The Monster in the Box (Inspector Wexford, #22) by Ruth Rendell — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists Shelves: audiobooks Okay. what I did like...the narration by Nigel Anthony. As to the rest, it was quite an enthralling story I suppose but it was based on a ridiculous premise. Wexford, when he was a young bobby on the beat, was involved in the investigation of the murder by strangulation of a woman whose husband became the chief suspect. Wexford, however, was 100% convinced that the murderer was a muscular squat thug with a birthmark called Eric Targo.....(the man was called Targo not the birthmark) and he was cert Okay. what I did like...the narration by Nigel Anthony. As to the rest, it was quite an enthralling story I suppose but it was based on a ridiculous premise. Wexford, when he was a young bobby on the beat, was involved in the investigation of the murder by strangulation of a woman whose husband became the chief suspect.

Wexford, however, was 100% convinced that the murderer was a muscular squat thug with a birthmark called Eric Targo.....(the man was called Targo not the birthmark) and he was certain of this on pure instinct. Targo had looked at him from under a lamp post whilst out walking his dog and from that moment his guilt was unassailable. Now i realize 'hunches' are an important part of policework but in the name of all that's Holy that does seem a tad far-fetched. For the rest of the book the action flashes back and forth across the decades and we take in the early romance and otherwise of the ever growing Wexford. His total obsession, or rather Rendell's with times past. If she had him musing once she had him musing a thousand times about what society, the streets, the air , the music, the food etc etc was like 20, 30, 40 years ago. It became quite an annoying pulse to the narrative, funnily enough rather like your old Great Aunt/Uncle who relates the same story over and over again without realizing she/he has told you it 100 times before.

Running alongside Wexford's startlingly certain solution-from-a-hunch of past murders there is the story of a muslim family who are embroiled in the modern-day associative incidents. Here, Wexford's politically correct and right on assistant makes equally unsubstantiated assumptions about crimes or otherwise and yet whereas Wexford smarms and sneers his truth aloft against all the evidence or probability, he is 100% dismissive of her leaps in the dark. The problem i therefore had throughout the book branched out in all kinds of areas. Wexford's arrogant cetainty against all evidence to the contrary seemed superhuman in its cocksureness, and yet his inability to recognize his police help might have the same superhuman insight appeared to confirm the arrogance and tying all this up was the fact that (view spoiler) [Rendell had written it in such a way that he was proved right though it was a ridiculous lack of evidence, a look for God's sake that is all it started from,a penetrating look from underneath a lamp post (hide spoiler) ]. I found the story supremely unsatisfying. Sad really because I have enjoyed Rendell's stuff in the past.

The ending was not exactly anti-climatic but a bit of a damp squib. It was an audiobook and i listened to it up and down the motorway to Cumbria so it passed a number of miles but i have heard so many better...though to end where I finished Nigel Anthony was a brilliant reader. ...more Shelves: fiction , mystery How could I not give Ruth Rendell five stars? She is my hero. I told Grace I realized, looking at the back flap of this book, that she's now 80; I'm hoping she lives to be at least 100, because I'm not sure what I'll do when there are No More Wexford Books. (Answer: probably start reading all of them again, which will be OK, because I've already forgotten most of the plots anyway.) (Which is my fault, and due to brain waste--not hers.) Anyway, this is another fabulous Wexford novel; as far as I' How could I not give Ruth Rendell five stars? She is my hero.

I told Grace I realized, looking at the back flap of this book, that she's now 80; I'm hoping she lives to be at least 100, because I'm not sure what I'll do when there are No More Wexford Books. (Answer: probably start reading all of them again, which will be OK, because I've already forgotten most of the plots anyway.) (Which is my fault, and due to brain waste--not hers.) Anyway, this is another fabulous Wexford novel; as far as I'm concerned there's no such thing as a non-fabulous Wexford novel. One of my favorite things about The Monster in the Box is seeing Wexford as a young man; there's stuff in here about his early police career, and how he met and fell in love with his wife. And the writing is, as usual, beautiful, smart, and weirdly funny, often, for a book about murder.

I didn't find this book as suspenseful as some of the other Wexford novels; partly, I think, because the murderer's identity is clear from the beginning, and also because I just never totally bought in to the subplot, which is about a young Pakistani girl who's suspected of being forced to marry against her will. I really appreciate, though, the way Ruth Rendell keeps so much of the classic mystery novel in her books, while at the same time making them totally contemporary, full of current issues (the forced-marriage plot is a good example) and characters. I also LOVE it that she's so funny (unusual for a mystery writer) and so concerned with relationships as well as who killed who, and why and how. ...more Shelves: mystery-thriller , published-2009 , series , tbr-busting-2015 , winter-20152016 , dec-2015-free-for-all Nigel Anthony 8 Hours 52 Mins Description: 'He had never told anyone. The strange relationship, if it could be called that, had gone on for years, decades, and he had never breathed a word about it.

He had kept silent because he knew no one would believe him. None of it could be proved, not the stalking, not the stares or the conspiratorial smiles, not the killings, not any of the signs Targo had made because he knew Wexford knew and could do nothing about it.' Wexford had almost made up his min Nigel Anthony 8 Hours 52 Mins Description: 'He had never told anyone. The strange relationship, if it could be called that, had gone on for years, decades, and he had never breathed a word about it. He had kept silent because he knew no one would believe him. None of it could be proved, not the stalking, not the stares or the conspiratorial smiles, not the killings, not any of the signs Targo had made because he knew Wexford knew and could do nothing about it.' Wexford had almost made up his mind that he would never again set eyes on Eric Targo's short, muscular figure. And yet there he was, back in Kingsmarkham, still with that cocky, strutting walk. Years earlier, when Wexford was a young police officer, a woman called Elsie Carroll had been found strangled in her bedroom.

Although many still had their suspicions that her husband was guilty, no one was convicted. Another woman was strangled shortly afterwards, and every personal and professional instinct told Wexford that the killer was still at large. And it was Eric Targo. A psychopath who would kill again... As the Chief Inspector investigates a new case, Ruth Rendell looks back to the beginning of Wexford's career, even to his courtship of the woman who would become his wife. The past is a haunted place, with clues and passions that leave an indelible imprint on the here and now. I'm almost pleased that the last disc was missing from the box as the storyline here was preposterous.

