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3.0 

To Fear a Painted Devil

By Ruth Rendell
To Fear a Painted Devil by Ruth Rendell digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

He was young, arrogant, wealthy and in the bloom of health—or was he?

“Undoubtedly one of the best writers of English mysteries and chiller-killer plots.”—The Los Angeles Times

Like any small community, Linchester has its intrigues: love affairs, money problems, unhappy marriages. But the gossip is elevated to new heights when young Patrick Selby dies on the very night of his beautiful wife’s birthday party.

The whole neighborhood was there, witness to the horrible attack of wasp stings Patrick suffered at the end of the evening. But did Patrick die of a wasp sting? Dr. Greenleaf thinks not. Heart failure, more likely.

Still, Greenleaf isn’t at peace about his death. After all, everyone in Linchester hated Patrick. With the help of a certain naturalist, Dr. Greenleaf begins to think about murder. . . .

“Rendell is awfully good.”—The New York Times Book Review

5 Reviews

3.0
“I was genuinely surprised that Ruth Rendell was really quite amusing in her novels. I found 'To Fear a Painted Devil' most enjoyable. A group of friends meet for a party at a country house, but when one dies of what is assumed to be a wasp sting, the fingers start pointing in all directions. I loved the twist at the end. I never thought I would read Ruth Rendell as someone who has similar traits as Agatha Christie when plotting her murders, but in this stoy I found that to be the case. I loved all the characters as well, especially the ones having secret affairs with each other...”

About Ruth Rendell

Ruth Rendell is the author of Road Rage, The Keys to the Street, Bloodlines, Simisola, and The Crocodile Bird. She is the winner of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award. She is also the recipient of three Edgars from the Mystery Writers of America and four Gold Daggers from Great Britain’s Crime Writers Association. In 1997, she was named a life peer in the House of Lords. Rendell also writes mysteries under the name of Barbara Vine, of which A Dark-Adapted Eye is the most famous. She lives in England.

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