Not in the Flesh
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The wait is over: here’s a new Wexford novel. And Not in the Flesh is one of the sharpest, most astringent outings for Ruth Rendell’s doughty copper in some time. Rendell's studies in dark psychology (which have at their centre characters who appear only in individual novels) are the most highly regarded among aficionados of her wok, but the unalloyed good feeling prompted by a fresh appearance for her long-term protagonist Inspector Wexford is something to be savoured, and we are once again in safe hands here.
A man taking his dog for a walk in a wooded area stumbles across a grim object -- a severed human hand. The body to which it belongs has been hidden from sight for years, as Wexford subsequently finds out. Of course, with the uncountable numbers of missing persons in police files, Wexford is well aware it will be an uphill struggle tracking down the identity of the body. Shortly after, in the basement of a disused cottage, another victim of violence is discovered, and Wexford and his reliable team find themselves attempting to discover connections between the murders.
Readers might wonder if the production of these utterly surefire Wexford books is an east task for Rendell (as opposed to the rigours of the grimmer psychological novels written under her own name, or the nom de plume Barbara Vine), but there's never a sense of the author on autopilot; this is professional, well-honed, engrossing stuff. --Barry Forshaw --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Christopher Bray, New Statesman
`Rendell's genius with the whodunit form works to make everything doubly vital...She is one of the rare breed that makes you feel privileged to be around at the same time as they are'
--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Despite the fact that most of her admirers would doubtless choose one of her other guises (the non-Wexford Rendell books or the Barbara Vine novels) as representing her best work, the Inspector Wexford series remains Ruth Rendell's most popular output. There have certainly been some very good Wexford stories over the forty-odd years since his first appearance, but the conventions of writing a police procedural sometimes seem to stifle Ms Rendell's fervid imagination, which is given free reign in her other books. Obviously both the public and her publishers still want her to produce Wexford novels on a regular basis, but it seems as if her interest in her most famous creation has waned over the years, and in some of her recent Wexfords such as 'Babes In the Wood' it really felt she was writing out of duty and obligation rather than choice. However, the Chief Inspector's last case, 'End In Tears', was a marked improvement, and although 'Not In The Flesh' isn't its equal, I'd still rate it as one of the better Wexford novels of the past decade or so.
The central crime - the discovery of two bodies on a plot of land which have remained undiscovered for a decade - is intriguing, although perhaps the motive behind the crimes won't come as a shock; I had a rough idea of what lay behind the mystery long before the Chief Inspector himself did. Nevertheless, it manages to keep the reader engrossed until the end. As usual, there is a sub-plot which involves Wexford's family, and this time it concerns the horrifying practice of female circumcision. Ms Rendell handles the subject as thoughtfully and sensitively as long-time fans would expect, and the climax to this story strand is nail-biting. However, usually these side issues are cleverly woven in to the main plotline, and that just isn't the case here. As well-written and important as it is, it still feels tacked-on and completely at odds with the tone of the rest of the book.
My other problem with 'Not In The Flesh' is the tiresome carping about 'political correctness'. I really expected better of Ms. Rendell than this. The issue of over-zealous political correctness was covered by many other authors years ago when it might actually have been considered a newsworthy topic. These days the only people who use the phrase are lazy journalists who work for right-wing tabloids like the Mail and the Express - and even they are only pandering to their readers' prejudices. I have always admired Ruth Rendell's strong stand against all kinds of social injustice, and to find her wasting her words on a non-issue that only the most small-minded of Middle Englanders would consider worth mentioning is both disappointing and embarrassing.
Still, despite these misgivings, 'Not In The Flesh' remains a mostly enjoyable read and I'd still recommend it to anyone who liked previous Wexford novels. Nevertheless, I must confess to wondering whether it wouldn't be better for the Chief Inspector to finally hand in his warrant card for good, leaving his creator free to concentrate on her other, more interesting work.
The central crime - the discovery of two bodies on a plot of land which have remained undiscovered for a decade - is intriguing, although perhaps the motive behind the crimes won't come as a shock; I had a rough idea of what lay behind the mystery long before the Chief Inspector himself did. Nevertheless, it manages to keep the reader engrossed until the end. As usual, there is a sub-plot which involves Wexford's family, and this time it concerns the horrifying practice of female circumcision. Ms Rendell handles the subject as thoughtfully and sensitively as long-time fans would expect, and the climax to this story strand is nail-biting. However, usually these side issues are cleverly woven in to the main plotline, and that just isn't the case here. As well-written and important as it is, it still feels tacked-on and completely at odds with the tone of the rest of the book.
