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Inspector Wexford #24
No Man's Nightingale
No Man's Nightingale: the eagerly anticipated twenty-fourth title in Ruth Rendell's bestselling Detective Chief Inspector Wexford series.
Sarah Hussain was not popular with many people in the community of Kingsmarkham. She was born of mixed parentage - a white Irishwoman and an immigrant Indian Hindu. She was also the Reverend of St Peter's Church.
But it comes as a profound shock to everyone when she is found strangled in the Vicarage.
A garrulous cleaner, Maxine, also shared by the Wexfords, discovers the body. In his comparatively recent retirement, the former Detective Chief Inspector is devoting much time to reading, and is deep into Edward Gibbon's The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He has little patience with Maxine's prattle.
But when his old friend Mike Burden asks if he might like to assist on this case as Crime Solutions Adviser (unpaid), Wexford is obliged to pay more precise attention to all available information.
The old instincts have not been blunted by a life where he and Dora divide their time between London and Kingsmarkham. Wexford retains a relish for work and a curiosity about people which is invaluable in detective work.
For all his experience and sophistication, Burden tends to jump to conclusions. But he is wise enough to listen to the man whose office he inherited, and whose experience makes him a most formidable ally.
Sarah Hussain was not popular with many people in the community of Kingsmarkham. She was born of mixed parentage - a white Irishwoman and an immigrant Indian Hindu. She was also the Reverend of St Peter's Church.
But it comes as a profound shock to everyone when she is found strangled in the Vicarage.
A garrulous cleaner, Maxine, also shared by the Wexfords, discovers the body. In his comparatively recent retirement, the former Detective Chief Inspector is devoting much time to reading, and is deep into Edward Gibbon's The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He has little patience with Maxine's prattle.
But when his old friend Mike Burden asks if he might like to assist on this case as Crime Solutions Adviser (unpaid), Wexford is obliged to pay more precise attention to all available information.
The old instincts have not been blunted by a life where he and Dora divide their time between London and Kingsmarkham. Wexford retains a relish for work and a curiosity about people which is invaluable in detective work.
For all his experience and sophistication, Burden tends to jump to conclusions. But he is wise enough to listen to the man whose office he inherited, and whose experience makes him a most formidable ally.
352 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 2013
405 people are currently reading
1447 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Rendell
473 books1,634 followersA.K.A. Barbara Vine
Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, CBE, who also wrote under the pseudonym Barbara Vine, was an acclaimed English crime writer, known for her many psychological thrillers and murder mysteries and above all for Inspector Wexford.
Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, CBE, who also wrote under the pseudonym Barbara Vine, was an acclaimed English crime writer, known for her many psychological thrillers and murder mysteries and above all for Inspector Wexford.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 509 reviews
March 2, 2022
I have never read Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford series previously, but I have enjoyed reading some of her other books. I listened to this on audio which is almost 9 hours long, narrated by Nigel Anthony, with Wexford living in Kingsmarkham with his wife, Dora, now retired from the police force, spending a lot of his time reading. The local vicar at St Peter's Church is a woman, Sarah Hussein is mixed race, a single mother with a beautiful 17 year old daughter, Clarissa, and not popular with the conservative local community. Her strangled body is found by her cleaner, the garrulous Maxine, who also happens to clean for Wexford. When Burden paves the way for him to get involved in the investigation, he cannot resist the lure to once again utilise the skills acquired in his former profession and satisfy his curiosity over the wide range of people caught up in the case. He becomes convinced that the mystery over Clarissa's father is crucial, and then finds himself at odds with former colleague Mike Burden over the arrest of a suspect, a suspect Wexford is sure is innocent. This was an okay listen, but I found the storyline meandered too much for my tastes, losing my interest at times. Nevertheless, it will no doubt appeal to many fans of the crime series.
February 10, 2017
3.5 For almost fifty years Rendell has been writing her Wexford novels and Inspector Wexford has aged right along with the series. He is now retired, plowing his way through "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire." In this novel it is mentioned that this is the goal of many a retiree, not one of mine, but that Wexler is actually accomplishing this and enjoying it as well. At the end of the novel he is I believe on volume 6.
Although his body has aged, his mind has not and he still finds solving who- done- its vastly interesting and when a killing happens at the church, he finds himself involved. Invited in somewhat by his successor Burden.
I love this series, no I have not read them for fifty years, but for sure the last twenty give or take a few. I love his bits of humor, his way of seeing things and catching up on the doings in his family. The characters are always a mix, some quirky, some love to lie, a true representation of the people in a city, town or village. I sincerely hope this author continues on with this series because it is one I will sorely miss.
Although his body has aged, his mind has not and he still finds solving who- done- its vastly interesting and when a killing happens at the church, he finds himself involved. Invited in somewhat by his successor Burden.
I love this series, no I have not read them for fifty years, but for sure the last twenty give or take a few. I love his bits of humor, his way of seeing things and catching up on the doings in his family. The characters are always a mix, some quirky, some love to lie, a true representation of the people in a city, town or village. I sincerely hope this author continues on with this series because it is one I will sorely miss.
August 2, 2022
A 3.5. A good story with several red herrings. Wexford retired and reading Gibbon is drawn into a murder case unofficially to assist Burden. The female vicar is strangled. Who murdered her? A maniac, a racist as she was Indian or a disgruntled member of her congregation.
Wexford interviews several people and conjectures on the killer. Burden is convinced its a gardener called Crisp but Wexford is not. There is an odd subplot with Maxine his cleaner and her son Jason. Her son and his landlord have a very odd relationship.
