Enjoyable

This story is set in a large multistorey house divided into rooms and flats.
Many and various characters reside here, including, obviously, this being Rendell, a murderous nutter on the top floor.
This ensemble of characters is a pleasant backdrop to the two main stories - a difficult love affair, and our psychopath. Enjoyable.

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1 person found this helpful

Excellent story. Great twist.

I really enjoy Ruth Rendell stories both with and without Insp. Wexford. I could see the characters, hear them, know how they felt. Her descriptions of her darker characters never fail to draw us into their macabre worlds. This story doesn’t disappoint.

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1 person found this helpful

Great listen

I really enjoyed this story. As always with Ruth Rendell, I like getting to know the characters who are always very intriguing. This was a particularly good listen, nicely read by Julian Glover (accents aside which I found a little strange!) What a vile character Arthur Johnson is!!

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shame about the narrator.

as always a good story from Ruth Rendell, the narrator really should stay away from West Indian accents though.

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Dated but decent

Continuing to work through the non-Wexford novels, this was a decent listen to pass the time - though very dated with weak pathetic female characters. Interesting to look back though on how people relied on the post for communication - looking forward each day to the postman arriving and having one telephone (a pay-phone) shared between all the flats, Dreadful attempt at a female Jamaican accent is why I gave the narration 2 stars in what would otherwise have been a decent performance.
A bit uncomfortable at times with what are now racist terms, but were acceptable and commonplace at the time.

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Totally gripping and brilliant

One of the best stories I’ve listened to on Audible. It was absolutely amazing and I loved it. Even though I guessed the end!!

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Thrilling!

Wonderfully written. I'll never forget the view into a disturbed mind. Rendell is an exellent writer - Julian Clover is an impressive reader.

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4 people found this helpful

Perfectly crafted but dated non pc phrases

I loved this clever well rounded listen but trigger warning it was written in the seventies so wouldn’t pass today although there is nothing insulting or inherently racist just some out of use words. Honestly this is well worth downloading as nothing is without meaning all the strands come together exquisitely. A psychopath is hiding in plain view, you would not give them a second glance, until they get the irresistible urge…

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1 person found this helpful

Gripping - I couldn't stop unitl the end.

I had read the book years ago and enjoyed it so decided to give the Audible version a try. It took a few chapters before I managed to acclimatised to the narrator's voice, but when I did I began to really enjoy the listening. Excellent, as are most of Ruth Rendell's books. Highly recommended.

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A Twisted Tale!

As one who much prefers her Barbara Vine stories, this Ruth Rendell easily forgettable tale was long enough at just over 6 hours, with the last minutes being the tales best unexpected twist.
Previous reviewers have found it non PC re race /women, but it's of it's time & shouldn't be faulted for that in today's overly woke society.

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