The Rottweiler: an intensely gripping and charged psychological exploration of the dark corners of the human mind from the award winning Queen of Crime, Ruth Rendell

Ruth Rendell

Jan 2010 · Random House

About this ebook

The Rottweiler is a chilling tale of a psychopath and the daily lives of those living in his murderous shadow. Expertly brought to life by multi-million copy and SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author Ruth Rendell, this is perfect for fans of PD James, Ann Cleeves and Donna Leon.

'Compelling and disturbing' -- The Times
'In Rendell's expert hands, you'll want to keep reading until dawn - with the light on' -- Red
'Wonderful at exploring the way private fantasies can clash and explode into terrifying violence' -- Daily Mail
'Rendell at her best' -- ***** Reader review
'Absolutely brilliant' -- ***** Reader review
'I just couldn't put it down'-- ***** Reader review
'I was totally enthralled by this from start to finish'-- ***** Reader review
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The first murder victim had a bite mark on her neck. When the tabloids got hold of the story, they immediately called the deranged killer 'The Rottweiler', and the name stuck.

The latest body was discovered very near Inez Ferry's antique shop in Marylebone. Someone spotted a shadowy figure running away past the station, but couldn't say for sure if it was a man or a woman. There were only two other clues. The murderer seemed to have a preference for strangling his victims and then removing something personal - like a cigarette lighter or a necklace. Trinkets very similar to those mysteriously appearing in Inez's shop. . .

Since her actor husband died, too early into their marriage, Inez supplemented her modest income by taking in tenants above the shop. As her collection of antique trinkets grows, so does Inez's fear that she is harbouring a psychopathic murderer...

Ratings and reviews

I found it boring overall. It starts slow, introducing all the characters, then gets into piecing together the characters and plot. Although the plot is meant to be a murder mystery, it wasn't very mysterious as you knew who-dun-it part way through the story. The author describes each character so that you feel as though you know them, including the murderer, except for the detectives who just occasionally come into the storyline. Overall it covers a few weeks in the lives of the people who rent above the antique shop, which is interesting enough in itself.

Good suspense with a touch of humour

About the author

Ruth Rendell was an exceptional crime writer, and will be remembered as a legend in her own lifetime. Her groundbreaking debut novel, From Doon With Death, was first published in 1964 and introduced the reader to her enduring and popular detective, Inspector Reginald Wexford, who went on to feature in twenty-four of her subsequent novels.

With worldwide sales of approximately 20 million copies, Rendell was a regular Sunday Times bestseller. Her sixty bestselling novels include police procedurals, some of which have been successfully adapted for TV, stand-alone psychological mysteries, and a third strand of crime novels under the pseudonym Barbara Vine. Very much abreast of her times, the Wexford books in particular often engaged with social or political issues close to her heart.

Rendell won numerous awards, including the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger for 1976’s best crime novel with A Demon in My View, a Gold Dagger award for Live Flesh in 1986, and the Sunday Times Literary Award in 1990. In 2013 she was awarded the Crime Writers’ Association Cartier Diamond Dagger for sustained excellence in crime writing. In 1996 she was awarded the CBE and in 1997 became a Life Peer.

Ruth Rendell died in May 2015. Her final novel, Dark Corners, was published in October 2015.