Clarissa the daughter of the murdered vicar is an interesting character. The lies people tell Wexford are uncovered and the setting of Kingsmarkham in wintry Sussex is fitting for this wintry mystery.
Wexford interviews several people and conjectures on the killer. Burden is convinced its a gardener called Crisp but Wexford is not. There is an odd subplot with Maxine his cleaner and her son Jason. Her son and his landlord have a very odd relationship.
Clarissa the daughter of the murdered vicar is an interesting character. The lies people tell Wexford are uncovered and the setting of Kingsmarkham in wintry Sussex is fitting for this wintry mystery.
November 27, 2022
Like Agatha Christie, like a very-few contemporary writers, Rendell delivers a worthy book every time. Here, Inspector Wexford is retired and feeling his age. Due to some personal connections, and a general desire to meddle, he joins the investigation of a vicar's murder, finding himself at odds with his former assistant, now promoted to his old position.
Rendell's unmatchable strengths are her settings: England-steeped in tradition, but struggling with the modern world of cell phones, GLBTQ equality, historical racism, and her characters who are vividly real, complex, and engaging (and very much the same quality as Agatha Christie's characters.)
Here, she also done a credible, Agatha Christie-like job of plotting the murder: we see suspects, we see clues and draw conclusions, but the ultimate solution is pleasantly surprising yet realistic within the facts at hand.
I think I'll propose a 3xxx-level college course comparing Agatha Christie's work with Rendell's: Christie's stories in the context of the British Empire, or trying to grasp the severance, with strong class distinctions and rampant sexism, versus Rendell's work, fifty years later, with the evolved Britain part of a global economy and with (mostly) equality for all.
Rendell's unmatchable strengths are her settings: England-steeped in tradition, but struggling with the modern world of cell phones, GLBTQ equality, historical racism, and her characters who are vividly real, complex, and engaging (and very much the same quality as Agatha Christie's characters.)
Here, she also done a credible, Agatha Christie-like job of plotting the murder: we see suspects, we see clues and draw conclusions, but the ultimate solution is pleasantly surprising yet realistic within the facts at hand.
I think I'll propose a 3xxx-level college course comparing Agatha Christie's work with Rendell's: Christie's stories in the context of the British Empire, or trying to grasp the severance, with strong class distinctions and rampant sexism, versus Rendell's work, fifty years later, with the evolved Britain part of a global economy and with (mostly) equality for all.
December 4, 2013
Better than the last Wexford, which was dire, but still not one of the best. I know Wexford is now retired but this is still a contemporary novel and shouldn’t feel so “old-fashioned”. I’ve always thought RR’s writing style set her apart from her peers, but the prose here seems plodding and often repetitious. I spotted a couple of unforgiveable errors again (the name of the supermarket changes from the fictional Questo to the real life Tesco and Burden’s calendar has photos of police station at the beginning of the case which changes to Cornish pond life with the New Year, but in March we’re back to police stations). This sort of thing has happened in most of RR’s recent work. Her editor, assuming it is the same one, really needs taking to task.
December 18, 2015
Description: A female vicar named Sarah Hussein is discovered strangled in her Kingsmarkham vicarage. Maxine, the gossipy cleaning woman who discovers her body, happens to also be in the employ of retired Chief Inspector Wexford and his wife. When called on by his old deputy, detective inspector Mike Burden, Wexford, intrigued by the unusual circumstances of the murder, leaps at the chance to tag along with the investigators.
A single mother to a teenage girl, Hussein was a woman working in a male-dominated profession. Moreover, she was of mixed race and working to modernize the church. Could racism or sexism have played a factor in her murder?
As Wexford searches the Vicar’s house, he sees a book on her bedside table. Inside the book is a letter serving as a bookmark. Without thinking much, Wexford puts it into his pocket. Wexford soon realizes he has made a grave error in removing a piece of valuable evidence from the scene without telling anybody. Yet what he finds inside begins to illuminate the murky past of Hussein. Is there more to her than meets the eye?
3* From Doon With Death (Inspector Wexford, #1)
3* A New Lease of Death (Inspector Wexford, #2)
3* Wolf to the Slaughter (Inspector Wexford, #3)
2* The Best Man to Die (Inspector Wexford, #4)
3* A Guilty Thing Suprised #5
3* No More Dying Then (Inspector Wexford, #6)
3* Murder Being Once Done (Inspector Wexford, #7)
3* Some Lie and Some Die (Inspector Wexford, #8)
3* Shake Hands Forever (Inspector Wexford, #9)
3* A Sleeping Life (Inspector Wexford, #10)
3* Put on by Cunning (Inspector Wexford #11)
1* Speaker of Mandarin (Inspector Wexford, #12)
3* An Unkindness of Ravens (Inspector Wexford, #13)
3* The Veiled One (Inspector Wexford, #14)
3* Kissing the Gunner's Daughter (Inspector Wexford, #15)
3* Road Rage (Inspector Wexford, #17)
3* Harm Done (Inspector Wexford, #18)
3* The Babes in the Wood (Inspector Wexford, #19)
3* End in Tears (Inspector Wexford, #20)
3* Not in the Flesh (Inspector Wexford, #21)
1* The Monster in the Box (Inspector Wexford #22)
2* The Vault (Inspector Wexford, #23)
2* No Man's Nightingale (Inspector Wexford #24)
July 7, 2013
It was a real pleasure to revisit Wexford in his retirement although this time he has been called in as a kind of consulting detective with his old bagman Burden, now Superintendent Burden and very much the boss.
