DDC/MDS
| 813 |
Publication
New York : Ballantine books, 1975 (1970).
Original publication date
1970-03-16
Description
She took a peaceful walk in the woods--and found death waiting. . . . "The best mystery writer anywhere in the English-speaking world."--The Boston Globe Elizabeth and Quentin Nightingale. A happy couple who lived quite graciously at Myfleet Manor in the gentle English countryside. Elizabeth Nightingale found peace and tranquility on her nightly walks through the rich, dense forests surrounding Myfleet Manor. But the peace she treasured was shattered one night when she found death waiting in the woods. Chief Inspector Wexford and his colleague Inspector Burden find a most unsavory case on their hands--and must use all their wit and wisdom to solve it . . . "Undoubtedly one of the best writers of English mysteries and chiller-killer plots."--Los Angeles Times "You cannot afford to miss Ruth Rendell."--The New York Times Book Review "For readers who have almost given up mysteries . . . Rendell may be just the woman to get them started again."--Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine… (more)
Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
User reviews
LibraryThing member benfulton
I have to say, my interpretation of the puzzle ended up being fairly far off; I got the murderer right but was totally wrong on the motive. On the other hand, I kind of think the motive I came up with was more realistic :) I think Rendell is like that, though, not exactly going for the surprise
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twist ending you sometimes see, but the end result feels just a little bit askew instead of tidily wrapped up. This book moves a little slowly and the characters are a little wooden, but with a little thought and some erudition you should be able to put the puzzle together. A good quick read at under 200 pages. Show Less
LibraryThing member lsh63
This is one Ruth Rendell's earlier ones in the Inspector Wexford series, number 5 I believe.
Elizabeth Nightingale likes to take nightly walks on the grounds behind her house, Myfleet Manor. When she is found murdered, Inspector Wexford soon finds that there are many suspects that could have
What I absolutely love about Ruth Rendell's writing is that the story becomes more about the killer's reasons for committing murderous acts than the actual reveal of the "whodunit". This is one that had intrigued until the end.
Elizabeth Nightingale likes to take nightly walks on the grounds behind her house, Myfleet Manor. When she is found murdered, Inspector Wexford soon finds that there are many suspects that could have
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committed the crime. Quentin, her husband, Georgina, her sister in law, her au pair Katje, and her brother Denys Villiers.What I absolutely love about Ruth Rendell's writing is that the story becomes more about the killer's reasons for committing murderous acts than the actual reveal of the "whodunit". This is one that had intrigued until the end.
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LibraryThing member JalenV
Chief Inspector Wexford is unpleasantly surprised to find his assistant, Detective Inspector Burden, right and himself wrong several times In A Guilty Thing Surprised. Fortunately for his self-esteem, Rex figures out whodunnit while Mike is still clueless.
Elizabeth Villiers Nightingale is a lovely
Denys teaches Latin and Greek at Kingsmarkham Boys' Grammar School (also known as King Edward the Sixth Foundation for the Sons of Yeomen, Burgesses and Those of the Better Sort). There the students' nickname for him is 'Old Roman Villa'. Denys has also written and had published several books about the poet William Wordsworth. His latest is Wordsworth in Love.
Denys gets along very well with his brother-in-law, wealthy Quentin Nightingale, an underwriter for Lloyds of London. Quentin is proud of having an author in the family (they are both fans of Wordsworth). Quentin went so far as to fix up the Old House at Myfleet Manor so Denys would have a quiet place to write. Denys' wife, Georgina, resents the time he spends at the Old House.
The book was originally published in 1970, so don't be surprised that the older servants at the manor disapprove of the way the two youngest servants, Sean Lovell (a gardener who dreams of becoming a pop singer in London), and Katje Doorn (the Dutch au pair girl), 'don't know their place'.
Katje is unabashedly sexual, still rather shocking in that last year of the Swinging Sixties. She makes both Wexford and Burden uncomfortable: Burden because she comes on to him, Wexford because she tells him he resembles her old uncle in Friesland.
It was interesting to learn that 'blimey' ['gorblimey'] is short for 'God blind me' in chapter two. Ewwww!
I did guess the guilty thing, although I was very wrong about part of it. It's good not to be able to guess things too quickly. It was a quick read because I enjoyed it. I rarely read Police Procedural mysteries, but I started listening to my library's Wexfords on CD and discovered I liked them well enough to check out a printed version when no audio version was available.
Elizabeth Villiers Nightingale is a lovely
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blonde who works hard to look younger than her 41 years. Thoughtful, kind, and ever democratic, she's loved by her husband and most of their servants. The only person known to really dislike her was her brother, Denys Villiers. Denys teaches Latin and Greek at Kingsmarkham Boys' Grammar School (also known as King Edward the Sixth Foundation for the Sons of Yeomen, Burgesses and Those of the Better Sort). There the students' nickname for him is 'Old Roman Villa'. Denys has also written and had published several books about the poet William Wordsworth. His latest is Wordsworth in Love.
Denys gets along very well with his brother-in-law, wealthy Quentin Nightingale, an underwriter for Lloyds of London. Quentin is proud of having an author in the family (they are both fans of Wordsworth). Quentin went so far as to fix up the Old House at Myfleet Manor so Denys would have a quiet place to write. Denys' wife, Georgina, resents the time he spends at the Old House.
The book was originally published in 1970, so don't be surprised that the older servants at the manor disapprove of the way the two youngest servants, Sean Lovell (a gardener who dreams of becoming a pop singer in London), and Katje Doorn (the Dutch au pair girl), 'don't know their place'.
Katje is unabashedly sexual, still rather shocking in that last year of the Swinging Sixties. She makes both Wexford and Burden uncomfortable: Burden because she comes on to him, Wexford because she tells him he resembles her old uncle in Friesland.
It was interesting to learn that 'blimey' ['gorblimey'] is short for 'God blind me' in chapter two. Ewwww!
I did guess the guilty thing, although I was very wrong about part of it. It's good not to be able to guess things too quickly. It was a quick read because I enjoyed it. I rarely read Police Procedural mysteries, but I started listening to my library's Wexfords on CD and discovered I liked them well enough to check out a printed version when no audio version was available.
Show Less
LibraryThing member crazeedi73
I really like this one, the best so far in the series
LibraryThing member ffortsa
Not the best in the series so far (I think it's #5), rather obvious in its secrets. Or maybe I've been reading better writing and it just didn't match up
Subjects
Awards
Lost Man Booker Prize (Longlist)
ISBN
0345318609 / 9780345318602