Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, (; 17 February 1930 – 2 May 2015) was an English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries. Rendell is best known for creating Chief

Inspector Wexford Chief Inspector Reginald "Reg" Wexford is a recurring character in a series of detective novels by English crime writer Ruth Rendell. He made his first appearance in the author's 1964 debut '' From Doon With Death'', and has since been the prota ...

.The Oxford Companion to English Literature. Sixth edition. Ed. by Margaret Drabble. Oxford University Press, 2000, p. 847. . A second string of works was a series of unrelated crime novels that explored the psychological background of criminals and their victims. This theme was developed further in a third series of novels, published under the pseudonym Barbara Vine.

Life

Rendell was born as Ruth Barbara Grasemann in 1930, in

South Woodford South Woodford is an area of east London, England, within the London Borough of Redbridge. It adjoins Woodford Green to the north, Walthamstow to the west, Snaresbrook and Wanstead to the south and Redbridge to the east, and is north-ea ...

Essex Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...

(now

Greater London Greater may refer to: *Greatness Greatness is a concept of a state of superiority affecting a person or object in a particular place or area. Greatness can also be attributed to individuals who possess a natural ability to be better than al ...

). Her parents were teachers. Her mother, Ebba Kruse, was born in Sweden to Danish parents and brought up in Denmark; her father, Arthur Grasemann, was English. As a result of spending Christmas and other holidays in Scandinavia, Rendell learned Swedish and Danish. Rendell was educated at the County High School for Girls in

Loughton Loughton () is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest District of Essex. Part of the metropolitan and urban area of London, the town borders Chingford, Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill, and is northeast of Chari ...

, Essex, the town to which the family moved during her childhood. After high school, she became a feature writer for her local Essex paper, the ''Chigwell Times''. However, she was forced to resign after filing a story about a local sports club dinner she hadn't attended and failing to report that the after-dinner speaker had died midway through the speech. Rendell met her husband Don Rendell when she was working as a newswriter. They married when she was 20, and in 1953 had a son, Simon, now a psychiatric social worker who lives in the U.S. state of Colorado. The couple divorced in 1975 but remarried two years later. Don Rendell died in 1999 from prostate cancer. She made the county of

Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include ...

her home for many years, using the settings in several of her novels. She lived in the villages of

Polstead Polstead is a village and civil parish in the Babergh district of Suffolk, England. The village lies northeast of Nayland, southwest of Hadleigh and north of Colchester. It is situated on a small tributary stream of the River Stour. Histor ...

and later Groton, both east of

Sudbury Sudbury may refer to: Places Australia * Sudbury Reef, Queensland Canada * Greater Sudbury, Ontario (official name; the city continues to be known simply as Sudbury for most purposes) ** Sudbury (electoral district), one of the city's federal el ...

. She was appointed a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

(CBE) in the

1996 Birthday Honours Queen's Birthday Honours are announced on or around the date of the Queen's Official Birthday in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The dates vary, both from year to year and from country to country. All are published in supple ...

and a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

as Baroness Rendell of Babergh, of

Aldeburgh Aldeburgh ( ) is a coastal town in the county of Suffolk, England. Located to the north of the River Alde. Its estimated population was 2,276 in 2019. It was home to the composer Benjamin Britten and remains the centre of the international Ald ...

in the County of Suffolk, on 24 October 1997. She sat in the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminst ...

for the Labour Party. In 1998 Rendell was named on a list of the party's biggest private financial donors. She introduced into the Lords the bill that would later become the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 (the intent was to prevent the practice). In August 2014, Rendell was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...

'' expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September's referendum on that issue.

Awards

Baroness Rendell's awards include the Silver,

Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...

, and Cartier Diamond Daggers from the

Crime Writers' Association The Crime Writers' Association (CWA) is a specialist authors’ organisation in the United Kingdom, most notable for its Dagger awards for the best crime writing of the year, and the Diamond Dagger awarded to an author for lifetime achievement. T ...

, three Edgars from the

Mystery Writers of America Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is an organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday. It presents the Edgar Award ...

, The Arts Council National Book Awards, and

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...