3* From Doon With Death (Inspector Wexford, #1) 3* A New Lease of Death (Inspector Wexford, #2) 3* Wolf to the Slaughter (Inspector Wexford, #3) 2* The Best Man to Die (Inspector Wexford, #4) 3* A Guilty Thing Suprised #5 3* No More Dying Then (Inspector Wexford, #6) 3* Murder Being Once Done (Inspector Wexford, #7) 3* Some Lie and Some Die (Inspector Wexford, #8) 3* Shake Hands Forever (Inspector Wexford, #9) 3* A Sleeping Life (Inspector Wexford, #10) 3* Put on by Cunning (Inspector Wexford #11) 1* Speaker of Mandarin (Inspector Wexford, #12) 3* An Unkindness of Ravens (Inspector Wexford, #13) 3* The Veiled One (Inspector Wexford, #14) 3* Kissing the Gunner's Daughter (Inspector Wexford, #15) 3* Road Rage (Inspector W

exford, #17) 3* Harm Done (Inspector Wexford, #18) 3* The Babes in the Wood (Inspector Wexford, #19) 3* End in Tears (Inspector Wexford, #20) 3* Not in the Flesh (Inspector Wexford, #21) 1* The Monster in the Box (Inspector Wexford #22) 2* The Vault (Inspector Wexford, #23) ...more Oct 18, 2009 Karen rated it really liked it Rendell's latest has a dreamy feel to it, and almost an elegiac tone for the lost village of the 50s and 60s, even though all was not perfect in that village.

This is her most reflective Wexford so far, alternating the recent past with the 50s, and it's almost as if she is at last rounding out Wexford's character or at least filling in some blanks for all her steadfast fans, but not of course like the typical gimmicky prequel. Being the savvy social commentator she is, Rendell does a marvelous j Rendell's latest has a dreamy feel to it, and almost an elegiac tone for the lost village of the 50s and 60s, even though all was not perfect in that village. This is her most reflective Wexford so far, alternating the recent past with the 50s, and it's almost as if she is at last rounding out Wexford's character or at least filling in some blanks for all her steadfast fans, but not of course like the typical gimmicky prequel. Being the savvy social commentator she is, Rendell does a marvelous job of contrasting what we have lost with what replaced it, for better or for worse, e.g. losing close communities, and gaining technology and politically correct policing.

I have a feeling this book will appeal more to the aforesaid long-term, die-hard fans, which are legion. Being one of them myself, I really liked when Wexford would recall cases in his career, i.e.crimes which were part of earlier Rendell books. It became sort of an aha! feeling, almost as if I were reminiscing along with him. The whole book felt to me like a nod to her readers, almost an emotional gift to them on some levels, but also a good story. Oh yeah, and there is a murderer, quite a creepy one which Wexford has failed to catch in the past. This is the frame story for all Wexford's reminiscing, and it works well. Of course every sentence is typically Rendell, elegant and stylish. She turns 80 in February, and we can only hope she keeps turning out mysteries! ...more Dec 19, 2015 Jaksen rated it really liked it Another in the long line of Inspector Wexford novels by Ruth Rendell. This is a good one. Wexford suspects that a man he knew from long ago is a serial killer.

He has no proof of it, just a minor suspicion, but one which is strong enough to last many years. In fact, Wexford has put the 'monster' Eric Targo into a box, one he will only infrequently open and study. Hence the title. When a few new murders occur and Targo seems to have been nearby at the time, Wexford opens the box in the hopes of new Another in the long line of Inspector Wexford novels by Ruth Rendell. This is a good one. Wexford suspects that a man he knew from long ago is a serial killer. He has no proof of it, just a minor suspicion, but one which is strong enough to last many years. In fact, Wexford has put the 'monster' Eric Targo into a box, one he will only infrequently open and study. Hence the title. When a few new murders occur and Targo seems to have been nearby at the time, Wexford opens the box in the hopes of new clues, new statements from witness, a new lead, anything. He is stymied time and time again until a new set of circumstances occur involving a young Moslem girl whose family might be forcing her into marriage.

The two stories - Targo's and the girl's - overlap and intertwine until arriving at a completely surprising and stunning conclusion. There are the usual cast of characters here, Hannah, the PC-correct investigator on Wexford's staff, and of course, Mike Burden, Wexford's continuing and oft-irritating sidekick. Jenny Burden makes a small appearance and even Reg Wexford's wife, Dora. We also get a glimpse of the kind of police officer - and man - Wexford was when younger. I didn't figure this one out, not until Rendell spelled it out for me at the end. All in all, a very satisfying, complex, and intriguing story. One of Rendell's best in this series. ...more Shelves: audiobooks I know Ruth Rendell is a good writer. She must be because so many people enjoy her books. I read in a review somewhere or other that Reg Wexford was the most real of all the fictional detectives, and that's probably true. But he is so DULL.

He doesn't have any bad habits except a desire to indulge in things that might not be good for him (red wine, nuts and snacks) which he dutifully tries to resist to please his dreary wife. Quirky detectives like Jackson Brodie, ones who sleep with unsuitable I know Ruth Rendell is a good writer. She must be because so many people enjoy her books. I read in a review somewhere or other that Reg Wexford was the most real of all the fictional detectives, and that's probably true. But he is so DULL. He doesn't have any bad habits except a desire to indulge in things that might not be good for him (red wine, nuts and snacks) which he dutifully tries to resist to please his dreary wife. Quirky detectives like Jackson Brodie, ones who sleep with unsuitable men (Jane Tennant) or drink too much (Morse?) may not be real, but they are interesting and sometimes fun. I don't see how anyone involved in solving crimes like murder can be boring, but Wexford is boring.

It's probably apt then that the actor that played him on TV was also dull as ditchwater, so it's a shame that the person reading this book (Nigel Anthony) adopts a George Baker-like accent for Wexford. I would have liked to hear an alternative, it would have been a bit of an adventure. The plot of this is competently enough handled, but there is far too much nostalgia for my liking. Wexford is constantly reminding us of what it was like in 'the old days' compared to what it is like at the time the novel is set in. It's all a bit of a cliché - no sex before marriage, no divorce, no internet etc - all harking back to a time that was even more dull than the present. Added to this is an endless retelling of Wexford's personal love life, an unexciting history of getting engaged to a girl he didn't like and being too decent to break it off (until he did), a brief entanglement with a woman and a rape scam, then meeting his wife-to-be, who was actually on holiday with her parents (and Wexford with his mother). This man has really lived!

