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Ruth Rendell - The Vault


Publisher: Random House

ISBN: 9780091937119

My rating: 2/5

Don’t forget,’ Wexford said, ‘I’ve lived in a world where the improbable happens all the time.’
However, the impossible has happened. Chief Inspector Reg Wexford has retired. He and his wife, Dora, now divide their time between Kingsmarkham and a coachhouse in Hampstead, belonging to their actress daughter, Sheila.
Wexford takes great pleasure in his books, but, for all the benefits of a more relaxed lifestyle, he misses being the law.
But a chance meeting in a London street, with someone he had known briefly as a very young police constable, changes everything. Tom Ede is now a Detective Superintendent, and is very keen to recruit Wexford as an adviser on a difficult case.
The bodies of two women and a man have been discovered in the old coal hole of an attractive house in St John’s Wood. None carries identification. But the man’s jacket pockets contain a string of pearls, a diamond and a sapphire necklace as well as other jewellery valued in the region of £40,000.
It is not a hard decision for Wexford. He is intrigued and excited by the challenge, and, in the early stages, not really anticipating that this new investigative role will bring him into physical danger.
(randomhouse.com.au)


My thoughts

I didn't like it, to be honest. First I had an audio book and thought I was listening to Bob the Builder and the Gang. Weird! So I managed to get hold of the book, but it didn't improve my "desire" to read it. I found the book more often next to my bed than in my hands! And I used to love Ruth Rendell's Wexford stories.

The plot was .... well I don't know, because I couldn't really get into it. It was weak and based on quite a few coincidences. What I did like was Rendell's description of London - it was good to be "back". I thoroughly enjoyed that part.

Last but not least, what's the sub-plot with the daughter. Did I miss something or what was the relevance?

All in all - not my cuppa tea :-(

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