Literary Award. A number of her works (see the section below) have been adapted for film or television. She was also a patron of the charity Kids for Kids which helps children in rural areas of

Darfur Darfur ( ; ar, دار فور, Dār Fūr, lit=Realm of the Fur) is a region of western Sudan. ''Dār'' is an Arabic word meaning "home f – the region was named Dardaju ( ar, دار داجو, Dār Dājū, links=no) while ruled by the Daju ...

. There is a blue plaque on one of her homes, 45 Millsmead Way, in

. This was unveiled by her son Simon on 24 February 2016. Four of her novels appear on the British-based Crime Writers Association Poll (1990) of the best crime fiction novels ever written: two under the Rendell name and two under her pen name of Barbara Vine.

Death

Rendell had a

stroke A stroke is a disease, medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemorr ...

on 7 January 2015 and died on 2 May 2015.

Legacy

The Ruth Rendell award was introduced in 2016 by the

National Literacy Trust The National Literacy Trust is an independent charity (registered no. 1116260 in England and Wales and registered no. SCO42944 in Scotland) based in London, England, that promotes literacy. It was founded by Sir Simon Hornby, former chairman of th ...

. It is awarded to authors for their work in inspiring children and improving their literacy.

Developing the thriller genre

Rendell wrote two unpublished novels before the 1964 publication of ''

From Doon with Death ''From Doon with Death'' was the debut novel of British writer Ruth Rendell, first published in 1964. The story was later made into a movie in 1988. The novel introduced her popular recurring character Inspector Wexford, who went on to feature i ...

'', which was purchased for £75 by John Long; it was the first mystery to feature Chief Inspector Reginald Wexford. Rendell said that the character of Wexford was based on herself. ''

The Monster in the Box ''The Monster in the Box'' is a novel by British crime-writer Ruth Rendell, published in 2009. The novel is the 22nd in the Inspector Wexford series. Plot summary Wexford has long suspected Eric Targo of being a serial killer. Decades later, ...

'', released in October 2009, was widely suggested to be Wexford's last case. This was incorrect; however it was the final novel featuring Wexford as an employed policeman. In the two following novels, '' The Vault'' and '' No Man's Nightingale,'' he was retired but was still involved in police investigations as a "consultant". In ''Introducing Chief Inspector Wexford'' by Daniel Mallory he says (based on a 1990 interview with Rendell by Marilyn Stasio) that Rendell refers to ''the hated Agatha'' (Christie) and ''that awful Marple woman''; and says of St. Mary Mead that she ''can hardly bear to say the name of that village'' where ''one finds a lot of normal, law-abiding people living ordinary, blameless lives, who suddenly decide to murder their aunt. Well, I don’t believe that.'' (''Introducing Chief Inspector Wexford'' by Daniel Mallory; from 1990 Rendell interview with Marilyn Stasio) In addition to these

police procedural The police show, or police crime drama, is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasizes the investigative procedure of a police officer or department as the protagonist(s), as contrasted with other genres that focus on eit ...

s starring Wexford, Rendell wrote psychological crime novels exploring such themes as romantic obsession, misperceived communication, the impact of chance and coincidence, and the humanity of the criminals involved. Among such books are ''

A Judgement in Stone ''A Judgement in Stone'' is a 1977 novel by British writer Ruth Rendell, widely considered to be one of her greatest works. Plot summary Eunice is taken on as a housekeeper by a family of four. She has kept her illiteracy a secret and is obse ...

'', '' The Face of Trespass'', '' Live Flesh'', '' Talking to Strange Men'', '' The Killing Doll'', '' Going Wrong'' and '' Adam and Eve and Pinch Me''. For the last novel published in her lifetime, ''The Girl Next Door'', she returned to the Loughton of her childhood, with an implied comparison of the moral climate of wartime England and 2014. Rendell created a third strand of writing with the publication in 1986 of ''

A Dark-Adapted Eye ''A Dark-Adapted Eye'' (1986) is a psychological thriller novel by Ruth Rendell, written under the pen name Barbara Vine. The novel won the American Edgar Award. It was adapted as a television film of the same name in 1994 by the BBC. Plot L ...

'' under her pseudonym Barbara Vine (the name was derived from her own middle name and her great grandmother's maiden name). ''

King Solomon's Carpet ''King Solomon's Carpet'' (1991) is a novel by Barbara Vine, pseudonym of Ruth Rendell. It is about the London Underground and the people frequenting it. Vine's novel is inhabited by ordinary passengers, tube aficionados, pickpockets, buskers ...

