Series
Publication
Hutchinson (2013)
Original publication date
2013
Collections
Genres
Description
"A female Vicar named Sarah Hussein is discovered strangled in her Kingsmarkham Vicarage. The gossipy cleaning woman who discovers her body, Maxine, happens to also be in the employ of retired Chief Inspector Wexford and his wife. When detective inspector Mike Burden calls him, Wexford, intrigued by the unusual circumstances of the murder, leaps at the chance to tag along with the investigators. A single-mother to a teenage girl, Hussein was a woman working in a male-dominated profession. Moreover, she was of mixed race and working to modernize the church. Could racism or sexism played a factor in her murder? As he searches the Vicar's house with Buren, Wexford sees a book on her bedside table. Inside the book is a letter serving as a bookmark. Without thinking much, Wexford puts it into his pocket, Wexford soon realizes he has made a grave error - the former policeman has taken away a piece of valuable evidence without telling anybody. What he finds inside begins to illuminate the murky past of Hussein. Is there more to her than meets the eye? No Man's Nightingale is the captivating twenty-fourth installment in Rendell's masterful Wexford series, which has been delighting readers for almost half a century"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Romonko
Wexford in retirement is not the same Wexford as DCI. I've read the last few books which take up with Wexford in his retirement from the CID. They just don't grab me the same way. Ruth Rendell is an excellent writer, and she has been one of my favourites for many years, both as herself and under
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her pseudonym Barbara Vine. She has a way of exploring the "off the wall" like no other author out there. But her latest books just don't have the same tension or even the same creepy characters. In this book Wexford is called out of retirement by his pal and former co-worker Burden when a female vicar is found strangled in her home.He's asked to come and observe, but with Wexford being Wexford observation alone is not in his wheelhouse. He gets thoroughtly involved with the vicar and all the people connected to her in some way. He follows his own line of enquiry which is in a totally different direction than Burden's. The idea of the story is a good one and the plotline is tight as I've come to expect from Ms. Rendell, but there wasn't much tension at all during the entire book. Not what I expect from Ms. Rendell at all. Show Less
LibraryThing member brangwinn
I have to agree with many of the other reviews. This isn't the Wexford I remember in his prime. Maybe it's time to retire the series since Wexford is retired. It was still a nice read, with interesting characters and if you're a Wexford fan you'll want to read it, otherwise start with the older
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ones when his life was much more exciting. I never did figure out how the title fit into the plotline. Show Less
LibraryThing member lostinalibrary
When the vicar of St Peter's Church in Kingsmartin is found murdered, there are a lot of suspects. The fact that the vicar was a woman, half Indian, and a single mother had made her unpopular with many both in her congregation and throughout the village. Although Wexford is now retired, he is asked
This is, I believe, the 24th Inspector Wexford novel and, in many ways it seemed more cozy mystery a la Miss Marple than police procedural ie savvy oldster not only helps police but solves the mystery despite them. However, in this novel, the oldster doesn't seem as savvy as he has in the past. In fact, for a retired inspector, he seems downright amateurish at times. When, for example, he discovers a letter in a book which could be an important clue, he deliberately sticks it in his pocket rather than turn it over to the police and then promptly forgets about it.
Still, this is a Ruth Rendell novel and although Wexford may not be at the top of his form, Rendell has not lost her keen powers of observation of the human condition warts and all. There are plenty of quirky characters and red herrings galore and she manages to keep the identity of the murderer hidden right to the end. The pacing of the story is rather slow, more invigorating stroll than fast train and, like most of Rendell's books, the mystery is more of a mind tease than a gory in-your-face throw'em down and shoot 'em up thriller. But nobody does this better than Rendall and, if this isn't her best novel, it is still a heck of a good read.
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to assist. When the police make an arrest, Wexford is convinced they have the wrong man but he's the only one who thinks the man is innocent.This is, I believe, the 24th Inspector Wexford novel and, in many ways it seemed more cozy mystery a la Miss Marple than police procedural ie savvy oldster not only helps police but solves the mystery despite them. However, in this novel, the oldster doesn't seem as savvy as he has in the past. In fact, for a retired inspector, he seems downright amateurish at times. When, for example, he discovers a letter in a book which could be an important clue, he deliberately sticks it in his pocket rather than turn it over to the police and then promptly forgets about it.
