The Monster in the Box
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Review
Yet further proof of Rendell's amazing criminal mastery --Evening Standard
[Targo] is as good a villain as Wexford ever tried to pin down . . . hauntingly nasty --Spectator
Targo haunted this world, as he haunts the reader: the monster is out of the box and it's impossible to put him back once this book has been closed --Independent
One of the best-written detective series in the genre's history . . . At any time we can return to Kingsmarkham to explore the darker side of humanity with Wexford as our reassuring and humane guide --Washington Post --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
[Targo] is as good a villain as Wexford ever tried to pin down . . . hauntingly nasty --Spectator
Targo haunted this world, as he haunts the reader: the monster is out of the box and it's impossible to put him back once this book has been closed --Independent
One of the best-written detective series in the genre's history . . . At any time we can return to Kingsmarkham to explore the darker side of humanity with Wexford as our reassuring and humane guide --Washington Post --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Book Description
The new Chief Inspector Wexford novel from the reigning Queen of British Crime.
--This text refers to the
Audio Cassette
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The idea for the book of Wexford solving a murder which happened in the past was a good one. However Miss Rendall should have stuck to the point and not go wandering off with reminiscing and getting involved in possible forced marriages.
This is a deary story, the only bit of light was the lion.
This is a deary story, the only bit of light was the lion.
54 of 58 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I came to this new Wexford title with some trepidation. I'd thought the last, Not in the Flesh, was pretty poor, with its shaky storyline and cringe-making subplot about female circumcision (cringe-making because of the quite condescending descriptions of the Somalian girl, not because of the procedure!).
However, I'm delighted to say that The Monster in the Box is a return to form. To be more correct, it's a return to form in some respects, something quite new in others. In what ways is it new? For a start, we go back in time to the days of Wexford's early career and the early stages of his relationship with Dora. These sections of the book are by no means boring filler: there's a particularly shocking scene in a Cornish cottage, for instance (and check out how Rendell plays with the reader's expectations with that one!). This story deals, too, with obsession, putting me in mind of some of the "straight" Rendell novels. It's also a particularly creepy book: the subject of Wexford's obsession, the monster he's trying to keep in the box, is particularly unnerving, almost a supernatural - or at least animalistic - figure.
The story is short, fast-paced, gripping, and in some ways bizarre (I enjoyed the runaway lion).
I think Rendell is better in this one on the race issues, though she's always sailed dangerously close to a condescending wind (so many of her asian characters have "noble" or "elegant" manners or profiles.)
One more point to note, and this is very strange. The novel seems to be set in the late 1990s. Can anyone explain why? I'm scratching my head about this one.
Advice for anyone disappointed by Wexford/Rendell's performance recently: give the pair another shot. This one's a really great performance.
However, I'm delighted to say that The Monster in the Box is a return to form. To be more correct, it's a return to form in some respects, something quite new in others. In what ways is it new? For a start, we go back in time to the days of Wexford's early career and the early stages of his relationship with Dora. These sections of the book are by no means boring filler: there's a particularly shocking scene in a Cornish cottage, for instance (and check out how Rendell plays with the reader's expectations with that one!). This story deals, too, with obsession, putting me in mind of some of the "straight" Rendell novels. It's also a particularly creepy book: the subject of Wexford's obsession, the monster he's trying to keep in the box, is particularly unnerving, almost a supernatural - or at least animalistic - figure.
The story is short, fast-paced, gripping, and in some ways bizarre (I enjoyed the runaway lion).
I think Rendell is better in this one on the race issues, though she's always sailed dangerously close to a condescending wind (so many of her asian characters have "noble" or "elegant" manners or profiles.)
One more point to note, and this is very strange. The novel seems to be set in the late 1990s. Can anyone explain why? I'm scratching my head about this one.
Advice for anyone disappointed by Wexford/Rendell's performance recently: give the pair another shot. This one's a really great performance.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have really struggled with this book and I am only on page 81. It is so pointless and drawn out, thankfully the local supermarket had a bogof, I have really enjoyed some of Ruth Rendells previous books, The Crocodile Bird is my favourite, but I have lost the will to live with this latest offering. I shall skip to the end then give it to someone I don't like.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Mixed Bag
There's probably more about Wexford's past in this book than any other, and for that it was worth reading. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Troy Beal
Rendell polarizes
Nothing seems to polarize the reading public more than one of Ruth Rendell's latest novels.
But under the deluge of criticism, I thought I'd stick my two penn'orth... Read more
But under the deluge of criticism, I thought I'd stick my two penn'orth... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jamie B
Take the money!
As a young policeman, involved in his first murder case, Wexford becomes convinced that a man walking his dog past the murder scene is the murderer. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Clive A. H. Still
Excellent finish to a excellent detective series
I was a bit hesitent about reading this book but when I did I loved it to bits as I was following it i thought it was actually the main antagonist all along but near the end when... Read more
Published 16 months ago by luke thresher
It's probably just me!!!
I listen to audiobooks in the car to pass the time on long journeys. I've tried three times to get into this box set, and each time it seems quite interesting but on my nerxt... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mr. D. J. Carr
Shocking proofing
The story is good, the only complaint I had was the dreadful spelling errors in the Kindle edition. Lots of place names on spell check by the look of it. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Wes
Terrible editing
This Kindle version has the worst editing I have ever seen. The number of Typos is staggering, they can't even get the names of the characters right!! Read more
Published 16 months ago by Plumpy
My god, the typos in the Kindle version...!
It's a Rendell, it's a Wexford, what can I say? It's fab. I have to say, though, the Kindle version is absolutely riddled with errors and while some are hilarious ("Mater pilchard,... Read more
Published 17 months ago by SophieM
What monster? What box?
What a load of old rubbish this is. None of the characters are believeable in this book, including Wexford, Burden & co (who were established in previous novels so certainly... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Ms. S. E. Willow
kindle formatting
The book was ok. A little tedious in parts which I don't usually expect from Ruth Rendell. However, the kindle version was riddled with typos. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Jill MacDow
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