My other problem with 'Not In The Flesh' is the tiresome carping about 'political correctness'. I really expected better of Ms. Rendell than this. The issue of over-zealous political correctness was covered by many other authors years ago when it might actually have been considered a newsworthy topic. These days the only people who use the phrase are lazy journalists who work for right-wing tabloids like the Mail and the Express - and even they are only pandering to their readers' prejudices. I have always admired Ruth Rendell's strong stand against all kinds of social injustice, and to find her wasting her words on a non-issue that only the most small-minded of Middle Englanders would consider worth mentioning is both disappointing and embarrassing.
Still, despite these misgivings, 'Not In The Flesh' remains a mostly enjoyable read and I'd still recommend it to anyone who liked previous Wexford novels. Nevertheless, I must confess to wondering whether it wouldn't be better for the Chief Inspector to finally hand in his warrant card for good, leaving his creator free to concentrate on her other, more interesting work.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
It hurts me to write a bad review on an Inspector Wexford novel but `Not in the Flesh' was awful.
I've enjoyed a number of the early Wexford novels and, after a break of few years since my last one, I bought this without hesitation believing it would be just as good as I remembered them to be. This one, however, was a huge disappointment.
The story appears cobbled together and, as other reviewers have said, I guessed the outcome long before the end. The constant referrals to `political correctness' is infuriating and the terrible `PC' character, constable Hannah, made me want to hurl the book across the room and give up. The sub-plot about female genital mutilation had nothing whatsoever to do with the story and just felt stuck in. Maybe it was to make a point or raise awareness of the issue but I don't think an Inspector Wexford novel is the place to do it.
If this is a taste of what's to come with future Wexford novels then maybe the good Inspector should retire.
I've enjoyed a number of the early Wexford novels and, after a break of few years since my last one, I bought this without hesitation believing it would be just as good as I remembered them to be. This one, however, was a huge disappointment.
The story appears cobbled together and, as other reviewers have said, I guessed the outcome long before the end. The constant referrals to `political correctness' is infuriating and the terrible `PC' character, constable Hannah, made me want to hurl the book across the room and give up. The sub-plot about female genital mutilation had nothing whatsoever to do with the story and just felt stuck in. Maybe it was to make a point or raise awareness of the issue but I don't think an Inspector Wexford novel is the place to do it.
If this is a taste of what's to come with future Wexford novels then maybe the good Inspector should retire.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
this book is just not good enough. Long after I worked out whodunnit and why Wexford is still going in the wrong direction. The writing is very good but the plotting is dreadful. I think back to how highly I rated Wexford novels 20 and more years ago and find it very sad that I can only give this two stars.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Who knew there were truffles in England?
One of the great things about Ruth Rendell is the scope of her interests and therefore, the breadth of her writing. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Blue in Washington
Oh dear!
Is this the Rendell book when things REALLY go downhill? Certainly some of the previous ones have been a bit iffy especially since she started dragging in 'political' sub plots but... Read more
Published 18 months ago by smartesthorse
Definitely not one of her best
I'm a huge fan of Ruth Rendell but this book was dull and a struggle to get through. The plot centres around a body found by a truffle hunting dog and the investigation then leads... Read more
Published on 8 April 2010 by Birkmyre
A disappointment
The book was very slow and lacked any element of supense. Wexford was solid as usual but the whole story had a very dated out-of-touch feel, in particular a set of characters who... Read more
Published on 21 Nov 2008 by Potterywhizz
A rather thin plot over reliant on coincidence
This was the first Ruth Rendell I had read, which I bought largely because two were on special offer in the local supermarket! Read more
Published on 10 Nov 2008 by John M
Ghost written by Enid Blyton
This latest offering of the Inspector Wexford series opens like an episode from "The Famous Five". In fact Wexford's language would be more suited to Policeman Plod. Read more
Published on 30 Sep 2008 by Neil Schwartz
Well, I enjoyed it!
Dog tired after a long drive, I went to bed early intending to read the first couple of chapters of Ruth Rendell's new Wexford novel before succumbing to blissful sleep. Read more
Published on 25 Sep 2008 by N. Shepherd
Not up to her usual standard
I'm afraid I found this very disappointing, particularly having just read (and thoroughly enjoyed) `The Water's Lovely'. Read more
Published on 22 Sep 2008 by Sarah W
Enjoyable but not one of her best
Despite the fact that most of her admirers would doubtless choose one of her other guises (the non-Wexford Rendell books or the Barbara Vine novels) as representing her best work,... Read more
Published on 31 Aug 2008 by M. D. Smart
I found this book very disappointing
I found this book very disappointing. The plot started off very slow and in my opinion it continued in the same vein. Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2008 by Andy Capp
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