Anything like Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine?

[29Palms]

Ruth Rendell was my favourite author. It was the standalone psychological novels I loved, rather than the Wexford detective ones. She had a way of creating tension as you followed her various characters, knowing that their paths would cross in such a way that something bad was bound to result ..... Or the retrospective ones where something terrible had happened, but you didn't know what it was until the story was cunningly unfolded.

I would love to think that there is someone out there with a similar touch to Ruth's. Can anyone recommend any authors?

Erin Kelly is very good. I particularly loved The Burning Air.

Thanks, Clawdy. I have read some of hers. I see she's got a new one out, so I shall give it a try.

The first one, 'The Poison Tree', was very Rendellesque and reminded me a little of 'The House Of Stairs', and I enjoyed the second one as well. I didn't care for 'The Burning Air' though, as I spotted the twist immediately. It wasn't the first time I'd encountered it, but I won't say who else used it!

Belinda Bauer is quite good. Rubbernecker. Not as good as Rendell but not bad.

Asra's book is one of my favourite ever books. I love the combination of modern day/Victorian mystery. Similarly The Blood Doctor.

I'd love recommendations for more books like th she.

Asta's book is fantastic, I might reread it actually.

Nikki French?

I'm reading the Wexford books in order - backwards - at the moment. I've found a few I'd missed.

I thought 'The Vault' was a very original idea, taking Wexford to the crime scene of an old non-Wexford book! Ruth did struggle with Wexford's age in the later books. I always thought it would have been good to take him back in time to some old cases, there's no law that says the books had to be chronological.

Nikki French, I've read a few but no recent ones.

Belinda Bauer sounds promising, I shall look out for those.

Yes, I read the Vault last week (a re-read). Agree, an original idea.

PD James? Different writing style but still a gripping read.

I really enjoyed early PD James, but not the later ones as I found her style became awfully turgid and pompous, and the books padded and over-long.

That's just reminded me of Margaret Yorke, whose books I used to find in the library around the same time. I must have a look and see if there are any I haven't read, because her characters and situations were often the kind you might meet in a Rendell novel.

I like Sayers, of course not the thriller you get from Rendell/Vine but a good mystery usually.

I always think people who rave on about books like The Girl On The Train really ought to go back and read some Rendell, she's so much better!

Minette Walters books

Minette Walters' first three novels are excellent, but I didn't enjoy the later ones so much and a couple of them I thought were awful.

In the same way I used to look forward to Robert Goddard, his 1980s/90s novels are terrific. But they started to decline after that, and frankly I find it hard to believe they are written by the same person, the style is so different.

I agree, used to like Walters, but they got a bit samey - phoning it in! (like Grisham!).

Nicci French is nothing like RR in my humble.

I have really enjoyed the books I've read by Sabine Durrant, I wish she'd write some more.

Ann Cleeves? Again, not as good, but I like the Vera series.

My favourite is A Fatal Inversion. I totally loved it. Nothing else I've read comes close to Ruth though.

Have you read Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie books?

Hi Hoolio, yes I have read Kate Atkinson, but I'm not keen on series where the detective has a lot of baggage and ongoing personal stuff. I just like a good story! I liked Kate's first novel, but haven't enjoyed any of the others as much. The last one I read was 'Life After Life' but I must admit I got rather bored with it, it was like Groundhog Day.

I haven't read any Sabine Durrant, so thanks for the tip.

Have you read No Night is too Long - Barbara Vine?

Amazing, brilliant book - her best I think.

Patricia Highsmith's Ripley series?

I read all of Patricia Highsmith years ago, good shout! She is certainly fit to share a shelf with Ruth. The Ripley ones are fascinating in how she makes a bad guy the hero. I've enjoyed all her novels, and the short stories too.

Currently reading Belinda Bauer, picked up the only two in the library. Started with Blacklands but did not enjoy it, but made allowances as it is a first novel. Just started The Shut Eye.

Interesting to see what you make of The Shut Eye, I think Blacklands is the strongest of the four books of hers I have read.

You might like Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent, or The Long Drop by Denise Mina, or Karin Fossum's books (Like Rendell she has a police series and some standalones) or The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson.

I think The Shuteye was the weakest Belinda Bauer.

Oh dear I hated Blacklands, the chapters from the POV of the killer were repulsive. A far cry from the subtle way Patricia Highsmith draws you in to Ripley's world. It also came over as very dated, it felt as though it was set in the 1970s, rather than present day.

I will try a couple more though.

Sorry to say I thought 'The Shut Eye' was poor. One-dimensional characters and not much of a plot. Dreadful ending, implausible, no proper explanations, loose ends ....
Not sure that I'll bother with any more of hers.

Oh I adored RR. Her last books were disappointing (she would have been rather elderly by then, I suppose) but at the height of her power she was peerless.

A Dark Adapted Eye is my favourite, but No Night is Too Long is wonderful, and I really rate The Brimstone Wedding too.

I found Alex Marwell to be quite Rendellian, and I enjoyed Tana French too.