The local vicar, a single mother of mixed race, a combination designed to bring out the very worst in her more conservative parishioners has been battered to death in the vicarage. A high profile murder and Burden has asked his old superior to assist and Wexford gladly agrees.
He does so with an unexpected streak of naughtiness while he pursues the case almost on his own, convinced that Burden is on the wrong scent. This independent streak causes him to be wracked with spasms of guilt as he removes evidence without authorization and commits other investigative sins, none of which particularly excite Burden who treats him with perhaps surprising toleration even when Wexford takes obvious and somewhat petty delight in pointing out Burden's errors.
The ongoing evolution in Wexford's character, his complicated family relationships, and the evolution of a beautifully developed mystery with suspect succeeding suspect make this post-career entry one of the best Wexford books in years and I can only hope that he is allowed to continue in his new consultative role. Highly recommended.
The local vicar, a single mother of mixed race, a combination designed to bring out the very worst in her more conservative parishioners has been battered to death in the vicarage. A high profile murder and Burden has asked his old superior to assist and Wexford gladly agrees.
He does so with an unexpected streak of naughtiness while he pursues the case almost on his own, convinced that Burden is on the wrong scent. This independent streak causes him to be wracked with spasms of guilt as he removes evidence without authorization and commits other investigative sins, none of which particularly excite Burden who treats him with perhaps surprising toleration even when Wexford takes obvious and somewhat petty delight in pointing out Burden's errors.
The ongoing evolution in Wexford's character, his complicated family relationships, and the evolution of a beautifully developed mystery with suspect succeeding suspect make this post-career entry one of the best Wexford books in years and I can only hope that he is allowed to continue in his new consultative role. Highly recommended.
December 19, 2013
I really enjoyed reading this book, not so much for the mystery, although that definitely held my attention, but because of the pure delight of seeing the modern world through the gently bewildered, determinedly tolerant eyes of a retired Inspector Wexford. Being a baby-boomer myself, I related to much of what he was thinking, and I couldn’t help wondering how much the author was expressing her own feelings through her character’s thoughts. The Inspector and his family have become so familiar to me over the years that reading about them feels as if I’m getting the news about my own friends and relatives. Wexford’s enduring and affectionate relationship with Dora, and their ups and downs with their adult daughters are not only believable, but also very refreshing in this age of dysfunctional detectives whose lives are as disordered as the people they are investigating. Minor characters are also entertaining, particularly the garrulous home-help, Maxine. The plot is delivered in a pleasant, low-key way—quietly persistent detection as opposed to chills and thrills, but the end result is a thoroughly absorbing and very charming read. This one will stay on my shelf as I know I’ll want to read it again at some point in the future.
December 28, 2013
Let me begin by saying that I love the Inspector Wexford series. It's one of my favorites but the problem with this one is that much of the book is based on an inaccuracy. The novel says specifically that two brown eyed parents can not have a blue eyed child. This isn't true. If both parents had a blue eyed parent then they have a 25% chance of having a blue eyed child. Are there no editors anymore to catch this stuff?
I wish Wexford had not retired. Burden seems to be a little heavy handled in the job Wexford had. Still, I love that Burden includes him in the investigation and he really solves the case. He and Dora seem to have an ideal retired life and it was nice to have his grandson, Robin, involved.
Rendell would never had made such a mistake in her hay day and her editors aren't doing her any favors in not catching the error. Maybe Wexford should have stayed retired.
I wish Wexford had not retired. Burden seems to be a little heavy handled in the job Wexford had. Still, I love that Burden includes him in the investigation and he really solves the case. He and Dora seem to have an ideal retired life and it was nice to have his grandson, Robin, involved.
Rendell would never had made such a mistake in her hay day and her editors aren't doing her any favors in not catching the error. Maybe Wexford should have stayed retired.
November 23, 2013
The murder mystery was dull, the plot disjointed and the social commentary jarring. Maybe I'm missing something, not being a regular reader of the these mysteries, but this did not feel like a contemporary novel. So many weird references! For instance, a female character talks about buying condoms for her teenage son, and how the pharmacist must have thought she was a transvestite. Had to read that several times before I realized she meant that a woman shopping for condoms is unheard of.
Also, being black and/or gay is still a huge deal in Rendell's UK. And you do not want to be an overweight or ugly woman in a Wexford mystery. If you're a guy, you're fine.
Also, being black and/or gay is still a huge deal in Rendell's UK. And you do not want to be an overweight or ugly woman in a Wexford mystery. If you're a guy, you're fine.
May 27, 2014
There are aspects of the Victorian novel in this latest Wexford and the slow pace probably won’t appeal to those who prefer more action and less ratiocination.
The plot centers on the murder of a female vicar whose sex, race and status as a single mother have not won her much sympathy among her conservative flock. These factors open the door to multiple suspects and numerous red herrings.
Reg Wexford in retirement seems to have become rather stuffy and even a bit of a crank, though the intelligence and humor are still to be found as Burden “allows” his former boss to participate in the investigation. We are reminded repeatedly that Reg has no legal authority, yet he still seems to get more cooperation from the people they encounter.
Though I prefer her psychological suspense novels to the Wexford series, Rendell still delights with her quirky characters, sharp insights and convoluted plots. She even managed to include a trademark linguistic clue and I missed it.
The plot centers on the murder of a female vicar whose sex, race and status as a single mother have not won her much sympathy among her conservative flock. These factors open the door to multiple suspects and numerous red herrings.
