From Doon With Death
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3.7 • 25 Ratings
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- $15.99
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
The first book to feature the classic crime-solving detective, Chief Inspector Wexford.
No one believed Mr Parsons' fears for his missing wife. Until two days later she was discovered in the woods, her face swollen and her clothes damply clinging to her lifeless body.
With no useful witnesses and a victim known only for her mundane life, Chief Inspector Wexford has just one clue: a lipstick found at the scene.
To find the killer, Wexford must first discover a motive. Because what he can't understand is how such an unassuming woman became the victim of such a passionate and violent crime.
Customer Reviews
A REAL EYE OPENER!!!!!!!!
This volume, being the opening ’chapter’ of the world famous Adam Dalgleish series of detective novels, is the first Rendell book that I have read for far too long. This novel opens as a search for a missing person, but soon transforms into the hunt for a killer. Clues are scattered - and hidden - throughout the book’s pages beautifully, and like all great mysteries, it takes a genius to absorb every layer of depth there is in this book in one sitting. A newbie like me, for example, is too busy sitting in wonder at the characterisations, and the atmosphere and the perfect representation of everything about England that Ms Rendell obviously held dear to her heart.
One could say the book is quintessentially English, and I suspect that is correct, but one could also describe the book as a quintessential Rendellism. I quite like that phrase. Speaking of class, this quote took my fancy on the train ride to work this morning: taken from page 55:
’ ... As he spoke light seemed suddenly to have dawned on Missal. He blushed an even darker brick red and his face crumpled like that of a baby about to cry. There was despair there, despair and the kind of pain Burden felt he should not look upon. Then Missal seemed to pull himself together... ’
I must admit to struggling with the book prior to coming across this jewel, but the book almost jumped out of my hands as my eyes struggled to believe what they were seeing. And of course, I look at the book with a fresh set of eyes now, every time I am lucky enough to read a few more pages.
So who killed Margaret Parsons? The case appears to break open somewhat at the book’s half way mark, with the discovery of hidden love notes and dedications in the victim’s attic. Hard work rarely goes by unrewarded, and soon the leg work (and the brain work) of the good guys gifts them with a strong lead and a suspected resolution. We find out by book’s end who the murderer was (or do we?) but for me that is of secondary import. My primary goal in opening and experiencing this tome was to see what all the fuss was about when it came to the Ruth Rendell mysteries.
I can say now they are awesome.
Dalgleish is a legend. I can’t wait to read them all!