As if Wexford's drab existence, banal personal history and stodgy personality weren't enough, he got no satisfaction from the resolution of this case. Nor did I. Of the two personae of this author, I much prefer the Barbara Vine novels, several of which I have really enjoyed. This particular Ruth Rendell novel passed the time, but so does watching paint dry. Mar 07, 2011 Carol Rogers rated it really liked it I really enjoyed this Inspector Wexford book. This book takes place in a more modern setting with mobile phones, computers and modern subject matter, with a throwback to earlier times in Inspector Wexford's life. The Inspector comes up against someone from his past and remembers incidents back when he was working on his first murder case. As always, his personal life and his work are intertwined. Rendell accurately portrays the past and the present, although the characters seem to have aged slowe I really enjoyed this Inspector Wexford book. This book takes place in a more modern setting with mobile phones, computers and modern subject matter, with a throwback to earlier times in Inspector Wexford's life.

The Inspector comes up against someone from his past and remembers incidents back when he was working on his first murder case. As always, his personal life and his work are intertwined. Rendell accurately portrays the past and the present, although the characters seem to have aged slower than the passing years, but that is not really important. The present times with multicultural society and the past where class and manners mattered have been described well. The themes of being politically correct, preconceived ideas, and the older generation's reluctance to come to terms with technology are all things we can relate to which makes the plot extremely credible. If you have never read an Inspector Wexford book, this would make an ideal start. But to the reader who has known him for a while, it will be interesting to see Wexford back in his single days with his mind on looking for the right wife. It will also be interesting to see how life has a funny way of turning round in circles and how his own monster in the box has finally been dealt with. ...more Shelves: mystery-sleuth , mystery-inspector-wexford , rendell The Monster in the Box by Ruth Rendell.

This particular Inspector Wexford novel had me from the moment the first sentence was spoken. A tale of obsession and murder. The obsession lies with Wexford. This first murder case for Inspector Wexford, a bobby fresh off patrolling the streets, was a most baffling one. It was one that he was never able to bring to a final ending. The murder of a woman found in her own bedroom remained unsolved to this day. But...there was something or someone else that st The Monster in the Box by Ruth Rendell. This particular Inspector Wexford novel had me from the moment the first sentence was spoken. A tale of obsession and murder. The obsession lies with Wexford. This first murder case for Inspector Wexford, a bobby fresh off patrolling the streets, was a most baffling one. It was one that he was never able to bring to a final ending. The murder of a woman found in her own bedroom remained unsolved to this day. But...there was something or someone else that stayed with Wexford. He had observed a rather stocky man wearing a scarf and walking his dog just alongside that woman's home at the time of the murder.

It was the intense glare that very man cast at Wexford that made it all the more impossible to forget. Eric Targo had lived in Kingsmarkham years ago and now suddenly he was back. This was in my opinion one of the best Inspector Wexford mysteries. It was indeed a tale of obsession and murder. ...more Shelves: i-love-mysteries Pros: I like Rendell, I like Wexford, I like the class and race awareness that she sprinkles throughout her books (often with considerable humor). Cons: this book feels like coming in midway through conversation, not just because it's part of a series, but the way she introduces this apparently long-standing character in Wexford life. It took a bit of getting used to. The ending wasn't quite what I expected, and the Afterwards seems ill-conceived. But - as always - I never seem to regret a Rendel Pros: I like Rendell, I like Wexford, I like the class and race awareness that she sprinkles throughout her books (often with considerable humor).

Cons: this book feels like coming in midway through conversation, not just because it's part of a series, but the way she introduces this apparently long-standing character in Wexford life. It took a bit of getting used to. The ending wasn't quite what I expected, and the Afterwards seems ill-conceived. But - as always - I never seem to regret a Rendell read. ...more Shelves: fiction-crime-detection Rendell, Ruth. THE MONSTER IN THE BOX. (2009). ****. This is Ms. Rendell’s twenty-second book in her Inspector Wexford series. It’s hard to believe that it has been going on for that long. In this episode, she takes us back to Wexford’s beginnings on the force, back to a case that has resurfaced into today’s world. Back as a rookie, Wexford was present at his first homicide case – a woman strangled in her bedroom – when he noticed a short, muscular man wearing a scarf and walking a dog. He stare Rendell, Ruth. THE MONSTER IN THE BOX. (2009). ****. This is Ms.

Rendell’s twenty-second book in her Inspector Wexford series. It’s hard to believe that it has been going on for that long. In this episode, she takes us back to Wexford’s beginnings on the force, back to a case that has resurfaced into today’s world. Back as a rookie, Wexford was present at his first homicide case – a woman strangled in her bedroom – when he noticed a short, muscular man wearing a scarf and walking a dog. He stared at Wexford for a long time without blinking, while Wexford looked back but with a lack of the same intensity. Wexford also noticed that the man had a vivid birthmark on his neck that he was careful to hide with the scarf. Our young detective suddenly knew that this was the man who had murdered the young woman inside the house. Beliefs, however, are not known for their evidence, and these were all that Wexford had. As the years went on, several other murders similar to the first young woman occurred, and, again, Wexford’s suspicions fell onto the same person, although he could not find any evidence to support him.

This marked man, Targo, was a serial killer that was walking free. All the police could find out about him was that he was involved in a number of different enterprises for a living, and was on his third wife. He loved animals more than he cared for people, but none of these were crimes. It was only when a Pakistani family from the village attracts the attention of the authorities when their daughter goes missing that Targo becomes a serious contender for police attention. Once again, Ms. Rendell manages to entrap the reader in a convoluted plot that explores the dark side of a range of different characters while taking us through a competently run police procedural. Recommended. ...more Shelves: mystery It has been so long since I read a Ruth Rendell novel, I cannot remember which I read. Recently, I have finished several Barbara Vine mysteries and had fallen under her spell. After reading "The Monster in the Box", I had the surprising sense that I was comparing two different authors!Perhaps it is not fair to do so with this one book.

Vine's writing seems to have a more heightened tension throughout, with the constant mental question,"where are we going with this?" Each of her characters seem t It has been so long since I read a Ruth Rendell novel, I cannot remember which I read. Recently, I have finished several Barbara Vine mysteries and had fallen under her spell. After reading "The Monster in the Box", I had the surprising sense that I was comparing two different authors!Perhaps it is not fair to do so with this one book. Vine's writing seems to have a more heightened tension throughout, with the constant mental question,"where are we going with this?" Each of her characters seem to possess some emotional baggage and quirkiness, adding to the mystifying aura of the tale. In Rendell's "Monster", we see several people with more "normal" problems,the dilemmas of immigrant families and one odd, chilling, possible serial killer.The protagonist, Inspector Wexford, who is familiar to many readers after 22 books in this series, traces his history with this man through many years. This police procedural is certainly not an "edge of the seat", gripping mystery; but Rendell's intricate prose captures one's interest throughout.

