Lots of atmosphere, and a Freudian mystery.

I have read a few other books by Ruth Rendell, but this is the best one so far. An expertly developed, fully dysfunctional slice of life in one apartment building, above the landlady's antique store. Widows, beautiful schemers, mentally challenged adults, upper crust gentlemen, and sketchy eastern European ladies - all present and accounted for. Oh, and a serial murderer. The characters are in turn plucky, horrifying, and bittersweet. The structure allows the reader to spend a lot of time in the murderer's mind - wonderfully unpleasant! And the title provides an ironic twist to the story.

7 people found this helpful

"Everyone Has A Story"

What did you love best about The Rottweiler?

As a friend's grandmother used to say, "Everyone has a story." Or, as Atticus Finch might say, you can't understand a person until you've walked in their shoes. Ruth Rendell understands this very well. (Full disclosure: She is my favorite author.) She's great at depicting the inner lives of people from all backgrounds and psychological make ups, and specializes in putting you in the mind of even "worst" person, making him or her, if not sympathetic, understandable.A suspense story and multiple character study all at the same time.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Rottweiler?

When, long before the book's climax, the killer is revealed. I wasn't so much shocked by the revelation, but admired the author's ability to make this just one more plot point in the story.

What about Nigel Anthony’s performance did you like?

Terrific variety of voices - all perfectly suited to the characters. He did a great job.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yep. Usually save audiobooks for car, but had to bring this one inside because I couldn't wait to continue listening to it.

Any additional comments?

I especially enjoyed the relatively minor character of Becky. A very well drawn and sympathetic portrait of a young woman who feels trapped by circumstance and can't always do the "right thing" as she sees it.

4 people found this helpful

Loved it! Especially Freddy Perfect.

What made the experience of listening to The Rottweiler the most enjoyable?

The narrator and the story. Both were absolutely wonderful. It's Ruth Rendell in her "crazy intertwined neighborhood" mode.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes! As Alexander Gibbons sorted things out, things definitely got more and more interesting. And the twist with the strong box and the perfume counter were genius.

Which character – as performed by Nigel Anthony – was your favorite?

Freddy Perfect and Suzanne/Zenab's mother. Freddy Perfect was absolutely amazing.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

"What do you know about your upstairs neighbor?"

Any additional comments?

I'm an unabashed Rendell fan, so I give this 5 stars all around.

4 people found this helpful

Really great listen

I really enjoyed listening to this book. The narrator did a really good job, and the story itself was great. I also enjoyed this because I was not left with that feeling of doom I can sometimes feel after reading a Ruth Rendell book.
I definitely recommend for listeners of mystery books.

4 people found this helpful

Mystery and intrigue

Would you listen to The Rottweiler again? Why?

Yes I would I found this story engaging and really enjoyed the story the characters and also the narrater.

2 people found this helpful

Really good potboiler!

Where does The Rottweiler rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I would say one of the top ones. The characters were ones I could relate to, with their little quirks of personality.

What other book might you compare The Rottweiler to and why?

This was a good Ruth Rendell, typical of her. It included many moments that made me smile. I can't really compare it to anything else I've read.

What about Nigel Anthony’s performance did you like?

He was brilliant with his voices. They were all very distinctive.

1 person found this helpful

excellent listen

Ruth Rendell lets her plots twist one or two too many times sometimes. I'm new to her work, and I've found that on a couple of occasions the ending seems almost rushed, as if she just wants to be done with the book already. Some scenes take too long and some plots are overdeveloped, given their minor importance to the story. In spite of these issues she manages all the threads expertly, and you can feel the pace quickening and the read becomes exciting. All the more exciting, I'd say, because the performance of this book is fantastic. Nigel Anthony read one of her Wexford books and it was so good I sought out this one, just to hear him, and was delighted. I'll likely listen to all of his other books just because he reads them!
I was disappointed in how Ms. Rendell treated the murderer, the kids who burgled the shop, and Will and his aunt, but overall a very good book.

Best of Ruth Rendell

Great characters in a great story. Loved every minute.Enjoyable even when nothing much is happening. Not as dark as some of Rendells other books. Must read for her fans.

Graceful and talented

Rendell continues her magical character-driven plots. In this novel she completely removes the investigation from all and any professional detectives. But she doesn't elevate the ordinary characters into amateur detectives. She allows the plot to evolve through the apparent disinterested of characters simply living they're own lives while knowing the killer but not suspecting him. This kind of story telling is compelling. Lesser writers have attempted this style with little success.

Story quite good

Where does The Rottweiler rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Not at the top, but it's worth listening too.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

No, but I did finish it.

What about Nigel Anthony’s performance did you like?

Covered the various characters well.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No I did not.

Any additional comments?

Although I did not find that I could not put this book down, it's still a good "read".