Still, this is a Ruth Rendell novel and although Wexford may not be at the top of his form, Rendell has not lost her keen powers of observation of the human condition warts and all. There are plenty of quirky characters and red herrings galore and she manages to keep the identity of the murderer hidden right to the end. The pacing of the story is rather slow, more invigorating stroll than fast train and, like most of Rendell's books, the mystery is more of a mind tease than a gory in-your-face throw'em down and shoot 'em up thriller. But nobody does this better than Rendall and, if this isn't her best novel, it is still a heck of a good read.
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LibraryThing member smik
Nearly 40 years on since he emerged in FROM DOON WITH DEATH (1964) Reg Wexford, now retired after a lifetime as Chief Inspector Wexford, is happily reading his way through The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Retirement is suiting him better now than it did in THE VAULT where he took up
This time it is former colleague and friend Mike Burden who asks him if he would interested in a bit of unpaid consultancy following the murder of a local vicar.
Most of NO MAN'S NIGHTINGALE is written from Wexford's point of view. Wexford finds for example that Burden is running the the investigation differently to the way he would have done. In his opinion Burden has too many conferences and Wexford finds that in his consultancy capacity he is really not able to voice his opinions freely. Nor can he prevent his friend from making some disastrous errors. Because the murder has taken place in the community in which he lives Wexford finds he at times has to tread a very narrow line. For example, as a private person he learns information that he wouldn't come across as a policeman, and he is not sure whether he is still duty bound to report it to the police.
I think Rendell has taken great pains to present us with an aging Wexford, whose brain is still very much alive and alert, but no longer quite as agile as it used to be. But his powers of observation and deduction are still strong.
So, an aging person myself, that assured my feeling of empathy with Wexford.
And what about Rendell, now 83. How is her writing going? Well, I don't think this is her best book, but it still puts her at the forefront of today's writers. Fans will enjoy Wexford's latest outing.
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Detective Superintendent Tom Ede's offer of being an unpaid serious crimes adviser. But he still likes to feel needed, doing something important.This time it is former colleague and friend Mike Burden who asks him if he would interested in a bit of unpaid consultancy following the murder of a local vicar.
Most of NO MAN'S NIGHTINGALE is written from Wexford's point of view. Wexford finds for example that Burden is running the the investigation differently to the way he would have done. In his opinion Burden has too many conferences and Wexford finds that in his consultancy capacity he is really not able to voice his opinions freely. Nor can he prevent his friend from making some disastrous errors. Because the murder has taken place in the community in which he lives Wexford finds he at times has to tread a very narrow line. For example, as a private person he learns information that he wouldn't come across as a policeman, and he is not sure whether he is still duty bound to report it to the police.
I think Rendell has taken great pains to present us with an aging Wexford, whose brain is still very much alive and alert, but no longer quite as agile as it used to be. But his powers of observation and deduction are still strong.
So, an aging person myself, that assured my feeling of empathy with Wexford.
And what about Rendell, now 83. How is her writing going? Well, I don't think this is her best book, but it still puts her at the forefront of today's writers. Fans will enjoy Wexford's latest outing.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DowntownLibrarian
I've been reading Ruth Rendell for many years, and her Inspector Wexford books are always enjoyable. Definitely recommmended.
LibraryThing member librarian1204
I think a Inspector Wexford and I are both uneasy with his retirement. Maybe it can grow on both of us.
Still a pretty good read. From an author who is a master storyteller.
Still a pretty good read. From an author who is a master storyteller.
LibraryThing member Jcambridge
Not Randell's best effort, but still worth the read. Interesting to see Wexford in retirement.
LibraryThing member viviennestrauss
After just reading a book of Rendell's short stories which I really enjoyed, this was a supreme disappointment. Boring as can be. I wouldn't have finished except I was hoping it might cure my insomnia. It didn't.
LibraryThing member fred_mouse
unsurprisingly icky. I quite like the way that Rendell resolves her mysteries, but I do find them rather brutal.
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780091953850
Physical description
6.02 inches