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Three Barbara Vine Mysteries: A Dark-Adapted Eye / The Chimney Sweeper's Boy / The Brimstone Wedding
Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine
A Dark-Adapted Eye
Faith Severn never understood why her respectable aunt Vera snapped and murdered her own beloved sister. But thirty years after Vera is condemned and hanged, a true crime writer’s new investigation into the case is finally allowing Faith to see her family’s unspeakable history and its bygone tragedy in a chilling new light. An Edgar Award winner.
The Chimney Sweeper’s Boy
When celebrated author Gerald Candless dies at his clifftop home in Devon, his daughter Sarah is commissioned to write his admiring biography—only to discover her father’s entire life was a lie. Now, Sarah fears that understanding all her father has hidden—and why—is the last thing she wants.
The Brimstone Wedding
Mired in a loveless marriage and a troubled affair, Jenny Warner has only Stella Newland to confide in. A patient at the English nursing home where Jenny works, Stella is open to hearing all about Jenny’s life. Stella understands; she has secrets too. When she gives Jenny the key to her house, it unlocks a mystery about the horrifying consequences of love.
A Dark-Adapted Eye
Faith Severn never understood why her respectable aunt Vera snapped and murdered her own beloved sister. But thirty years after Vera is condemned and hanged, a true crime writer’s new investigation into the case is finally allowing Faith to see her family’s unspeakable history and its bygone tragedy in a chilling new light. An Edgar Award winner.
The Chimney Sweeper’s Boy
When celebrated author Gerald Candless dies at his clifftop home in Devon, his daughter Sarah is commissioned to write his admiring biography—only to discover her father’s entire life was a lie. Now, Sarah fears that understanding all her father has hidden—and why—is the last thing she wants.
The Brimstone Wedding
Mired in a loveless marriage and a troubled affair, Jenny Warner has only Stella Newland to confide in. A patient at the English nursing home where Jenny works, Stella is open to hearing all about Jenny’s life. Stella understands; she has secrets too. When she gives Jenny the key to her house, it unlocks a mystery about the horrifying consequences of love.
- GenresMystery
970 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2017
221 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Vine
29 books464 followersPseudonym of Ruth Rendell.
Rendell created a third strand of writing with the publication of A Dark Adapted Eye under her pseudonym Barbara Vine in 1986. Books such as King Solomon's Carpet, A Fatal Inversion and Anna's Book (original UK title Asta's Book) inhabit the same territory as her psychological crime novels while they further develop themes of family misunderstandings and the side effects of secrets kept and crimes done. Rendell is famous for her elegant prose and sharp insights into the human mind, as well as her ability to create cogent plots and characters. Rendell has also injected the social changes of the last 40 years into her work, bringing awareness to such issues as domestic violence and the change in the status of women.
Rendell created a third strand of writing with the publication of A Dark Adapted Eye under her pseudonym Barbara Vine in 1986. Books such as King Solomon's Carpet, A Fatal Inversion and Anna's Book (original UK title Asta's Book) inhabit the same territory as her psychological crime novels while they further develop themes of family misunderstandings and the side effects of secrets kept and crimes done. Rendell is famous for her elegant prose and sharp insights into the human mind, as well as her ability to create cogent plots and characters. Rendell has also injected the social changes of the last 40 years into her work, bringing awareness to such issues as domestic violence and the change in the status of women.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 26, 2018
Mixed Feelings
What can you say about a book, or in this case three, that are well written with clearly drawn characters, evocative images and cohesive plots, yet not really enjoyable? For me, the way the mysteries are constructed was irritating. The murder, or in one case not even that, are not revealed until the end with bits of information scattered throughout the narrative. I am not sure why I felt compelled to finish them but I suspect the characters were interesting enough to keep my interest.
What can you say about a book, or in this case three, that are well written with clearly drawn characters, evocative images and cohesive plots, yet not really enjoyable? For me, the way the mysteries are constructed was irritating. The murder, or in one case not even that, are not revealed until the end with bits of information scattered throughout the narrative. I am not sure why I felt compelled to finish them but I suspect the characters were interesting enough to keep my interest.
February 25, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed the Brimstone Wedding, and the Chimney Sweepers Boy. The Brimstone wedding characters jumped off the page for me. So descriptive and concise. The plot moved along nicely in both the Chimney Sweeper's boy and the Brimstone Wedding. Somehow A Dark-Adapted Eye plodded along for me, almost too much description somehow. Barbara Vine is definitely an author i will continue to read. The way the Brimstone Wedding tied in all of the loose ends was brilliant, and the end was not expected at all with Genevieve being the daughter (with the unique name) of Stella and Allen's tow truck driver from years before.
May 20, 2018
Amazing stories.
The writing is so clean you just fall into it and live each moment with the characters. The final story is my favorite. I never quite figured it out until the last page. Stella tells her long ago story as Jenny lives her current one and the plots entwined and surprise.
The writing is so clean you just fall into it and live each moment with the characters. The final story is my favorite. I never quite figured it out until the last page. Stella tells her long ago story as Jenny lives her current one and the plots entwined and surprise.
December 22, 2024
I have started and abandoned The Dark-Adapted Eye three times now. It’s a difficult read jumping around in time with a large confusing cast of characters. I’ve decided that, even through the writing is superb, it is time for me to give up on that book and thus complete the boxed collection. I read and enjoyed the other two.
July 2, 2025
Three Vine Mysteries by Ruth Rendell
These three mysteries are well written, clues woven into details so seamlessly, that the mystery isn't totally resolved until the last paragraph of the last chapter. They are separate and stand alone novels, written before sequels became the author's way to assure a built-in readership.
These three mysteries are well written, clues woven into details so seamlessly, that the mystery isn't totally resolved until the last paragraph of the last chapter. They are separate and stand alone novels, written before sequels became the author's way to assure a built-in readership.
December 30, 2021
Skillful writing, compelling stories
A fine writer with a gift for plumbing the depths of human nature.
Three compelling tales which I would suggest reading not one after the other but at different times.
A fine writer with a gift for plumbing the depths of human nature.
Three compelling tales which I would suggest reading not one after the other but at different times.
August 4, 2025
Along with Stephen King, I have always found Ruth Rendell’s writing “amazing.” The depth of her characters, her ability to take something that could happen to anyone and turn it into heart-pounding suspense, her ability to turn irony into a lethal weapon - I miss her so much.
April 29, 2018
The Brimstone Wedding
The five star rating came from an older reader who enjoys stories of the Agatha Christie sort. Devilishly clever ending.
The five star rating came from an older reader who enjoys stories of the Agatha Christie sort. Devilishly clever ending.
December 13, 2025
Just first was read in outofprint audio on YouTube
July 30, 2025
A rather fascinating story. A successful author has two daughters who adore him, and he adores them. Yet he seems almost a misogynist with regard to his wife.
Told from various points of view (wife, daughter, editor), the story hooks the reader into an attempt to unravel the author’s life, to understand how he could be so kind to his daughter’s and so indifferent to his wife.
The pieces fall into place. There are clues in his novels. I won’t say the ending is satisfying, but it is coherent.
Told from various points of view (wife, daughter, editor), the story hooks the reader into an attempt to unravel the author’s life, to understand how he could be so kind to his daughter’s and so indifferent to his wife.
The pieces fall into place. There are clues in his novels. I won’t say the ending is satisfying, but it is coherent.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews