Murder Being Once Done

As always, Reg Wexford, an older police Chief Inspector from rural England, will manage to take your breath away through his amazing ability to overcome weakness and always come out on top of the case at hand. Ruth Rendell is brilliant, introducing her readers to new characters while intertwining the old, steady ones. Inspector Wexford, one of Rendell's regulars, is visiting his nephew Howard, a Detective Superintendent in London, when a tragic murder case arises. While exploring the dark, dirty streets of London and avoiding the prestigious flower arrangements of his niece, Reg manages to overcome his illness. In the course of helping his nephew solve this murder mystery, Reg must contend with Howard's other inspectors and struggle to prove his knowledge and expertise in the field of character analysis. Filled with unwed mothers, poverty, and adoption, this novel is constantly twisting and turning through Reg's inner thoughts. Through all this, he is pulled between two opposing forces. His wife, Dora, pleads with him to rest, in accordance with the doctor's wishes. On the other hand is his burning desire to solve the young girl's murder. In the end, he manages to stay on top of the case but ignores his doctor's wishes for him to eat only bread and water. By the end of his stay in London, though, Reg is back to his beef. Once I picked this book up, I was unable to put it down. It is full of intriguing surprises and, mingled with the unpredictable new characters, comes the story of a cult with a long, uncertain past of family deceit and runaway brides. All in all, this book tickled me into giving it the rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

I'm only half-way through and it is very captivating, Wexford is delicious as read by Robin Bailey. Ruth Rendell's writing makes me laugh with joy, when Wexford sees 'an alarming flower arrangement', what a wonderful adjective for a flower arrangement!