Rating: 
Summary: Many Plot Twists.
Review: "Road Rage" by Ruth Rendell. Subtitled: "An Inspector Wexford Mystery". Audio Book Version read by Christopher Ravenscroft. Random House Audiobooks, 1997. I chose this audiobook because I thought it would be about the typical Californian or New York road rage where one person is yelling at or even shooting at another driver. The rage in this book, however, is anger against the building of a road through Markham Wood. At first it appeared that this might be the usual plot where an environmental group protests the construction of highway by kidnapping hostages. But, then, there are many plot twists. The hostages were "randomly" selected by their unfortunate calling for a taxicab from a particular car for hire company. One of the hostages thus selected is Dora Wexford, wife of Inspector Wexford, which places a personal twist on the efforts of "Sacred Globe", the kidnapping environmental group, to enforce their position on the authorities. But there are even more twists than just this one, as Inspector Wexford pieces together all the clues and determines the location where the hostages are being kept, and where a hostage was killed. The ending is surprising! I enjoyed the audiotape version of this book, performed by Christopher Ravenscroft, as I drove I-495, the ring road around Boston. To American ears, Mr. Ravenscroft did a credible job in providing "Cockney" accents, British police accents and, of course, the educated "Oxford" accent. He has a wide ranging repertoire of accents, for both male and female characters.
Rating:
Summary: Many Plot Twists.
Review: "Road Rage" by Ruth Rendell. Subtitled: "An Inspector Wexford Mystery". Audio Book Version read by Christopher Ravenscroft. Random House Audiobooks, 1997. I chose this audiobook because I thought it would be about the typical Californian or New York road rage where one person is yelling at or even shooting at another driver. The rage in this book, however, is anger against the building of a road through Markham Wood. At first it appeared that this might be the usual plot where an environmental group protests the construction of highway by kidnapping hostages. But, then, there are many plot twists. The hostages were "randomly" selected by their unfortunate calling for a taxicab from a particular car for hire company. One of the hostages thus selected is Dora Wexford, wife of Inspector Wexford, which places a personal twist on the efforts of "Sacred Globe", the kidnapping environmental group, to enforce their position on the authorities. But there are even more twists than just this one, as Inspector Wexford pieces together all the clues and determines the location where the hostages are being kept, and where a hostage was killed. The ending is surprising! I enjoyed the audiotape version of this book, performed by Christopher Ravenscroft, as I drove I-495, the ring road around Boston. To American ears, Mr. Ravenscroft did a credible job in providing "Cockney" accents, British police accents and, of course, the educated "Oxford" accent. He has a wide ranging repertoire of accents, for both male and female characters.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a great introdution to her work
Review: A very novel idea for a kidnap plot, surrounded by a mish-mash of side plots which detract from the work. After a rather flat middle section the ending seems rushed and to some extent 'fudged'. Not as well crafted as a Colin Dexter or P. D. James.
Rating: 
Summary: Road Rage
Review: Another enjoyable rainy day read until (SHOCK HORROR) Ruth Rendell mentions "the LATE Sir Edmund Hilary" - NZ's conquerer of Everest. LATE? maybe sometimes but certainly NOT Dead!
Rating:
Summary: Worst of luck, Hillary is still kicking 18 months later
Review: I enjoyed the book, but was very surprised at the reference to the late Sir Edmund Hillary - I had just read an interview with him in yesterday's paper. Unfortunately it will be what I remember best from the book.
Rating:
Summary: My First Chief Inspector Wexford Book
Review: I found this an engaging book. It was interesting in that the Inspector's wife was kidnapped with several others and kidnappers threatened to kill them off one by one if their demands weren't met. I didn't look for clues, but just read for enjoyment. I was surprised and pleased at ending. Will be reading the earlier Wexford books. Would like to see how his character has developed over the years.
Rating:
Summary: My First Chief Inspector Wexford Book
Review: I found this an engaging book. It was interesting in that the Inspector's wife was kidnapped with several others and kidnappers threatened to kill them off one by one if their demands weren't met. I didn't look for clues, but just read for enjoyment. I was surprised and pleased at ending. Will be reading the earlier Wexford books. Would like to see how his character has developed over the years.
Rating:
Summary: A Rendell Fan
Review: I read this book (or rather listened to it on audiobook) just because it was written by my newest favorite author. It wasn't exactly exciting, though. Inspector Wexford is caught in the middle of a kidnapping when his wife is one of the hostages. I was looking forward to an exciting search but was surprised when shortly into the book, his wife was released by her captors. This group was supposedly against the new bypass being built through the town, objecting to destroying trees and killing wildlife, so that's the direction Inspector Wexford takes as he tries to find the remaining 4 hostages. I'm not great at solving mysteries but even I had figured out part of the plot before the end. Rendell does tend to drag things out, making the story longer than she has to, but I can't help but like her style of writing so much that it doesn't bother me. I have read one other Inspector Wexford novel and liked it too, but have to say her suspense type novels grab my attention better. By the way, if you have a chance to listen to any of her books on Recorded Books audio, the narrator, Divina Porter, is great. She has that cool English accent and I could listen to her all day.
Rating:
Summary: A Rendell Fan
Review: I read this book (or rather listened to it on audiobook) just because it was written by my newest favorite author. It wasn't exactly exciting, though. Inspector Wexford is caught in the middle of a kidnapping when his wife is one of the hostages. I was looking forward to an exciting search but was surprised when shortly into the book, his wife was released by her captors. This group was supposedly against the new bypass being built through the town, objecting to destroying trees and killing wildlife, so that's the direction Inspector Wexford takes as he tries to find the remaining 4 hostages. I'm not great at solving mysteries but even I had figured out part of the plot before the end. Rendell does tend to drag things out, making the story longer than she has to, but I can't help but like her style of writing so much that it doesn't bother me. I have read one other Inspector Wexford novel and liked it too, but have to say her suspense type novels grab my attention better. By the way, if you have a chance to listen to any of her books on Recorded Books audio, the narrator, Divina Porter, is great. She has that cool English accent and I could listen to her all day.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging mystery
Review: I'm not usually a reader of the "murder mystery" genre of fiction, but I picked this book up the other day when I was desperate for something to read on the train trip to work. Luckily, it was quite a good book, and engaged my attention to the point that I was almost sorry when my trip came to an end. The story was original and made me want to keep reading to find out how it would end.
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