Reg Wexford in retirement seems to have become rather stuffy and even a bit of a crank, though the intelligence and humor are still to be found as Burden “allows” his former boss to participate in the investigation. We are reminded repeatedly that Reg has no legal authority, yet he still seems to get more cooperation from the people they encounter.
Though I prefer her psychological suspense novels to the Wexford series, Rendell still delights with her quirky characters, sharp insights and convoluted plots. She even managed to include a trademark linguistic clue and I missed it.
April 11, 2017
Most drawn out, boring-conclusion crime novel I have ever read.
I cannot believe I forced myself through all of this.
I cannot believe I forced myself through all of this.
January 29, 2014
No Man's Nightingale: An Inspector Wexford Novel by Ruth Rendell is 2013 Simon and Schuster publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
When a female vicar is found murdered, the now retired Inspector Wexford is invited by his former partner, Michael Burden to help investigate.
Sarah Hussein left behind a seventeen year old daughter named Clarrisa. Evidently, Clarrisa's father is unknown and this leads to much speculation. The strong feelings some in the community have towards a female minister could also lead to a string of suspects. Inspector Wexford is convinced that someone did not want Clarissa to find out who her father was and since her mother had promised to tell her on her eighteenth birthday, the timing of Sarah's death is certainly suspicious. Is Sarah's murder tied to her past ?
After 24 Inspector Wexford novels it may be time to let the good inspector enjoy his retirement years. I love Ruth Rendell, but this one was a little dull. The story raises some issues such as the feelings toward women in the ministry, a very big controversy since most have believed only men should hold such positions. I did have trouble staying focused on the mystery. It just didn't feel as cohesive as it should have and there was a time or two when I almost lost the thread of the story.
Although this is not the best novel in the series, Inspector Wexford is still sharp. I still enjoyed touching base with these characters.
Overall I will give this a C+
When a female vicar is found murdered, the now retired Inspector Wexford is invited by his former partner, Michael Burden to help investigate.
Sarah Hussein left behind a seventeen year old daughter named Clarrisa. Evidently, Clarrisa's father is unknown and this leads to much speculation. The strong feelings some in the community have towards a female minister could also lead to a string of suspects. Inspector Wexford is convinced that someone did not want Clarissa to find out who her father was and since her mother had promised to tell her on her eighteenth birthday, the timing of Sarah's death is certainly suspicious. Is Sarah's murder tied to her past ?
After 24 Inspector Wexford novels it may be time to let the good inspector enjoy his retirement years. I love Ruth Rendell, but this one was a little dull. The story raises some issues such as the feelings toward women in the ministry, a very big controversy since most have believed only men should hold such positions. I did have trouble staying focused on the mystery. It just didn't feel as cohesive as it should have and there was a time or two when I almost lost the thread of the story.
Although this is not the best novel in the series, Inspector Wexford is still sharp. I still enjoyed touching base with these characters.
Overall I will give this a C+
October 22, 2014
I believe I have read all of Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford novels, and this is one of the best.
In the mystery genre, it is all too common for the characters to be stick figures. But Rendell lets Reg Wexford gradually evolve over the years the way the rest of us do. He is not perfect. I recall him being described as "ugly" in one of the earlier books. He makes mistakes in judgment like the rest of us. And that represents what I like best about this series: the characters are all human, not paragons.
In this novel Wexford is now retired. He maintains a close friendship with his former subordinate, Mike Burden, who now runs the police operation. Although the men sometimes get testy with each other, they seem to be linked by genuine affection. Burden tends to jump to conclusions; Wexford is more thoughtful.
At times Rendell uses Wexford to show off her vast erudition, but that is a minor quibble. Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" shows up again in "No Man's Nightingale." It is just one more way to limn Wexford's identity.
Rendell really helps us understand the minds of her killers. We can see their points of view, and understanding their logic makes the murders all the more chilling.
In the mystery genre, it is all too common for the characters to be stick figures. But Rendell lets Reg Wexford gradually evolve over the years the way the rest of us do. He is not perfect. I recall him being described as "ugly" in one of the earlier books. He makes mistakes in judgment like the rest of us. And that represents what I like best about this series: the characters are all human, not paragons.
In this novel Wexford is now retired. He maintains a close friendship with his former subordinate, Mike Burden, who now runs the police operation. Although the men sometimes get testy with each other, they seem to be linked by genuine affection. Burden tends to jump to conclusions; Wexford is more thoughtful.
At times Rendell uses Wexford to show off her vast erudition, but that is a minor quibble. Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" shows up again in "No Man's Nightingale." It is just one more way to limn Wexford's identity.
Rendell really helps us understand the minds of her killers. We can see their points of view, and understanding their logic makes the murders all the more chilling.
December 20, 2017
Voilà, après 25 enquêtes, je dis au revoir à regret au commissaire Wexford. Cette dernière enquête était bien écrite et finement menée. Le thème du "racisme qui ne dit pas son nom" est bien présent et sous-tend le roman.
August 3, 2014
I expect formulaic, but not such predictability I just yawn & yawn.
November 1, 2019
I really appreciated how Rendell can put so much activity into a book and make it all seem relevant and potentially menacing at the same time. On the other hand, I rarely fully comprehend her book titles (although they probably actually relate to the story where many mystery books are merely puns on death stuff).
At the base of this story, a vicar (woman, escandelo!) has been murdered and she's really just too nice to have been killed, so who on earth... Racism, fantacism, and accentism all play parts here.
At the base of this story, a vicar (woman, escandelo!) has been murdered and she's really just too nice to have been killed, so who on earth... Racism, fantacism, and accentism all play parts here.
