The Babes In The Wood (Chief Inspector Wexford mystery)
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Product Description
Review
Kingsmarkham is wet. Very wet and flooding when the call comes in that two teenage children and their carer are missing. Wexford and Burden are faced with the thought that all three have drowned in the high water but when the Kingsbrook subsides no bodies are found. Complicated by the bizarre personalities of the children's parents, the case drags on for several months before all the pieces fit together in Wexford's methodical mind, the pieces being drawn together from random sentences gleaned from police interviews. Ruth Rendell spins the story out cleverly, delving into her characters psyche and exploring their hidden thoughts and fears. The end, when it comes, is an unexpected result, seen in retrospect, revealing Rendell's intuitive quest for suspense and surprise. A first-rate read to be enjoyed, if possible, in one sitting. - Lucy Watson
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Book Description
The new Chief Inspector Wexford novel from 'the most brilliant mystery novelist of our time' Patricia Cornwall.
--This text refers to an alternate
Audio Cassette
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
true, this isn't really the best of Rendell's books, but it's still great. The story is interesting, and Wexford is becoming even more fascinating as he ages and feels increasingly adrift in a world that's largely moved on. There are some incredibly compelling sections which DO show Rendel writing at absolutely top form (e.g. the discovery of the car. I can't say more for spoilers) even if some aspects of the mystery are not QUITE of her normal quality.
The Babes in the Wood is packed with symbolism, which makes it a very thoughtful read indeed. In some of the early books, also, Wexford is not a very developed character, merely a vessel through which the mystery could be solved. In her later novels, he has grown and expanded and shown himself to be one of the most fascinating protagonists the genre has to offer. A sort of Old-Father-Time of the crime world. His presence in this story alone makes it worth reading.
The Babes in the Wood is still a five-star read, better than almost all other crime fiction. As well as an intriguing mystery, she crams in interesting social observation and wonderful character development, too. True, her characters may not always be likeable, but the view that unlikeable characters a good book does not make holds absolutely no water with me at all. Rendell shows us real people, all the time, not always in their best light, and they are always fascinating. If you want comfortable fiction, Rendell probably isn't always for you. If you want a strong and fascinating crime novel, she is.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ruth Rendell's book grips the imagination from the beginning. Once you have reached the end, and reflect upon the events described, some of the events appear a little unlikely, but this is a novel and is not to be confused with real life. As always, Ruth Rendell interweaves the plotlines skillfully and maintains the reader's interest - I could not put it down.
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This has got to be one of the best Wexford tales RR has written yet.
It is brilliantly written, as always, and there is a wonderful cast of characters, all of whom we almost invariably either like or despise. Wexford is on fine form, and he is fascinating as ever. His wry observations of life, and his opinions (while we may not agree with them always) make him seem very human, and he is a very interesting characters for us to see the story through the eyes of. Once again, Burden tags along, and provides an edge of distinct grey in his character. However, this time he doesnt get quite as much of a role as he has in the past.
The plot is original and absolutely fascinating. The way it unfolds is unfalteringly engrossing, and even though this is no thriller, its still a huge pageturner and its intriguing, exciting, and Ruth Rendell builds layer upon layer of nice plot turns into the story.
In the beginning, we are presented with an almost inexplicable set of human behaviours, and, through the events of her plot, Rendell excellently explains why people sometimes act in such strange ways, which is part of the reason why this book is so fascinating. the mystery contains many more levels than just the "who?" or "how?", but she delves deep into the character's psyche's, giving reason to every single characters often strange actions. Finding out "why" people do such strange things is almost as compelling as the mystery itself.
Along the way, we are also presented with some more brilliant story from wexford's own family life. Topping the book off is the fact that Kingsmarkham is flooding, which gives the story an extra layer of originality and interest, and also allowing her plot to go down different, more unconventional avenues.
The final conclusion is unexpected and satisfying.
I can't wait for what she has to offer us next year. Ruth Rendell's crown is showing absolutely no signs of tarnishing, even after all the many, many years she's been wearing it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good enough for a boring journey
I wonder if any one ever noticed that RR sometimes takes her themes from current news stories? Grasshopper has a couple who are in hiding after they are told a dearly loved foster... Read more
Published 9 months ago by smartesthorse
first and last
The Babes In The Wood jumps back and forth to and from nowhere for three hundred and some odd pages. I kept hoping for the plot to go somewhere. Read more
Published on 9 Sep 2009 by Islandic Horse
The Babes in the Wood
This starts well but flounders under unlikeable characters, subplots which don't really go anywhere, a solution which while making sense just engenders apathy in the reader. Read more
Published on 17 Feb 2009 by Rich
Slow and plodding with a weak story line
This was the second Ruth Rendell in a cut price combination with 'Not in the flesh'. I can see why they were discounted! Read more
Published on 13 Jan 2009 by John M
Not her Best - As wet as the floods!
Everyone is entitled to one bad book in a glittering career and this must be Ruth Rendell's. The implausible story plods along introducing even more implausible characters at... Read more
Published on 16 July 2008 by Ed Taylor
Not a great introduction to Ruth Rendell
I approached this book with some anticipation, and though I found it well written and readable, the story seemed to drag and in the end was too unrealistic. Read more
Published on 2 April 2005 by R. Reynolds
Not up to standard
Every writer has off days and this book is the result of a few such days. I was never gripped, the flodding was tedious, the plot had no mystery. The parents were distinctly odd. Read more
Published on 1 Jun 2004 by Mrs Campbell
What a let down
i have read practically all the Rendell books and much prefer the non Wexford stories. However i am stuck at home recovering from an operation and needed a 'good read'. Read more
Published on 1 May 2004 by Mrs Campbell
Rendell & Wexford: what a winning combo!
"The Babes in the Wood," the latest Inspector Wexford mystery, is a welcomed addition to
the famed Ruth Rendell police procedural series set in England. Read more
the famed Ruth Rendell police procedural series set in England. Read more
Published on 20 Jan 2004 by Billy J. Hobbs
Not Her Best But Still Worth Reading
I adore Ruth Rendell but for probably the second time ever out of dozens of her wonderful crime thrillers I struggled a little with this Wexford story. Read more
Published on 10 Jan 2004 by Ms. A. L. Woodward
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