She has clearly defined her characters, imbuing them with behavioral traits which are compelling, endearing or enigmatic. The English countryside and the urban areas are deftly and interestingly painted throughout. Rendell has managed to sustain suspense to the very last page and has provided me with an enjoyable experience. ...more Feb 21, 2013 Richard Blacklock rated it liked it I really try to like Ruth Rendell, but after having read "Road Rage" a few years ago, I was somewhat less than impressed. I thought I'd give it another go with "Monster in the Box". I couldn't help but wonder if some of the reviews on the sleeve were a bit, 'over the top', as you'd think she was the next Shakespeare. This was somewhat better than "Road Rage", but still, as a mystery writer she is average, at best. I honestly can't help but wonder if her fans have ever read other authors. It woul I really try to like Ruth Rendell, but after having read "Road Rage" a few years ago, I was somewhat less than impressed. I thought I'd give it another go with "Monster in the Box".

I couldn't help but wonder if some of the reviews on the sleeve were a bit, 'over the top', as you'd think she was the next Shakespeare. This was somewhat better than "Road Rage", but still, as a mystery writer she is average, at best. I honestly can't help but wonder if her fans have ever read other authors. It would seem Inspector Wexford is no Sherlock Holmes, blindly following hunches. The plot is quite ridiculous, and much of it just doesn't make sense. Anything from the bizarre encounters between the police and the Muslim family to a murderer who offers his services for free but never gets reported by anyone. To Rendell fans, I suggest you try other authors, you may be amazed. Ian Rankin or Peter Robinson are good popular authors, and Henning Mankell at his best is very good. Karin Fossum is certainly more gory and her books are more psychological but are in a different league than Rendell. Giles Blunt is also very good.

...more May 12, 2010 Jill Hutchinson rated it liked it · review of another edition As an avid reader of British mysteries, I place Ruth Rendell (and PD James) at the top of the list of current writers of that genre. I feel disloyal when I say that I did not particularly enjoy this novel. I have read most of the Wexford books and have loved them like old friends. But I could not garner much enthusiasm for this one. The plot, such as it was, proceeded very slowly and revolved around a hunch/obsession which seemed far-fetched, at best. A secondary plot in which the actions of the As an avid reader of British mysteries, I place Ruth Rendell (and PD James) at the top of the list of current writers of that genre. I feel disloyal when I say that I did not particularly enjoy this novel. I have read most of the Wexford books and have loved them like old friends. But I could not garner much enthusiasm for this one. The plot, such as it was, proceeded very slowly and revolved around a hunch/obsession which seemed far-fetched, at best.

A secondary plot in which the actions of the police would not have been considered or tolerated, eventually meshed with the main theme but it was quite a stretch and too coincidental. The backward look at Wexford's life as a young constable was interesting but it couldn't make up for the overall weakness of the story. I guess even the best authors make a misstep now and again. ...more Nov 29, 2009 Alecia rated it did not like it I may not even attempt any more Ruth Rendell books. Having once been a fan, I found that lately I can barely finish her works. I find the Inspector Wexford novels especially wordy and non-suspensful. I know that her way is to build up to the ending with a a psychologically intense look at the characters. But I found this book exeptionally boring, and I was itching to be done with it. Shelves: mystery-crime Well, as usual, a Rendell book is an easy, engaging, at times compelling digest, with a diverse cast of characters, some humor, some pathos, and some quirky red herrings plus secrets/surprises.

The problem is, other than the interesting and oftentimes touching insights into Wexford's past (though none, really, very surprising, after so many other books about him) I kept having the feeling throughout that I'd been there, done that. Most of the commentary on modern society, the UK's immigrant situ Well, as usual, a Rendell book is an easy, engaging, at times compelling digest, with a diverse cast of characters, some humor, some pathos, and some quirky red herrings plus secrets/surprises. The problem is, other than the interesting and oftentimes touching insights into Wexford's past (though none, really, very surprising, after so many other books about him) I kept having the feeling throughout that I'd been there, done that. Most of the commentary on modern society, the UK's immigrant situation, Muslim vs Western cultures, young teens etc have been in and out of virtually all Rendell books of the past, I don't know, ten years?

Same with the characters: with the exception of a few lights thrown upon Dora, Wexford's wife, who is barely more 'real' here than in previous Wexford novels, we've already been told and shown about Wexford's literary musings, his imagination, his cholesterol and weight issues, his fear of aging (or death?); plus his partner's thin gene, and Jenny's blind spots in the case of teaching and kids, and Heather's anti racism 'bening racism'r whatever. Same with the Muslim family in question: I had the feeling I'd seen all these people before. In most of Rendell's Wexford novels, he encounters an enigmatic, handsome but not pretty Asian woman to whom he's half attracted and half repelled and who seems to hold the key to whatever else is going on. I guess it's true what they say about artists: they've only one story to say and repeat it continuously. The problem is (as one notices with, for eg, Philip Roth) as they age they seem to find more monotonous and less original ways of telling it. Perhaps its time for Ruth Rendell to retire.

On the other hand, it's impossible to deny that her narrative is inciting and easy to abandon. ...more Feb 17, 2012 Shirley Schwartz rated it really liked it When you read this book you realize that Ms. Rendell is coming to the end of her wonderful Inspector Wexford series. I for one am sad to see this, but look forward to reading her next book "The Vault" which is recently out. In this book the enigmatic Wexford is being haunted by a ghost from his past. A ghost that he first met when he was just a young copper and newly on the force. A ghost who Wexford is convinced is a serial killer, but one that was never brought to justice. And then lo and beho When you read this book you realize that Ms. Rendell is coming to the end of her wonderful Inspector Wexford series. I for one am sad to see this, but look forward to reading her next book "The Vault" which is recently out. In this book the enigmatic Wexford is being haunted by a ghost from his past. A ghost that he first met when he was just a young copper and newly on the force.