September 21, 2017
2.5 ☆ - according to goodreads somewhere between 'okay' and 'I liked it' (but nothing special, so I should probably round down)
Wexford was a surprisingly bearable investigator, the crime/murder itself wasn't terribly fascinating but interesting enough, and the other characters were maybe a little one-dimensional but it didn't bother me too much.
And at least the murderer was definitely a surprise.
Wexford was a surprisingly bearable investigator, the crime/murder itself wasn't terribly fascinating but interesting enough, and the other characters were maybe a little one-dimensional but it didn't bother me too much.
And at least the murderer was definitely a surprise.
May 22, 2018
Perfectly competent murder mystery. If you like the rest of Rendell's Wexford series, you'll like this one. The lackluster rating is from a few ticks that I'm finding more than a little bit annoying:
a) Rendell never gets over her really really white perspective on growing societal diversity, especially cultural mixing and immigration. She's overall most of the time, I think, intending to be good about it, in a didactic way, but pretty much all her core character remain, book after book, incredibly self-conscious and insecure about the whole thing. They constantly say things like "maybe this is not the politically correct way of saying this" or silently exoticize a POC's physical attributes while being aware this is something they're not "supposed" to do. Wexford and his most senior colleague (and other character), and therefore obviously Rendell, are aware that this is a form of racism, and don't shy away using the word, but couldn't they by now have found a way of dealing with it? Just figure out how to appropriately refer to different kinds of people and for god's sake rein in your tendency to remark on every immigrant's skin colour and accent, especially since you're aware it's not an ok thing to do. As a way of giving life to the occasional character it would be fine, but nearly everyone all the time gets annoying. (She appears to be somewhat more relaxed about gender and sexual orientation, though the gay man in this story is so overwrought it strains credibility. I don't know any gay many these days who'd refer to himself as "homosexual", and no, it's not a technical or scientific term, these days.)
b) We're supposed to like Wexford, and in many ways that's ok. He's smart, kind and has good values. But he also handles a lot of situations very badly, and there's nothing in the story that makes me think we should disapprove. I am particularly thinking of the scene where a young adult gets told about their family background. There would have been several ways of handling it better, including the way the young person asked for, which the other party ALSO wanted. But somehow this doesn't happen and when things go south all the bad effects are attributed to the young person. I could also do with the weird and extraneous musings about how overweight women are are unattractive to Wexford. Wexford isn't my favorite police detective hero.
a) Rendell never gets over her really really white perspective on growing societal diversity, especially cultural mixing and immigration. She's overall most of the time, I think, intending to be good about it, in a didactic way, but pretty much all her core character remain, book after book, incredibly self-conscious and insecure about the whole thing. They constantly say things like "maybe this is not the politically correct way of saying this" or silently exoticize a POC's physical attributes while being aware this is something they're not "supposed" to do. Wexford and his most senior colleague (and other character), and therefore obviously Rendell, are aware that this is a form of racism, and don't shy away using the word, but couldn't they by now have found a way of dealing with it? Just figure out how to appropriately refer to different kinds of people and for god's sake rein in your tendency to remark on every immigrant's skin colour and accent, especially since you're aware it's not an ok thing to do. As a way of giving life to the occasional character it would be fine, but nearly everyone all the time gets annoying. (She appears to be somewhat more relaxed about gender and sexual orientation, though the gay man in this story is so overwrought it strains credibility. I don't know any gay many these days who'd refer to himself as "homosexual", and no, it's not a technical or scientific term, these days.)
b) We're supposed to like Wexford, and in many ways that's ok. He's smart, kind and has good values. But he also handles a lot of situations very badly, and there's nothing in the story that makes me think we should disapprove. I am particularly thinking of the scene where a young adult gets told about their family background. There would have been several ways of handling it better, including the way the young person asked for, which the other party ALSO wanted. But somehow this doesn't happen and when things go south all the bad effects are attributed to the young person. I could also do with the weird and extraneous musings about how overweight women are are unattractive to Wexford. Wexford isn't my favorite police detective hero.
April 28, 2020
For me, this book just did not do it. I found the writing a bit awkward at points because of the characters and the plot.
As for the characters, there were just too many! I understand I came into the series wicked late (I read it for a book club), but there was a Jason and a Jeremy in the same plot arc, as well as other similar named characters. The main character, retired Inspector Wexford, was an interesting character in that he was very introspective and a little inwardly rude, which I found to be the most entertaining part of this otherwise dry book.
My biggest issues are with the plot. 1) The plot was slow. There was a completely irrelevant side-plot which only added to the word count. 2) Some characters seemed to know things magically. Why was Wesford thinking about a turkey baster? To foreshadow? Great, but there was no reason for it. This was just dropped into a discussion with no connection. Without it, certain events at the end wouldn't make sense, but I would appreciate it if these items at least made some sense when dropped into conversation. There was also another time where Wexford recalled something from the funeral, but during the funeral scene, this wasn't pointed out. How did he know about it? Why was this not pointed out to the reader? 3) When I finally crawled my way to the ending, it was completely unsatisfying. By this point, I was just happy to be finished with it.
While I really did not enjoy this book, I am not doubting Ruth Rendell's ability. Maybe the most disappointing part was the excerpt from an entirely different book, Dark Corners, which seemed much more interesting and well written. Rendell is quite a prolific writer, so maybe she was just tired of writing about Wexford? I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and eventually try something else of hers. No Man's Nightingale was just no charmer.