'', ''

A Fatal Inversion ''A Fatal Inversion'' is a 1987 novel by Ruth Rendell, written under the pseudonym Barbara Vine. The novel won the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger in that year and, in 1987, was also shortlisted for the Dagger of Daggers, a special awar ...

'' and '' Asta's Book'' (alternative U.S. title, ''Anna's Book''), among others, inhabited the same territory as her psychological crime novels while further developing themes of human misunderstandings and the unintended consequences of family secrets and hidden crimes. The author was noted for her elegant prose and sharp insights into the human mind, as well as her cogent plots and characters. Rendell injected the social changes of the last 40 years into her work, bringing awareness to such issues as

domestic violence Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for '' intimate partn ...

Adaptations of her works

The Inspector Wexford series was successfully televised, starring George Baker as Inspector Wexford and

Christopher Ravenscroft Christopher Ravenscroft (born 1946) is an English actor, best known for his recurring role as DI Mike Burden in ''The Ruth Rendell Mysteries'', the ITV adaptation of Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford mysteries. Biography Ravenscroft was born in ...

as Detective Mike Burden, under the title ''

The Ruth Rendell Mysteries ''The Ruth Rendell Mysteries'' is a British television crime drama series, produced by TVS and later by its successor Meridian Broadcasting, in association with Blue Heaven Productions, for broadcast on the ITV network. Twelve series were bro ...

'', with 48 episodes from 1987 to 2000. Rendell praised Baker's performance, stating "It was a marvellous achievement as an actor to make him more and better than the author intended." Many of her other works have been adapted for film and television. She said that Chabrol's 1995 version of ''

'', ''

La Cérémonie ''La Cérémonie'' is a 1995 crime drama film by Claude Chabrol, adapted from the 1977 novel ''A Judgement in Stone'' by Ruth Rendell. The film echoes the case of Christine and Lea Papin, two French maids who brutally murdered their employer's wif ...

'' with

Sandrine Bonnaire Sandrine Bonnaire (; born 31 May 1967) is a French actress, film director and screenwriter who has appeared in more than 40 films. She won the César Award for Most Promising Actress for ''À Nos Amours'' (1983), the César Award for Best Actr ...

, was one of the few film adaptations of her work that she was happy with. The novel was also filmed in 1986 with

Rita Tushingham Rita Tushingham (born 14 March 1942) is an English actress. She is known for her starring roles in films including ''A Taste of Honey'' (1961), ''The Leather Boys'' (1964), '' The Knack ...and How to Get It'' (1965), ''Doctor Zhivago'' (1965), ...

. Chabrol made '' La Demoiselle d'honneur'' in 2004, based on '' The Bridesmaid''. Other adaptations are ''

Diary of the Dead ''Diary of the Dead'' (promoted as ''George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead'') is a 2007 American found footage horror film written and directed by George A. Romero. Although independently produced, it was distributed theatrically by The Weinstei ...

'' (1976), from the book '' One Across, Two Down''; the 1997

Pedro Almodóvar Pedro Almodóvar Caballero (; (often known simply as Almodóvar) born 25 September 1949) is a Spanish filmmaker. His films are marked by melodrama, irreverent humour, bold colour, glossy décor, quotations from popular culture, and complex narra ...

film '' Live Flesh''; ''

The Tree of Hands ''The Tree of Hands'' is a 1984 suspense novel by the author Ruth Rendell. It won the CWA Silver Dagger in 1984, and was short listed for the MWA Edgar Award upon publication in America. The book has been filmed twice. One adaptation featured ...

'', directed by Giles Foster for Granada with

Lauren Bacall Lauren Bacall (; born Betty Joan Perske; September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014) was an American actress. She was named the 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute and received an Academy Honorary ...

(U.S. title: "Innocent Victim"); and another version of ''The Tree of Hands'', ''

Betty Fisher et autres histoires ''Alias Betty'' (french: Betty Fisher et autres histoires) is a 2001 French drama film directed by Claude Miller. The film won several international film festival awards. On Rotten Tomatoes it has an approval rating of 92% based on 51 reviews. ...

'' (2001, a.k.a. ''Alias Betty''), with screenplay and direction by

Claude Miller Claude Miller (20 February 1942 – 4 April 2012) was a French film director, producer and screenwriter. Life and career Claude Miller was born to a Jewish family. A student at Paris' IDHEC film school from 1962 through 1963, Miller had his fi ...

