Rating: 
Summary: Bizarre crimes in a small town
Review: Inspector Wexford is called upon to solve a very strange case. Young women are being kidnapped and forced to do housework. In another case a small child is kidnapped. In the midst of all this, a pedophile is released from prison. The violence resulting from the public outcry results in the death of a policeman. Wexford's daughter is working in a home for abused women, and contributes her expertise to the case, especially the kidnapping.This was a very busy mystery, several plots intertwining. Ms. Rendell manages to tie them all together rather neatly at the end, keeping the reader engrossed in each detail of each plotline.
Rating:
Summary: Bizarre crimes in a small town
Review: Inspector Wexford is called upon to solve a very strange case. Young women are being kidnapped and forced to do housework. In another case a small child is kidnapped. In the midst of all this, a pedophile is released from prison. The violence resulting from the public outcry results in the death of a policeman. Wexford's daughter is working in a home for abused women, and contributes her expertise to the case, especially the kidnapping. This was a very busy mystery, several plots intertwining. Ms. Rendell manages to tie them all together rather neatly at the end, keeping the reader engrossed in each detail of each plotline.
Rating:
Summary: Not A Speaker Of Mandarin Yet No Harm Done
Review: It is quite difficult to witness Reg (Inspector) and Dora Wexford being pulled into the twenty-first century beset with political correctness, domestic violence, ad hoc babysitting duty, and a daughter's crumbling marriage. It was ever so much nicer when they were insulated from these distractions because we became insulated along with the Wexfords as we turned the pages and vicariously lived in the lovely Kingsmarkham mythical town for a time. Well, Harm Done, is still a page-turner and not once did I not enjoy the novel. It was a bit tepid when stacked up against the wonderful, A Speaker Of Mandarin, and earlier Ruth Rendell Inspector Wexford fiction. Nonetheless, a lukewarm Ruth Rendell offering is worth a thousand mediocre mystery bestsellers we could all name. So, dear readers and fellow fans, dive in anytime to Harm Done for a truly decent read.
Rating: 
Summary: One of Rendell's best
Review: It is such a pleasure to read Rendell, I was sorry to have to reach the end of this complex novel. Rendell doesn't follow the usual sequence of crime, investigation, resolution. There are at least 6 major crimes in this book, some related, some unrelated, and some 'red-herrings'. One major plotline ends halfway through the book and one major plotline starts 3/4 the way through. You have to marvel at Rendell's expertise in tying everything together at the end. Rendell is one of the best writers around...in any genre.
Rating: 
Summary: Long winded
Review: My first Ruth Rendell novel, listened to on CD. The reading is very good, but the novel is longwinded and relatively boring. Between spousal abuse, bigotry, low life prejudice and multiple police cases, Rendell has taken on way too much here and done a satisfactory job of little. What stands out and suprised me most, tho, is her portrait of the British provincial police as small-minded and not particularly bright. A strange sort of detective fiction that left me wondering if she is really mocking the police. Part of what makes for the longwindedness is how many obviously false leads the police conjur up in long discussions, that then have to be played out in visits to imagined suspects.
One thing about some of the reviews. It strikes me that those who complain about her "political correctness" ought to quit whining and just come out and say they think spousal abuse, lynch mobs bigotry, etc., are unworthy subjects for policiers (and other types of fiction?).
Rating: 
Summary: Readable, but not memorable
Review: Rendell layers her stories, and it is always fascinating to see how the plots and characters intersect. This novel of kidnapping, spousal abuse and murder was my first encounter with Inspector Wexford, and I found him rather uninteresting. Ultimately there are too many characters, and several plots that are not integrated well enough. The kidnapping starts out as the major plot but ultimately fizzles out, the key murder occurs 4/5ths into the book, and a second death is not resolved well. The elements are all there, but perhaps she should have spent more time on this novel. When a writer is as good as Rendell, she raises the bar for herself as well as others. Her previous book, "Sight for Sore Eyes", was a hard act to follow. Despite of the above criticism, it is nonetheless very readable.
Rating:
Summary: A workmanlike mystery but devoid of excitement.
Review: Rendell's Inspector Wexford is a wonderful character. He is not flashy, but he is thoughtful, witty and insightful. I always enjoy reading about him and his cases. This book deals with the abduction of two women and one little girl. It also explores the issues of domestic violence and its ramifications, and the problem of the mob mentality and its destructiveness. As you can see, the book is too busy. It has too many themes and they don't mesh well. The middle of the book flags, although it picks up some steam at the end. To Rendell's credit, she doesn't attempt to tie up every loose end, and she fleshes out most of the characters. She would do well to make the plot more focused, as it was in her last novel, "A Sight for Sore Eyes," a truly horrifying thriller.
Rating:
Summary: english middle class mores
Review: rendells latest is fine story and character wise, however her voice of disdain for "lower class " problems and habits is a little too much to bear. I do love her as Barbara Vine Though, especially "no night is too long".
Rating:
Summary: The best writer I have ever read
Review: Ruth Rendell is surely the best writer I have ever read. She is a magician a psychologist and a suspense master all rolled into one. Her insight and her spellbinding tales are second to none. This is another great Rendell foray into the inner life(s) of her fellow man and woman. Shes just spectacular. Read all her books, especially the middle ones from the 1970's. The next book you read after hers will seem tepid and shallow. I promise!
Rating: 
Summary: The day when Mystery dyed
Review: The day when Mystery dyed was the day when mystery turned Politically Correct. How sad. Somehow I hoped, that my favourite writer and the British Mystery will be saved, but no...
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