As for the characters, there were just too many! I understand I came into the series wicked late (I read it for a book club), but there was a Jason and a Jeremy in the same plot arc, as well as other similar named characters. The main character, retired Inspector Wexford, was an interesting character in that he was very introspective and a little inwardly rude, which I found to be the most entertaining part of this otherwise dry book.
My biggest issues are with the plot. 1) The plot was slow. There was a completely irrelevant side-plot which only added to the word count. 2) Some characters seemed to know things magically. Why was Wesford thinking about a turkey baster? To foreshadow? Great, but there was no reason for it. This was just dropped into a discussion with no connection. Without it, certain events at the end wouldn't make sense, but I would appreciate it if these items at least made some sense when dropped into conversation. There was also another time where Wexford recalled something from the funeral, but during the funeral scene, this wasn't pointed out. How did he know about it? Why was this not pointed out to the reader? 3) When I finally crawled my way to the ending, it was completely unsatisfying. By this point, I was just happy to be finished with it.
While I really did not enjoy this book, I am not doubting Ruth Rendell's ability. Maybe the most disappointing part was the excerpt from an entirely different book, Dark Corners, which seemed much more interesting and well written. Rendell is quite a prolific writer, so maybe she was just tired of writing about Wexford? I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and eventually try something else of hers. No Man's Nightingale was just no charmer.
January 5, 2022
It’s as if a confused and past it Ruth Rendell wandered onto the territory of PD James and Susan Hill and got horribly bogged down. In fact that simply is what happened and it wasn’t pretty.
There are flashes of interest and cleverness, but sadly almost none of the rich psychological insights one expects from Rendell, just a lot of doddery “thoughts” from her and Wexford, (narrative voice increasingly confused with Wexford’s voice) inconsistencies, characters, comments and behaviours that don’t really make sense. Maybe Wexford being so repetitive and inconsistent and almost gauche, plus all these other unfortunate weaknesses in the later books were an ingenious portrayal of the ageing hero and his world as he lost his powers. Alas I think not.
I hung on through this out of a sense of loyalty to the series, out of respect for Nigel Anthony’s game efforts to bring it to life on the audiobook, and because I couldn’t very well give up on the last novel, having come so far in this grand tour of RR… but the repetitions and needless asides became almost too much for me at points and I occasionally zoned out of which minor character was which. A bizarre prisoner spring and a secret lift in someone’s front room just slipped past, to be honest.
——————
Well, that brings to a conclusion a satisfying (to the nerd in me, at least) sweep of all the Wexford novels in just over two months. And it has helped my ‘read’ shelf keep ahead of my ‘to read’ shelf, an entirely arbitrary metric if ever there was one, but there’s nowt so queer as folk.
A good whodunnit in the right hands can really sparkle. Rendell’s hands were those hands until the late 90s. Wexford was a great character (until the last two novels): both a robust and endearing human, and a stolid Sussex nemesis
There are flashes of interest and cleverness, but sadly almost none of the rich psychological insights one expects from Rendell, just a lot of doddery “thoughts” from her and Wexford, (narrative voice increasingly confused with Wexford’s voice) inconsistencies, characters, comments and behaviours that don’t really make sense. Maybe Wexford being so repetitive and inconsistent and almost gauche, plus all these other unfortunate weaknesses in the later books were an ingenious portrayal of the ageing hero and his world as he lost his powers. Alas I think not.
I hung on through this out of a sense of loyalty to the series, out of respect for Nigel Anthony’s game efforts to bring it to life on the audiobook, and because I couldn’t very well give up on the last novel, having come so far in this grand tour of RR… but the repetitions and needless asides became almost too much for me at points and I occasionally zoned out of which minor character was which. A bizarre prisoner spring and a secret lift in someone’s front room just slipped past, to be honest.
——————
Well, that brings to a conclusion a satisfying (to the nerd in me, at least) sweep of all the Wexford novels in just over two months. And it has helped my ‘read’ shelf keep ahead of my ‘to read’ shelf, an entirely arbitrary metric if ever there was one, but there’s nowt so queer as folk.
A good whodunnit in the right hands can really sparkle. Rendell’s hands were those hands until the late 90s. Wexford was a great character (until the last two novels): both a robust and endearing human, and a stolid Sussex nemesis
August 11, 2013
I've read everything Ruth Rendell has written--some of her books I've read multiple times and I believe she has written a number of the cleverest books in the mystery genre. While I don't believe that all of her recent works are inferior to earlier ones, this one regretfully doesn't hold up well.
There aren't true spoilers in this review, but I'm tagging it as such because some of the comments might be understood that way.
Surrounding a few undeniably interesting characterizations is what is probably a good story that is obscured by excursions into the literary weeds.
There are several interrelated story lines. The ones surrounding recurring characters are developed in a way that will likely bake them unintelligible or even boring to people not familiar with the series. The major storyline turns out to be largely irrelevant to the book's conclusion--which makes the ending sound both like a hasty resolution and rather obvious.
The material Rendell incorporates as an effort to discuss topical social causes has been a feature of Wexford books for some time and is a pointless distraction that, 20 years from now, will succeed in only hopelessly dating the book for future readers.
Worth reading, but don't expect one of the brightest lights in this series.
There aren't true spoilers in this review, but I'm tagging it as such because some of the comments might be understood that way.
Surrounding a few undeniably interesting characterizations is what is probably a good story that is obscured by excursions into the literary weeds.
There are several interrelated story lines. The ones surrounding recurring characters are developed in a way that will likely bake them unintelligible or even boring to people not familiar with the series. The major storyline turns out to be largely irrelevant to the book's conclusion--which makes the ending sound both like a hasty resolution and rather obvious.
