Simisola

As has been pointed out by other reviewers, Ruth Rendell's "Simisola" combines the whodunit with a discussion of social issues. Even though the plot of the former is slightly overworked - an impressive construction, lacking somewhat in credibility - the connection is realistic and effective. Wexford's rather endearing, if unsuccessful attempts at "colourblindness", add neat twists and turns in his (more successful) attempts... Read Full Review

Mystery novels are not a particular interest of mine, so i was surprised when someone virtually thrust this book into my hand. Having watched some of this series on the Goggle Box, i was only mildly interested in starting SIMISOLA. What a pleasant experience this book proved to be. The characters are superbly drawn, Wexford particularly so, but the Akande family was portrayed exquisitely. A sympathetic view into... Read Full Review

As a tireless fan of Ruth Rendell who is continually surprised by her ability to juxtapose the traditional British police procedural framework with sharply discerning social criticism, I think Simisola bests even her usually high standard. Rendell has a gift for fleshing out a character in a single line that no other mystery writer (save PD James) can equal, but her writing evinces a nonjudgmental compassion for humanity... Read Full Review

Just a terrific book, from beginning to end. Very vivid, and the last sentence hit me like a ton of bricks. My only complaint, and it's a small one, is that the "whodunnit" comes from out of almost nowhere; readers must keep track of all of the characters very carefully. Not only is this a good mystery, but Rendell writes about the tensions between black and white very adeptly.

In "Simisola" Rendell continues to delve beneath the outer layers of the human psyche, exposing attitudes and perceptions that both animate and lay bare her main characters. Her detectives, the thoughtful Chief Inspector Wexford and the pragmatic Detective Inspector Burden, provide two separate approaches to racial tension, and domestic violence, in our society. When a woman goes missing and two women are murdered... Read Full Review