Synopses & Reviews
Now in paperback from “unequivocally the most brilliant mystery writer of our time,” (Patricia Cornwell) a psychologically thrilling novel about the eccentric inhabitants of a London apartment building, the secrets they keep, and what they will do to hide them.When Stuart Font decides to throw a housewarming party in his new flat, he invites all the people in his building—three flippant young girls, a lonely spinster, a man with a passion for classical history, and a woman determined to drink herself to death. After some deliberation, he even includes the unpleasant caretaker and his wife. There are a few other friends he’d considered inviting, but he definitely does not want his girlfriend Claudia there as he would also have to invite her lawyer husband. As it turns out, the party will be one everyone remembers.
Living in a building opposite Stuart’s, in reclusive isolation, is a young, beautiful Asian woman, known as Tigerlily. As though from some strange urban fairytale, she emerges infrequently, to exert a terrible spell. And Stuart’s worried parents have even more cause for concern about their handsome but hopelessly naive and under-motivated son.
Darkly humorous and piercingly observant of human behavior, Ruth Rendell has created an extraordinarily compelling story of our lives and crimes.
Review
" At 81, Ms. Rendell continues to write in impeccable form, dripping both mirth and malice"--Janet Maslin, New York Times
Review
“Rendell marshals her large cast of vividly drawn characters with apparent ease, skewering their self-deception and satirizing their pursuit of self-gratification with great skill…. The result is a thrilling exercise.”—The Evening Standard (UK)
Review
"Out of this spider's web of interwoven lives emerges ... a beautifully disguised and manipulated surprise, set amid the jittery background of the restless city."--The Independent (UK)
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“Spellbinding…. It's hard to think of another writer in the genre doing this sort of thing so well, and none does it better.”--Washington Post
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"Disgraceful behavior has rarely been written about so gracefully.”—Boston Globe
Review
“There is widespread agreement among both readers and reviewers that
Ruth Rendell is the best crime fiction writer of our time.”—
San Diego Union TribuneReview
“Exquisitely paced drama… Rendell once again creates an addictive read in which the characters are drawn and defined by the author's wry observations.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch
Synopsis
INCLUDES AN EXCERPT OF RENDELL'S FINAL NOVEL, DARK CORNERS Diamond Dagger Award-winning Ruth Rendell has written a psychologically thrilling novel about the eccentric inhabitants of a London terrace, the secrets they keep, and what they will do to hide them.
Is it dangerous to know too much about your neighbors?
When Stuart Font decides to throw a housewarming party in his new flat, he invites all the people in his building--three flippant young girls, a lonely spinster, a man with a passion for classical history, and a woman determined to drink herself to death. After some deliberation, he even includes the unpleasant caretaker and his wife. He considered inviting a few other friends, but he definitely does not want his girlfriend, Claudia, in attendance, as he would also have to invite her lawyer husband.
As it turns out, the party will be one everyone remembers.
Living in a townhouse opposite Stuart's building, in reclusive isolation, is a young, beautiful Asian woman known as Tigerlily. As though from some strange urban fairytale, she emerges infrequently to exert a terrible spell.
And Stuart's parents, always worried about their handsome, hopelessly naive, and undermotivated son, have even more cause for concern.
Darkly humorous, piercingly insightful about human behavior, Ruth Rendell, whom People magazine calls "one of the most remarkable novelists of her generation," has created an extraordinarily compelling story of our lives and crimes.
Synopsis
INCLUDES AN EXCERPT OF RENDELL’S FINAL NOVEL,
DARK CORNERSIs it dangerous to know too much about your neighbors?
When Stuart Font throws a housewarming party, he invites all the residents of his new building—among them, three flippant young girls, a lonely spinster, a man with a passion for classical history, and a woman determined to drink herself to death. He definitely does not want his girlfriend, Claudia, in attendance, as he would also have to invite her lawyer husband. But careful planning can only get a person so far. As it turns out, this party will be one everyone remembers.
Meanwhile, living in a town house opposite Stuart’s building, in reclusive isolation, is a young, beautiful Asian woman known as Tigerlily. As though from some strange urban fairy tale, she emerges infrequently to exert a terrible spell.
In Tigerlily’s Orchids, Ruth Rendell has written a darkly humorous and psychologically thrilling novel about the eccentric inhabitants of a London terrace—about the secrets they keep, and what they will do to hide them.
Synopsis
When Inspector Sejer receives a postcard with the message "Hell begins now," he sets out to uncover who's behind a string of cruel pranks that have thrown the peaceful town of Bjerkas into unrest, in this chilling new installment of the Inspector Konrad Sejer series from "the next Scandinavian literary superstar" (Chicago Tribune), acclaimed Norwegian mystery writer Karin Fossum.
Synopsis
“Pranks can have lethal consequences, even when they seem harmless to start with . . . A poison bonbon that ranks with the best of Ruth Rendell.”—Stephen King in
Entertainment Weekly One mild summer evening, a young couple are enjoying dinner while their daughter sleeps peacefully in her stroller under a tree. When her mother steps outside she is stunned: the child is covered in blood.
Inspector Sejer is called to the hospital to meet the family. Mercifully, the child is unharmed, but the parents are deeply shaken, and Sejer spends the evening trying to understand why anyone would carry out such a sinister prank. Then, just before midnight, somebody rings his doorbell.
No one is at the door, but the caller has left a small gray envelope on Sejer’s mat. From his living room window, the inspector watches a figure disappear into the darkness. Inside the envelope Sejer finds a postcard bearing a short message: Hell begins now.
“No one can thoroughly chill the blood the way Karin Fossum can . . . will put you away, no questions asked.”—Los Angeles Times
About the Author
Ruth Rendell (1930–2015) won three Edgar Awards, the highest accolade from Mystery Writers of America, as well as four Gold Daggers and a Diamond Dagger for outstanding contribution to the genre from England’s prestigious Crime Writers’ Association. Her remarkable career spanned a half century, with more than sixty books published. A member of the House of Lords, she was one of the great literary figures of our time.