A ghost who Wexford is convinced is a serial killer, but one that was never brought to justice. And then lo and behold the ghost comes back into Wexford's life after many years absence and Wexford and Burden are dealing with a present-day murder. Again Wexford has no evidence or proof other than his own assurance that this man is a serial killer and is still in the business, so to speak. I enjoyed the book. The first part of the book was especially strong, but the ending is a bit disappointing even though we know that things don't always work out the way they should in real life. I love Wexford and have enjoyed reading him over the past many years. He's a copper's copper and one who has good instincts and an intelligence that have all helped him be very successful in his long and illustrious career. Fortunately for me, I have still got quite a few non-series books written by the remarkable Ms. Rendell, and I'm going to enjoy getting through this list. She is a remarkable writer.

...more Oct 06, 2009 Philip rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Rendell fans, Wexford fans, Mystery Fans Recommended to Philip by: Nobody had to!!! With the publication of FROM DOON WITH DEATH, author Ruth Rendell and her creation, Reginald Wexford, appeared in bookstores at the same time - 1964 to be exact - she was 34 and he was 52. Rendell has said that had she known she would continue writing about Wexford for so long she'd have made him younger at the start! In THE MONSTER IN THE BOX she gives us what she has never given us before: a glimpse of the pre-DOON Wexford, in a novel which transports the reader back and forth between Wexford's With the publication of FROM DOON WITH DEATH, author Ruth Rendell and her creation, Reginald Wexford, appeared in bookstores at the same time - 1964 to be exact - she was 34 and he was 52.

Rendell has said that had she known she would continue writing about Wexford for so long she'd have made him younger at the start! In THE MONSTER IN THE BOX she gives us what she has never given us before: a glimpse of the pre-DOON Wexford, in a novel which transports the reader back and forth between Wexford's early days on the police force (Wexford's bachelor days may raise an eyebrow or two) including his courtship of Dora, whom he eventually married, and the late 1990s, when the reappearance of a man he hasn't seen in years causes Wexford to reflect on several unsolved murders he's convinced the man committed. This is a very 'reflective' novel, and there are many comparisons between village life in the late 1990s ( and what must be) the late 1940s/1950s. Realistically, Wexford would be in his 90s now and long past retirement - Rendell will be 80 in 2010 and - rejoice, readers! - gives no indication of retirement.

...more May 08, 2012 Mary Overton added it "Some years before, when his daughter Sylvia had been taking a course in psychotherapeutic counselling, she had taught him about the 'box' as a means of dealing with anxieties. "'If you've a problem weighing on your mind, Dad, you have to visualize a box - maybe quite small, the size of a matchbox. You open it and put your worry inside - now don't start laughing. It works. Close the box with the worry inside and put it away somewhere, inside a drawer, say.' "'Why not throw it in the sea?' "'That's "Some years before, when his daughter Sylvia had been taking a course in psychotherapeutic counselling, she had taught him about the 'box' as a means of dealing with anxieties. "'If you've a problem weighing on your mind, Dad, you have to visualize a box - maybe quite small, the size of a matchbox. You open it and put your worry inside - now don't start laughing. It works.

Close the box with the worry inside and put it away somewhere, inside a drawer, say.' "'Why not throw it in the sea?' "'That's a bit final. You may want to take it out again one day.' "'And this is going to take all problems away?' "'I don't say that, Dad, but it might help. If you find yourself thinking of the worry, you also think it's locked away in the box so you can't touch it.' "He had scoffed. But still he tried it. Several times since then he had put Targo [the suspected serial killer] in a box, and sometimes it had worked well. He tried it again now, carefully placing Targo and the white van and ... his own fear into the box and hiding it in a drawer of the desk in his office. And the white van failed to reappear." pp.139-40 ...more Aug 24, 2013 Joy rated it really liked it Excellent novel about a 40-year long investigation. Wexford's first murder investigation is a wife whose husband wanted to be rid of her.

While the husband squeaks free on a technicality, the real murderer has clicked with Wexford to such an extent that he stalks him. Targo teases him with indications of what they both know, but which Wexford can't do a thing about because he has no evidence. THE MONSTER IN THE BOX: impressive characterization and place setting. I've been reexploring Rendell late Excellent novel about a 40-year long investigation. Wexford's first murder investigation is a wife whose husband wanted to be rid of her. While the husband squeaks free on a technicality, the real murderer has clicked with Wexford to such an extent that he stalks him. Targo teases him with indications of what they both know, but which Wexford can't do a thing about because he has no evidence. THE MONSTER IN THE BOX: impressive characterization and place setting. I've been reexploring Rendell lately, and come to the conclusion I only want to read her Wexford books. Rendell writes books full of unpleasant people, under her own name and her Barbara Vine books. As psychological studies they are impressive, but why on earth would I want to spend time with the people?

In the Wexford series, we are seeing that unpleasantness through the eyes of a likable person worthy of respect. Spending time with Wexford is rewarding, and so is his analysis of the suspects. ...more Shelves: mysteries The main concern of this late outing in the Wexford series is nostalgia, or at least contrasts between past and present. Not only Wexford’s Sussex village, but England has changed since the policeman began his career around 40 years ago, and the most significant change for the plot is the presence of Asian, “Moslem” families. Rendell foregrounds the young, female sergeant’s bumbling attempts to be multicultural (“Do call me Hannah”), suggesting that racism is unavoidable. I did enjoy the detecti The main concern of this late outing in the Wexford series is nostalgia, or at least contrasts between past and present. Not only Wexford’s Sussex village, but England has changed since the policeman began his career around 40 years ago, and the most significant change for the plot is the presence of Asian, “Moslem” families. Rendell foregrounds the young, female sergeant’s bumbling attempts to be multicultural (“Do call me Hannah”), suggesting that racism is unavoidable.

I did enjoy the detection in the present and Wexford’s reminiscences of the past, but I’m getting tired of the stereotype of the aging chief inspector who has to call in a grandson for help with technology (a CD Walkman, in a novel published in 2009!). There are plenty of detective novels first published in decades without computers and mobile phones and still worth reading--shouldn’t new ones set in the present reflect present-day reality? (I’ll get off my soapbox now.) ...more Shelves: mystery-thriller I would imagine fans of Inspector Wexford would appreciate this book far more than I. It does recount his early romances. Definitely a must-read for the die-hards who have read the previous 21 Wexfords. Rendell is legend in mystery circles and her writing proves the point. This is a classic English procedural but IMHO with some serious plot faults. Avoiding spoilers, I'll just say that far too much of the book proceeds without solid evidence. As for Wexford, who is new to me, I found him singula I would imagine fans of Inspector Wexford would appreciate this book far more than I. It does recount his early romances.