The material Rendell incorporates as an effort to discuss topical social causes has been a feature of Wexford books for some time and is a pointless distraction that, 20 years from now, will succeed in only hopelessly dating the book for future readers.
Worth reading, but don't expect one of the brightest lights in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2017
Twenty-four books into the series and Wexford is retired. Burden has taken over Wexford's office and the stage is set for an interesting look at the conflicts and complications that could arise as both Burden and Wexford juggle their new-found roles as friends. Sadly, to me anyway, the attempt to create conflict, crisis and even co-operation between these two was weak in this novel. Ruth Rendell sets up an interesting crime, and she still is a master of plot, red-herrings and the creation of interesting characters, but Wexford is not interesting in his new role as retired, as a grandfather, and as man about the house.
I'm glad that Wexford appears to be keeping his hand in the solving of crimes, and I'm glad that Rendell did not kill him off to end his days on the force, but I think the Wexford series, if it is to continue, needs to have more edge and less of a the cosy, slippers and telly feel to the writing.
I did find the exploration of what it must be like for Wexford to be retired and yet still of great value to the police to be both fascinating and full of promise. It just seemed, at least to me, that the possibility was greater than the presentation.
I'm glad that Wexford appears to be keeping his hand in the solving of crimes, and I'm glad that Rendell did not kill him off to end his days on the force, but I think the Wexford series, if it is to continue, needs to have more edge and less of a the cosy, slippers and telly feel to the writing.
I did find the exploration of what it must be like for Wexford to be retired and yet still of great value to the police to be both fascinating and full of promise. It just seemed, at least to me, that the possibility was greater than the presentation.
May 12, 2017
A good, standard, Wexford mystery in which, when retired, good old Reg tries to help solver a murder mystery involving a female vicar. However, I did find it a bit convoluted in places, as if Ms Rendell had to stand on her head, etc., in order to make thinks come out right. There's also the case of her making a mistake involving heredity, and the reason one has blue eyes, brown eyes, etc. Unfortunately, eye color is one of those traits which is controlled by groups of genes, and not just two (or a few) as in the case of Gregor Mendel's pea plants. But this error seems confined to just Reg, so it didn't bother me too much. It could be removed from the book without doing any harm.
(I knew a Biology teacher who made the same mistake. Never fear, her smarter-than-her students corrected her. And no, it weren't me. :D )
At any rate, the last in the Wexford series of mysteries. I will miss him! (And Ms Rendell, too!)
Three stars
(I knew a Biology teacher who made the same mistake. Never fear, her smarter-than-her students corrected her. And no, it weren't me. :D )
At any rate, the last in the Wexford series of mysteries. I will miss him! (And Ms Rendell, too!)
Three stars
Read
July 24, 2024Rendell has developed a comfortable style over the years, making the books relatively easy to read, rarely very surprising, but always interesting in terms of what is revealed of the psychology of the characters. By now Inspector Wexford is retired--more or less--and if anything even more set in his ways as an old white British man. There's a constant effort to recognize Wexford discomfort with the 21st century, while at the same time one feels somewhat often that the author shares his discomfort.
August 25, 2022
This is the worst book! I have read her books before and enjoyed them. I have never read an Inspector Wexford previously and I will never read one again! From the beginning, no matter how many times I went back over the conversations and characters, there was just a vague feeling of exactly what was going on in the story and the plot. I continued thinking It would come together. It is such a surprise to me when all was revealed, probably because I missed half of what Rendell was trying to say!
I am an avid reader and a mystery lover, British and otherwise, classics and modern. This is a travesty.
I am an avid reader and a mystery lover, British and otherwise, classics and modern. This is a travesty.
February 26, 2016
If asked I would undoubtedly state that I prefer Ruth Rendell’s standalone work to the Wexford series and I prefer her writing as Barbara Vine to both but that is a little bit disingenuous as I am very fond of dear old Wexford, this was the man who shepherded in my crime reading tendencies in early adulthood and having checked out the publication dates he’d already had at least fourteen books published about him by then.
Anyway by the time we get to book number twenty-four Wexford is in retirement, busy hiding from his very loquacious cleaner and reading The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire interspersed with lunch with his daughter and various sedate outings with his wife and the occasional beer with his old partner Mike Burden. The changes to Wexford’s life seem to accurately reflect the change that retirement brings to many a successful man without turning the protagonist into a cliché and some of his thoughts and behaviours made me smile – it is good to have some gentle humour to soften the blow of a murder! And indeed life livens up a little when the local female vicar gets murdered. Mike Burden allows Wexford to view the crime scene and help out at first with clear direction with the investigation. The whole team get busy with yet the motive and the opportunity seem somewhat scarce. Surely the fact that she was a female member of the clergy couldn’t have got her killed? There are also musings that maybe this was a racist attack but Mike Burden doesn’t care about motives – he’s looking with someone with the opportunity.
This isn’t as tautly plotted as some of the earlier books, I got the feeling that Ruth Rendell was accurately reflecting how some of the older generation find the pace of recent change bewildering; how hard it is to be in sync with modern views, especially to do with the subjects touched on in this book, when the old ones have solidified over the years. That isn’t to say there isn’t a mystery and it has a good few red herrings but this isn’t a fast-moving plot and nor does it have the clear psychological bent of many of her books. There were however apart from the familiar ones, some interesting and well-defined characters, plenty of misinformation and the curious new relationship between Mike Burden and his old boss.
