Scan barcode
A review by saareman
A Sleeping Life by Ruth Rendell
5.0
Wexford Awakes
Review of the Arrow Books/Cornerstone Digital Kindle eBook edition (2010) of the original Hutchinson (UK) hardcover (1978)
This was an easy 5-star rating, I think my first of the Chief Inspector Wexford series, which are usually solid 3s or 4s at least (I do have a later 1 or 2 rating coming up though). A Sleeping Life has quite an incredible twist ending, but in an interesting way it is likely more guessable in the present day than it was when originally released in the 1970s. Saying anything more about that would be a spoiler though.
The body of a middle-aged woman named Rhoda Comfrey is found stabbed to death in Kingsmarkham. She was on a visit to her ailing father from her home in London. As Wexford and Burden being to investigate they find there is very little known about the woman after she left home for big city life. Clues found on the body lead them to investigate an historical fiction author named Grenville West and his typist/secretary Polly Flinders. But the solution of the case eludes them until Wexford makes a breakthrough and explains all in the end.
A Sleeping Life continues my 2023 binge read / re-read of Ruth Rendell (aka [a:Barbara Vine|47687|Barbara Vine|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1263385982p2/47687.jpg] and this is the 10th of the Inspector Wexford series.
Cover image for the original Hutchinson hardcover edition from 1978. Image sourced from Wikipedia. By http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=11560886237, Fair use, Link
Favourite Quotes
There were plenty of Wexford's quotes and allusions to classic literature in this one. Some favourites below:
Trivia and Links
A Sleeping Life was adapted for television as part of the Ruth Rendell / Inspector Wexford Mysteries TV series (1987-2000) as Season 3 Episodes 4 to 6 in 1989 with actor George Baker as Inspector Wexford. You can watch the entire 3 episodes on YouTube here.
Review of the Arrow Books/Cornerstone Digital Kindle eBook edition (2010) of the original Hutchinson (UK) hardcover (1978)
The woman was dead, but death by murder is in a way not an end but a beginning. The lives of the naturally dead may be buried with them. Hers would now gradually be exposed, event after event, obscure though she had been, until it took on the character of a celebrity’s biography. - The investigators ponder the consequences of murder.
This was an easy 5-star rating, I think my first of the Chief Inspector Wexford series, which are usually solid 3s or 4s at least (I do have a later 1 or 2 rating coming up though). A Sleeping Life has quite an incredible twist ending, but in an interesting way it is likely more guessable in the present day than it was when originally released in the 1970s. Saying anything more about that would be a spoiler though.
The body of a middle-aged woman named Rhoda Comfrey is found stabbed to death in Kingsmarkham. She was on a visit to her ailing father from her home in London. As Wexford and Burden being to investigate they find there is very little known about the woman after she left home for big city life. Clues found on the body lead them to investigate an historical fiction author named Grenville West and his typist/secretary Polly Flinders. But the solution of the case eludes them until Wexford makes a breakthrough and explains all in the end.
A Sleeping Life continues my 2023 binge read / re-read of Ruth Rendell (aka [a:Barbara Vine|47687|Barbara Vine|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1263385982p2/47687.jpg] and this is the 10th of the Inspector Wexford series.
Cover image for the original Hutchinson hardcover edition from 1978. Image sourced from Wikipedia. By http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=11560886237, Fair use, Link
Favourite Quotes
There were plenty of Wexford's quotes and allusions to classic literature in this one. Some favourites below:
In English law one can call oneself what one likes. What you call yourself is your name. People think you have to change your name by deed poll but you don’t. I could call myself Waterford tomorrow and you could call yourself Fardel without infringing a hairsbreadth of the law.’ Looking puzzled, Burden said, ‘I suppose so. Look, I see the Waterford thing, but why Fardel?’ ‘You grunt and sweat under a weary life, don’t you? - Wexford quotes from [b:Hamlet|1420|Hamlet|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1351051208l/1420._SY75_.jpg|1885548]
Burden looked injured, and when they had said good-bye and were crossing the Circus to Parish Oak station, remarked that Clements was a very nice chap. ‘Very true,’ sneered Wexford with Miss Austen, ‘and this is a very nice day and we are taking a very nice walk.’ - Wexford quotes from [b:Northanger Abbey|50398|Northanger Abbey|Jane Austen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388201718l/50398._SY75_.jpg|4039699]
Loring who was a romantic young man thought that it was in just such a tone that the Shunamite had said to the watchmen: Have ye seen him whom my soul loveth? - The Bible - Song of Solomon.
Burden went to the window and said wonderingly, ‘There’s a cloud up there.’ ‘No bigger than a man’s hand, I daresay.’ ‘Bigger than that,’ said Burden, not recognizing this quotation from the Book of Kings. - The Bible.
‘Now where shall I begin?’ ‘At the beginning,’ said Wexford with perfect gravity. ‘Go on to the end and then stop.’ - Wexford quotes from [b:Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass|24213|Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass|Lewis Carroll|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630487234l/24213._SX50_.jpg|2375385].
Trivia and Links
A Sleeping Life was adapted for television as part of the Ruth Rendell / Inspector Wexford Mysteries TV series (1987-2000) as Season 3 Episodes 4 to 6 in 1989 with actor George Baker as Inspector Wexford. You can watch the entire 3 episodes on YouTube here.