Definitely a must-read for the die-hards who have read the previous 21 Wexfords. Rendell is legend in mystery circles and her writing proves the point. This is a classic English procedural but IMHO with some serious plot faults. Avoiding spoilers, I'll just say that far too much of the book proceeds without solid evidence. As for Wexford, who is new to me, I found him singularly unexciting. In fact, all the characters in this book were distinctly unmemorable and remote. English procedurals can be stiff but usually there is one or more characters who can bring a smile and are given large enough parts to inject some levity. I'm truly sorry I read this book. It has removed any desire I might have had to meet the good Inspector. I ignored my First Rule of Mysteries: Always start at the beginning of a series.

...more Dec 07, 2015 Rosemary rated it liked it · review of another edition This is one of the last in Ruth Rendell’s Inspector Wexford detective series and Wexford is looking back over his career to a series of occasional murders which began when he was a constable, before he was married, before Burden joined the force and before his first documented case ( From Doon With Death – which is mentioned with a massive spoiler). Now Wexford finally has the chance to get his hands on the killer—if he’s right about who it is. The story is no more than OK as a mystery, and drags This is one of the last in Ruth Rendell’s Inspector Wexford detective series and Wexford is looking back over his career to a series of occasional murders which began when he was a constable, before he was married, before Burden joined the force and before his first documented case ( From Doon With Death – which is mentioned with a massive spoiler). Now Wexford finally has the chance to get his hands on the killer—if he’s right about who it is.

The story is no more than OK as a mystery, and drags in places with the annoying character of DS Hannah Goldsmith and her obsession with Muslims, but Wexford fans will enjoy it for the story of his early love life and how he met Dora. Shelves: jan-feb-2010 Although acknowledging Wexford's fascinating foray back in time, critics expressed mixed opinions about Rendell's latest—perhaps last—Inspector Wexford mystery. The most enthusiastic reviews, adopting a nostalgic tone, reminisced about Wexford's years as a young policeman, his personal growth, and the earlier period's cultural milieu. But more critics felt mixed about Rendell's retelling of Wexford's life 30 years before; others criticized the forced, distracting subplot featuring the Muslim gir Although acknowledging Wexford's fascinating foray back in time, critics expressed mixed opinions about Rendell's latest—perhaps last—Inspector Wexford mystery. The most enthusiastic reviews, adopting a nostalgic tone, reminisced about Wexford's years as a young policeman, his personal growth, and the earlier period's cultural milieu.

But more critics felt mixed about Rendell's retelling of Wexford's life 30 years before; others criticized the forced, distracting subplot featuring the Muslim girl and Rendell's strained political correctness. The Monster in the Box seems minor compared to previous efforts, and, though interesting, novices may wish to start with one of the earlier books in the series. This is an excerpt of a review published in Bookmarks magazine . ...more Apr 19, 2014 Stven rated it liked it I find it interesting reading the late entries in the Inspector Wexford series because Rendell has had him age realistically. In this story there is a thread of emphasis of differences between today's world (published in 2009) and the way things were in the past, mainly in the form of Wexford's own observations and reflections as he fills his colleague Burden in on the details of a criminal he's had his eye on since his earliest days as a policeman. The mystery part of this mystery story is well I find it interesting reading the late entries in the Inspector Wexford series because Rendell has had him age realistically.

In this story there is a thread of emphasis of differences between today's world (published in 2009) and the way things were in the past, mainly in the form of Wexford's own observations and reflections as he fills his colleague Burden in on the details of a criminal he's had his eye on since his earliest days as a policeman. The mystery part of this mystery story is well handled but perhaps it's fair to say that this is a book for longtime Wexford readers rather than an apt introduction to the character. ...more Dec 21, 2009 Hol added it I get a hankering to read a Whodunit like this about twice a year, which rather handily is how often Ruth Rendell now writes them. I have wondered if her books would be better developed if she allowed eight or even twelve months for writing them instead (lately she seems to rely a lot on dialogue for exposition), but I suppose the macramé-complex plots are rushing out of her brain too fast. Still an enjoyable read.

Shelves: mystery , read-in-2012 An old case from Wexford's past comes up; lots of reminiscing about his early career and how he met his wife, etc. It was a real page turner but I was reading it on vacation in Hawaii and kept getting pulled away to watch a sunset or go out to eat. The ending was a tiny bit of a letdown but it was pretty good. Oct 22, 2015 Anne rated it really liked it A tightly written narrative delving into the seemingly not-so-threatening appearance of a serial killer. The story moves from the past to the present seamlessly as Wexford seeks to find a criminal of the past. The criminal? An old man who seems to enjoy nothing more than walking his dog. Not all is what it seems, though. Ruth Rendell facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about Ruth Rendell COPYRIGHT 2004 The Gale Group Inc. Ruth Rendell Ruth Rendell (born 1930) was one of the world's most skillful and popular writers of mysteries and suspense thrillers.

Ruth Grasemann was born on February 17, 1930, in London, England, and was educated at Laughton High School in Essex. She worked as a newspaper reporter and sub-editor in West Essex from 1948 to 1952. In 1950 she married Donald Rendell, whom she later divorced, then remarried in 1977. They had one son. Rendell was variously described as the "new Agatha Christie," the "new First Lady of Mystery," and the "British Simenon." While she was hailed primarily for her creation of character, she was also praised for her inventive plots, her keen social observation and incisive social criticism, her evocative settings, and her startling and often grim endings. But what especially raised her writing above the level of much detective fiction was her masterly control of elements of style (figurative language, dialogue, and irony) more often associated with "serious" fiction. A prolific writer with consistently high standards, Rendell completed 27 novels and three short story collections. These works fall into two separate sub-genres of crime fiction.

The first is the straightforward British police procedural, set in Kingsmarkham, which features Inspector Wexford as the central figure. The second is the individual psychological suspense thriller, with no detective and with no recurring characters. As noted by Francis Wyndham, Rendell excels equally in both forms: "Ruth Rendell's remarkable talent has been able to accommodate the rigid rule of the reassuring mystery story (where a superficial logic conceals a basic fantasy) as well as the wider range of the disturbing psychological thriller (where an appearance of nightmare overlays a scrupulous realism)." The Kingsmarkham Series It was in her first novel, From Doon with Death (1964), that Rendell introduced her central character, Detective Chief Inspector Reg Wexford of Kingsmarkham, a particularly murder-prone village in Sussex. In this and the 14 Wexford novels that followed the reader is given a realistic portrayal of an intelligent and admirable human being. Wexford is a great reader with a ready supply of literary quotations. Frequently these quotes are thematically or symbolically pertinent to the plot, and sometimes a quotation fragment serves as the book's title.

