A Sleeping Life Audiobook (Unabridged)

" Not her best work, but the take on feminism is fairly nuanced for a mystery first published in 1978, and the mystery itself satisfyingly twisty. I don't so much buy the conclusion though. "

" Always well-written. The plot was based on some stuff that was ultimately offensive. It was published in the 70s. Sort of grim but also intelligent. "

" A nice little Wexford mystery from Ruth Rendell "

" Ruth Rendell knows how to write a mystery and keep her readers engaged in the story-line. "

" This was my first Inspector Wexford Mystery to read, but I'm sure it was not the first in the series. Wexford is an English detective in a small town. The threat if he can't solve a crime is that they will call in Scotland Yard. I suspect he's usually successful. He seems wise and resourceful, a family man, older, and with interesting observations, such as: "He that is giddy thinks the world turns 'round." This was my fourteenth book to read in August, a nice closing for my 'stacation.' "

" A Sleeping Life is Ruth Rendell's tenth mystery featuring Chief Inspector Wexford and Inspector Burden. The story begins with what seems to be a very simple murder. A lonely, middle-aged woman stabbed to death on a path running between the bus stop and her father's home. Her body is discovered by a small boy on his way home with his dad. But when Wexford and Burden arrive, they find that things are more mysterious than they seem. The woman has no identification on her--the only items in her purse are a set of keys and a wallet with money. Once she has been identified as Rhoda Comfrey things remain a mystery. No one in the village where she grew up knows where she's been living. And every lead the police manage to find takes them nowhere. Finally, the wallet provides a connection to Grenville West, a writer whose works are based upon Elizabethan-era plays. But even that seems to be a dead end--West is abroad in France on a holiday and his secretary has a postcard to prove it. There are many questions and few answers....and Wexford learns that a sleeping life can hide many secrets. Rendell is a masterful storyteller--so much so that it did not matter that I knew long before Wexford where to find Grenville West and what the connection between him and the dead woman was. She weaves her tale with such skill that I was swept along, following Wexford and Burden down every blind alley until they knew what I knew. Her characters are lively, interesting, and believable and the murder rings true for its time. Readers should remember that they are visiting the world of the late 70s...times have changed a bit since then. Three and half stars. This review was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks. "

" A good read for the airplane coming back from the Philippines. I stole this book from The Big Apple Hotel on the island of Mindoro and will pass it on to the first person who requests it. "

" "A Sleeping Life" is the second Ruth Rendell mystery I've read. The first was "From Doon with Death." I figured out what was going on in both books within the first fifty or so pages, which rather defeated their purpose as mysteries--yet both were still so well-written that I finished them anyway. Rendell's ability to evoke the atmosphere of the English countryside, her sense of humor, her intellectual literary allusions, and her surprisingly progressive social views all made the books worth reading for me despite the absence of the whodunit aspect. And actually, I still have faith that she could surprise me in other books--the two mysteries I've read thus far were written in the 1960s and 1970s, and I think, without giving anything away, that might have something to do with why I solved them both so quickly. "

" This one was a winner. "

" when i need a well written murder mystery with a great inspector, ruth rendell's inspector wexford series does it for me! another well done mystery (although i actually guessed the ending in this one much earlier and easier than i usually do--it was still worth it!) "

" Another Inspector Wexford novel by a master of the form. "

" Mostly entertaining, a little light on plot. "

" Listened to it Christmas 2012. It was enjoyable "

" I've read quite a few of Ruth Rendells Inspector Wexford mysteries, and find them generally enjoyable. I don't always pick up on the clues, and often her endings are un-satisfying to me. However, her characters are usually quite interesting, and therefore I keep reading them. "

" I have yet to read a poor Ruth Rendell mystery. in fact I have enjoyed reading them all. Not all at once but over the years. "

" I love the Inspector Wexford mysteries. I've read and reread all of them many times. "

" Like most Ruth Rendell books, I'm giving this one three stars. However, I have to admit that I found this one to be a lot more engaging than most. On the other hand, I figured out whodunnit and why fairly early on... "

" It's always nice to visit with Wexford though I found the mystery somewhat easy to figure out. Still an enjoyable quick read. "

" Outstanding!! Recommend, recommend!! "

" Lesser Ruth Rendell. A quick and reasonably diverting read, but it's dated, and the key to the mystery seemed pretty obvious from the get-go. "

" I plan on reading more by Ruth Rendell, but I prefer Elizabeth George, Kate Atkinson and Martha Grimes. "

" Great plot, enjoyable language. Could not stop! "

" I liked this - kept me guessing to the end. "

" I love Ruth Rendell's books and believe she is a master of her genre. I've read many of them well-written and always compelling. This is not my favorite and, in fact, her Detective Wexford series are not my favorite of her books. Nevertheless, I enjoy them. "

" This mystery, written in 1978, plays with the notion of "Women's Lib" in a somewhat unpleasant fashion. I think it is time to acknowledge to myself that I am not all that fond of Inspector Wexford. "

" Not as satisfying as other entries in this series. "

" I love the Inspector Wexford mysteries. I've read and reread all of them many times. "

" when i need a well written murder mystery with a great inspector, ruth rendell's inspector wexford series does it for me! another well done mystery (although i actually guessed the ending in this one much earlier and easier than i usually do--it was still worth it!) "

" This one was a winner. "

" A nice little Wexford mystery from Ruth Rendell "

" This mystery, written in 1978, plays with the notion of "Women's Lib" in a somewhat unpleasant fashion. I think it is time to acknowledge to myself that I am not all that fond of Inspector Wexford. "

" I love Ruth Rendell's books and believe she is a master of her genre. I've read many of them well-written and always compelling. This is not my favorite and, in fact, her Detective Wexford series are not my favorite of her books. Nevertheless, I enjoy them. "

" This was the first Rendell book I read, and really enjoyed the twists and turns; I didn't guess this one at all, and the solution was awesome. "

" Lesser Ruth Rendell. A quick and reasonably diverting read, but it's dated, and the key to the mystery seemed pretty obvious from the get-go. "

" Not her best work, but the take on feminism is fairly nuanced for a mystery first published in 1978, and the mystery itself satisfyingly twisty. I don't so much buy the conclusion though. "