A crime novel in which four members of one family are shot dead one Valentine's Day by their housekeeper, who is arrested for the crime two weeks later, but the tragedy neither begins nor ends there. From the author of THE REASON WHY, SIMISOLA and THE SPEAKER OF MANDARIN.
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A crime novel in which four members of one family are shot dead one Valentine's Day by their housekeeper, who is arrested for the crime two weeks later, but the tragedy neither begins nor ends there. From the author of THE REASON WHY, SIMISOLA and THE SPEAKER OF MANDARIN.
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Seller's Description:
Good. Ex-Library Copy **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books.
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Seller's Description:
Very good in very good dust jacket. Signed by author. 191 p. Audience: General/trade. Rare First Edition Signed by Author. Widely considered to be one of her greatest works. The novel is famous in the world of crime fiction for its opening line: "Eunice Parchman killed the Coverdale family because she could not read or write". The novel has been acclaimed as a keen social examination of the differences between British classes in the 1970s.
I grew to like this book more as I read it. "Eunice Parchman killed the Coverdale family because she could not read or write." Thus goes the first line of the book. The first chapter fills in details of who, how and when and that she gets caught. Reading the end just explains how she felt about being caught. BUT you have to read the entire book to find out why being illiterate led to murder.
Enjoyably reading the end was NOT enlightening. I had to read EVERY page to discover how her disability occurred; how it affected Eunice and others; how she coped; and how it led to the death of several people. Being Illiterate is a problem often ignored but is interestingly written about. Like most Rendell books the concept feels original.
I enjoy all Ruth Rendell books but I think this is my favourite.
