Going Wrong

Classic British crime fiction is the best in the world - and Ruth Rendell is crime fiction at its very best. Ingenious and meticulous plots, subtle and penetrating characterizations, beguiling storylines and wry observations have all combined to put her at the very top of her craft.

Her first novel, From Doon with Death appeared in 1964, and since then her reputation and readership have grown steadily with each new book. She has now received eight major awards for her work: three Edgars from the Mystery Writers of America; the Crime Writers' Gold Dagger Award for 1976's best crime novel for A Demon in My View, the Arts Council National Book Award for Genre Fiction in 1981 for Lake of Darkness; the Crime Writers' Silver Dagger Award for 1985's best crime novel for The Tree of Hands; the Crime Writers' Gold Dagger Award for 1986's best crime novel for Live Flesh, and in 1987 the Crime Writers' Gold Dagger Award for A Fatal Inversion, written under the name Barbara Vine.