. Francois Ozon's 2015 film ''

The New Girlfriend ''The New Girlfriend and Other Stories'' is a short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evokin ...

'' was based on Rendell's short story of the same name. Two episodes of '' Tales of the Unexpected'' were based on Rendell's short stories - "A Glowing Future" ( series 4, episode 15) and "People Don't Do Such Things" (

series 8 Series may refer to: People with the name * Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series * George Series (1920–1995), English physicist Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Series, the ordered sets used in ...

, episode 1).

Awards and honours

*1975 –

Best Short Story Edgar: '' The Fallen Curtain'' *1987 –

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor the bes ...

: ''

'' *1987 – Gold Dagger for Fiction: ''

'' *1988 – Angel Award for Fiction: '' The House of Stairs'' *1990 – ''Sunday Times'' Award for Literary Excellence *1991 – Gold Dagger for Fiction: ''

'' *1991 – Cartier Diamond Dagger for a Lifetime's Achievement in the Field *1996 –

(CBE) *1997 -

Life Peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

as Baroness Rendell of Babergh *2004 – Mystery Ink

Gumshoe Award The Gumshoe Awards are an American award for popular crime fiction literary works. The Gumshoe Awards are awarded annually by the American Internet magazine ''Mystery Ink'' (not to be confused with Mystery Inc.) to recognize the best achievements ...

for Lifetime Achievement *2005 –

CWA CWA or Cwa may refer to: Organisations * CWA Constructions, a Swiss manufacturer of gondolas and people mover cabins, a division of Doppelmayr Garaventa Group * Catch Wrestling Association, a former German professional wrestling promotion * Contin ...

Dagger of Daggers The Dagger of Daggers was a special award given in 2005 by the Crime Writers' Association (CWA) to celebrate its 50th anniversary. All books that had previously won the CWA Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel of the Year were eligible, and the purpose ...

(best crime novel to have won the Gold Dagger award (shortlist)): ''

'' *2007 –

for Best European Crime Novel (shortlist): '' The Minotaur'' *2007 – Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award (longlist): ''

End in Tears ''End in Tears'' (2005) is a novel by English crime writer Ruth Rendell, the twentieth in her acclaimed Inspector Wexford series. Synopsis When a lump of concrete is thrown from a bridge and into passing traffic one dark night, the wrong motoris ...

'' *2010 –

Lost Man Booker Prize The Lost Man Booker Prize was a special edition of the Man Booker Prize awarded by a public vote in 2010 to a novel from 1970 as the books published in 1970 were not eligible for the Man Booker Prize due to a rules alteration; until 1970 the priz ...

(longlist): ''

A Guilty Thing Surprised Chief Inspector Reginald "Reg" Wexford is a recurring character in a series of detective novels by English crime writer Ruth Rendell. He made his first appearance in the author's 1964 debut ''From Doon With Death'', and has since been the prota ...

Bibliography

Inspector Wexford series

#''

'' (1964) #''

A New Lease of Death Chief Inspector Reginald "Reg" Wexford is a recurring character in a series of detective novels by English crime writer Ruth Rendell. He made his first appearance in the author's 1964 debut ''From Doon With Death'', and has since been the prota ...

'' (1967) (American title: ''The Sins of the Fathers'') #'' Wolf to the Slaughter'' (1967) #'' The Best Man to Die'' (1969) #''

'' (1970) #'' No More Dying Then'' (1971) #'' Murder Being Once Done'' (1972) #'' Some Lie and Some Die'' (1973) #''

Shake Hands Forever ''Shake Hands Forever'' is a novel by British writer Ruth Rendell, first published in 1975. It is the 9th entry in her popular Inspector Wexford Chief Inspector Reginald "Reg" Wexford is a recurring character in a series of detective novels ...

'' (1975) #''

A Sleeping Life ''A Sleeping Life'' is a crime-novel by British writer Ruth Rendell, first published in 1978. It features her popular investigator Detective Inspector Wexford, and is the tenth novel in the series. It was shortlisted for the Mystery Writers' Of ...

'' (1979) #''

Put on by Cunning ''Put on by Cunning'' is a novel by British crime-writer Ruth Rendell. It was first published in 1981, and features her popular series protagonist Inspector Wexford. It is the 11th in the series. The title comes from a quotation from Shakespea ...

