Review: Wolf to the Slaughter

Wolf to the Slaughter by Ruth Rendell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There is a very subtle clue toward the end of this novel that one of the policemen misses and I caught. I was very pleased with myself. This is a very well crafted mystery full of red herrings and a wide cast of possible suspects. The setting is 1960s Britain and the contrast of generational attitudes--which wasn't a major factor in the story, just came up here and there--was an interesting element of the setting.
Rendell's writing is really good--she can build dramatic tension really well. The scene in this novel where a body is discovered is brilliantly done. (I'm not going to quote it because it would be a spoiler.)
This title counts toward the What's in a Name Challenge (an animal in the title).

Review: From Doon with Death

From Doon With Death by Ruth Rendell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very well structured mystery with more psycological depth to it than most cozies. I didn't figure out the mystery until the very end, but all the clues were there. I'm looking forward to reading more of the Wexford novels.

"In the hated Agatha one finds a lot of normal, law-abiding people living ordinary, blameless lives, who suddenly decide to murder their aunt. Well, I don't believe that." -- Ruth Rendell (p. 217)

This edition has a bit in the back by Daniel Mallory about Rendell and her place in the literary world which was quite interesting, especially the failings she found in Agatha Christie's work. I like Christie's books, but I think Rendell's observation is correct.