Laura J. (LauraJ) -
Helpful Score: 1
An unusual mystery novel, in that not much really happens. However, the primary plot is still intriguing and held my interest. Unfortunately, the secondary plot about a Pakistani family and their teenage daughter was excruciating. I found myself speed-reading through those sections as the book progressed. Not one of Rendell's best works, but still worth reading if you are a fan of her Inspector Wexford series.
Tica N. (purveyoroffinebooks) reviewed The Monster in the Box (Chief Inspector Wexford, Bk 22) on + 11 more book reviews
Too much hype doth disappointment make.
Gentle, slow tale. References to the way life used to be, especially in England, were enjoyable, as Wexford remembers days when people did not become media stars via crimes. Also, nice observations. But no grand pay-off for the reader, just a slow denouement.
Gentle, slow tale. References to the way life used to be, especially in England, were enjoyable, as Wexford remembers days when people did not become media stars via crimes. Also, nice observations. But no grand pay-off for the reader, just a slow denouement.
Cameron-Ashley H. (BigGreenChair) reviewed The Monster in the Box (Chief Inspector Wexford, Bk 22) on + 463 more book reviews
OMG what a boring book. Two detectives constantly meeting to discuss things including what they eat, no real complicated plot, no thrilling parts, just boring. I got so tired of reading their conversation. About 2/3 way through I thought this is never going to get good if nothing has happened yet, and I was right. It was so predictable. End result (spoiler alert) the guy they're looking for is killed by someone else and hey that's the end of the mystery. Sigh....
Cyndi J. (cyndij) reviewed The Monster in the Box (Chief Inspector Wexford, Bk 22) on + 1032 more book reviews
I haven't read much Rendell before, but not for any particular reason. When I started this book, I knew it was an Inspector Wexford book, and one of the last in the series (the penultimate, as it turns out). Inspector Wexford sees a man on the street he hasn't seen for years, a man he suspected of killing at least one and maybe more people, but his suspicion was based on nothing more than the way the man stared at him and then kept showing up. Now he's back, and Wexford finally relates his suspicion to his colleague (friend?) Burden. If I had read more of these I'd know their relationship, so that was a drawback. I kept wondering why Burden was so skeptical - is Wexford usually given to bad hunches? Does he never do that at all, perhaps, so this is very uncharacteristic? Anyway, Wexford's flashbacks include not just the story of the suspected killer but also his days as a young detective and meeting the girl he'd marry, very evocative. The secondary plot relates to the concern of Burden's wife Jenny for a young Pakistani girl who was her student. Jenny thinks the girl might be forced into an arranged marriage - again without any proof, just a hunch. It was surprising to me how nosy the teacher and then the police were willing to be with the family. The two plots unfold slowly and will intersect eventually; one hunch will turn out to be right. While it's far from action-packed I read it steadily right through. Definitely going to have to pick up more of her books at some point.