'' (1981) (American title: ''Death Notes'') #''

The Speaker of Mandarin ''The Speaker of Mandarin'' is a detective novel by British crime writer Ruth Rendell, first published in 1983. It is the 12th novel in her popular Inspector Wexford series. The plot follows the popular Kingsmarkham (a fictional market town in t ...

'' (1983) #''

An Unkindness of Ravens ''An Unkindness of Ravens'' is a murder mystery by British crime-writer Ruth Rendell. First published in 1985, it is the 13th in her series featuring Inspector Wexford. Plot Inspector Wexford is asked to look into the disappearance of his Kin ...

'' (1985) #''

The Veiled One ''The Veiled One'' is a novel by British crime-writer Ruth Rendell. It is the 14th entry in the Inspector Wexford Chief Inspector Reginald "Reg" Wexford is a recurring character in a series of detective novels by English crime writer Ruth Re ...

'' (1988) #''

Kissing the Gunner's Daughter ''Kissing the Gunner's Daughter'' is a 1992 novel by the British mystery writer Ruth Rendell, featuring the recurring character Inspector Reg Wexford. The title of the book refers to historical corporal punishment in the Royal Navy where a sa ...

'' (1991) #''

Simisola ''Simisola'' is a 1994 novel by British crime writer Ruth Rendell. It features her recurring detective Inspector Wexford, and is the 17th in the series. Though a murder mystery, the book also touches on the themes of racism, welfare dependenc ...

'' (1994) #''

Road Rage Road rage is aggressive or angry behavior exhibited by motorists. These behaviors include rude and verbal insults, yelling, physical threats or dangerous driving methods targeted at other drivers, pedestrians or cyclists in an effort to intimid ...

'' (1997) #''

Harm Done Chief Inspector Reginald "Reg" Wexford is a recurring character in a series of detective novels by English crime writer Ruth Rendell. He made his first appearance in the author's 1964 debut ''From Doon With Death'', and has since been the prota ...

'' (1999) #''

The Babes in the Wood ''The Babes in the Wood'' is a 2002 novel by British crime-writer Ruth Rendell. It is the 19th entry in the popular Inspector Wexford series, and is set, as usual, in Kingsmarkham. In 2003, it was selected by ''The New York Times ''Th ...

'' (2002) #''

'' (2005) #''

Not in the Flesh Chief Inspector Reginald "Reg" Wexford is a recurring character in a series of detective novels by English crime writer Ruth Rendell. He made his first appearance in the author's 1964 debut ''From Doon With Death'', and has since been the protag ...

'' (2007) #''

'' (2009) #'' The Vault'' (2011) #'' No Man's Nightingale'' (2013)

Standalone novels

*'' To Fear a Painted Devil'' (1965) *'' Vanity Dies Hard'' (1965) (American title: ''In Sickness and in Health'') *'' The Secret House of Death'' (1968) *'' One Across, Two Down'' (1971) *'' The Face of Trespass'' (1974) *'' A Demon in My View'' (1976) *''

'' (1977) *'' Make Death Love Me'' (1979) *'' The Lake of Darkness'' (1980) *'' Master of the Moor'' (1982) *'' The Killing Doll'' (1984) *''

'' (1984) *'' Live Flesh'' (1986) *'' Talking to Strange Men'' (1987) *'' The Bridesmaid'' (1989) *'' Going Wrong'' (1990) *'' The Crocodile Bird'' (1993) *'' The Keys to the Street'' (1996) *'' A Sight for Sore Eyes'' (1998) *'' Adam and Eve and Pinch Me'' (2001) *'' The Rottweiler'' (2003) *'' Thirteen Steps Down'' (2004) *'' The Water's Lovely'' (2006) *'' Portobello'' (2008) *'' Tigerlily's Orchids'' (2010) *'' The Saint Zita Society'' (2012) *'' The Girl Next Door'' (2014) *'' Dark Corners'' (2015)

Novellas

*''Thornapple'' (1982).Published in ''Academy Mystery Novellas, Volume 5: Women Write Murder'', Martin H. Greenberg and Edward D. Hoch, editors. 1987 Collected in ''The Fever Tree'' *'' Heartstones'' (1987). Uncollected *'' The Thief'' (2006). Collected in ''A Spot of Folly''

Written as Barbara Vine

*''

'' (1986) *''

'' (1987) *'' The House of Stairs'' (1988) *''

Gallowglass The Gallowglass (also spelled galloglass, gallowglas or galloglas; from ga, gallóglaigh meaning foreign warriors) were a class of elite mercenary warriors who were principally members of the Norse-Gaelic clans of Ireland between the mid 13t ...