A civilized man with decent values, Inspector Wexford is unusually tolerant and compassionate. His success in case-solving is often based on his ability to see in people emotions and motivations that other detectives would overlook. In Some Lie and Some Die (1973), a novel centered around a rock music festival, it is Wexford's understanding of young people and his acceptance of their values which are instrumental to his solution of the case. After his first appearance in the series at the age of 52, Wexford continued to grow, coping with domestic problems, conflicts with superiors, and personal illness. He is a vulnerable and thereby appealing character: a detective who transcends his crime-solving function. To add texture and density to the series, Rendell created a "company of players" who were featured from novel to novel. Accounts of these characters (Wexford's family members, friends, and associates) are more than entertaining narrative digressions. They act as foils or provide frames for characters involved in the crimes, and they contribute to the development of the plot.

For example, in the story "Inspector Wexford on Holiday," Dora, his supportive and sympathetic wife, plays an essential role in uncovering the clue which solves the mystery. In A Sleeping Life (1978), his daughter Sylvia's personal crisis serves as a catalyst for an examination of sexuality and the women's movement, both pertinent to the crime at hand. Wexford's loving relationship with his actress daughter Sheila offsets and highlights the selfish and unhealthy relationship of the Fanshawes, the key characters in The Best Man To Die (1969). An important character in the series is Detective Inspector Michael Burden, Wexford's aide and friend. Though 20 years younger than Wexford, he is older in temperament. Rigid, prudish, and generally conservative at the outset, Burden matures and becomes more charitable as a consequence of his association with Wexford.

An important stage in his growth takes place in No More Dying Then (1971), in which Burden's personal tragedy, the death of his wife, is central to the plot, and later, in Put on by Cunning (1981), there are signs that Burden may even have become a cultural match for Wexford. Rendell's portrayal of the ongoing friendship between the two men creates a continuity in the series. In sharp contrast to the sick fantasies and perverse behavior they, as policemen, must deal with, their own psyches are normal, their view of life and humanity realistic, and their relationship with each other symbiotic and healthy. The Suspense Thrillers Rendell once stated that the creation of character was her primary interest, and it is characterization that invests the Wexford series with extraordinary richness and depth. Her fascination with character is even more apparent in the non-series books, the suspense thrillers. Here she specialized in examining the inner guilt and darkness of her characters, whether they were drably commonplace or alarmingly aberrant. In fact, Rendell achieved suspense precisely by combining the more traditional elements of crime fiction with her rare gift for psychologically astute character study.

In her muted, understated style, she leads the reader into uneasy identification with a compulsive strangler (A Demon in My View, 1976), a failed writer (The Face of Trespass, 1974), an illiterate housekeeper (A Judgement in Stone, 1977), and a soulbartering teenager (The Killing Doll, 1984). The reader experiences the desperate alienation of these characters and is absorbed into the excitement of spotting and tracking the victims all the way to the murderous conclusions. In 1986 two more novels were published—Live Flesh, a psychological suspense story in which the main character is a rapist and murderer, and A Dark-Adapted Eye, written under the pen name of Barbara Vine, which deals with intimations of various crimes within a conventional family. Two more "Barbara Vine" novels were published in 1987—A Fatal Inversion and Talking to Strange Men. Rendell's mastery of crime fiction was widely recognized and honored. She received many awards, including the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Allen Poe Award for short story and the Crime Writers Association's Gold Dagger Award.

Her works have been translated into 14 languages. More than a million copies have been printed in English. Rendell continues to write mysteries from her home in Suffolk, England. Further Reading To date there are no biographical studies of Ruth Rendell. Reviews and critical articles abound; among the most helpful are Jane S. Bakerman's chapter in 10 Women of Mystery (1981), edited by Earl F. Bargainnier, and an "Interview with Ruth Rendell," by Diana Cooper-Clark in the Spring 1981 edition of the Armchair Detective. □ Cite this article COPYRIGHT 2001 The Gale Group Inc. RENDELL, Ruth (Barbara) Pseudonym: Barbara Vine. Nationality: British. Born: Ruth Barbara Grasemann, London, 17 February 1930. Education: Loughton High School, Essex. Family: Married Donald Rendell in 1950 (divorced 1975); remarried in 1977; one son. Career: Reporter and sub-editor, Express and Independent newspapers, West Essex, 1948-52.

Awards: Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe award, for short story, 1975, 1984; Crime Writers Association Silver Dagger award, 1984, and Gold Dagger award, 1976, 1986, 1987; Arts Council National Book award, 1981; Arts Council bursary, 1981; Popular Culture Association award, 1983; Sunday Times award for Literary Excellence, 1990. Agent: Peters Fraser and Dunlop, 503-504 The Chambers, Chelsea Harbour, Lots Road, London SW10 0XF. Address: Nussteads, Polstead, Colchester, Essex CO6 5DN, England . Publications The Fallen Curtain and Other Stories. London, Hutchinson, and NewYork, Doubleday, 1976. Means of Evil and Other Stories. London, Hutchinson, 1979; NewYork, Doubleday, 1980. The Fever Tree and Other Stories. London, Hutchinson, and NewYork, Pantheon, 1982. The New Girl Friend.

London, Hutchinson, 1985; New York, Pantheon, 1986. Collected Short Stories. London, Hutchinson, 1987; New York, Pantheon, 1988. The Strawberry Tree (with Flesh and Grass by Helen Simpson).London, Pandora Press, 1990. The Copper Peacock and Other Stories. London, Hutchinson, andNew York, Mysterious Press, 1991. Blood Lines: Long and Short Stories. New York, Crown Publishers, 1996. Other Ruth Rendell's Suffolk, photographs by Paul Bowden. London, Muller, 1989. Editor, A Warning to the Curious: The Ghost Stories of M.R. James. London, Century Hutchinson, 1987; Boston, Godine, 1989. Editor, with Colin Ward, Undermining the Central Line. London, Chatto and Windus, 1989. * From Agatha Christie to Ruth Rendell by Susan Rowland, New York, St. Martin's Press, 2000.

