The St. Zita Society by Ruth Rendell

Hardcover, 272 pages

Scribner, August 14, 2012

ISBN: 1451666683 (ISBN13: 9781451666687)

A highly enjoyable novel. To my mind, this one’s at least equal in quality to Portobello and No Man’s Nightingale (by Rendell) and The Cuckoo’s Calling (by Galbraith/Rowling). 

This is a crime novel in name only. The crime element is only the framework for Rendell's shrewd observations about the characters’ interior lives. Her graceful style highlights just how mediocre James Patterson, Michael Robotham and certain other popular thriller writers really are. For me personally, the London setting is another attraction.

Readers with incipient senility may be put off by the bewildering array of characters. But I say: no problem. Simply make a list of the ten most frequently mentioned characters, with a key fact about each to jog your memory. That’s what I always do. If you have a Kindle, it’s easy to search by character name for Dex, Dr. Jefferson, Mrs. Neville-Smith, Jimmy, June, Henry, Huguette, Montserrat, Rad Sothern, Thea, Miss Grieves...and that's not even all of them. I’m sure I’ll read more by The Right Honourable The Baroness Rendell, CBE. 

Link: New York Times Book Review, August 31, 2012