“A most pleasing tale, adroitly plotted and deftly rendered, peopled with characters both original and convincing.”—Robert Wade, San Diego Union Tribune
The Monster in the Box
An Inspector Wexford Novel
Description
The Monster in the Box is the latest addition to Ruth Rendell’s “masterful” (Los Angeles Times) Inspector Wexford series.
In this enthralling new book, Rendell, “the best mystery writer in the English-speaking world” (Time), takes Inspector Wexford back to his first murder case—a woman found strangled in her bedroom. Outside the crime scene, Wexford noticed a short, muscular man wearing a scarf and walking a dog. The man gave Wexford an unnerving stare. Without any solid evidence, Wexford began to suspect that this man—Eric Targo—was the killer.
Over the years there are more unsolved, apparently motiveless murders in the town of Kingsmarkham.
Now, half a lifetime later, Wexford spots Targo back in Kingsmarkham after a long absence. Wexford tells his longtime partner, Mike Burden, about his suspicions, but Burden dismisses them as fantasy. Meanwhile, Burden’s wife, Jenny, has suspicions of her own. She believes that the Rahmans, a highly respectable immigrant family from Pakistan, may be forcing their daughter, Tamima, into an arranged marriage—or worse.
Reviews
“Those coming to this masterful series for the first time doubtless will be delighted to make Wexford's acquaintance.”—Tim Rutten, Los Angeles Times
“[Targo] is as good a villain as Wexford ever tried to pin down … hauntingly nasty.”—Spectator (U.K.)
“One of the best-written detective series in the genre's history… Everything weaves together in Rendell's imaginary town, but more so than ever in The Monster in the Box.”—Michael Sims, Washington Post
