the80sweregreat · 28/07/2022 13:12

I liked her books that feature the Teddy Brex character, but not read any for a long while and I can't recall titles.

The barbara Vine books she wrote are good
' a dark adapted eye' was a great thriller

PineappleWilson · 28/07/2022 13:10

I've just finished reading From Doon with Death, which was the first Wexford mystery. I had a general idea of who the murderer could be (trying not to give it away) by about half way through. Worth a read if only to see how long Wexford novels have been going (it's set pre-decimalisation).

FormerlySpeckledyHen · 28/07/2022 13:03

No Ruth fans out there ?

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