* * * In the thirty-plus years that have followed the publication of her debut "Wexford" novel From Doon with Death in 1964, Ruth Rendell has been writing fiction of a uniquely impressive kind. Incredibly prolific, with some fifty titles to her name, her work rate is more than matched by the high quality of her writing, and her novels and stories have secured her numerous awards while winning favor with readers and critics alike. Most of her books fall under the general heading of murder mystery or detective fiction, but to pigeon-hole her as a "genre" writer is to do both author and potential readers a disservice. In a real sense Rendell has created her own category, operating with great success on three fictional fronts—the "Inspector Wexford" detective series, the stand-alone novels produced under her own name and those written as Barbara Vine. Any one of these formidable streams of fiction would be enough to build her a lasting reputation; taken together, they put her in a class of her own. Rendell's work is distinguished by strong characterization, assured plotting, compelling atmosphere and deep psychological insights.

Her knowledge—of trees and plants and their properties, of Mozart opera, of literature and especially of human psychology—staggers with its range, while at the same time avoiding intrusiveness. The Face of Trespass for most of its length reads like a mainstream novel, Graham Lanceton's despised woodland retreat and curtailed love affair evoked with supreme skill, and one is almost one-third of the way through before the possibility of murder rears its head. Whatever else this may be, it certainly isn't "genre fiction." Similar qualities distinguish A Demon in My View and A Judgement in Stone, where the author examines the thoughts and actions of two psychopathic killers. Rendell's sardonic humor is present throughout her writing, and vulgar or tasteless characters often suffer severely at her hands, but in A Demon in My View a more sensitive treatment is afforded to the strangler Arthur Johnson. Through his recollections she fits together the terrible blend of nature and nurture that has made him what he is, the vicious murderer hidden by a façade of neat dress and prim, austere behavior.

A black humor surfaces with the arrival of fellow lodger and namesake Anthony Johnson, a student of psychology who scans texts on psychopathic personalities while a real-life killer walks the floor above him. Unlike Anthony Johnson, Rendell defines Arthur in human terms, and while one feels horror at his murderous acts it is possible to have a grudging sympathy for a man doomed to destruction by his own compulsive urges. Kindred personalities appear in several later novels, a murderous father and son "tradition" established in The Master of the Moor, while in A Sight for Sore Eyes a lethal partnership is formed by two individuals damaged in childhood. In A Judgement in Stone Eunice Parchman, starved of love as a child and cut off from the rest of the world by her inability to read and write, takes center stage. Eunice is harder to identify with, her evident lack of feeling defying any understanding of her as a person, but both she and her crazed ally Joan Smith are brought to fearful life on the page. The series of novels and stories featuring Chief Inspector Wexford have proved enormously popular, and have been successfully screened on U.K. television with George Baker in the starring role.

More conventionally "detective fiction" than her other works, their quality and individuality resists easy pigeon-holing. Like all her writing they are notable for superb plotlines, excellent atmosphere and memorable characters, not least Wexford and his "Watson" figure Inspector Mike Burden. The pair are marvelous foils for each other, the large, sometimes irascible Wexford whose painstaking deductions are allied to intuitive hunches striking sparks from his decent but stiff, by-the-book subordinate. This rapport enables their author to show Burden expounding one mistaken theory while babysitting his young son, and the unforgettable scene in "Means of Evil" where the straitlaced inspector cooks and serves Wexford shaggy-cap mushrooms and whisky in a vain attempt to solve a poisoning case. Once again Rendell impresses by her humanity, the ability to present her detectives and their families as people in their own right. The reader grieves with Burden over the death of his wife and shares his joy in a happy second marriage.

When Wexford's wife Dora is kidnapped during a protest over an environmentally-damaging bypass in Road Rage, or his daughter Sylvia enters a refuge for battered wives in Harm Done, their trauma and that of their loved ones involves the reader with them. While the Wexford novels may not inhabit the deeper darkness that pervades Rendell's other writings, they nevertheless reflect the increasingly grim nature of modern society. Such topics as aggressive feminism (An Unkindness of Ravens ), drugs, mass murder, and the blight of AIDs (Kissing the Gunner's Daughter ), pedophilia, and lynch law (Harm Done ) and the vulnerable lives of immigrant workers (Simisola ) are brought into the weave of her novels and given thoughtful consideration without preaching or disturbing the movement of the plot. Here, as elsewhere in her work, she examines the formative experiences of her criminals, the often harmful effects of upbringing and chance encounters that lead to violence and murder. Away from the Wexford canon, one is made aware of a potent, oppressive atmosphere of darkness and doom in which Rendell's characters find themselves trapped without hope of rescue.

This atmosphere, evident in A Demon in My View, is equally apparent in the recent A Sight for Sore Eyes. Here Rendell explores through the warped mind of murderer Teddy Brex the poisonous results of parental love withheld. Denied true affection like Arthur and Eunice before him, Teddy shuns the world's ugliness to form a lethal alliance with his damaged soul-mate Francine, herself orphaned by murder. The horrors that follow are achieved with supreme skill, suspense and tension heightened to the final terrifying climax. As Barbara Vine, Rendell studies the effect of chance and circumstance on what we would regard as normal lives, the reaction of characters to sudden stresses and discoveries that lead to obsession and violence. In A Fatal Inversion the weak, easy-going Adam Verne-Smith attempts to set up a commune at the country house he has inherited in the summer of 1976, but his efforts come to grief when the runaway Zosie breaks into the charmed circle. Rendell studies the impact of the attractive, disturbed Zosie on the group, the plot moving with ever-rising tension to a brutal culmination. The aftermath, where years later the survivors are forced to confront past events, shows her at her most subtle and accomplished.

In No Night is Too Long the study of three characters caught in a destructive triangular relationship is equaled by the author's description of the bleak Alaskan landscape. The Chimney Sweeper's Boy begins with the death of a respected author, whose daughter decides to write her own memoir of him only to discover that her father invented his past and was not the person he claimed to be. A powerful, disturbing narrative that uncovers those dark secrets so familiar to Rendell's readers, it shows the author at the height of her powers and set to continue her well-deserved success into the 21st century. Geoff Sadler Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. MLA

Question: What is the name of the Chief Inspector featured in many RuthRendell novels e.g. Road Rage?
Answer: Reg Wexford