I met Ruth Rendell at a BOUCHERCON. I think it was in Philadelphia but I’m not positive. Ruth Rendell spoke with me for about five minutes. I told her how much I enjoyed her mysteries. She told me her favorite writer was Henry James. Ruth Rendell was courteous and personable to a random fan like me. I’ve read over a dozen of Rendell’s books over the years includes some of her “Barbara Vine” suspense novels. But I decided for this special Ruth Rendell FFB to read one of her books that has been on my shelf for years. I chose the 1985 mystery, An Unkindness of Ravens. A marketing executive with secrets is found dead. Detective Chief Inspector Wexford finds himself in an uncomfortable position because the dead man was a neighbor. As a subplot, Wexford’s dour partner, Burden, struggles with a domestic problem. Like all the Rendell novels I’ve read, this book is carefully constructed. Wexford untangles the twisty plot with his usual intelligence and patience. If you enjoy clever British mysteries, An Unkindness of Ravens provides plenty of entertainment.
I think I saw the TV adaptation but never read the book, which is a bit bad of me! Thanks George, I do like the Wexford books of this vintage though I read the one that preceded it, SPEAKER FO MANDARIN, so maybe that is why I didn’t pick it up. Big mistake, obviously 🙂
Sergio, I’m with you on the Wexfords from the 1980s. The later Wexfords weren’t as good.
I haven’t read a Rendell for years. I am not a fan of psychological mysteries, and IIRC, some of hers were. I liked some of the books, don’t recall which ones. The TV adaption would have been something I’d have liked, but I don’t recall it.
Maggie, I have a bunch of Ruth Rendall British TV shows on DVD. Haven’t found the time to watch them.
I also quit reading her in later years, but I liked the earlier books and especially liked Wexford. I always picture him sighing about the humorless Butden. George Baker seemed like good casting in the TV series.
Of course it won’t surprise you that I read all her short story collections too.
Interesting comment about Henry James being her favorite writer.
Jeff, I was surprised when Ruth Rendell mentioned that Henry James was her favorite writer. I wish I had been bold enough to ask her which Henry James novel was her favorite. That would have revealed a lot!
I read the first one for the FFB, and will pick up the next in the series, going in order. I wasn’t wowed, but the one I read was a good, solid British police procedural. Rendell may also have been at the Milwaukee B’con, I thought I remembered her being on a panel I saw, but of course I could be misremembering.
I remember Rendell being at the Las Vegas Bouchercon. She had a reputation for being standoffish, but someone had a lot of books to get signed and knew she liked cats, and mentioned owning a cat and she was very nice. I saw her at book expo once, an industry trade show, and I said how I enjoyed one of her books (can’t remember which one) and she was very gracious, and seemed to want to talk for a bit, but couldn’t due to the massive line.
Maggie, it could have been the Vagas BOUCHERCON where I spoke with Rendell. She was very personable.
Rick, I was in Milwaukee for a BOUCHERCON (the one where they were giving away plastic cows). If Ruth Rendell was there, that may have been the BOUCHERCON where I spoke with her.
I loved those cows!
Jeff, i still have a couple of those plastic cows around here somewhere!
I have a half dozen or so, on my paperback mystery shelves as alpha dividers. I remember them stacking the cows up in pyramids in the book room. That was a great Bouchercon.
Rick, I only have a few cows, sounds like you have an entire herd!