'' (1990) *''

'' (1991) *'' Asta's Book'' (1993) (American title: ''Anna's Book'') *''

No Night Is Too Long ''No Night Is Too Long'' is a 2002 BBC dramatisation based on the 1994 novel of the same name by Barbara Vine (a pseudonym of Ruth Rendell), with a screenplay by Kevin Elyot. The title comes from a line in Richard Strauss's opera ''Der Rosenk ...

'' (1994) *'' The Brimstone Wedding'' (1995) *'' The Chimney-sweeper's Boy'' (1998) *''

Grasshopper Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are among what is possibly the most ancient living group of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago. Grasshopp ...

'' (2000) *'' The Blood Doctor'' (2002) *'' The Minotaur'' (2005) *''

The Birthday Present ''The Birthday Present'' is a 1957 British drama film directed by Pat Jackson. The film also featured Thorley Walters and Ian Bannen in small roles. Plot Simon Scott, a top toy salesman, returns from a business trip to Germany with a watch hid ...

'' (2008) *'' The Child's Child'' (2012)

Short story collections

*'' The Fallen Curtain'' (1976) *'' Means of Evil and Other Stories'' (1979) (five

stories) *'' The Fever Tree'' (1982) *''

'' (1985) *'' The Copper Peacock'' (1991) *'' Blood Lines: Long and Short Stories.'' (1995) *'' Piranha to Scurfy'' (2000) *''Collected Short Stories, Volume 1'' (2006) *''Collected Short Stories, Volume 2'' (2008) *'' A Spot of Folly'' (2017)

Uncollected short stories

*"The Martyr", included in Midsummer Nights (Ed ''Jeanette Winterson''), ''Quercus'', 2009 *"Paradise", in The Strand Magazine #11, 2003

Uncollected round-robin short stories to which Rendell was a contributor

*"Death in the Square", co-authored with

Peter Levi Peter Chad Tigar Levi, FSA, FRSL (16 May 1931, in Ruislip – 1 February 2000, in Frampton-on-Severn) was a British poet, archaeologist, Jesuit priest, travel writer, biographer, academic and prolific reviewer and critic. He was Professor of P ...

Roald Dahl Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short-story writer, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter ace of Norwegian descent. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Dahl has be ...

and

Ted Willis Edward Henry Willis, Baron Willis (13 January 1914 – 22 December 1992) was an English playwright, novelist and screenwriter who was also politically active in support of the Labour Party. In 1941 he became the General Secretary of the Young Co ...

Daily Telegraph Daily or The Daily may refer to: Journalism * Daily newspaper, newspaper issued on five to seven day of most weeks * ''The Daily'' (podcast), a podcast by ''The New York Times'' * ''The Daily'' (News Corporation), a defunct US-based iPad new ...

, 1988 *"Web of Intrigue", co-written with members of the public.

, 1997

Non-fiction

*''Ruth Rendell's Suffolk'' (1989) *''Undermining the Central Line: giving government back to the people'' (with

Colin Ward Colin Ward (14 August 1924 – 11 February 2010)

, 1989) a political tract *'' The Reason Why: An Anthology of the Murderous Mind'' (1995)

Children's Books

* ''Archie & Archie'' (2013)

References

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rendell, Ruth 1930 births 2015 deaths 21st-century English novelists 20th-century English novelists People from Loughton 20th-century English women writers 21st-century English women writers Anthony Award winners Cartier Diamond Dagger winners Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Edgar Award winners English crime fiction writers English mystery writers English people of Swedish descent English women novelists Fellows of the Royal Society of Literature Labour Party (UK) life peers Life peeresses created by Elizabeth II Literary peers Members of the Detection Club People from Aldeburgh People from Woodford, London Place of death missing Pseudonymous women writers Writers from London Women mystery writers 20th-century pseudonymous writers 21st-century pseudonymous writers