This was a satisfying read, all the more so because of course it is the last book in the series, there will be no more Wexford and perhaps that swayed my feelings in a more positive direction, or maybe the familiarity of the characters followed over a quarter of a century meant that although I hadn’t read this particular book before, the rhythm of the language the gentle exploration of themes was comforting.
Anyway by the time we get to book number twenty-four Wexford is in retirement, busy hiding from his very loquacious cleaner and reading The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire interspersed with lunch with his daughter and various sedate outings with his wife and the occasional beer with his old partner Mike Burden. The changes to Wexford’s life seem to accurately reflect the change that retirement brings to many a successful man without turning the protagonist into a cliché and some of his thoughts and behaviours made me smile – it is good to have some gentle humour to soften the blow of a murder! And indeed life livens up a little when the local female vicar gets murdered. Mike Burden allows Wexford to view the crime scene and help out at first with clear direction with the investigation. The whole team get busy with yet the motive and the opportunity seem somewhat scarce. Surely the fact that she was a female member of the clergy couldn’t have got her killed? There are also musings that maybe this was a racist attack but Mike Burden doesn’t care about motives – he’s looking with someone with the opportunity.
This isn’t as tautly plotted as some of the earlier books, I got the feeling that Ruth Rendell was accurately reflecting how some of the older generation find the pace of recent change bewildering; how hard it is to be in sync with modern views, especially to do with the subjects touched on in this book, when the old ones have solidified over the years. That isn’t to say there isn’t a mystery and it has a good few red herrings but this isn’t a fast-moving plot and nor does it have the clear psychological bent of many of her books. There were however apart from the familiar ones, some interesting and well-defined characters, plenty of misinformation and the curious new relationship between Mike Burden and his old boss.
This was a satisfying read, all the more so because of course it is the last book in the series, there will be no more Wexford and perhaps that swayed my feelings in a more positive direction, or maybe the familiarity of the characters followed over a quarter of a century meant that although I hadn’t read this particular book before, the rhythm of the language the gentle exploration of themes was comforting.
August 10, 2013
I have never been a great fan of the Wexford novels of Rendell.Perhaps it is that they have stuck almost religiously to the police procedural and also the fact that Reg Wexford is the most annoying detective in crime fiction,and, for most of us ,we are burdened(good pun there) with the voice of George Baker in our heads forever.
But "No Man's Nightingale" is a good read as we are thrown back into Retirement Reg's world once again.This time Wexford is puzzled by the murder of a local vicar, her daughter and the subsequent puzzling investigation which brings out the best and worst of him and Mike Burden.The characterisation is better than Rendell'previous novel and certainly the twist at the end actually caught me by surprise
As in other Wexford novels Reg's family is intimately involved in the investigation and we get a better perspective on his attitude towards retirement and the way his "civilian " nature has come to both annoy and inspire him.However, at the end Rendell hints that this may well be the last Wexford novel as there is a finality about Wexford's last words.
Where does Wexford go from here?Certainly the bland and irritating Mike Burden has become a weight on the Wexford novels and I sense if there is another novel it will have less of KingsMarkham and more of Wexford
But "No Man's Nightingale" is a good read as we are thrown back into Retirement Reg's world once again.This time Wexford is puzzled by the murder of a local vicar, her daughter and the subsequent puzzling investigation which brings out the best and worst of him and Mike Burden.The characterisation is better than Rendell'previous novel and certainly the twist at the end actually caught me by surprise
As in other Wexford novels Reg's family is intimately involved in the investigation and we get a better perspective on his attitude towards retirement and the way his "civilian " nature has come to both annoy and inspire him.However, at the end Rendell hints that this may well be the last Wexford novel as there is a finality about Wexford's last words.
Where does Wexford go from here?Certainly the bland and irritating Mike Burden has become a weight on the Wexford novels and I sense if there is another novel it will have less of KingsMarkham and more of Wexford
December 27, 2013
I'd probably do 3.5 stars if that were an option.
The good news: Rendell hasn't totally lost it with age and while she remains obsessed with social issues (race relations, single motherhood, prejudice, homosexuality), they don't always distract from the main point, which is the murder. She is also among the best novelists I've ever read at describing characters. In about one or two sentences she can tell you something about a character that allows you to know pretty much all you need to know. And she's funny about it.
The bad news: While she may not have totally lost it with age, she has lost it a little bit. And she does care a little too much about the social issues (and I happen to agree with Rendell about all her issues) to the distraction of the main event: whodunnit.
I will also say that while retired Wexford is not as much fun as still-working Wexford of days gone by, I think the Wexford novels she's been writing lately are better than the non-Wexford novels (as Rendell or as Barbara Vine). Either way, I'll keep reading as long as she keeps writing.
The good news: Rendell hasn't totally lost it with age and while she remains obsessed with social issues (race relations, single motherhood, prejudice, homosexuality), they don't always distract from the main point, which is the murder. She is also among the best novelists I've ever read at describing characters. In about one or two sentences she can tell you something about a character that allows you to know pretty much all you need to know. And she's funny about it.
The bad news: While she may not have totally lost it with age, she has lost it a little bit. And she does care a little too much about the social issues (and I happen to agree with Rendell about all her issues) to the distraction of the main event: whodunnit.
I will also say that while retired Wexford is not as much fun as still-working Wexford of days gone by, I think the Wexford novels she's been writing lately are better than the non-Wexford novels (as Rendell or as Barbara Vine). Either way, I'll keep reading as long as she keeps writing.
July 15, 2022
My first and last Rendell. Contrived tosh.
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